What do you think?
Rate this book
くらやみにストロボ [Kurayami ni Strobe]
おまえを好きでよかった
高校生の新と正太朗。
幼馴染の二人だが、長い間、新は正太朗への想いを隠して過ごしていた。
これまでも、そしてこれからも言うつもりのない「好き」という言葉。しかしある時、正太朗から思いもよらぬ告白を受け……。
幼馴染から恋人へ、変化する関係を繊細かつ濃密に綴るきらきらラブストーリー。
2人の友人である澤山&長谷のビミョーな関係を描いた番外編も収録!
Arata who is in love with his childhood friend Miyamoto, always eavesdrops on the confessions his friend receives from girls but Miyamoto constantly rejects the confessions saying he already has someone he likes. One day Miyamoto catches Arata eavesdropping and asks, "Want to know who?"
高校生の新と正太朗。
幼馴染の二人だが、長い間、新は正太朗への想いを隠して過ごしていた。
これまでも、そしてこれからも言うつもりのない「好き」という言葉。しかしある時、正太朗から思いもよらぬ告白を受け……。
幼馴染から恋人へ、変化する関係を繊細かつ濃密に綴るきらきらラブストーリー。
2人の友人である澤山&長谷のビミョーな関係を描いた番外編も収録!
Arata who is in love with his childhood friend Miyamoto, always eavesdrops on the confessions his friend receives from girls but Miyamoto constantly rejects the confessions saying he already has someone he likes. One day Miyamoto catches Arata eavesdropping and asks, "Want to know who?"
Kindle Edition
First published November 30, 2013
About the author
Nojiko Hayakawa
23 books54 followersAssociated names : topica
Name (in native language) : ハヤカワノジコ
Yfrog: @tpc_net
Pixiv: #1326231
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
April 10, 2017
De todos los que le he leído a Hayakawa Nojiko, es el que más me gusta, creo que entiendo su estilo mucho mejor ahora. Ojalá lo publiquen en español.
April 15, 2025
This was really adorable
January 19, 2022
When I first saw that camera/developing pictures metaphor, I was already sold. I love metaphors! Anyway, I love this so much, I had a hard time finishing it because I don't want it to end. I like Shoutarou's child-like insecurities as much I like Arata's keeping-calm jealousies. It just makes me laugh at how natural and human nature it is. Sure brings me back. I love them so much, I wish there's another volume tho, is there? I'd really like to see Hase and Sawa's relationship progress.
May 1, 2018
3.5 stars
Cute romance manga about two teens who are childhood friends, they have feelings for each other. Sakaki Arata is a photographer and Miyamoto Shoutarou is basketball player in their high school. Both of the boys are awkward and endearing. I liked their interactions, they are a lot of miscommunication, misstep and flustered teens.
I love the arc of Arata dealing with his internalized homophobia, I love the cheerfulness and earnestness of Shoutarou, he always speaks his mind and that makes Arata a blushing mess 24/7.
I like that they talk about anti-lgbtq+ environment in their country but they choose to stay together because they make each other happy.
Special shoutout to Hase, this little shit and big fox was hilarious and very supportive. Sawa was a bit difficult but I feel like he's been going through his own internalized things.
The story is realistic in terms of characters' actions and thoughts.
Although I grew bored by the end, I think it could've been shorter. Also while I appreciate the unusual panel composition, sometimes it was very hard to get what's happening. I often didn't get what the actual dialog are, what internal thoughts are, because word bubbles are all over the place.
All in all, this is a lovely m/m romance manga with no explicit content and lots of cuteness.
Cute romance manga about two teens who are childhood friends, they have feelings for each other. Sakaki Arata is a photographer and Miyamoto Shoutarou is basketball player in their high school. Both of the boys are awkward and endearing. I liked their interactions, they are a lot of miscommunication, misstep and flustered teens.
I love the arc of Arata dealing with his internalized homophobia, I love the cheerfulness and earnestness of Shoutarou, he always speaks his mind and that makes Arata a blushing mess 24/7.
I like that they talk about anti-lgbtq+ environment in their country but they choose to stay together because they make each other happy.
Special shoutout to Hase, this little shit and big fox was hilarious and very supportive. Sawa was a bit difficult but I feel like he's been going through his own internalized things.
The story is realistic in terms of characters' actions and thoughts.
Although I grew bored by the end, I think it could've been shorter. Also while I appreciate the unusual panel composition, sometimes it was very hard to get what's happening. I often didn't get what the actual dialog are, what internal thoughts are, because word bubbles are all over the place.
All in all, this is a lovely m/m romance manga with no explicit content and lots of cuteness.
March 30, 2015
Even though I really loved what I'd read by Hayakawa Nojiko before, I'd hesitated buying this because I kinda was sick of high school stories. But I ended up buying it after all because one of them is in the basketball club and anyway, I am so happy I did because this was really good. I love Hayakawa-sensei's art and the way she uses the panels, and the story itself captures their youth and cluelessness and love perfectly. Very well done, and funny and heartwarming rather than serious and heartbreaking.
August 8, 2018
This manga was really cute. Sweet young couples falling in love for the first time. BUT WHERE IS THE SMUT!!!!! 5 stars.
June 11, 2026
I'd initially thought I was going to really like this, but the story could never quite figure out what it wanted to be.
It's odd that this was originally published in Japan in 2024, because it feels like such a throwback BL in its treatment of homophobia. But even that isn't very consistent.
Arata has been in love with his childhood friend and neighbor, Shotaro, for years. He's fully aware that he's gay - beyond this particular crush, he's romantically and physically interested in guys, which makes him "not normal." He's very, very stuck on the "normal" label, and it all seems entirely tied to a bullying incident he'd witnessed at school a few years earlier, when another gay classmate was being harassed by guys who found that guy's whole existence "gross." Which means that if Arata ever showed his true self, the same thing would happen to him.
Granted, yes, even one incident like that can really scare you into locking the closet behind you. And even if the world as a whole - and Japanese society - are becoming more aware and accepting of queer people, there are definitely still plenty of obstacles and intolerance and hate. But Arata doesn't really...experience any of that? It's not like his family or Shotaro's big chaotic household are ever shown to care about "abnormal" behavior. And the people at school don't seem that fazed by it, either.
But Arata simply cannot let go of his obsession with not being "normal," to the extent where it just started to feel like a frustrating loop after a while. Even after his friends were fine with it! Even after Shotaro made big confessions and turned out to be way more interested in the physical side of things than Arata had thought. After a while, the only one being homophobic was kind of Arata himself.
Which he does kind of admit, that he's always the one getting in his own way. His hot and cold behavior got tiring after a while, though. Yes, I get that he's worried Shotaro will fall out of love with him eventually and move on to someone else. Sure, he's worried about holding hands in public and being touchy-feely at school, and he doesn't really know what two guys are actually supposed to do with their body parts when they're alone. (He started looking into it and gave up, which...honestly seems unrealistic, considering how easily you can find those kinds of details with a couple keystrokes. Again: this felt like it was set in some pre-internet age or something.)
And then when they do get together, it's mostly just rinse and repeat of Arata freaking out, Shotaro confirming he loves him, Arata talking to other people and Shotaro getting wildly jealous in a kind of unsettling way that's meant to be funny but really doesn't come across that way.
Shotaro in general never consolidated into a real character for me. He's goofy and airheaded and good-natured but also kind of creepily possessive? He's So Pure he thinks all people do is hold hands when they date, but he's also the one who keeps pushing for him and Arata to spend the night together and do a whole lot more. He's completely oblivious about their friend Sawa avoiding them after they reveal they're dating, but he always notices lots of little details in other situations.
Like I said, this just didn't feel like a fully thought out storyline. I didn't feel like I really got to know the characters.
And then we abruptly switch partway through to a half-hearted storyline about their two friends possibly forming their own connection. But that...didn't work at all. It had some interesting potential that made no sense with how the two of them were introduced, and then it fizzled out to nothing.
If it does get a second volume that's about them, I just don't think I'll be interested enough to keep going. It's not a bad book, but it never really found its footing.
It's odd that this was originally published in Japan in 2024, because it feels like such a throwback BL in its treatment of homophobia. But even that isn't very consistent.
Arata has been in love with his childhood friend and neighbor, Shotaro, for years. He's fully aware that he's gay - beyond this particular crush, he's romantically and physically interested in guys, which makes him "not normal." He's very, very stuck on the "normal" label, and it all seems entirely tied to a bullying incident he'd witnessed at school a few years earlier, when another gay classmate was being harassed by guys who found that guy's whole existence "gross." Which means that if Arata ever showed his true self, the same thing would happen to him.
Granted, yes, even one incident like that can really scare you into locking the closet behind you. And even if the world as a whole - and Japanese society - are becoming more aware and accepting of queer people, there are definitely still plenty of obstacles and intolerance and hate. But Arata doesn't really...experience any of that? It's not like his family or Shotaro's big chaotic household are ever shown to care about "abnormal" behavior. And the people at school don't seem that fazed by it, either.
But Arata simply cannot let go of his obsession with not being "normal," to the extent where it just started to feel like a frustrating loop after a while. Even after his friends were fine with it! Even after Shotaro made big confessions and turned out to be way more interested in the physical side of things than Arata had thought. After a while, the only one being homophobic was kind of Arata himself.
Which he does kind of admit, that he's always the one getting in his own way. His hot and cold behavior got tiring after a while, though. Yes, I get that he's worried Shotaro will fall out of love with him eventually and move on to someone else. Sure, he's worried about holding hands in public and being touchy-feely at school, and he doesn't really know what two guys are actually supposed to do with their body parts when they're alone. (He started looking into it and gave up, which...honestly seems unrealistic, considering how easily you can find those kinds of details with a couple keystrokes. Again: this felt like it was set in some pre-internet age or something.)
And then when they do get together, it's mostly just rinse and repeat of Arata freaking out, Shotaro confirming he loves him, Arata talking to other people and Shotaro getting wildly jealous in a kind of unsettling way that's meant to be funny but really doesn't come across that way.
Shotaro in general never consolidated into a real character for me. He's goofy and airheaded and good-natured but also kind of creepily possessive? He's So Pure he thinks all people do is hold hands when they date, but he's also the one who keeps pushing for him and Arata to spend the night together and do a whole lot more. He's completely oblivious about their friend Sawa avoiding them after they reveal they're dating, but he always notices lots of little details in other situations.
Like I said, this just didn't feel like a fully thought out storyline. I didn't feel like I really got to know the characters.
And then we abruptly switch partway through to a half-hearted storyline about their two friends possibly forming their own connection. But that...didn't work at all. It had some interesting potential that made no sense with how the two of them were introduced, and then it fizzled out to nothing.
If it does get a second volume that's about them, I just don't think I'll be interested enough to keep going. It's not a bad book, but it never really found its footing.
July 26, 2021
I've read a few chapters of Endou-kun, so I've always been intrigued by Hayakawa Nojiko's work. The way she makes her panels bleed into each other sometimes when the characters are deep in thought lends a lot to the stream of consciousness vibe and I haven't really seen anything like this before. There's a certain messiness to her stories where she shows us snapshots that's important to the story but doesn't dwell too much on the details, so we get the thoughts and emotions but it might be confusing if you're reading too quickly. Because I'm reading this in a language I'm not fluent in, I do have to read very slowly and I think that helps.
「くらやみにストロボ」 plays a lot with light and darkness (hey, that's the title, lmao). There's the photography metaphor (if you let light inside the dark room, the film won't come out perfectly) that stands for possibly ruining a friendship by admitting to romantic feelings. Then there's also a more general miscommunication, being kept in the dark and having to explain things towards the end. The latter half isn't as tight as the first half, imo, but I'm a sucker for awkward first loves, so I'm not complaining.
「くらやみにストロボ」 plays a lot with light and darkness (hey, that's the title, lmao). There's the photography metaphor (if you let light inside the dark room, the film won't come out perfectly) that stands for possibly ruining a friendship by admitting to romantic feelings. Then there's also a more general miscommunication, being kept in the dark and having to explain things towards the end. The latter half isn't as tight as the first half, imo, but I'm a sucker for awkward first loves, so I'm not complaining.
June 19, 2024
No takie nijakie trochę, zero przeszkód tylko od razu omg ale się kochamy, dupy nie urywa
August 13, 2026
Súper adorable, they are both so cute and funny.
December 23, 2022
Primeiro mangá BL que leio e achei a coisa mais fofa!! Uma pena ser tão curto, queria que tivesse uns 10 volumes, eu seria muito mais feliz
March 2, 2023
Rating: ⭐ (1.0)
Opinión:
Hubo algunos aspectos que realmente no me dejaron disfrutar de la lectura y uno de ellos fueron los excesivos globos de texto.
Supongo que al tratarse de una historia sobre "aceptar quién eres y quién te gusta", en conjunto con las típicas aventuras de escuela, llámese primeras confesiones, drama, etc., eran el escenario perfecto para desarrollar una buena trama de historia romántica.
Sin embargo, éste no supo aprovecharlo, ya que desde el momento en el que Miyamoto se confiesa, el personaje de Arata termina yéndose de lleno a pique (así como la trama). No solo porque se mostraba reacio con sus sentimientos, sino que llegaba a hartar con sus infinitas divagaciones mentales de sí pero no.
Eso sí, hubo momentos bastante emotivos como la primera vez que se toman de la mano, o cuando Miya le pide a Arata que escuche su corazón, pero esas escenas terminaron arruinadas por el exceso de texto que le metía el autor. Siento que una imagen vale más que mil palabras y si sabes graficar cómo se sienten tus personajes, no es necesarios que lo detalles explícitamente en mil y un globos de texto.
Opinión:
Hubo algunos aspectos que realmente no me dejaron disfrutar de la lectura y uno de ellos fueron los excesivos globos de texto.
Supongo que al tratarse de una historia sobre "aceptar quién eres y quién te gusta", en conjunto con las típicas aventuras de escuela, llámese primeras confesiones, drama, etc., eran el escenario perfecto para desarrollar una buena trama de historia romántica.
Sin embargo, éste no supo aprovecharlo, ya que desde el momento en el que Miyamoto se confiesa, el personaje de Arata termina yéndose de lleno a pique (así como la trama). No solo porque se mostraba reacio con sus sentimientos, sino que llegaba a hartar con sus infinitas divagaciones mentales de sí pero no.
Eso sí, hubo momentos bastante emotivos como la primera vez que se toman de la mano, o cuando Miya le pide a Arata que escuche su corazón, pero esas escenas terminaron arruinadas por el exceso de texto que le metía el autor. Siento que una imagen vale más que mil palabras y si sabes graficar cómo se sienten tus personajes, no es necesarios que lo detalles explícitamente en mil y un globos de texto.
April 22, 2024
this is absolutely adorable and I kept grinning like crazy while reading it, such a great pick me up story! 🙌🙌
arata is so deeply anxious about other people’s perception that he tries to keep everything he feels bottled up, ignoring something amazing just because he’s afraid of losing it, but I love how relentless and casual miyamoto is about his love. he’s pushy, but in such a chill way that I honestly admire it. they’re such a fun couple to cheer for!
the fact that this story is about high school love and that it treats it like something so completely normal is such a wonderful thing 🙏 I think it’s kind of a sign of changing times and I think more and more teens these days see the world like this too - that love is just love, and there’s no need to make a big fuss about it. it’s so different from what I and many older adults grew up with, and I absolutely love it 🥰
4 stars ⭐️ for an incredibly fun, comfort read
arata is so deeply anxious about other people’s perception that he tries to keep everything he feels bottled up, ignoring something amazing just because he’s afraid of losing it, but I love how relentless and casual miyamoto is about his love. he’s pushy, but in such a chill way that I honestly admire it. they’re such a fun couple to cheer for!
the fact that this story is about high school love and that it treats it like something so completely normal is such a wonderful thing 🙏 I think it’s kind of a sign of changing times and I think more and more teens these days see the world like this too - that love is just love, and there’s no need to make a big fuss about it. it’s so different from what I and many older adults grew up with, and I absolutely love it 🥰
4 stars ⭐️ for an incredibly fun, comfort read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2024
El dibujo es precioso y además las parejas (principal y secundaria) son muy lindas y están muy bien desarrolladas.
Es un manga que relata demasiado bien lo que sentimos las personas que nos sentimos atraídas al género opuesto al estar en una relación por primera vez, o que simplemente nos guste alguien por primera vez. Tener ese sentimiento horrible de que todos te están mirando, todos te están juzgando, esa sensación de que tú eres el raro y el que está haciendo algo mal por el simple hecho de amar a alguien, es de verdad muy horrible no aceptarse a uno mismo. Me sentí re identificada así que me encantó. Además de que las dos parejas están super bien desarrolladas, aunque me hubiera gustado que mostrar más del avance de la segunda pero weno, a encontrar el extra nomás 😔.
Es un manga que relata demasiado bien lo que sentimos las personas que nos sentimos atraídas al género opuesto al estar en una relación por primera vez, o que simplemente nos guste alguien por primera vez. Tener ese sentimiento horrible de que todos te están mirando, todos te están juzgando, esa sensación de que tú eres el raro y el que está haciendo algo mal por el simple hecho de amar a alguien, es de verdad muy horrible no aceptarse a uno mismo. Me sentí re identificada así que me encantó. Además de que las dos parejas están super bien desarrolladas, aunque me hubiera gustado que mostrar más del avance de la segunda pero weno, a encontrar el extra nomás 😔.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2026
This one was really good. Super sweet.
I love Hayakawa’s art style. I liked that Arata had a lot of time to progress through his fear, internalized homophobia, self loathing and being overly concerned with what other thought about him and the relationship he secretly wanted. It was a process and the story didn’t feel too slow to me or rushed either.
I really liked that the two friend characters, Sawa and Hase, got their brief side story. It was good. I liked how chill Hase was about everything. When he was teasing/flirting with Sawa he reminded me of a Cheshire Cat.
Hopefully more of Hayakawa’s work gets translated into English.
I love Hayakawa’s art style. I liked that Arata had a lot of time to progress through his fear, internalized homophobia, self loathing and being overly concerned with what other thought about him and the relationship he secretly wanted. It was a process and the story didn’t feel too slow to me or rushed either.
I really liked that the two friend characters, Sawa and Hase, got their brief side story. It was good. I liked how chill Hase was about everything. When he was teasing/flirting with Sawa he reminded me of a Cheshire Cat.
Hopefully more of Hayakawa’s work gets translated into English.
October 24, 2020
Bref, « Une lumière dans la pénombre » est un Yaoï plaisant. J’ai aimé le coup de crayon de la mangaka, la sensibilité des personnages principaux et le thème de la photographie qui est très bien exploité. J’ai cependant été moins charmée par l’histoire. Certains points qui faisaient l’originalité de ce mangas ne m’ont pas paru suffisamment détaillés et les chapitres sur les amis de nos héros empiétaient trop sur l’intrigue principale. C’était bien et je lirai d’autres œuvres de Nojiko Hayakawa mais ça aurait pu être beaucoup mieux.
August 7, 2022
Digamos que, tiene una trama honesta de lo que en verdad pasa cuando decides exponerte ante los demás. Vergüenza, dudas, miedos y negación. Es parecido a la realidad y quizás, uno de los trabajos más honesto del manga Yaoi, porque simplemente, suceden cosas que todos nos preguntamos cuando suceden. Esa negación a tomarse de las manos en público, evitar las caricias, contárselo a la familia, pensar en que lo que estás haciendo está mal, darse chance, tener celos, dudar de la veracidad, llorar, frustrarse. Esa es la realidad a la que se pasa cuando aún lo lo tienes tan claro y se agradece.
September 17, 2023
¡Qué preciosidad!
La historia de estos dos amigos que se enamoran es super dulce y tierna. Arata es un chico que teme ser acosado, además finge ser más frío y poner distancia, pero no puede evitar corresponder a su amigo. Por otra parte, Shoutarou es un sensible y llorón que decide ir directo al grano.
Ambos me hicieron reír mucho, en especial en esa confusión con Sawa.
Y... ¿Cómo así que se desarrolla otra historia a la par y no cierra aquí? Necesito investigar sobre ello para saber cómo termina.
En definitiva, me encantó y, si puedo, leeré mucho más de la autora.
La historia de estos dos amigos que se enamoran es super dulce y tierna. Arata es un chico que teme ser acosado, además finge ser más frío y poner distancia, pero no puede evitar corresponder a su amigo. Por otra parte, Shoutarou es un sensible y llorón que decide ir directo al grano.
Ambos me hicieron reír mucho, en especial en esa confusión con Sawa.
Y... ¿Cómo así que se desarrolla otra historia a la par y no cierra aquí? Necesito investigar sobre ello para saber cómo termina.
En definitiva, me encantó y, si puedo, leeré mucho más de la autora.
February 5, 2023
Uno de los mangas áquileo más cercano a la realidad que leí hasta el momento. El fotógrafo y el deportista con voces y personalidades muy distintas. Expone sobre la sexualidad y el rechazo queer dentro de la sociedad niponesa pero con un final feliz. Hasta hay una subtrama con uno de los amigos del protagonista.
Con un gran guión coming of age, distinto, humorístico pero realista. Y sin caer en la fetichizacion sexual.
Con un gran guión coming of age, distinto, humorístico pero realista. Y sin caer en la fetichizacion sexual.
September 25, 2025
Vamos voltar juntos pra casa?
Primeiramente amei essa autora. Ela conseguiu registrar muito bem todos os sentimentos frenéticos da adolescência associados a ser uma pessoa lgbt e se apaixonar por alguém do mesmo sexo. O traço é lindo e aborda temas maravilhosos e não tem casal tóxico que só sabe transar a todo instante pra segurar a narrativa.
Primeiramente amei essa autora. Ela conseguiu registrar muito bem todos os sentimentos frenéticos da adolescência associados a ser uma pessoa lgbt e se apaixonar por alguém do mesmo sexo. O traço é lindo e aborda temas maravilhosos e não tem casal tóxico que só sabe transar a todo instante pra segurar a narrativa.
July 5, 2026
This was a really sweet manga about two childhood friends, now in high school, who confess their feelings for each other and the ripples this creates inside and with their friends. Despite the dark cover image, it's a pretty wholesome story. I like the sketchy art style though at times it's hard to figure out what is happening. Lots of pages so you get your money's worth. I'd read it again.
July 25, 2026
I liked it so much, it was cute and relatable. Some moments with shotaro was a little upsetting cause why was he always jealousy over nothing 😂 but I relate it to arata because of how he acts in a relationship and hase because of his teasing and books preference. Over all it was such a good reads and enjoyed all the characters
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2026
I liked it so much, it was cute and relatable. Some moments with shotaro was a little upsetting cause why was he always jealousy over nothing ka but I relate it to arata
because of how he acts in a relationship and hase because of his teasing and books preference. Over all it was such a good reads and enjoyed all the
because of how he acts in a relationship and hase because of his teasing and books preference. Over all it was such a good reads and enjoyed all the
November 16, 2019
It was cute and heartwarming to see how Arata and Miyamoto interact with each other. Especially when the other was feeling down or worried about something. I didn’t give it a 4 star review though because it was missing something, I can’t pinpoint what though.
October 1, 2022
4/5
Naprawdę dobra manga bl, miłość między bohaterami nie jest zrobiona na siłę, przyjemnie się czyta, jest tam nawet fabuła ( a to rzadkość w mangach bl ).
W końcu manga z ładną okładką i fajną treścią.
Jestem zadowolona
Naprawdę dobra manga bl, miłość między bohaterami nie jest zrobiona na siłę, przyjemnie się czyta, jest tam nawet fabuła ( a to rzadkość w mangach bl ).
W końcu manga z ładną okładką i fajną treścią.
Jestem zadowolona
March 27, 2019
I love it! ❤❤❤ All of the stars for it!!!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was such a cute and charming story! I loved the artistic style and all of the characters!
I love Arata and Miyamoto, they're so cute❤❤❤
This was such a cute and charming story! I loved the artistic style and all of the characters!
I love Arata and Miyamoto, they're so cute❤❤❤
October 13, 2019
i really wanna read the spin-off. hase has my heart
November 5, 2022
ladne maja momenty ale malutko niestety
uroxze i originalne wsm
uroxze i originalne wsm
June 9, 2023
mega slodkie
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews