After School Etude 03

放課後のエチュード #3

by Hirune Cyan, Kaito Kaiba (translator)

An einer Kunstoberschule trifft der eher durchschnittliche Schüler Chihiro Minobe, der im Ballett-Leistungskurs ist, auf den älteren Shun Ichinomiya aus dem Leistungskurs für zeitgenössischen Tanz. Ichinomiya hat einen schlechten Ruf, verfügt jedoch über ein faszinierendes Tanztalent, in das sich Minobe auf den ersten Blick verliebt. An der Schule gibt es den Brauch, einen Übungspartner zu haben. Minobe schafft es, sich Ichinomiya als Partner zu sichern, doch dieser verlagert ihre Beziehung direkt auf eine körperliche Ebene…

Genres: Manga, Romance, Yaoi, Adult, Contemporary, Boys Love

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 8, 2023

Reviews

[⭐️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

my god… i love these boys so much. The story is so compelling and i love how Ichi isnt a dickhead about how good he is at ballet. I love how black cat-coded he is and how Minobe is a golden retriever haha.

This is not like any other manga i’ve read. I might be biased about this but i seriously love ballet shows and movies, plus the fact that this is a BL, i think this manga series might be one of the best ive read in a while. I’m hooked!!! The art style is yummy, the anatomy is delicious. Im contemplating getting a tatt of a panel from this idk 🤷

This volume wasnt spicy but u could tell just how much they literally love each other.

[Bine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sorry, aber der Band war super enttäuschend für mich. So lange gewartet und sooo viele Filler-Kaptitel, wobei sich der ganze neue Arc wie ein Filler anfühlt. Es dauert bis ins letzte Drittel, bevor es überhaupt mal richtig um Ballett geht, auch wirklich romantische Szenen fehlen. Dafür sooo viel belangloses Gelaber mit irgendwelchen Nebenfiguren. Liebe immer noch die Figuren, aber dieser Band hat sie nicht annähernd so strahlen lassen wie die letzten. Band 4 muss hier einiges gutmachen.

[Vivitastic_storys · Rating 3 out of 5]

Band drei ist toll gezeichnet, wie auch schon die Vorgänger, ebenso mit spannenden Einblicken in die Welt des Balletts. Leider kommt die Beziehung von Minobe und Ichi so kurz, dass ich nach der längeren Pause zwischen Band 2 und 3 schon Probleme hatte mich zu erinnern, wie weit die zwei schon waren. Da passiert für mich zu viel drum herum.
Hoffentlich holt der nächste Band mehr raus.

[Bin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ need Aidan to be a home wrecker there I said it!

[Thesincouch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume was setting the next conflict so it's more of a get-you-there than actually plot relevant volume. Beautiful drawings, love the characters, can't wait for the next one.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this series. It's gentle and a lot more focused on the overall story than on the whole will-they-won't-they of relationship drama, and I find that really refreshing.

I don't know if the next volume will dig into more jealousy and friction, since for the first time our two leads will be pitted directly against each other for a single role in an upcoming production. But I don't see a whole lot of reason to worry about it. They support each other so much and are just so genuinely good together that it's difficult to imagine a scenario where personal insecurities would fracture anything.

And even though they're in another country now, Instagram-recruited to join an upper-tier New York ballet school for a special session, the issues they're facing aren't new.

Like in Japan, Ichinomiya is really much too short for ballet. Everyone is surprised by his height and his youthful appearance - even though he's a year older than his 6 foot boyfriend. His dancing surprises them just as much, but that doesn't mean he'll be able to pick up the kinds of roles that everyone else is putting their all into, too.

Minobe's lost the only real advantages he had in Japan: his height and physique. In New York, most of the other guys are at eye-level with him for the first time, which means he really has to show that he has the skill to back his body up. And the reality is...I'm not sure he does? While the two of them were recruited together - Minobe wasn't just dragged along in Ichinomiya's wake - I feel like it's going to take some significant time and training for him to be at the level he needs for further opportunities like this.

Especially when there's someone like their new American roommate who's already gotten a guaranteed spot in the ballet company connected to their school...

I'll be honest - while I liked this volume and enjoyed its pacing, it was a little odd to have an entire volume where very little actually happened. It was really just a transition storyline, in a way, getting them from Japan to New York and setting up what looks like the next big plotline.

I did like the discussions about jealousy and comparisons, though. It's tough to have most of your friends and your main social group be people who are, for the majority of the time, your direct competitors. You really have to develop a lot of self-confidence but also humility and genuine care for others, so you don't (a) break down under the pressure (b) ruin your friendships. This series is giving a pretty decent portrayal of those dynamics without making anyone (so far) into a new villain to replace the skeevy guy from Ichinomiya's past.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY BABIES ARE IN AMERICA! 💖😭💖 This is by far my favorite volume in this series thus far.

Absolutely adore the fact that Minobe and Ichinomiya’s dance got them the attention of an American ballet company. Them being offered the opportunity to attend a special training is everything. Minobe is really trying so hard to improve, so he can keep up with Ichinomiya. I adore him!

It’s an opportunity for them to learn new approaches to ballet (and dance as a whole), and it gives them an opportunity to spend more time dancing together 😭 Truly a delight! Minobe’s happiness about being able to do this with Ichinomiya was everything 🥺

I can’t wait to keep reading about their experiences in America, and I look forward to the challenge of them being actual rivals too ✨

P.S. Ichinomiya being a teacher to that little girl at the amusement park trying to dance? Be still my heart! It aches and melts! 💖 It was far too precious!

[ℂ ✧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Des de novembre del 23 que no llegia aquesta sèrie i la veritat és que aquest volum s'ha sembla força descafeïnat. Insisteixo que no soc gaire fan del ballet, però sembla que el viatge a Nova York s'explica massa precipitadament i que hi ha poca sensació de progrés (sobretot de la relació dels protagonistes, que és el que més em pot interessar). Ha perdut frescor i cert interès, amena, però poc memorable, molt hauria de canviar el 4t volum perquè continuï llegint-la :/

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I was going to have to wait longer to get my hands on this volume but was thrilled it was in the shelves this week when I stopped at the bookstore.

Still beautiful art, sweet and spicy relationship and solid story. This one does feel more of a bridge between stories and didn’t really offer something big it self. Just getting the MCs to 🇺🇸 and setting up for the next arc.

Looking forward to volume 4

[Not Very Extroverted · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would've liked more romance, but I'm really happy with the way it keeps progressing. They're both so cute and sweet for each other, makes me kind of dread (but also look forward to) the next volume, where they have to dance 'against' one another.

This series always keeps me on my toes (*T^T)

*Pun intended

[MAGGS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Necesito MÁS. Necesito saber cómo termina. Necesito justicia y necesito mi HEA. <3

[Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 // probably my favorite manga I’ve read yet.. sooo cute

[jing | aperipateticbibliophile]

grr I wanted them to show off their gay pair dance in front of the Americans

[Virginia Ehrenzeller · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sweet! I’m so excited for them to be in America

[Ester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dispuestos a seguir sus sueños y hacer el baile que los haga libres, Shun y Chihiro reciben una invitación para ir a hacer un curso intensivo en EUA de ballet y contemporáneo. Allí ambos se darán cuenta de las diferencias y de lo competitivo del sector.

Leer la reseña completa en mi blog:

https://unabibliotecaentremundos.blog...

[Yaiza · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐