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After We Gazed at the Starry Sky #2
After We Gazed at the Starry Sky, Vol. 2
That fateful encounter at the planetarium changed Subaru Miyazawa’s life forever. After all, that’s where he met his true love, Tougo Amase, photographer extraordinaire! And now that they’re officially together, every day is a kind of happily-ever-after! That is, until the day Tougo admits that he’s planning to move away...so where does that leave Subaru?
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 17, 2023
8 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
January 30, 2025
Take me away in your rocket ship / Been a long day, get me out of here / Stay in a state of the greatest bliss / Whenever I'm in your atmosphere (Stars in the Sky – Phora feat. Jhené Aiko).
Hi, I’m thinking that I really need to chill with all of this heartwarming manga I’ve been reading recently. It's getting to be too much! Seriously, I’ve been going through the kinds of emotions that should only be reserved for 3 A.M. musings. I don’t know, maybe I’m laying it on a little thick, because After We Gazed at the Starry Sky is about as wholesome as wholesome gets, but I’ve always found myself getting choked up over heartwarming stories over heightened sadness. Like, I specifically remember being near tears while watching Moana when her grandmother was singing to her about who she is, but whenever it came to the many, many, harrowing death scenes in something like The Walking Dead, my eyes were going Kalahari mode. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that this is a manga where a series of nice things happen to a series of nice people, and it just made me want to cry! Isn’t that nice? I think it’s safe to say that I can be rather superficial in the way I choose my next reads in that… I basically just chase after pretty covers more often than not. For example, there’s this book called ASAP that looks very nice on my bookshelf (so much so, that I've sandwiched it between a lot of my favorites), but I’ve never actually felt like starting it because I realized too late that the premise didn’t really interest me all that much. Well, sometimes shortsightedness can lead to happy surprises, because I figured that After We Gazed at the Starry Sky would just be another one of those things that I’ll maybe get to later, but after flipping through a few pages, I was hooked. It turned out to be a wonderful way to spend an afternoon! And while I think the characters were probably a little too sweet and devoid of negative emotions, I think there’s more than enough manga out there with edge lord characters that I could easily find if that’s ever what I’m looking for (I never am). It’s funny because when I first went into this, I imagined that this would feature one of those characters, and the world famous photographer, Tougo Amase, would the manga's resident “bad boy,” arrogant type, all walking around like he’s a mf-ing Starboy, but he actually ended up being this super humble and shy dude. Again, happy surprises! Writing a story where everything comes together in a sweet, yet satisfying way isn't always the most popular thing to do, but somebody's got to do it. Anyway, I really enjoyed reading these two volumes, and even though they had me tear-bending at every turn of the page, I appreciate that After We Gazed at the Starry Sky was able to distract me from world events for even a little bit. Every second counts! Turn his TV off, turn his TV off. Huh, turn his TV off, turn his TV off.
Hi, I’m thinking that I really need to chill with all of this heartwarming manga I’ve been reading recently. It's getting to be too much! Seriously, I’ve been going through the kinds of emotions that should only be reserved for 3 A.M. musings. I don’t know, maybe I’m laying it on a little thick, because After We Gazed at the Starry Sky is about as wholesome as wholesome gets, but I’ve always found myself getting choked up over heartwarming stories over heightened sadness. Like, I specifically remember being near tears while watching Moana when her grandmother was singing to her about who she is, but whenever it came to the many, many, harrowing death scenes in something like The Walking Dead, my eyes were going Kalahari mode. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that this is a manga where a series of nice things happen to a series of nice people, and it just made me want to cry! Isn’t that nice? I think it’s safe to say that I can be rather superficial in the way I choose my next reads in that… I basically just chase after pretty covers more often than not. For example, there’s this book called ASAP that looks very nice on my bookshelf (so much so, that I've sandwiched it between a lot of my favorites), but I’ve never actually felt like starting it because I realized too late that the premise didn’t really interest me all that much. Well, sometimes shortsightedness can lead to happy surprises, because I figured that After We Gazed at the Starry Sky would just be another one of those things that I’ll maybe get to later, but after flipping through a few pages, I was hooked. It turned out to be a wonderful way to spend an afternoon! And while I think the characters were probably a little too sweet and devoid of negative emotions, I think there’s more than enough manga out there with edge lord characters that I could easily find if that’s ever what I’m looking for (I never am). It’s funny because when I first went into this, I imagined that this would feature one of those characters, and the world famous photographer, Tougo Amase, would the manga's resident “bad boy,” arrogant type, all walking around like he’s a mf-ing Starboy, but he actually ended up being this super humble and shy dude. Again, happy surprises! Writing a story where everything comes together in a sweet, yet satisfying way isn't always the most popular thing to do, but somebody's got to do it. Anyway, I really enjoyed reading these two volumes, and even though they had me tear-bending at every turn of the page, I appreciate that After We Gazed at the Starry Sky was able to distract me from world events for even a little bit. Every second counts! Turn his TV off, turn his TV off. Huh, turn his TV off, turn his TV off.
July 26, 2024
These two are beyond precious, and I really love how this relationship has developed along the way. I'm here for as much as the mangaka will ever want to give us of them.
July 20, 2024
Well, that was a wild volume, especially the last chapter...
The whole time, the vibe I've been getting is that they will break up soon. I could barely relax, constantly dreading the moment of the dramatic breakup.
But it never came. Quite the opposite, they got even closer each chapter. (Not a spoiler, I'm doing you a favor! If you know they won't break up, I'm sure you can enjoy this a little more.)
I'm a bit confused on that part, tbh.
I'm not sure what exactly the problem was. Probably the fact that they're taking things way too fast? Moving in together, after dating for maybe half a year (which we haven't seen much of, cause the author keeps doing time-skips), barely stayed over at one another's places, then there's another time-skip, and then even
And also the lack of emotion on the characters. I often couldn't tell what the author's been trying to convey. At some scenes, I thought a character was about to cry, but then they say they're happy. In another scene, I thought they were scared, but they said they like it. And sometimes they just have a stone-face where I don't know at all what's gonna come.
The energy feels like bottled up emotions, which Tougo's friend also mentioned/hinted. Tougo was about to confess something, but the friend interrupted him.
Regarding the scene that comes afterwards in the chapter, I guess he just wanted more intimacy with Subaru and didn't know how to communicate that without a lil alcohol? But still, I would've liked to know what exactly it was, cause that gave me an uncomfortable feeling.
Also didn't like the drunk sex scene, even though it was more or less consensual.
Akari got a boyfriend out of nowhere. Literally 2 chapters ago she's been "praying" for a boyfriend, and then, boom,
Subaru's been treated like a child, especially in the beginning. (Tougo went out for a few hours, leaving Subaru alone, thus resulting in Subaru hurting himself, and Tougo drove him home. Then told his parents, while Subaru was sitting a few feet away, what happened.)
Feels like the author forgot that Subaru is an adult with a job.
On the good parts:
I love the healthy and sweet relationship of Subaru's parents.
We finally got to see a bit of Tougo's life as well – him meeting up with friends and also introducing Subaru to his dad. (And the dad's cat!)
It's cool that they moved into an accessible apartment, where Subaru doesn't have any limited mobility and can freely move around without anyone worrying that he might hurt himself.
Since volume 3 is the last one, I will read that too, but overall a bit of a disappointing read. Feels almost like the author just wants to get this series done, hence the amount of time-skips.
-19.07.2024
The whole time, the vibe I've been getting is that they will break up soon. I could barely relax, constantly dreading the moment of the dramatic breakup.
But it never came. Quite the opposite, they got even closer each chapter. (Not a spoiler, I'm doing you a favor! If you know they won't break up, I'm sure you can enjoy this a little more.)
I'm a bit confused on that part, tbh.
I'm not sure what exactly the problem was. Probably the fact that they're taking things way too fast? Moving in together, after dating for maybe half a year (which we haven't seen much of, cause the author keeps doing time-skips), barely stayed over at one another's places, then there's another time-skip, and then even
And also the lack of emotion on the characters. I often couldn't tell what the author's been trying to convey. At some scenes, I thought a character was about to cry, but then they say they're happy. In another scene, I thought they were scared, but they said they like it. And sometimes they just have a stone-face where I don't know at all what's gonna come.
The energy feels like bottled up emotions, which Tougo's friend also mentioned/hinted. Tougo was about to confess something, but the friend interrupted him.
Regarding the scene that comes afterwards in the chapter, I guess he just wanted more intimacy with Subaru and didn't know how to communicate that without a lil alcohol? But still, I would've liked to know what exactly it was, cause that gave me an uncomfortable feeling.
Also didn't like the drunk sex scene, even though it was more or less consensual.
Akari got a boyfriend out of nowhere. Literally 2 chapters ago she's been "praying" for a boyfriend, and then, boom,
Subaru's been treated like a child, especially in the beginning. (Tougo went out for a few hours, leaving Subaru alone, thus resulting in Subaru hurting himself, and Tougo drove him home. Then told his parents, while Subaru was sitting a few feet away, what happened.)
Feels like the author forgot that Subaru is an adult with a job.
On the good parts:
I love the healthy and sweet relationship of Subaru's parents.
We finally got to see a bit of Tougo's life as well – him meeting up with friends and also introducing Subaru to his dad. (And the dad's cat!)
It's cool that they moved into an accessible apartment, where Subaru doesn't have any limited mobility and can freely move around without anyone worrying that he might hurt himself.
Since volume 3 is the last one, I will read that too, but overall a bit of a disappointing read. Feels almost like the author just wants to get this series done, hence the amount of time-skips.
-19.07.2024
September 3, 2025
No glaring problems with this like with volume 1, but it does still scream of being under researched.
Why does the author make reference to the fact he has a new wheelchair? I expected it to come up again later, but nope, just a tiny detail for no reason. I suspect, if I’m being unkind, the artist decided they didn’t want to keep drawing the complicated wheelchair from volume 1, and wanted the protagonist to have a simpler wheelchair, and thought they should probably explain why.
However, they barely draw the wheelchair anyway. The protagonist is hardly ever in his wheelchair - he transfers to any available bed or sofa at any opportunity, and inexplicably multiple times he sits on the floor. Now I’m not saying paralysed people don’t sit in other surfaces, of course I’m not, I just wish it didn’t feel like the author/artist didn’t do any research and just decided they wanted to draw a manga about a disabled person without too much hassle.
I also really don’t like the protagonist’s parents. They’re incredibly patronising about their son, who is an adult with a full time job who lives alone, and thank his boyfriend for being there cause he can’t be alone. I really don’t get how him being left alone in his boyfriend’s house would cause *that* much trouble when he has full arm function. Again it just felt like drama for the sake of drama.
If I think about the things I like, it’s hard to not remember these things. The artwork is nice, his boyfriend seems sweet, but at the end of the day it leaves me with a bad taste.
I think I’m probably quite harsh on this series, but that’s because I care so much about the fact there are hardly any manga involving wheelchair users and this is literally the only BL I’ve found. A much better physical disability rep BL manga is Kimi No Gin No Ashi, which is about a skier with a prosthetic leg - it seems well researched and any drama doesn’t rise solely from the fact he’s disabled.
Edit to add - there’s an actually great BL about a high school student who uses a wheelchair. He isn’t paralysed, and there’s one slightly suspect scene, but generally it’s much better representation. It’s called Kaze to Sharin (Wind and Wheel) and I don’t think it has been officially translated yet, although I could be wrong.
Why does the author make reference to the fact he has a new wheelchair? I expected it to come up again later, but nope, just a tiny detail for no reason. I suspect, if I’m being unkind, the artist decided they didn’t want to keep drawing the complicated wheelchair from volume 1, and wanted the protagonist to have a simpler wheelchair, and thought they should probably explain why.
However, they barely draw the wheelchair anyway. The protagonist is hardly ever in his wheelchair - he transfers to any available bed or sofa at any opportunity, and inexplicably multiple times he sits on the floor. Now I’m not saying paralysed people don’t sit in other surfaces, of course I’m not, I just wish it didn’t feel like the author/artist didn’t do any research and just decided they wanted to draw a manga about a disabled person without too much hassle.
I also really don’t like the protagonist’s parents. They’re incredibly patronising about their son, who is an adult with a full time job who lives alone, and thank his boyfriend for being there cause he can’t be alone. I really don’t get how him being left alone in his boyfriend’s house would cause *that* much trouble when he has full arm function. Again it just felt like drama for the sake of drama.
If I think about the things I like, it’s hard to not remember these things. The artwork is nice, his boyfriend seems sweet, but at the end of the day it leaves me with a bad taste.
I think I’m probably quite harsh on this series, but that’s because I care so much about the fact there are hardly any manga involving wheelchair users and this is literally the only BL I’ve found. A much better physical disability rep BL manga is Kimi No Gin No Ashi, which is about a skier with a prosthetic leg - it seems well researched and any drama doesn’t rise solely from the fact he’s disabled.
Edit to add - there’s an actually great BL about a high school student who uses a wheelchair. He isn’t paralysed, and there’s one slightly suspect scene, but generally it’s much better representation. It’s called Kaze to Sharin (Wind and Wheel) and I don’t think it has been officially translated yet, although I could be wrong.
June 8, 2024
rep - gay paraplegic (from the knees down) mc, gay mc2
MY CHILDREN
(that's it. that's the review)
MY CHILDREN
(that's it. that's the review)
August 22, 2025
Me encantó, me quedé sin palabras. Solo sé que quiero un romance como el de estos, tan natural y tan tierno. Que alguien me quiera como estos dos se aman por favor, no pido mucho :')
August 22, 2024
selling my soul for more soft queer love stories like this WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH
May 27, 2024
This series is so lovely and is great at portraying the difficulties visibly disabled people face in life and dating, while also not centering the series on their disability. It's wonderful disability and queer representation, and makes me so soft for both the mains.
January 1, 2024
Einfach eine süße Kurzreihe. Mir hat gut gefallen, wie die Herausforderungen abgebildet werden, die durch eine Partnerschaft entstehen, bei der eine Person im Rollstuhl sitzt. Es gab nicht viel Drama, die Figuren gehen erwachsen und ohne unnötige Missverständnisse miteinander um und es war einfach ein wholesome read.
Was ich nicht so mochte ist der Zeichenstil, zumindest bei den Figuren. Die Gesichter sehen merkwürdig leblos und künstlich aus, wie bei einer schlechten 3D-Animation. Daran konnte ich mich bis zum Ende nicht gewöhnen.
Was ich nicht so mochte ist der Zeichenstil, zumindest bei den Figuren. Die Gesichter sehen merkwürdig leblos und künstlich aus, wie bei einer schlechten 3D-Animation. Daran konnte ich mich bis zum Ende nicht gewöhnen.
May 28, 2025
These two are beyond precious 😭♥️
I know a lot of complaints were that it’s moving fast but sometimes you just need a huge heaping dose of fluff and this certainly delivers on that. I want more disabled joy and interabled couples this in love with each other. I want more families that not only support interabled couples but also gay couples in traditionally not-always-so-accepting settings. I honestly adore this series and I hope that the third installment is just as sweet.
I teared up a bit reading how their love for each other just continues to grow 🥹
I know a lot of complaints were that it’s moving fast but sometimes you just need a huge heaping dose of fluff and this certainly delivers on that. I want more disabled joy and interabled couples this in love with each other. I want more families that not only support interabled couples but also gay couples in traditionally not-always-so-accepting settings. I honestly adore this series and I hope that the third installment is just as sweet.
I teared up a bit reading how their love for each other just continues to grow 🥹
August 12, 2024
I'm unsure why this volume is rated higher but it just upset me throughout.
The drunk s"x was so unnecessary (and proved my point as to why Subaru had to be disabled from the knees down) and I miss chemistry between the characters.
Everything moves so quickly... I wonder if it's like that in manga all the time and that might be the issue as I do tend to read novels instead but this volume just ruined it all for me.
The drunk s"x was so unnecessary (and proved my point as to why Subaru had to be disabled from the knees down) and I miss chemistry between the characters.
Everything moves so quickly... I wonder if it's like that in manga all the time and that might be the issue as I do tend to read novels instead but this volume just ruined it all for me.
February 15, 2025
That was, again, really cute! No drama, no miscommunication... I'm not used to that in yaois LMAO... I love them so much
May 25, 2024
Absolutely adorable. Loved the art and that this was a drama free story full of cute moments. It did have some emotional moments.
July 24, 2025
Again more of a 3.5 than a 4 star read, and I think there's again possibly a mix of attempts at realism with missteps in writing a disabled character. But my lower star rating is more because it's a bit too fluffy for me at times than any potential writing/development issues.
As mentioned last volume, though, I think folks getting annoyed at the presence of sex should ask themselves, 1) why they are reading an 18+ mature manga if they can't handle that, and 2) why they are annoyed at seeing a disabled character wanting and having sex and being seen as sexy by their partner. You can of course not be into the particular scene, particularly , but given how often disabled folks are de-sexed by society and not allowed to be seen as sexy people who enjoy wanting and having sex... you are not really looking great if you're averse to the concept of a disabled person having sex and/or being seen as desirable. Scenes like this are common in romance, too.
Someone else pointed out that the wheelchair change may have been because it's easier to draw, and while I'm not averse to that being a possibility, I think it's also possible the mangaka wanted to highlight a very common part of being disabled, particularly for wheelchair users: it can take longer to do repairs and the equipment can be expensive and come from farther away. There is increased accessibility for prosthetics, glasses, canes, and crutches these days, but wheelchairs are large pieces of equipment, and range in functionality. I think it's a nice detail to highlight that Subaru has to consider maintaining the equipment that he uses to stay mobile, and also that a wheelchair user has to consider having more than one wheelchair for various circumstances: not just given certain places he wants to go, but also for situations where his wheelchair is in need of repair. This creates additional expense, especially the more specialized the chair needs to be. Perhaps you can afford to have one nicer wheelchair, but not two, which can affect your day to day life and comfort when you, for whatever reason, can't use the nicer one.
I think it's good to be wary of Subaru's parents infantilizing him and treating him like someone in need of constant supervision rather than adult who has demonstrably shown to be able to handle himself. However, I think other reviewers are perhaps jumping the gun on what Subaru's parents do. Subaru's mother's comment to Subaru about his chances of getting injured is a bit much, but this is a first meeting for his partner with a parent, which is pretty normal. A lot of parents, even of able-bodied children, are overly protective. They also do this while Subaru is inside the home and Tougo and Nozomi are outside, not in front of Subaru.
Again people have also rightfully pointed out Tougo's hovering and kind of infantilizing Subaru in the apartment. But as Tougo notes, his apartment is not accessible. Many spaces are not, and it's something Subaru has had to deal with, but literally Subaru cannot move around the space very easily. Yes, he can crawl, but there are lots of things he can't reach, and he could still fall. That doesn't mean he needs a babysitter, but it is Tougo's space, and he wants Subaru to feel like he can get around as he pleases. I also think it's important to note that yes, Tougo acted somewhat more like a caretaker than a partner when apologizing to Subaru's mother for the injury, but I think most people would apologize to their partner's parent when returning said partner home, newly injured. Especially when it was Tougo's inaccessible apartment to blame for the injury. And especially when Tougo wants to have continued access to Subaru: he's promised to take care of Nozomi and Kou's son, and here he is, returning him injured. That's not strictly something that only happens for disabled people, that's something any partner would (or should) do for another partner. Notably, Nozomi doesn't insist it's fully on Tougo's shoulders to look after Subaru: injuries just sometimes happen. They're not babying Subaru. They're navigating that awkward parent-partner relationship in an ableist world. His parents also aren't emphasizing that it's awesome Subaru found a great partner or whatever because he needs a good caretaker: they're happy Subaru is doing things he wouldn't have done before, like travel. The last thing Nozomi says in the volume is .
It's also important to note that there are many instances where Subaru is managing on his own. He wheels himself around a lot. Tougo leaves him on his own a lot. His parents aren't around constantly or always checking up on him. He is respected as an adult with the ability to manage most things on his own.
I do think the story feels a bit rushed, but I'm not certain at least the move has to do with the mangaka not wanting to deal with it so much as a lot of romance has the characters moving in with each other at some point, and Subaru's disability is something that needs to be taken into consideration. I'd compare this to another realistic fiction fluffy BL like "Snow Fairy", which also involved a traveling nature photographer and a homebody who move in together. The difference being, Subaru is disabled, and Haruki is not. It would be hard to live together if Subaru's wheelchair(s) can't go past the front door, and I don't know, I feel like making it so that Subaru doesn't have to get shuttled between locations is more respectful of him? He can navigate his own space and be with his boyfriend without relying on Tougo or someone else to take him places. Also, if you've ever been around wheelchair accessible living accommodations, they are a lot more than simply moving furniture around or perhaps getting a wider doorframe. When Tougo sits on the kitchen counter at one point, you can see how much shorter it is so that Subaru can reach the sink and counter while in his chair. If I had a criticism of this, it's that while the handlebars in the bathtub are definitely important, I think the general preference is a walk-in shower, perhaps with an optional bath ("Best Friends Forever" had this, and in "Walking in Your Tracks", another BL with a wheelchair user lead, he also has a shower he can sit in). I think Subaru could get himself in the tub, but it'd be harder than being able to sit on a bench in a walk-in-shower, and more likely to result in accidents, especially if he's alone. There's also tall shelving in the kitchen that Subaru very likely cannot reach at all.
Also, with the thoughts on them rushing through their relationship: it's an apartment, not a house. They aren't building anything. Yes, Tougo in particular is upending his life to move and changing apartments isn't nothing. But Subaru is moving out of his home, possibly for the first time. It's also likely a space that better accommodates two people (yes, lots of single people live in essentially two-people spaces, and lots of couples can fit in single-person apartments, but it's awkward when it's the latter). This is all to say, it's not the biggest change in the world. I do think . They've also known each other for what seems like over a year by that point (they break up in the summer, and plan to move in together in I think the following July). Someone also commented that .
On Subaru and wishing: .
At least one other reviewer pointed out that it's laziness for Subaru to constantly be drawn out of his wheelchair, which I think is strange. I get the idea of being worried the story is trying to sidestep his disability, but he's also drawn in the chair a lot. Yes, wheelchair users likely spend much of their lives in their wheelchairs. But they don't generally spend their ENTIRE lives in their wheelchairs (like if nothing else, at least some of them have to leave the chair to go to the bathroom, wash, and change clothes, let alone when they're being transported in most cars; even folks who spend more time of their lives in their wheelchairs than Subaru typically leave the wheelchair at some point). And even in scenes where Subaru is not in his wheelchair, the wheelchair is typically shown nearby (another part of realism, as explained by ). People with glasses and many kinds of prosthetics sometimes take them off. Folks with canes and crutches and walkers don't constantly use them. If you are unable to imagine wheelchair users outside their wheelchairs, that is a you problem.
The writing's still generally okay. I wish Yen Press' Korean translation team was as likely to keep honorifics as the Japanese team. It's frustrating seeing them rightfully keeping -kun and -san here and getting rid of oppa, noona, hyung, etc., in their Korean BL titles. These things add depth to the conversation (e.g., Subaru refers to Tougo as -san, while his parents use -kun). It matters when they're discarded entirely and that context is lost.
Overall, it's still a very fluffy (sometimes too fluffy for me) realistic fiction BL. If that's your cup of tea, this might be for you.
As mentioned last volume, though, I think folks getting annoyed at the presence of sex should ask themselves, 1) why they are reading an 18+ mature manga if they can't handle that, and 2) why they are annoyed at seeing a disabled character wanting and having sex and being seen as sexy by their partner. You can of course not be into the particular scene, particularly , but given how often disabled folks are de-sexed by society and not allowed to be seen as sexy people who enjoy wanting and having sex... you are not really looking great if you're averse to the concept of a disabled person having sex and/or being seen as desirable. Scenes like this are common in romance, too.
Someone else pointed out that the wheelchair change may have been because it's easier to draw, and while I'm not averse to that being a possibility, I think it's also possible the mangaka wanted to highlight a very common part of being disabled, particularly for wheelchair users: it can take longer to do repairs and the equipment can be expensive and come from farther away. There is increased accessibility for prosthetics, glasses, canes, and crutches these days, but wheelchairs are large pieces of equipment, and range in functionality. I think it's a nice detail to highlight that Subaru has to consider maintaining the equipment that he uses to stay mobile, and also that a wheelchair user has to consider having more than one wheelchair for various circumstances: not just given certain places he wants to go, but also for situations where his wheelchair is in need of repair. This creates additional expense, especially the more specialized the chair needs to be. Perhaps you can afford to have one nicer wheelchair, but not two, which can affect your day to day life and comfort when you, for whatever reason, can't use the nicer one.
I think it's good to be wary of Subaru's parents infantilizing him and treating him like someone in need of constant supervision rather than adult who has demonstrably shown to be able to handle himself. However, I think other reviewers are perhaps jumping the gun on what Subaru's parents do. Subaru's mother's comment to Subaru about his chances of getting injured is a bit much, but this is a first meeting for his partner with a parent, which is pretty normal. A lot of parents, even of able-bodied children, are overly protective. They also do this while Subaru is inside the home and Tougo and Nozomi are outside, not in front of Subaru.
Again people have also rightfully pointed out Tougo's hovering and kind of infantilizing Subaru in the apartment. But as Tougo notes, his apartment is not accessible. Many spaces are not, and it's something Subaru has had to deal with, but literally Subaru cannot move around the space very easily. Yes, he can crawl, but there are lots of things he can't reach, and he could still fall. That doesn't mean he needs a babysitter, but it is Tougo's space, and he wants Subaru to feel like he can get around as he pleases. I also think it's important to note that yes, Tougo acted somewhat more like a caretaker than a partner when apologizing to Subaru's mother for the injury, but I think most people would apologize to their partner's parent when returning said partner home, newly injured. Especially when it was Tougo's inaccessible apartment to blame for the injury. And especially when Tougo wants to have continued access to Subaru: he's promised to take care of Nozomi and Kou's son, and here he is, returning him injured. That's not strictly something that only happens for disabled people, that's something any partner would (or should) do for another partner. Notably, Nozomi doesn't insist it's fully on Tougo's shoulders to look after Subaru: injuries just sometimes happen. They're not babying Subaru. They're navigating that awkward parent-partner relationship in an ableist world. His parents also aren't emphasizing that it's awesome Subaru found a great partner or whatever because he needs a good caretaker: they're happy Subaru is doing things he wouldn't have done before, like travel. The last thing Nozomi says in the volume is .
It's also important to note that there are many instances where Subaru is managing on his own. He wheels himself around a lot. Tougo leaves him on his own a lot. His parents aren't around constantly or always checking up on him. He is respected as an adult with the ability to manage most things on his own.
I do think the story feels a bit rushed, but I'm not certain at least the move has to do with the mangaka not wanting to deal with it so much as a lot of romance has the characters moving in with each other at some point, and Subaru's disability is something that needs to be taken into consideration. I'd compare this to another realistic fiction fluffy BL like "Snow Fairy", which also involved a traveling nature photographer and a homebody who move in together. The difference being, Subaru is disabled, and Haruki is not. It would be hard to live together if Subaru's wheelchair(s) can't go past the front door, and I don't know, I feel like making it so that Subaru doesn't have to get shuttled between locations is more respectful of him? He can navigate his own space and be with his boyfriend without relying on Tougo or someone else to take him places. Also, if you've ever been around wheelchair accessible living accommodations, they are a lot more than simply moving furniture around or perhaps getting a wider doorframe. When Tougo sits on the kitchen counter at one point, you can see how much shorter it is so that Subaru can reach the sink and counter while in his chair. If I had a criticism of this, it's that while the handlebars in the bathtub are definitely important, I think the general preference is a walk-in shower, perhaps with an optional bath ("Best Friends Forever" had this, and in "Walking in Your Tracks", another BL with a wheelchair user lead, he also has a shower he can sit in). I think Subaru could get himself in the tub, but it'd be harder than being able to sit on a bench in a walk-in-shower, and more likely to result in accidents, especially if he's alone. There's also tall shelving in the kitchen that Subaru very likely cannot reach at all.
Also, with the thoughts on them rushing through their relationship: it's an apartment, not a house. They aren't building anything. Yes, Tougo in particular is upending his life to move and changing apartments isn't nothing. But Subaru is moving out of his home, possibly for the first time. It's also likely a space that better accommodates two people (yes, lots of single people live in essentially two-people spaces, and lots of couples can fit in single-person apartments, but it's awkward when it's the latter). This is all to say, it's not the biggest change in the world. I do think . They've also known each other for what seems like over a year by that point (they break up in the summer, and plan to move in together in I think the following July). Someone also commented that .
On Subaru and wishing: .
At least one other reviewer pointed out that it's laziness for Subaru to constantly be drawn out of his wheelchair, which I think is strange. I get the idea of being worried the story is trying to sidestep his disability, but he's also drawn in the chair a lot. Yes, wheelchair users likely spend much of their lives in their wheelchairs. But they don't generally spend their ENTIRE lives in their wheelchairs (like if nothing else, at least some of them have to leave the chair to go to the bathroom, wash, and change clothes, let alone when they're being transported in most cars; even folks who spend more time of their lives in their wheelchairs than Subaru typically leave the wheelchair at some point). And even in scenes where Subaru is not in his wheelchair, the wheelchair is typically shown nearby (another part of realism, as explained by ). People with glasses and many kinds of prosthetics sometimes take them off. Folks with canes and crutches and walkers don't constantly use them. If you are unable to imagine wheelchair users outside their wheelchairs, that is a you problem.
The writing's still generally okay. I wish Yen Press' Korean translation team was as likely to keep honorifics as the Japanese team. It's frustrating seeing them rightfully keeping -kun and -san here and getting rid of oppa, noona, hyung, etc., in their Korean BL titles. These things add depth to the conversation (e.g., Subaru refers to Tougo as -san, while his parents use -kun). It matters when they're discarded entirely and that context is lost.
Overall, it's still a very fluffy (sometimes too fluffy for me) realistic fiction BL. If that's your cup of tea, this might be for you.
May 29, 2024
Hm. I don't... really like this that much. Setting aside, for a moment, the issues around how Suburu is represented as a disabled character, the story just isn't that great.
Maybe it's just the translation, but the dialogue felt kind of stilted and empty, as did most of the scenes, in a way that just makes me think the writing isn't that good to begin with -- or rather, that the writing is just pretty basic and lacks extra depth and flare.
The pacing is also extremely fast (with living together and an engagement and meeting the parents and a family trip abroad all happening in this single volume). I could never tell how much time had passed between scenes, and even when a character directly said it had been a month, it didn't feel like a month due to how fast everything was moving. It really feels like the mangaka didn't know if they would be able to continue the story, so they tried to cram in as many relationship milestones as possible into this single volume, which, again, reads like rushed and not all that great writing.
And... as other reviewers have noted, the way Suburu is written and handled as a wheelchair user seems under researched. Or rather, he seems researched, but like that research is being under or misapplied. I think it was a nice touch to have him mention needing to change the wheels on his chair for being on rough terrain, and I like that he has more than one chair, but the inclusion of those details makes it even more confusing that the manga implies that Suburu cannot be alone, ever, and constantly has Suburu being moved out of and away from his chair. I am not saying that wheelchair users cannot sit and relax outside of their chair, because of course they can, but I also am fairly sure that many would not want to be removed from their chair so often, as their chair is literally their means of moving independently. This, combined with the repeated comments that Suburu cannot be by himself and his seeming depiction at being dependent on Tougo leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Which hurts, because I want to love this manga. Disability representation is so, SO important in all mediums, and I do think this manga is an important step in that field. I just wish it was written better.
Maybe it's just the translation, but the dialogue felt kind of stilted and empty, as did most of the scenes, in a way that just makes me think the writing isn't that good to begin with -- or rather, that the writing is just pretty basic and lacks extra depth and flare.
The pacing is also extremely fast (with living together and an engagement and meeting the parents and a family trip abroad all happening in this single volume). I could never tell how much time had passed between scenes, and even when a character directly said it had been a month, it didn't feel like a month due to how fast everything was moving. It really feels like the mangaka didn't know if they would be able to continue the story, so they tried to cram in as many relationship milestones as possible into this single volume, which, again, reads like rushed and not all that great writing.
And... as other reviewers have noted, the way Suburu is written and handled as a wheelchair user seems under researched. Or rather, he seems researched, but like that research is being under or misapplied. I think it was a nice touch to have him mention needing to change the wheels on his chair for being on rough terrain, and I like that he has more than one chair, but the inclusion of those details makes it even more confusing that the manga implies that Suburu cannot be alone, ever, and constantly has Suburu being moved out of and away from his chair. I am not saying that wheelchair users cannot sit and relax outside of their chair, because of course they can, but I also am fairly sure that many would not want to be removed from their chair so often, as their chair is literally their means of moving independently. This, combined with the repeated comments that Suburu cannot be by himself and his seeming depiction at being dependent on Tougo leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Which hurts, because I want to love this manga. Disability representation is so, SO important in all mediums, and I do think this manga is an important step in that field. I just wish it was written better.
February 1, 2024
Suite et fin, déjà malheureusement !, de cette romance LGBT inclusive où handicap et relation de couple gay se marient admirablement avec une belle douceur apaisante.
Même si c'est allé beaucoup trop vite, j'ai vraiment pris plaisir à suivre le quotidien et la création de cette si belle relation entre Subaru, le designer en fauteuil, et Togo, le photographe célèbre. Passé un premier tome qui aurait pu être auto-conclusif, présentant leur rencontre et leur mise en couple, l'autrice nous a fait le plaisir de nous offrir en quelque sorte un tome bonus ici, en nous faisant les retrouver pour approfondir leur relation.
Au programme : la rencontre des familles, la vie de couple, la vie à deux et l'emménagement, les vacances ensemble et de bons moments entre amis. Cela ne détonne pas avec le premier tome, tout est fait dans l'inclusion et la bonne humeur, ce qui conne certes une lecture sans aspérité, ce qui manque un peu pour la rendre réaliste, mais c'est aussi ce qui fait le charme de ce titre doudou qui réchauffe le coeur. C'est agréable aussi d'avoir des histoires simples et sans tourment, de suivre des personnages bons et aimables, d'avoir une relation saine et sans dynamique toxique pour parasiter cela. J'ai pris énormément de plaisir à bénéficier de cette atmosphère reposante.
En même temps, l'autrice traite de sujets d'actualité. Elle pointe la non accessibilité de nombre e nos logements et le danger que cela peut représenter pour un partenaire, un ami ou un membre de la famille handicapé. Elle montre aussi toutes les contraintes que cela peut avoir dans la vie de tous les jours et combien il est important d'avoir quelqu'un sur qui compter pour nous aider. Mais elle ne rend pas pour autant Subaru tributaire tout le temps de Togo, elle montre au contraire quelqu'un de volontaire et indépendant, qui profite de la vie et rend bien à Togo tout l'amour et l'aide qu'il lui apporte. C'est touchant tout plein.
Ce fut donc un vrai bonheur de les voir ensemble dans leur quotidien, même si je dois avouer avoir parfois trouvé les scènes où ils sont seuls tous les deux chez Togo, un peu vides côté mise en scène. En revanche, j'ai trouvé leurs rares scènes de sexe tellement douces et pleines de bienveillance que c'était plus touchant qu'émoustillant xD J'ai aimé également découvrir leurs parents à chacun, tellement loin du cliché du parent japonais intolérant qui peut être fatigant à retrouver tout le temps. C'est bien aussi les modèles positifs et pas que les modèles réalistes négatifs. Il faut de l'espoir !
Douce série, certainement trop brève et trop rapide, mettant en scène un joli couple LGBT qui se trouve vite, c'est l'occasion d'une belle histoire pleine d'inclusivité et de bienveillance qui fait un bien fou. On a besoin parfois de personnages positifs, avec des relations saines et des romances douces et bienveillantes, c'est reposant. Alors oui, c'est très gentil. Oui, on aurait aimé beaucoup plus, notamment rester encore avec eux, mais quel joli moment !
Avis complet : https://www.sanctuary.fr/avis/147770/
Même si c'est allé beaucoup trop vite, j'ai vraiment pris plaisir à suivre le quotidien et la création de cette si belle relation entre Subaru, le designer en fauteuil, et Togo, le photographe célèbre. Passé un premier tome qui aurait pu être auto-conclusif, présentant leur rencontre et leur mise en couple, l'autrice nous a fait le plaisir de nous offrir en quelque sorte un tome bonus ici, en nous faisant les retrouver pour approfondir leur relation.
Au programme : la rencontre des familles, la vie de couple, la vie à deux et l'emménagement, les vacances ensemble et de bons moments entre amis. Cela ne détonne pas avec le premier tome, tout est fait dans l'inclusion et la bonne humeur, ce qui conne certes une lecture sans aspérité, ce qui manque un peu pour la rendre réaliste, mais c'est aussi ce qui fait le charme de ce titre doudou qui réchauffe le coeur. C'est agréable aussi d'avoir des histoires simples et sans tourment, de suivre des personnages bons et aimables, d'avoir une relation saine et sans dynamique toxique pour parasiter cela. J'ai pris énormément de plaisir à bénéficier de cette atmosphère reposante.
En même temps, l'autrice traite de sujets d'actualité. Elle pointe la non accessibilité de nombre e nos logements et le danger que cela peut représenter pour un partenaire, un ami ou un membre de la famille handicapé. Elle montre aussi toutes les contraintes que cela peut avoir dans la vie de tous les jours et combien il est important d'avoir quelqu'un sur qui compter pour nous aider. Mais elle ne rend pas pour autant Subaru tributaire tout le temps de Togo, elle montre au contraire quelqu'un de volontaire et indépendant, qui profite de la vie et rend bien à Togo tout l'amour et l'aide qu'il lui apporte. C'est touchant tout plein.
Ce fut donc un vrai bonheur de les voir ensemble dans leur quotidien, même si je dois avouer avoir parfois trouvé les scènes où ils sont seuls tous les deux chez Togo, un peu vides côté mise en scène. En revanche, j'ai trouvé leurs rares scènes de sexe tellement douces et pleines de bienveillance que c'était plus touchant qu'émoustillant xD J'ai aimé également découvrir leurs parents à chacun, tellement loin du cliché du parent japonais intolérant qui peut être fatigant à retrouver tout le temps. C'est bien aussi les modèles positifs et pas que les modèles réalistes négatifs. Il faut de l'espoir !
Douce série, certainement trop brève et trop rapide, mettant en scène un joli couple LGBT qui se trouve vite, c'est l'occasion d'une belle histoire pleine d'inclusivité et de bienveillance qui fait un bien fou. On a besoin parfois de personnages positifs, avec des relations saines et des romances douces et bienveillantes, c'est reposant. Alors oui, c'est très gentil. Oui, on aurait aimé beaucoup plus, notamment rester encore avec eux, mais quel joli moment !
Avis complet : https://www.sanctuary.fr/avis/147770/
June 5, 2025
I really wanted to like this manga, but it feels kinda... Lacking to me I guess. It's very sweet and I do appreciate that it's a romance featuring a disabled person because you don't get to see that much, but it's just not for me I don't think. I shouldn't be surprised because I didn't 100% love the first volume either though.
I think the reason I don't like it much is because I feel like I'm not connecting with either of the main characters. Subaru is sweet and it's nice to see him grow less anxious throughout but other than "he's cute" and "he's in a wheelchair and that causes issues sometimes" I honestly don't know anything about him. I wish there was more friction in the relationship, this is Subaru's first and yet there is no conflict. I don't think it has to be messy and riddled with miscommunication or anything, but this is so smooth and they're literally already engaged without so much as a moment to pump the breaks. As for Tougo, I feel like I know even less about him. He's nice and a photographer and that's kinda it. I honestly find him so boring, which sucks because I feel like he could be really interesting. He had a pretty good character arc in volume one but we don't see any of that in this one other than vague hints at some character flaws that don't get further developed.
I think my main issue with this manga is that I came here for a romance, but what it is is the story of a disabled person getting a new lease on life. I think that aspect is beautiful, but because the romance is so lacking in realism, I'm not connecting with it as well as I could.
On top of that, I just don't love the artstyle. The faces are weirdly rounded and something about the eye proportions throws me off.
Unfortunately I don't think I'll keep following this series. I do wanna see more diverse BL but this isn't it for me.
I think the reason I don't like it much is because I feel like I'm not connecting with either of the main characters. Subaru is sweet and it's nice to see him grow less anxious throughout but other than "he's cute" and "he's in a wheelchair and that causes issues sometimes" I honestly don't know anything about him. I wish there was more friction in the relationship, this is Subaru's first and yet there is no conflict. I don't think it has to be messy and riddled with miscommunication or anything, but this is so smooth and they're literally already engaged without so much as a moment to pump the breaks. As for Tougo, I feel like I know even less about him. He's nice and a photographer and that's kinda it. I honestly find him so boring, which sucks because I feel like he could be really interesting. He had a pretty good character arc in volume one but we don't see any of that in this one other than vague hints at some character flaws that don't get further developed.
I think my main issue with this manga is that I came here for a romance, but what it is is the story of a disabled person getting a new lease on life. I think that aspect is beautiful, but because the romance is so lacking in realism, I'm not connecting with it as well as I could.
On top of that, I just don't love the artstyle. The faces are weirdly rounded and something about the eye proportions throws me off.
Unfortunately I don't think I'll keep following this series. I do wanna see more diverse BL but this isn't it for me.
December 2, 2024
“There are more things I can’t do than I can do, but I still want to make you happy. I’ll dedicate my whole life to make sure you’re never lonely again.”
Sinceramente, en estos dos tomos he podido sentir tanto amor mutuo entre los personajes… Nada de malos rollos, nada de drama innecesario, nada. Ha habido un punto en este volumen en el que he pensado “pero va a pasar algo malo o..??” Y no. Y es maravilloso que en una historia así se muestre tanto optimismo y esperanza, sobre todo por parte de un personaje que ha tenido una vida difícil.
Ahora, los sutiles actos de amor que tiene Amase al tomar en consideración la perspectiva de cómo vive el día a día Subaru… Por ejemplo, la escena donde se sienta en el lavabo para comprobar la altura a la que Subaru necesitaría utilizar el grifo. Simplemente precioso.
Y bueno, obviamente lo más destacable de estos volúmenes es la maravilla de paisajes que hay en los dibujos.
Honestamente me he leído un tomo por día, y orgullosa (lo volvería a hacer).
Leer esto me ha hecho feliz, y me hizo volver a pensar en la suerte que tenemos las personas que no tenemos problemas de movilidad. Que creo que a veces se nos olvida apreciar esas pequeñas cosas.
En fin perdón por mis reflexiones de las 10 de la noche jagdjahd. 100% recomendado.
Sinceramente, en estos dos tomos he podido sentir tanto amor mutuo entre los personajes… Nada de malos rollos, nada de drama innecesario, nada. Ha habido un punto en este volumen en el que he pensado “pero va a pasar algo malo o..??” Y no. Y es maravilloso que en una historia así se muestre tanto optimismo y esperanza, sobre todo por parte de un personaje que ha tenido una vida difícil.
Ahora, los sutiles actos de amor que tiene Amase al tomar en consideración la perspectiva de cómo vive el día a día Subaru… Por ejemplo, la escena donde se sienta en el lavabo para comprobar la altura a la que Subaru necesitaría utilizar el grifo. Simplemente precioso.
Y bueno, obviamente lo más destacable de estos volúmenes es la maravilla de paisajes que hay en los dibujos.
Honestamente me he leído un tomo por día, y orgullosa (lo volvería a hacer).
Leer esto me ha hecho feliz, y me hizo volver a pensar en la suerte que tenemos las personas que no tenemos problemas de movilidad. Que creo que a veces se nos olvida apreciar esas pequeñas cosas.
En fin perdón por mis reflexiones de las 10 de la noche jagdjahd. 100% recomendado.
September 19, 2024
It's really interesting how people are writing reviews like this is supposed to be a great work of disability representation and literature. It's literally a bl. No more no less. It's fluffy, its sweet, there's not a lot of nuance to characters. It's light reading, as one hopes for from the genre.
That said I did take a star off for some of the time skipping. It could have been a bit clearer. I also wish the vacation had been its own arc. Honestly I wish the entire work was expanded a bit more. I want to see more of their relationship outside of huge events.
That said I did take a star off for some of the time skipping. It could have been a bit clearer. I also wish the vacation had been its own arc. Honestly I wish the entire work was expanded a bit more. I want to see more of their relationship outside of huge events.
October 26, 2024
CW: M rating for sex
This was a natural sequel to the very charming volume 1. The couple are settling into dating one another, meeting one anothers' parents, and figuring out how to share their lives. Subaru still struggles with his self-confidence in this volume--If there is a volume 3 I hope he finds a motivating purpose other than Tougo. This volume focuses much more on their romance than on astronomy and art.
This was a natural sequel to the very charming volume 1. The couple are settling into dating one another, meeting one anothers' parents, and figuring out how to share their lives. Subaru still struggles with his self-confidence in this volume--If there is a volume 3 I hope he finds a motivating purpose other than Tougo. This volume focuses much more on their romance than on astronomy and art.
May 20, 2024
I love how supportive tougo-sa friend is after he found tougo-sa is going out with the same gender . That it doesn't matter who you are in love with as long you are happy that what it matters.
Tougo-sa and subara relationship is so cute I was giggling and kicking my feet as they are adorable cute together. Cart, wait for the last volume
Tougo-sa and subara relationship is so cute I was giggling and kicking my feet as they are adorable cute together. Cart, wait for the last volume
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2024
I have more mixed feelings about this volume than the first, and it has more intimate moments than the first book. The chemistry between this couple doesn't feel quite right, so reading those scenes isn't satisfying. Personally, I feel that there isn't a moment in this second volume that really compares to the first volume's dramatic reveal in the photo exhibition.
July 3, 2024
It is as a kinda rushed love-story with time lapses happening. But im not usually the one for way to slow romances either. Again it is kind of ableist, as volume 1, and the way Subaru always moves from the chair because of something makes him seem less independent, even though he is an adult with a job. Plus for actually making Tougo look for an accessible apartment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2024
Okay, this was super cute. I missed some drama, like in the first volume.I wanted to see a little more story and for the characters to grow a little more, so I feel that this second volume was not as good as the first. but despite everything, some interesting things happened! A very romantic manga that makes us dream.
September 12, 2024
I bought my version from Barnes and Noble, which didn’t give any indication that this was Volume 2! So I was definitely confused by the lack of world building or relationship context! But now that I read volume 1, volume 2 is very sweet, well paced compared to Vol. 1, and just overall heartwarming!
September 13, 2024
it was cute but those sex scenes were so not necessary, and the way it was portrayed was sooooo awkward… please let that be my last manga of this kind🧍🏼♀️ also sorry but they got married out of nowhere?? bye that was so random
December 14, 2024
Very sweet story, just like the first book! I love seeing Subaru and Tougo's growing relationship and how they navigate life with a disability, both the challenges and joys. This was a bit more spicy than the previous book, which I liked. Overall a very enjoyable read!
December 28, 2024
I really hate the "you were so innocent before me" relationship dynamic whenever there's someone with a disability involved. It feels disgusting and degrading. Going to pass on any more of this series.
January 1, 2025
Even though this vol is a 3.75 for me, I usually around .75s up to a 4 when sites don't let me do half stars at least. But this series, so far, is not a 4 star for me. 3 does feel a little too low but it's definitely not a 4.
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