Blue Box, Vol. 17

アオのハコ [Ao no Hako] #17

by Kouji Miura

With exams over, summer vacation is finally in full swing! Taiki and Chinatsu go on a secret date at the fireworks festival, but their romantic time together is cut short when they run into other Eimei students. Can they keep hiding their relationship from their friends and classmates?

Genres: Manga, Romance, Sports, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Comics, Slice Of Life

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 4, 2024

Reviews

[larita · Rating 4 out of 5]

desculpem o spam mas é que eu li o manga todo em três dias e é muito fofoooooo e tou mesmo ansiosa agora com a adaptação da netflix

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much like Skip & Loafer’s recent take on the school trip, this volume of Blue Box tackles the venerable fireworks festival and makes an absolute meal out of it. Having two of my favourite series come out in one week feels like being spoiled.

I’ve enjoyed how quiet Chinatsu’s growth in the story has been, there are enough big characters all over this one, and how said quiet does not make her a boring character. She’s just calculated, like an emotionally mature abacus.

Which is my prelude to saying that she’s a monster of a girlfriend this volume, in the best way. As great as Taiki has been to her, she takes charge in a couple of fantastic scenes that make sense and generate all sorts of interesting things from that. And that’s not even counting how much fun the two of them are while paired up at the festival.

The largest scene comes when she dispenses with one of the biggest problems facing her and Taiki, in a move that I felt was made right on time before it curdled into being unbelievable. There’s a clear reason why she’d do this (arguably two) and I loved how it was portrayed.

Then there’s the gazebo scene, which is just stinking cute the whole way. I have read or am reading more than a few books where the main couple is not interesting. This manga has no such issues.

Elsewhere, various relationships progress or regress at different points, keeping me both invested and also occasionally yelling at the page. Hina will forever be the best character here and I loved her own growth as a wise senpai. I absolutely called that situation with her and Haruto, but it’s handled well.

Similarly, the way the mangaka developed the near-rival situation with Akari was plenty good. It’s not quite that she was being pushed towards trying to confess, but I liked her confusion over her feelings and trying to sort them out. Sometimes it’s not that simple, especially with people telling you what you think.

And, if you wanted the real page screaming parts of this story, well, Ayame and Kyo continue to… do whatever they’re doing. Now with the added complication of Kyo’s childhood friend, Saki, who drops a hell of a bomb in the middle of that situation. I love Ayame almost as much as Hina, she’s so brutally honest, so waiting for this to work out is excruciating.

The last chapter features Taiki’s mom and it is a total love letter to the sacrifices parents make for their children. If you’ve ever had a mother like that it is especially resonant, but even without that history the sentiment hits perfectly without being too treacly. It’s a change of pace carried off perfectly.

I don’t necessarily love bullet point reviews of everything I just read, but when I had such a good time reading it? It’s really hard not to just fanboy over something I love a little, so please indulge me.

5 stars - perfect again, how about that? This never fails to amaze at how it took a hackneyed premise and turned it into one of the best high school romances/sports manga I’ve ever read. Absolutely delightful.

[Cikita · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s getting cuter 🤍

[Hisgirl85 · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. I took screenshots. I enjoyed Hina, my queen. I awed and tears went down my cheek. So good. I loved the insight on his mom. 😭

[Valeria · Rating 5 out of 5]

145-153. Por partes nos desarrollan un poquito las "parejas" secundarias y me parece muy entrete porque la mayoría de los personajes me caen bien. Después el evento principal y el que abarca casi todo el volumen es el festival y mis cosos preciosos son tan tiernos, se andan escondiendo hasta que Chinatsu dice "ya, paremos el webeo" y la pareja oficialmente se vuelve la noticia de los lolos que andaban en el festival y posteriormente en el gimnasio cuando están todos entrenando (fue muy divertido xd). Después se viene el estreno en las nacionales (de badminton) y Chinatsu le da un abrazo a Taiki antes para darle ánimo djfhldjhgla. Como si todo eso no fuera suficiente para darle 5 estrellas, el último capítulo es el de la mamá de Taiki y su esfuerzo, me hizo pico cuando lo leí porque amo a las mamis amorosas.

[Latifah S Ningrum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this volume has more touching moments, starting from Chinatsu's relationship with Taiki and their sweet interaction during the summer festival to how Hina gives advice on feelings and relationships to Akari. Not to forget the sweet interaction between Hina and Haruto, and the annoying miscommunication between Moriya and Kyo.
But what makes this volume touching is the Ice Cream chapter, the chapter about Taiki's mother's love is the most touching. Taiki's family is also very warm, if in Indonesia we call it the Cemara family.

[Štěpán · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is really lovely about Miura's writing is the focus on other people, than the main two. He shows in specific points different points of view and I think that it is just so lovely to shift focus on the parents, and friends and slowly progress the story. As I get older and I am way out of the target audience for this I enjoy shonen for different things other than fights. And Miura successfully transports me to my younger years.

[Kristin DeGarmo]

They “came out” to their friends. I’m glad nothing crazy happened. I feel bad for Hyodo’s little sister but I’m glad it was nipped in the bud. I also don’t like Saki because she was clearly trying to monopolize Kyo at the festival. I hope Ayame gets her chance. Also interesting that Haryu’s mom knows Taiki’s mom. Small world. Cute hail to Taiki’s mom at the end.

[Cameron Bray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yall I’m gonna save myself the trouble of putting all of the volumes in because I’m tired. Suffice to say, I’ve spent this entire day reading 17 volumes of Blue Box….. and I still have no clue what the rules of badminton are lmao. Character writing is *chefs kiss* tho

[Katie Parfitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm completely baffled that Blue Box has been a thing long enough for us to get TWO fireworks festivals, obsessed! Also um hey, shout out to all the moms on this one! Taiki's mom is such a wonderful human being and just had me crying tears of joy. So sweet!

[PAULO SERGIO · Rating 5 out of 5]

Que volume bom, meu Deus. O melhor do mangá até agora.

[Andrea Legarrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ch. 145-153

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ch 145-153, read on SJ app

[catherine ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

It goes without saying but I love the romance so much. Plus, I think this is the first time we've really seen the relationship between Taiki and his parents and damn...I'm gonna cry again.

[Joselin Orrillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 estrellas porque tan buen muchacho solo puede haber sido criado por tan buena madre.

[★☆★Glowingz★☆★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[noflowrs]

“the feeling of me liking you just said ‘hello’ to me”

[Nikki U · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t usually review my manga series until they’re complete but this volume earned a special review due to how well done it was especially tying in the momma love unexpectedly & moving me to tears.

[Justin Perucca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer festival arc. I mostly want them to focus on Taikinand Chinastu. The support characters are fine, but the main couple is just adorable.

[MIL · Rating 3 out of 5]

終於東窗事發了

[Juliette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anything about a mothers love makes me cry

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

aww the mom support sequence is sweet