La storia ruota attorno a Yuna e Akari, due ragazze che in amore hanno idee completamente differenti: la prima lo vede come un sogno, mentre Akari ne ha una visione molto più realistica. Abbiamo poi Kazoumi, ragazzo svampito che non comprende nemmeno il concetto di amore, e Rio che accetta la corte di qualunque ragazza, purché sia carina.
Io Sakisaka (咲坂伊緒) is a Japanese manga artist. She also designed the characters for the anime movie HAL. Her works are:
-Call My Name (2001) -Watashi no Koibito (2002) -Bye-Bye, Little (2002) -Blue (2006) -Mascara Blues (2007) -Strobe Edge (2007) -Ao Haru Ride (2011) -Sono Omokage o Shitteru (2013) (oneshot) -Omoi, Omoware, Furi, Furare (2015) -Otome no Itari (2020) (oneshot) -Sakura, Saku (2021)
Ahhhhhhh this was a solid 5 star read until the last 4-5 pages which made everything weird!! :s
Love Me, Love Me Not is the newest series by Io Sakisaka who also created Ao Haru Ride and Strobe Edge. This story follows 4 high-school characters - Yuna, Akari, Rio and Inui. Yuna likes Rio (Akari's brother) and I think Akari likes Inui (Yuna's childhood friend). Both girls are quite different and have very different opinions on love - Yuna has never head a boyfriend and wants a romance similar to the Shojo titles she reads while Akari approaches love head-on and is already in a long-distance relationship with a guy.
The premise is pretty simple - Akari warns Yuna of her brother who only fancies 'pretty' girls (even though I think Yuna is pretty) and basically will only be rejected by Rio. Akari (I think) has her eye on Inui despite not voicing this in the volume. Everything was going great until it is revealed that Akari and Rio aren't really siblings and Akari's mom married Rio's dad. Akari's mom bursts into Rio's bedroom thinking Akari is in there (when it is Yuna) and basically implies that she fears an incestuous relationship between Akai and Rio!!!!!
The fact that Sakisaka never hinted at this earlier on this volume or raised any suspicion between the mom and Akari and Rio meant that this reveal was totally unexpected and made me extremely uncomfortable!
I have heard though that in the next volume things straighten themselves out - thank goodness!!
However, the artwork is fantastic and I'm looking forward to where the story goes next (no creepiness please). Btw...Inui reminds me SO much of Kou’s brother in Ao Haru Ride - I mean they look like twins! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
That ending! Was not expecting that. This was an interesting first volume that follows two girls Yuna and Akira who live in the same building. They meet by chance after Yuna goes to say goodbye to her best friend who is moving away. The two characters have very different perceptions of romance and have polar opposite personalities. It’s clear that the story is going to focus on the two main characters explorations of love. There are two male leads in this one but after that ending I’m not really sure who is going to end up with who. Overall, this was a solid introduction with beautiful art. I really liked the friendship between Yuna and Akira and I’m looking forward to seeing how the story continues.
Love Me, Love Me Not, Volume 1 by Io Sakisaka is an adorable, romantic manga that should be on everyone's must read list of 2020.
One day, a handsome man who likes like a prince from Yuna's dreams comes into her life! That same day, Yuna's best friend Satchan moves away but she meets a new friend named Akari. Akari and Yuna become quick friends, but it's suddenly obvious they have very different views on love and live. Akari wants Yuna to date her childhood friend, while Yuna believes true love is very different.
Along the way, we watch Akari and Yuna take very different paths towards the love department. Plot twists unfold to reveal some information we would never expect...
Manga like this is always fun. The pictures show a lot of emotion and the story unfolds itself naturally. This manga is far more contemporary romance and drama than the typical fantasy manga I read, but it was still an absolute delight! I found myself glued to this manga and unable to put it down - in fact, I binged the whole thing in one sitting.
My positives: 1. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful, adorable and fantastic!
2. Two opposing points of views on love. The heroines of the story idolize love in very different ways and I truly liked seeing two different perspectives instead of having just one forced on us. Bonus points!
3. The themes shown throughout this book was truly intriguing - the takes on love, friendship and jealousy.
4. The DRAMA in piece 4. My goodness.
My negatives: 1. This volume had multiple "pieces". I kind of wondered if this book was broken up like comic books are and then put into one giant volume. Either way, I was a little confused but it didn't impact my view of the story at all.
Overall, I really enjoyed this manga and I would love to continue it if given the chance. I've missed the fun romantic side of mangas and all of the drama that ensues.
Five out of five stars.
Thank you NetGalley and VIZ Media for giving me this wonderful opportunity to pick up this book early!
"Just a little bit, I want to be influenced by her. Yuna is amazing."
This manga was filled with some amazing artwork, as always with Io Sakisaka. I found this was not her strongest manga that I've read, and it felt like it lacked that certain spark that made Strobe Edge and Ao Haru Ride so amazing.
The story follows two friends, Yuna and Akari and how their different ideas of love are conflicting, each with their own strong points and not so strong points. Yuna is very dreamlike with love, and believes in things like fate and a 'prince charming'. Akari is more practical, and does not dwell on a romance that will not succeed. The story also involves Akari's brother Rio and Yuna's childhood friend Kazuomi.
I liked that this story has a central idea around love like Io Sakisaka's past work. It's a quality of her manga's that I love. "Who decides whether it's love or not?" I also enjoyed that her work did not stray from that nostalgic sense of youth I always get from her stories. I think the best part of this manga however is the characters. I really relate to Yuna, I was practically Yuna in high school. It's nice to feel like my personality back then was understood and not as uncommon as I had assumed. I feel very in tune with the story since I understand exactly where Yuna is coming from. "I would one day meet my destined person, and this would be all a dream and I wouldn't hurt."
I also like Akari, Rio and Kazuomi, and enjoy how it's a story almost evenly about four characters rather than mainly one. I also like that the four all compliment each other and have different ideas around love and life. Yuna is very shy, introverted and can often act quite awkwardly due to overthinking and a little insecurity, but she is kind and gentle to those close to her. Akari is friendly and down to earth, but due to her practicality can sometimes miss out on opportunities and be left with regret. Rio is very extroverted and confident with his classmates, especially girls, but has a more emotional side once people get to know him. Kazuomi is supportive and loyal, with a friendly attitude, but sometimes his chummy 'mates' type of attitude seems to put a distance between him and others. They're an interesting bunch! Although I was disappointed with how little time Kazuomi got in the first volume, and hope he receives more attention in the second.
I do admit that I felt like as the story continued it slowly lacked more and more story wise. As I said, it lacked some spark. I still enjoyed it though regardless. It was fun and interesting, and I really enjoy the friendship between Yuna and Akari, as well as their character development. But the romance is not captivating me immensely, and I don't feel like the story is as well paced and timed as Strobe Edge or Ao Haru Ride. But I still loved this first volume and cannot wait to see where our characters go from here.
"What do you mean by 'falling'? Doesn't falling in love happen without you even knowing about it!?"
Physical ARC sent by Viz Media in exchange for an honest review
I was so excited when I found out that we were getting a new series from the amazing Io Sakisaka. I feel very blessed to be an early reviewer on this first volume.
Let me start of by saying that I am interested to see how readers feel at the trope that is introduced at the end of this volume. But first, let me back up.
We initally meet 2 young women who are polar opposites, but become fast friends over a shared experience. Yuna and Akari are a very unlikely friendship, but enter high school as friends. Yuna discovers that the beautiful blonde boy she has been crushing on for a portion of the summer is no other than Akari's step brother, Rio. Kazuomi, Yuna's life long friend enters the picture and catches Akari's eye.
From here, things start to get messy. There are lots of feelings between these 4 friends. This first volume lays the ground work for how these relationships all interconnect, and then drop the trope bomb on you in the last chapter.
I am very intrigued by the concept of this story, and am definitely looking forward to the next volume. At this point, I feel the series is going to fall into something like Strobe Edge, and end up being complicated, but fun and interesting, and always wrapped up in the beautiful art from Sakisaka.
Como ya deben de saber, siempre he estado enamorada del estilo de dibujo de Io Sakisaka y este manga no es la excepción. Con pocos capítulos publicados, siento que será una historia corta pero interesante. Ahora la trama que se plantea en Omoi, Omoware, Furi, Furare es interesante. Dos jóvenes totalmente distintas en carácter se conocen por casualidad, la primera es una romántica que nunca ha tenido novio o algún chico que le guste y la otra chica es una experta en relaciones y que confía en sí misma. Ambas chicas, aunque no lo saben, se admiran entre ellas y esto estrecha su relación. No empezamos con un triángulo romántico, sino con un rechazo, con el conocimiento del amor y el sinsabor de esas experiencias.
Tiene un inicio un poco lento pero que atrapa. Ya que me sentí identificada con una situación de una de las protagonistas, automáticamente pensé "debo de seguir este manga". Así que esperaré a que avance la historia.
I really think that Yuna and Akari should get together. You can tell how much they care about each other. They do everything they can to keep each other happy. Why are they fighting this and going after guys they can't have? This just makes no sense to me. I'm really wanting this to happen. I feel it's something that should happen. They both deserve to be happy and I think they could make each other happy. Although it was kind of stupid of Yuna to believe a rumor about Akari before she even asked her about it. Then finding out that Akari and Rio aren't actually related and there being a chance that Rio has feelings for her. This is so frustrating. I need the next volume.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I get to the end and think to myself how I sort of like this mild, slow, low-key high school romance but it doesn't seem like it will be memorable in the long run, then I read the author's bio and see that she also created Strobe Edge, a mild, slow, low-key high school romance that I read many years ago and liked but have almost entirely forgotten, as well as Ao Haru Ride, Vol. 1, a mild, slow, low-key high school romance for which I read the first volume two years ago and sort of liked but forgot to pick up the rest and now cannot remember the premise.
I see the final volume of Ao Haru Ride comes out in October, so maybe I'll pick up that series and read it through now, and trust that a couple years from now I'll finish the first volume of another mild, slow, low-key high school romance and see that it is by this same author whose work I keep forgetting, and I'll be prompted to come back and read the rest of this series, the tale of a love rectangle, as it will probably be wrapping up around the same time. Good plan!
(Also for now, I'm going to trust that the forgettable nature of her work is on the author and not me starting down the road of mental decline . . . )
Seeing that Io Sakisaka was releasing another series in English made me so happy! While I’m not finished reading Ao Haru Ride, I love her storytelling and artwork. Seriously, her artwork is stunning!
Love Me, Love Me Not features two heroines who are different in so many ways but make good friends for each other. Yuna is innocent in love and wants a first and true love like in manga. Akari falls in love quite a bit and is more outgoing and isn’t afraid to put herself out there. Both girls are learning about friendships and love.
I thought I knew how the relationships and the story would go, but I was wrong. I can’t really go into detail because it would be a spoiler, but OMG! The ending of this makes me so desperate to get my hands on volume two. I have questions. So many questions!
Overall, the artwork is the same that I love from this artist and I have a feeling this angsty story is going to break me. I just need volume two already!
I received an ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.
This was a sweet manga about new friends Akira and Yuna, and their different approaches to boys and falling in love. Things get slightly complicated when Yuna finds herself falling for Akira's brother, Rio. Akira's convinced that Rio is far too predatory for innocent Yuna, while Yuna is happy to pine away, and admire Rio from afar. The volume ends on a cliff-hanger that, if true, will certainly further complicate things!
One word can sum up this book: adorable! It's sweet and heartfelt, the art is stunning and I loved watching the friendship grow between the two main characters and how they help each other when needed.
Now, while I would still recommend this title, it's not my personal favorite because it's just too wholesome. I like my stories to not be so... clean. I want more grit, darkness, adult content and all that good stuff. But it was nice to read a sweet story that left me smiling.
+I was given this title in exchange for an honest review+
Another amazing story by Io Sakisaka, i loved Ao Haru Ride and Strobe Edge so i have HIGHLY expectation for this manga series! Can't wait to see where the story goes to.
Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This doesn't affect my opinion of the book whatsoever
Ahhh this manga was absolute cuteness! I will definitely be continuing on with this series when they come out as I need to know what happens next! The art style is beautiful and I loved this story of friendship and romance. This is a manga that you definitely need to get your hands on!
e-copy provided by publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I wasn’t too sure about the characters at first. Yuna are Akari are opposites. They each see love in a different way. Yuna is also quiet where Akari can be quite outspoken. I loved the friendship that was formed between them and it can easily be seen how quickly it grows throughout. I have a feeling that Akari will definitely influence Yuna more when it comes to gaining confidence.
There are hints of relationships blossoming but nothing has come to fruition yet. Although that ending was intense and I need to know how it all happened and where its going to go. I feel bad for everyone involved.
Overall, I enjoyed this one. It was my first time reading a manga by this author although I have one of their other ones on my kindle right now. This one has definitely made want to binge everything they have written!
I’ve wanted to try some manga for awhile so when I saw this pop up on netgalley it piqued my interest!
This was pretty sweet - it probably would have been better if I read it in physical book form because in electronic it always gets a bit confusing where you are. Anyway, pretty cute... ☺️
I still had to try any of Sakisaka’s manga, so I was happy to have the opportunity to review this one. The short—but to the point—blurb and the pretty cover totally grabbed my attention, and now that I read it I’m even happier!
This was such an enjoyable first volume with some funny moments and an artwork that is truly adorable, just like the heroines of the story. Complete opposites, Yuna and Akari are two girls with different personalities everyone can relate to. Which one you find more of your liking it really comes to your own traits, but there is still a chance you could recognise a bit of both—the idealist and the realist—in yourself. Find that hard to believe? Let these girls put some sweet thoughts in your mind. And just like they pique your curiosity with their vision of love, things get an interesting turn at the end, leaving you want to uncover an unexpected piece of the puzzle . . .
A lovely opening to a very nice shōjo that is not just about (chasing) love, but also about friendship and acceptance. Find your inner strength and go after what—and/or who—you want. And you do want this manga!
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review. This does not affect in any way my opinion of the book nor the content of my review—originally posted on Darkest Sins.
I've read this manga in its entirety before! But I want to collect the print volumes and reread it once again. So that's what you'll see me do from now on. ⋆˙⟡♡
I adore Io Sakisaka's work and this is her latest series. It's completed, so if you wish to try it, you can do it from start to finish without any interrumption. It's so good and sweet just like her other work. It's definitely one of my new faves in this modern era. It's a high school romance about two girls experiencing love, friendships, and the regular high school experience, you know. It's super sweet and comforting, you easily care for the characters and you want them to succeed in everything they set their eyes on.
I love that Sakisaka wanted to showcase two girls who had very different perspectives on love. Because she wanted the readers to know that both povs are okay. One is not better than the other! The mangaka wanted the readers to have to see the both sides for themselves and that's so great. And because of that, she had to create two characters instead of one. And that's why instead of one love story, you have two!!!!
*whispers* I already got volume 2 in the mail lmao bye
Strobe Edge is one of my favorite shoujo mangas, so to get to review a volume of Sakisaka’s newest story had me very excited. As usual, the artwork is stunning. I like the differences between Akari and Yuna although it definitely feels like this is way more about one character even though they’re both supposed to be the protagonists (It is only the first volume though, so that could very well change throughout the course of the series). Honestly, what really brought down my rating was the transitions. The transitions are just plain awful, in my opinion. One second one of the characters is talking to someone and literally, the next panel, it’s nighttime and the character is in bed. What?? Seeing that happen once or twice is something I can handle but it happened a lot and I oftentimes thought I was missing some panels or even whole pages. It was very disorienting and aggravating. Other than that, this is an interesting story so far. I’m curious about what’s going to happen next
Thank you Netgalley for offering me a copy to review!
"Our values are very different but let's keep being friends."
LOVED LOVED LOVED!!!
This has been the strongest start from a series I've read by Io Sakisaka yet and I am 100% here for it!
I adore the idea of having two heroines who have VERY different views on love and even just a different way of looking at things. I found it refreshing and deeply loved how neither girl is "wrong" for their way of thinking.
Tie that into their friendship and how they are growing closer, especially after Yuna listens to a certain rumor, I felt completely hooked and deeply emotionally invested in these girls' lives! Their friendship really is unexpected, but I think will be deeply fulfilling for me as a reader (especially with all the angst and drama that is sure to come LOL)!
VERY excited to keep reading and see what happens next! (Also I relate WAYYYY too hard to Yuna!)
"Feeling insecure is really irritating. I want to feel sure of myself. If I did I wouldn't hide my feelings. But even the way I am now I still want to face it."
[ I received an ARC on Netgalley in return for an honest review. ]
When I saw the author of Ao Haru Ride, one of my FAVOURITE shojo mangas of all time, had a new series that I didn't know about, I just knew I had to check it out! And I wasn't disappointed!
From this first volume alone, I can already tell that this is going to be an amazing manga series. I really love all the characters that have been introduced so far, and I can't wait to find out more about their back-stories!
The ending to v.1 was a particularly big cliffhanger so I'm really looking forward to finding out what happens next in v.2!
A cute and quirky story with very lovable characters. There's already some drama brewing, which I always like in a good slice of life romance manga! It was a little boring at first and the friendships moved a little too fast for me, but I have high hopes for this manga series!
Easily a five-star read!!!! I.NEED.VOLUME.TWO On her way to send off her best friend, Yuna runs into a guy who looks just like her first love (a prince from a picture book). Thinking she would never see this guy again, she runs into Akari. After loaning Akari money and keeping Akari’s bracelet as collateral, they both meet and realize they live in the same apartment building, are going to attend the same high school, and eventually become friends. Soon, Yuna realizes that the guy she ran into is Rio, Akari’s brother. Despite Akari trying to convince Yuna to fall for Inui (Yuna’s childhood friend), Yuna is interested in Rio. Knowing that Rio is only interested in looks with girls, Yuna decides to allow herself to fall for Rio. I loved how this manga showed aspects of the struggles all the characters were experiencing during this first year in high school and Yuna's growth toward the end of this volume.
Going into this, I had no idea what to expect, and with that ending, I'm even less sure of what to expect than before! Suffice it to say however that I'm quite hooked, and I adore the art style and the characters for this already! Given the creator's foreward page, I'm also very curious to see how she evolves the individual character's thoughts and philosophies regarding falling in love, as well as their emotional intelligence and friendship. Beyond that, I'm not sure if I have adequate words to express what I like about this first volume of Love Me, Love Me Not. Just read it.