やがて君になる 5 [Yagate Kimi ni Naru 5]

やがて君になる [Bloom Into You] #5

by Nio Nakatani

燈子を変えたい。
自らの願いを見つけた侑は、
こよみに生徒会劇脚本の改変を提案する。
だが、侑の願いは燈子の望むものではなく……

「お姉ちゃんになるのが間違いなら、
私は何になればいいの」

Genres: Manga, Romance, LGBT, Yuri, Queer, Graphic Novels, Young Adult

178 pages, Comic

First published January 26, 2018

About the author

Nio NAKATANI 仲谷鳰 is a Japanese mangaka and doujinsha.

Associated Names:
Rireba リレバ

Official site:
Doujinsha site: 「リレバ」 rireba
Pixiv: 仲谷鳰[Nakatani]

Reviews

[daph pink ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars ✨

The best volume till now!!

Reason 1 :- Yuu and Nanami's aquarium date!

Reason 2 :- Koyomi and her aspirations for becoming a writer just hits so hard.

Reason 3 :- Yuu asking Koyomi to change the ending of the play for Nanami is everything.

Reason 4 :- I thought Dojima is a shallow guy I honestly didn't liked him much but he does have a strong moral center as he gets upset when he finds out that Akari's crush was lying to her. Can we get something between them here?

Reason 5 :- Nearly all the side characters are as amazing as the main characters which fills my heart with so much joy.

[Victoria ✮⋆˙ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love where the storyline is going with this, and all the play stuff is super exciting!

ALSO THAT AQUARIUM DATE AWWH

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of great developments for our main characters. I also love the minor characters getting more time to shine in this one.

[lauraღ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t want to hear you say that you’re nothing! You shouldn’t have to kiss me to prove that you exist!

3.5 stars. I'm really happy that this manga just keep getting better and better for me. The character development and themes we're exploring are simple but poignant, and I love the journey. We get a kind of emotional breakthrough for both Touku and Yuu, and a not-quite-confession that I loved. The past couple of chapters have put Touko's slightly aggressive behaviour in previous volumes into perspective for me, and helped me understand her more. She's trying so hard to almost drown herself in her sister, and it's sad. I'm glad we're peeling back those layers, and I'm REALLY glad Yuu put her foot down about certain things in this volume. I think this was the turning point, and we might actually see some movement in the relationship in coming volumes. 

I loved the aquarium date in this volume; it had sooooo many pretty panels and lovely art. I bookmarked lots of pages, just because I loved the style and the drawing. And as always, there were several cute moments that just made me smile a lot. I've come to really enjoy these characters, and I'm glad I pushed on with the manga, even though the first couple of volumes had their issues. Looking forward to reading more.

[Fenriz Angelo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The chapter of the date at the aquarium is the cutest thing i've read on a manga in a long time ;_; i was so swoon~~~ i love these girls. Nanami is facing a crutial moment, i hope the Vol.6 comes out soon i want to see the play so bad.

As a general commentary about the manga, i just want to say that i'm glad to see more yuri and yaoi mangas that doesn't have tropes, or aren't bound to dated rules of certain character's actitudes that put w/w and m/m relationships in a bad light. It makes me feel this type of stories are more for us than before ^^.

[ananya ྀི · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yuu and Touko's aquarium date was so wholesome I can't. The main characters as well as the side characters' stories are so well written my heart.

[Tayjah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can’t let the homies know I cried to this 😤

[pears ✧ ☽ ☼ ଳ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind debating on whether I should drop this series or not lol. I genuinely don’t get the hype😭 these girls need therapy 💀

[Bentgaidin · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Bloom Into You' continues to be excellent -- there's so many things to love, I'm not sure where to start. (And there's going to be some spoilers here, so that I can talk about specifics; if you're worried about that, just go read it! It's great!) The first that struck me, I think, was how well plotted it all is; this volume opens with us seeing the same scene (of the girls planning a rewrite of their play) from three different character's viewpoints, and it's great how different it feels each time based on who we're watching, but also how all of them are focused on the same theme, of identity and deciding who you are, and discovering who you are. Each time it's adorable -- I want to hug all of them, for different reasons each time. Then we get a very cute aquarium date between Yuu and Touko, where we not only get to admire the beautiful artwork, but get a very cheering look at how well these two fit together when they can just be together; it makes an even stronger contrast between the tensions they return to when Touko goes back to worrying about her own pressures in fitting into the role she's chosen for herself. Speaking of excellence in plotting, I really appreciate how thematically well the entire series fits together -- we started with Yuu's struggles with herself as an ace person, and as she's been getting more and more comfortable with that (although I feel like it's not resolved yet, so I'm looking forward to more), we've gradually shifted the focus to Touko's construction of her own personality as someone to match/replace her sister; it's all about self and identity, how you know yourself and be true to that, and how you then present that to the world, and which portions of the world get to see which portions of your self. There's one final moment I want to call out, too - throughout the series, we've see Touko initiating physical, sexual affection between the two of them and Yuu's puzzlement, acceptance, amusement, and enjoyment of it at various times. This time, we see Touko ask to kiss her, and Yuu turn her down -- not because she's not interested in kissing, but because she wants Touko to not use it as a way to hide from other feelings. It means a lot to me, because Yuu is someone who's been struggling with wanting to feel that sort of physical attraction, and so her refusal here says a lot about the depths of her feelings for Touko, that Yuu will turn down something that she thinks she should want, because she wants Touko to want it for the right reasons. I'm not sure I've really explained it well, but it was really moving for me, and it's a great bit of growth for characters that I already love a lot. So anyway, if you couldn't already tell from this, I can't rate this manga highly enough -- it's definitely a series that you should be following.

[Jen13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Touko’s is not happy about the rewrite of the play’s ending, but she might be making a little progress when it comes to dealing with feelings about her sister. This is all happening incrementally and it lends a realness to the story and makes every step forward all the more satisfying.

Yuu is making progress too, as she realizes that she can affect Touko’s mental health in a positive way by supporting her, but also helping her see that she’s a valuable person for herself and not because she is trying to “become” her sister. Yuu also makes a move and invites Touko to the aquarium. So cute! I smiled all the way through it.

[nico · Rating 5 out of 5]

qué bonitas): me alegra que tuoko esté por fin escuchando a yuu y a sayaka

[Agu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume has to be my favorite so far. The topic of being yourself AND the cutest date in one book? Love it.

[Eressea · Rating 5 out of 5]

20250415 3rd read
--
20200825 2nd read
想到我動畫沒看完，書卻重看好幾次XD
--
20181216 1st read
燈子你出來，我保證不打死你!!!!

[Jhosy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this volume Touko must confront her past and her choices.
With the play approaching, Yuu decides to talk to her friend about the ending. They end up changing the story, making the protagonist choose a path for herself, regardless of how others have known her before.
This causes Touko to begin to evaluate her life. Is it right that she should continue to try to be her deceased sister? Should she try to know herself and aim to be her own person? But then, who is she really? These are questions that begin to emerge in Touko's mind.
Some dramas with Sayaka and her feelings for Touko as well as a little drama with Yuu and Touko.The love triangle.
I wonder when this will become the focus of the main drama
Overall this was a good volume.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a dumbass and nearly finished volume 6 before I noticed that I didn't even read this volume... I was able to gather everything that happened in volume 5 in volume 6 except Yuu's friend's crush thing. Although I feel like the friend's side story doesn't really take away or add anything to the story. It's just there. Yuu's feelings are starting to show a lot more and Touko's character is starting to develop.

[lux · Rating 5 out of 5]

UGH FAVE ONE BY FARRRR 😭 them in the aquarium??? so cute

[Alden Barron · Rating 4 out of 5]

So turns out the anime never fully adapted the manga and I didn’t find out until the credits rolled so looks like I’m binging the rest of the manga now.

[Katja · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series but I gave this volume "only" four stars because I think it's been dwelling on the same spot (Touko imitating her sister vs being her own self) a tad too long. The last chapter of this volume is A+++ though, and the part in the aquarium one was super sweet.
I like the set of characters, they feel quite real: for example Sayaka, who is constantly wanting to be more important to Touko but also seeing how Yuu makes her happy and even wants same things for Touko as she does, so she keeps a lot to herself.
The art is very soft and kind of simple but beautiful. I really recommend this.

[Alyson Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book: Bloom Into You, Volume 5
Author: Nio Nakatami
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I am still in love with this series. I love how sweet and innocent the whole thing is, while managing to get those more serious and dark undertones thrown into the mix. It’s one of those things where things look really sweet and innocent on the outside, but the more you get into them, the more you realize just how serious the overall tone actually is. We are dealing with characters coming out, trying to prove themselves, and finding their own way in an otherwise dark and difficult world.

This whole series feels really wholesome and light. Again, we still have these more serious undertones, but for the most part, this manga is on the light side. We see characters writing a play for student council, going on first dates, and falling in love. The innocence of the whole affair is still there. You can feel the uneasiness and uncertainly that comes along with it. We can also see and feel the excitement that the characters are feeling as they start to get to know each other. We are still in that cute and fun stage of the relationship. We see the first dates and see the slow bond that these characters are forming with each other.

We also see the characters are to look at their own life. We see them really start to question everything that they are doing and almost reflect on everything. I like this little bit of character growth and development. It allows us to see just how far they have come and how far they have to go. Just remember they are high school students and are in that period of self-discovery and figuring out who they are going to be in life. I love seeing this time come across the page and getting to see how these characters are not only changing, but growing. I also love how slowly the whole thing is happening. It makes it seem all that much more real.

The softness of the artwork also really adds to the manga. We have these soft undertones when we need them, but the tone does change to match the overall tone of the manga. What I’m getting as is when the manga needs that darker tone, we do manage to get it. We see the expressions of the characters change as well as seeing the artwork pick up some pretty dark edges. This is something that makes the manage stand out to me. The expression does completely match what we are going for.

Anyway, I cannot wait to pick up the next volume and see where that takes us. I am waiting for the student council play and I feel like we are so close to it.

[Axel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I wonder... the face under the mask...
Is that...your true face?

I think this is the most reviews i’ve written in such a short space of time! But this series is so dear to me that pouring my heart out feels cathartic. I love this world and its characters so much

The aforementioned quote above is not from bloom into you but from The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s mask. I included it as it complements Nanami perfectly. After her sister’s death, she’s longed to become her as she feels like an empty shell and thinks becoming her sister will fill that void. You could say she wears a mask and her true self is blurred between the lines.

Then we have the final scene where Nanami asks Yuu to kiss her.

”Please Yuu. Let me show my love. I don’t know any other way… to say that i’m myself.”

From her point of view, Nanami seems to feel most like herself when she’s with Yuu as she knew her sister wasn’t in love with anyone so it’s the only thing separating them. The one thing she has that’s unique is her love for Yuu. That’s adorable yet melancholy too.

”I don’t want to hear you say that you’re nothing!
You shouldn’t have to kiss me to prove that you exist!”

Yuu reminds her that’s she can aspire to be like her sister, but that she’s far more than that so shouldn’t have to kiss her just to prove she has her own autonomy. It was honestly such a well written and drawn scene and it was a relief to see Yuu help Nanami move in the right direction.

I think I’ve adored this volume the most so far!

The minor characters such as Koyomi and Doujima got their chances to shine. Especially Koyomi as an aspiring author who wants to prove herself in the contest judged by her favourite author. (relatable) And Doujima allying with Akari who got rejected by a douchey a-hole

The aquarium date with Yuu and Nanami was the cutest thing ever! Their relationship finally got some well deserved development and it was nice seeing them relax and have fun together. Nanami said something about wanting to do everything with Yuu, no matter what it was, really did it for me. I love sapphics!!

Yuu asking Koyomi to change the play ending was also a nice sentiment. She knows Nanami is projecting onto the main lead so by changing the ending, she’s giving her the opportunity to become her own person rather than someone dictated by someone else’s perspective of who they think she is. That’s profoundly thought provoking.

I realise i’m on vol 5/8 and that bothers me. I never want this series to finish ㅠㅠ

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The aquarium date was so cute! And I love Yuu and Saeki working together to help Touko. I can't wait for the play!!

Update 8/8/19
Summary for my reference:

Interlude: Past, Present, and Beyond - Miyako, the owner of the cafe the schoolgirls frequent, observes Yuu and Kanou meet to discuss the play, and then Saeki and Touko meeting to discuss Touko's visit to her family. Her girlfriend, a teacher at the school, stops by to visit, and they talk about their attractions and relationship.

Chapter 23: Until the Last Stop - Touko is visiting her grandfather in the country and visits her sister's grave. She vows to do a good job in the play.

Yuu and Kanou discuss the ending of the play; the play is about a woman who loses her memory and wakes up in a hospital. She meets three people who were important in her life who tell her who she was before. In the current ending, she decides the "correct" identity is the one her lover tells her. Yuu argues this ending would invalidate the person the character is over the course of the play. Kanou agrees and decides to rewrite the ending.

Touko and Saeki also meet in the cafe and Saeki asks Touko about her visit to her sister's grave. Touko laments that she only knew the person her sister acted like, and that may not have been the real her. Saeki assures her that the person Touko knew her as is at least a part of her sister, and that's who she was to Touko, so it's still legitimate. They part ways and Touko ponders what she will do after the play. She goes to text Yuu, "I miss you," and receives a text from her asking if she wants to hang out. Touko is delighted.

Chapter 24: Lighthouse - Yuu and Touko go to the aquarium. They have fun and learn about each other. Touko tells Yuu she loves her, and Yuu makes a comment about how easily she can say it. Touko says that saying it makes her feel like she is real, because she doesn't fake who she is with Yuu. Yuu notes that Touko wants to be like her sister, but feels better when she knows she is herself. She assures Touko that it's okay if she contradicts herself sometimes. they buy matching charms at the gift shop and hold hands on the way out, much to Touko's delight. Touko leans on Yuu's shoulder for a nap on the train ride home.

Chapter 25: Expectation and Reality - Kanou attends an author event for her favorite novelist. On the way in she meets up with Maki, who was hoping to get a ticket at the door but didn't succeed. They chat for a bit and she goes in to meet the author, who turns out to be a woman, which she hadn't expected. She isn't able to ask any questions and is rushed out after the autograph. Afterward, she texts with Maki about the encounter and her expectations. She gets a surge of determination and finishes the new play script as well as a letter to the novelist where she says everything she didn't get to say at the even and expresses she wants to meet her again someday as a fellow novelist.

Chapter 26: Costar - Kanou and Yuu reveal the new play ending to the student council. Instead of choosing to become her lover's version of herself, the main character is approached by her nurse, who tells her not to give up on who she is now. The main character talks to the visitors again and says that while she may not to be able to have the same relationships with them because she is now someone else, she looks forward to developing those relationships again. Everyone likes the ending except Touko, who tries to get Saeki to side with her against the change, but Saeki agrees with the rest. Afterwards, Yuu and Saeki discuss Touko and the new ending. Yuu explains she wanted the ending changed since Touko identifies so much with the main character and has such an obsession with becoming her sister. Yuu wants Touko to be herself. Their conversation is interrupted as Yuu asks Saeki why she supported the change. At home, Saeki mulls it over. She is jealous that while she also wants Touko to be herself, Yuu was the one who took action, even if it meant pushing Touko and risking upsetting her. Saeki was afraid that Touko would reject her, so she never pushed her. She knew she couldn't side against Yuu just because of that jealousy. Back at school, Saeki and Yuu talk again, with Saeki telling Yuu about her feelings for Touko. She wishes for success with the script.

Chapter 27: One Fear

The student council is taking applications for class events for the cultural festival. The basketball team decides to do a booth serving fried octopus balls. Akari, on the basketball team, expresses excitement to Yuu that Oogaki will be on the same shift as her - she has a crush on him. Yuu supports her. Touko acts cold with Yuu, upset by the ending change. Later they practice their lines, and Yuu asks Touko to walk home with her. Touko refuses. Yuu is talking with Doujima and they find Akari crying. They're both awkward about how to handle the situation but Akari appreciates them being there anyway. Akari explains that she just found out her crush Oogaki has secretly been dating the team captain for a year. When Akari previously confessed, he had told her he wasn't interested in a relationship and wanted to focus on basketball. Doujima gets angry on her behalf at how Oogaki could be so careless about her feelings. Akari appreciates that he is upset for her, but while she is upset about the situation, she cannot bring herself to be angry about it. She was fine with liking him from afar, but him being in a relationship changes that. Yuu feels especially sympathetic about that and comforts her. Meanwhile, Touko practices her new lines, upset that Yuu seems to be telling her that she is wrong for trying to become her sister, which she fears is all she has.

Chapter 28: Wish - The students practice the play and get ready for the cultural festival. Some students stop by Touko to ask for advice and Saeki scolds them for always relying on Touko. Touko mentions that Saeki is always helping her out, but bugs Saeki about not siding with her about the play script changes. Saeki tells her the ending was clearly written for Touko's sake. Touko expresses dismay at being told her desire to become her sister is wrong and storms off. She finds Yuu and pulls her aside, asking her to let her kiss her because she doesn't know any other way to be herself. Yuu refuses, saying she shouldn't have to kiss her to feel like herself. She tells her there is nothing wrong with her wanting to be like her sister, but it isn't all she has. She explains she came up with the title of the play, "I Only Know You," to show that everyone who is friends with Touko doesn't know anything about her sister, just her. The person they want to be friends with is Touko. Touko argues this is because she's been copying her sister, but Yuu says, "The person who works so hard is you." They head back to practice and Touko decides that while she is still not sure there is any part of her that is hers, she wants to believe Yuu.

[The Half-blood Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It's all right if you want to be like your older sister. There's nothing wrong with that. But I don't want you to think that that's all you have."

Onwards to Nanami Touko's journey of self love!

I like how the mangaka presents the dichotomy perceived by Touko's hated true self vs being like her idealised sister, while simultaneously showing contradictory moments like when she feels better being herself, or when she doesn't want people to like who she is. As much as she sees herself in a negative light, there's comfort in existing as her true self with someone who accepts her. There is obviously an inner struggle that is very relatable.

The contrast between Sayaka and Yuu couldn't have been made clearer in this particular volume. In her fear of being rejected or pushed away, Sayaka knowingly allows Touko her fake social performance, hoping she'll change on her own. Yuu, on the other hand, is gently trying to encourage her to change how she looks at herself.

Changing the play's ending is an active step in that direction, as Touko is projecting herself into the protagonist. (From a reader's point of view, it's also a better choice, as we don't like a story where there's no change or growth by the end. Yuu showed how beta readers and editors are so important to an author, in this case Koyomi. A new perspective is everything after you've been working on something for a long time, and Yuu is a reader who also works at a bookstore. Lots of experience 😊)

There's a cute fun (non-) date, a look into Koyomi's dream, and some getting angry in Akari's behalf. Maki is still having benign fun at other's expense 😆 Doujima shows an empathetic sensitive side! 💜

And I've been meaning to make this joke. For the Heartstopper fandom. Remember when people were saying "Even the teachers are gay?! Everyone being queer is unrealistic 🙄"? Well. 😈😏

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best volume yet!! The beginning scene between Miyako and Riko is super cute...we also get an absolutely ADORABLE and beautifully illustrated aquarium date, with some fun new tidbits of information (Yuu is kind of a sea animal nerd! Touko enjoys the 'splash zone' of the dolphin show!)...next is more character development, including catching up with some of the side characters...and at the end, a climactic confrontation. Bring on the next volume, I need to know what happens with the school play!

[Des Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This one was so intense! The pacing is incredible as all our pieces move about the board. I'm so impressed with the minor characters and how well this play has been conceived. It's such a fantastic conflict and Nanami has become such a rich, interesting character. It's such a joy to watch Yuu fall in love without seeming to notice. I love these girls, can't wait to see how it ends.

[Rod Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pacing slows way down as we approach performance of the very important student-written play at the big school cultural festival, but that's okay as I really like exploring this world and the unique friendship/romance evolving between the main characters. I'm looking forward to the next volume.

[Amy! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Touko really deals with some identity stuff in this volume, and Yuu does a great job supporting her. Not much happens in this one except a really lovely visit to the aquarium, but it was a nice and sweet kind of stillness and quiet.

[Alejandra Rodríguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me gusta que poco a poco Nanami ya va pensando gracias a Yu que no debe convertirse en su hermana sino ser ella misma, me gustó que le negó el beso en la azotea ya que estaba molesta y solo usaría eso como un reafirmamiento.

[arwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

giving me so much serotonin

[Iza Brekilien · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is at the same time touching and interesting, I'd love to read the rest.

[Sai · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I thought that this is a story of what it is like to be asexual or aromantic.. but as I read the rest of the series, I believe that it is about finding out for ourselves what “love” really is. That sounds cheesy, but the dialog between the characters and the messaging of the novel are actually compelling.

It’s nice to be able to read a manga that is as wholesome as Bloom Into You. The last time I felt like this was around 10 years ago (I think) when I first read the manga Girl Friends by Morinaga Milk.