Amar y ser amado. Dejar y ser dejado 09

思い、思われ、ふり、ふられ [Omoi, Omoware, Furi, Furare] #9

by Io Sakisaka

A fresh romance from Io Sakisaka, leading shojo manga creator and author of Ao Haru Ride!

Fast friends Yuna and Akari are complete opposites—Yuna is an idealist, while Akari is a realist. When lady-killer Rio and the oblivious Kazuomi join their ranks, love and friendship become quite complicated!

Love and friendship have become quite complicated for these four friends. Yuna’s insecurities about herself resurface on her first Valentine’s Day with Rio, and Akari’s plan to give Kazuomi chocolates is thwarted. Will the girls be able to salvage this special day?

Genres: Manga, Romance, Shojo, Young Adult, Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction

200 pages, Paperback

First published July 25, 2018

About the author

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)

Reviews

[Geoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

So it's a little bizarre to keep reading this series and complain about the drama. That's what this series is about! DRAMA! DRAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAA! That said, it isn't so much the dramatic relationship (and almost relationship and not quite relationship) drama as it is the pace. Things are moving so slowly. I love the Valentine's storyline and the misperceptions and friendship and selflessness the characters show, and the art is great, but I'd love to see the pace picked up a bit.

**Thanks to the artist, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Cristina Lotusheart Gabrieli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sbam! 😍 Ma quanto sono carini tutti questi personaggi? Ancora non so chi è il mio preferito. Una cosa è certa: Io Sakisaka è fantastica! ❤

[Moonlight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este es ese tipo de mangas que te hacen olvidar de las precupaciones de la vida. La historia y los personajes son simples pero no tóxicos y se respira mucha inocencia, como es de esperarse de los mangas de Io Sakisaka.

[Shae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I continue to really enjoy the progress of this series. By far, this is Sakisaka's best work that we have had translated. The continued character progressions are amazing. The art is even more detailed and on point. I can't get enough!!

[MarinaLawliett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aaaayy me encanta, de verdad. No quiero que acabe la historia de estas cuatro personitas NUNCA!!
Mil gracias a mi queridísima y bellísima Toñi por dejarme los tomos siempre siempre 😍💜

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can Akari and Kazu PLEASE just actually communicate, I am begging

[Jenna | Bookmark Your Thoughts · Rating 4 out of 5]

OH MY GOSH! This manga melts my heart so much! I'm really loving all the different elements going on, especially since these are things a lot of people can relate to: first loves, the issue with confidence and how that can divide a relationship, dysfunctional families, divorce and so forth. I also felt as though this volume REALLY balanced between the four main characters the most so far, rather than focusing on one or two more than the others.

Of course, the volume ends on a cliff-hanger ... here's to volume 10 releasing in English sooner rather than later!

[Athena✧･ﾟ: * · Rating 5 out of 5]

Go, Kazuomi, go! Tell her how you feel!

[Angigames · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tratto fantastico, tavole perfette.
Adesso che le coppie sono delineate la storia si sta appiattendo un pochino...
Spero migliori!

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yuna and Rio are still doing well, except Yuna might have a new rival in the form of… Akari!? Or maybe just her own head. As for Akari and Kazoumi, Phil Collins may have said that you can’t hurry love, but even he would be tapping his foot at these two. However, between indecision and the hell of other people they have a lot on their plates…

It’s interesting how much of what keeps Yuna from being happy is down to internal problems, while Akari suffers from her own needless restrictions, but also a lot of external forces at play.

Yuna is the most perfect, apex Io Sakisaka creation - a character that generates her own melodrama! Every single problem and indeed one dumb fight between her and Rio is caused by Yuna’s awful self-worth spiralling out of control. She knows she’s being ridiculous, but years of inferiority have eroded her ability to rein in her mouth.

Rio comes to the rescue by being surprisingly more amazing a boyfriend than you’d think. While he does try to refute Yuna, he mostly gets mad because she won’t listen and is invalidating his feelings, which he’s quite clear on. He goes to some impressive lengths to put the poor girl at ease.

Let me just add in that Yuna overhearing a girl who plans to give chocolate to Rio slag her off, but said girl gets rejected by Rio, and Yuna knows, yet this still becomes a catalyst for Yuna being convinced that Rio is using Yuna as a substitute for his unrequited love for Akari is simultaneously peak Yuna and peak Sakisaka. Thankfully Akari is here to bonk her for that one.

Akari and Kazoumi can hardly be blamed for their own problems, outside of both of them being thwarted at Valentine’s Day by their own heads. No, Akari is dealing with her kind of awful mom who just uses the former to sound off her ideas about getting a divorce onto. Sigh, manga moms (okay, fine, Yuna’s is amazing).

Kazoumi is dealing with his ‘follow your dreams’ drop-out brother, who might have good advice but his concern for himself has major trickle down impact on Kazoumi when his parents throw out his entire movie collection (a capital offence, frankly).

The part that truly drives me crazy is that Akari and Kazoumi make a really good pair and have developed strong chemistry, so waiting for them to get together is excruciating. Hands down the best moment in the book comes when Akari restarts Kazoumi’s movie collection by giving him a new film, closely followed by what Kazoumi does with it afterward.

And while it is not explicitly stated, I guarantee that based on the cover art that that’s a copy of 2016’s Sing Street, a delightful movie set in 80’s Ireland about a kid following his creative dreams against adversity, who happens to get the girl and has a ne’er do well brother. It’s a brilliant little Easter egg.

And while I really dislike Kazoumi’s rival, especially because he looks way too much like off-brand Kou from Ao Haru Ride, I do like the way he and Kazoumi have this odd frenemy thing going on. It’s a really nice change of pace (Akari’s friends, meanwhile, are about as subtle as a kick in the teeth).

4 stars. The Yuna stuff was a bit much, but the way Rio handled it made it worth it. And all the charm of the Akari and Kozoumi sections made up for its glacial pace. For all my jabs at our illustrious mangaka, I would never say she doesn’t know what she’s doing and there’s a lot of really good material in this volume.

[Tory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some characters really make you want to shake some sense into them for some choices they make, and Yuna and Akari are absolutely QUEENS of this.

[Phoenix2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Less action and more feels for the 9th volume of omoi omowar furi furare. The art was great as usual and the main couple adorable. And there was finally some progress with the second couple.

[Niki⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The character progression is going very well and I enjoy the series even more with each volume I am reading. Yuna and Rio are great at communicating with each other and it's nice to see them reassure each other. Rio is becoming very mature which I appreciate. He's very considerate of Yuna's feelings and goes to great lengths to show her. My heart felt so warm reading their parts and seeing them overcome their first 'fight'.

Akari and Kazu on the other hand are still figuring things out. And Ryosuke is wasting no time to get Akari back, he is honestly more proactive than Kazu (Though I know Kazu has a lot going on with his parents and brother). Hopefully, the encounter between both boys at the end pushes Kazu to tell Akari how he feels.

[Ester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tomo un poco descafeinado, pero muy bonito.
Yuna y Rio som mi pareja del shojo soft favorita y, respecto a Akari i Inui... Me gusta también la subtrama que hay entre ellos que no es sólo su historia de amor sino en los conflictos internos de ambos respeto a su forma de ser, afrontar las dificultades y seguir sus sueños.

Añadir que los personajes no han dejado de evolucionar durante estos nueve tomos, a un ritmo lento, constante y muy realista.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy Moly, Yuna is so insecure and I love how the series really deals with the fallout of what those feelings and actions because of those thoughts and feelings result in. I have been powering through the series before exams, it is so nice and well written.

Nothing beats the drama of a teenagers first love :')

[Anaïs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve said it before and ill say it again, never will I give a manga from this series less than 5 ☆’s. Ten outta ten for the Rio and Yuna content. I love it. Live for it.

[PaulaMoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yuna y ryo son lo más tierno del universo

[Flávia]

[TENSÃO]

[Kiri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Yuna has insecurities about her relationship with Rio and Akari and Kazuomi just can't seem to sync up! The slow burn of the romance in this novel is killing me!! I feel like I'm on the edge of a cliff of something that doesn't seem to be happening anytime soon. I need more progress in this romance, dang it!

[Valeria NM · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m never not immensely sad for Akari’s situation
(´°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥ . °̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥｀)

[Gemma Golley · Rating 4 out of 5]

too busy squealing over yuna and rio to care about the other two

[TheGeekishBrunette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have finally caught up with this series!

I was happy to see Rio and Yuna once again but I did get frustrated a bit because of Yuna’s insecurities creeping up again. I do understand that it’s normal to have the feelings that she did. I’m sure that I was the same way and can even be insecure now as a married woman. I get it. I just think that it has been played up a lot through the series and so it just feel repetitive.

Akari and Kazuomi are still trying to figure out how to tell each other that they like each other. I did hope that the love triangle was just for the last book but it did pop up again. I do usually like love triangles but since we don’t know much about the other guy so I just don’t feel much for the trope. I do hope that since it ends on a cliffhanger between them that Kazuomi will take the opportunity to just say it!

Overall, this was another good one even if I didn’t like everything.

[Yuri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume presented us with some interesting conflicts. At first, I didn’t get why Yuna’s actions because she didn’t seemed to be that fragile girl anymore, however the motives turned her into a more complex character, which hooked me up. As for the love triangle within, I really liked!! Since I’ve been reading romance, regardless if they’re novels or mangas, this kind of trope never worked for me due to how predictable they are. But this situation feels different because, even tough the story is leaning towards Inui, I’m not entirely sure if Akira and him will end up together and there’s Ryousuke to add a good dose of drama which makes it even better.

[ღ c a s a n d r a ღ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8 o 4
Este tomo lo disfruté más que los anteriores. Creo que porque en este tratan más las inseguridades de Yuna (y por un segundo creí que Rio iba ser idiota y enojarse solo porque desconfió de él) pero en realidad me sorprendió y lo que le dice (aparte de la ✨comunicación ✨ que tienen y agradezco) me cerraron la boca dándome el shoujo que quería 😩😩🤟
Por otro lado, Akari y Kazuomi, me gusta el desarrollo que les dan pero NO PUEDO CREER QUE NO SE DIGAN NADA Y LES PUSIERAN UN TRIANGULO AMOROSO. Claro, esto le da drama al manga pero es q me irritan que se callen las cosas y pongan a otro vato 👺👺👺
Btw lo continuaré solo por Yuna y Rio 🕺🏻

[Hang Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

okay i’ve read this manga online before but like reading it again just remind me of the cute moments between yuna and roi!

they are the cutest! I love them with all my heart! while akari and inui i still like their relationship but i’m not as invested.

totally love this! yuna is the purest souls ever! she is just so kind! and when roi said something like “don’t talk bad about my girlfriend” I legit burst! it is the cutest scene ever!

[read the vietnamese translated version]

[Miky · Rating 4 out of 5]

1ra lectura: Abril 2019
2da lectura: Diciembre 2022

[Stella · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

Eventos, eventos y más eventos... Esta vez tenemos San Valentín. El volumen comienza con las dos muchachas hablando de ello. Akari en particular recibe una indirecta por parte de Kazu, mientras que Yuna escucha a otras chicas acusarla de tener demasiada ventaja sobre ellas al ser la mejor amiga de la hermana de Rio y vivir en el mismo edificio.

A partir de aquí Sakisaka desarrolla el resto de la trama del volumen: en primer lugar, Yuna le da los chocolates a Rio, pero tiene que enfrentarse una vez más a sus inseguridades con respecto a sí misma y los demás. Obviamente, todavía se acuerda del enamoramiento de Rio con Akari, y por supuesto que al ser el tipo de persona que es se siente mal al ver a otras chicas tristes a pesar de que quieren quitarle a Rio (eso de sentirse mal por todo es algo con lo que me siento identificada, ay). Sakisaka une el crecimiento personal de Yuna a los sentimientos que comparte con Rio y a la amistad que tiene con Akari, pues los primeros le dan fuerza para tener más confianza en sí misma y así también afianzar más su relación con Akari. Si algo queda claro en este volumen es que Yuna es esa chica a la que todo el mundo acude a contarle sus problemas.

Luego tenemos a Akari. Por una serie de malentendidos, no le regala ningún chocolate a Kazu. Pero es que aparte de eso las cosas no van bien en casa con su madre y su padrastro, y eso es algo que le pesa pero que no le cuenta a nadie: ni a Yuna, que se entera por Rio, ni a Kazu, que lo hace más tarde por Ryosuke.

Los malentendidos continuan y... estoy espesa hoy.

Pero bueno, voy a hablar por puntos de las cosas que una va notando según relee:

1) El matrimonio de los padres de Rio y Akari es muy importante para la historia. Al principio sólo vemos pistas aquí y allá del engorro que supone para los dos, luego vemos las consecuencias que tuvo en Rio y por último Sakisaka nos muestra, al fin, como fue para Akari en aquel entonces en un flashback con Ryosuke que ha ido dejando caer pieza a pieza en estos dos volúmenes de manera casi poética.

2) Akari se traga sus sentimientos constantemente. Esto es algo que ya nos dejó caer la autora al principio pero que por fin se dice en voz alta aquí.

3) En parte se los traga por su madre. Ya vimos lo desconfiada que era con respecto a Rio y a Akari. Por lo que nos cuenta esta última, la mujer es algo especial y está acostumbrada a que su hija no se queje. El caso es contrario al de Yuna y su madre.

4) Yuna todavía se siente muy insegura, ansiosa y todas esas cosas malas de las que sufrimos algunas. Ésta ha sido la cruz de su personaje desde el principio, así que me gusta que Sakisaka no haga como que sus inseguridades y preocupaciones van a desaparecer de la noche a la mañana al empezar a salir con Rio.

5) Yuna es muy buena escuchando a los demás. Razón de más por la que una se da de cabezazos cuando ve que Rio no le dice nada sobre Kazu y ni éste le pregunta nada sobre Akari. La de malentendidos que nos hubiésemos ahorrado si Yuna conociese que los sentimientos de Akari son correspondidos.

6) Al pobre Kazu tampoco le va bien en casa. Sus padres han tirado sus películas y esperan que él siga el camino que su hermano abandonó, otro detalle que dejó caer la autora en los primeros tomos. Luego está el tema de los sueños de Kazu y Akari, algo que los une sutilmente.

7) La amistad. Me gusta que la autora se centre no sólo en los romances sino también en los lazos de amistad que comparten estos cuatro adolescentes entre sí.

8) Ryosuke y Akari podrían haber protagonizado otro shojo perfectamente. Al comienzo del manga, como lo veíamos todo a través de los ojos de Yuna no nos podíamos imaginar que su relación hubiese comenzado de una manera tan sencilla pero importante, en aquel momento, para Akari. Obviamente, no todas las relaciones funcionan y ésta en concreto no lo hizo, pero de los errores se aprenden y la Akari de ahora ha aprendido a valorar sus sentimientos más, tal y como hacen Yuna y Rio.

9) Rio es del que menos puedo hablar de momento. Es el más estable de todos los protagonistas ahora mismo, algo que tiene su sentido pues ya vimos su parte de la historia en los primeros tomos. En estos volúmenes apoya a Yuna, Kazu y Akari en sus momentos difíciles. Normalmente cuando tienes un duo, un trio o un cuarteto de pjs siempre habrá uno que será el más normal o estable de ellos para equilibrar algo la balanza.

Las piezas ya van encajando en preparación para la traca final.

[The Book Dragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yuna and Rio are still dating but Inui and Akari can't seem to finally make that first connection. And part of that is that they're being very vague about their feelings for each other. But somehow, all this gets twisted around come Valentines Day and Yuna begins to have doubts about her own relationship and Akari wavers on making that first step.

Usually this kind of romantic angst is something I find extremely annoying and a cheap shot at the reader. But in this one, the author actually sets up the story for the angst to logically make sense. Yuna doesn't think she's good enough for Rio so she starts reading into every interaction she doesn't understand, like with who Akari got chocolate for, and these feelings only get compounded when others seem to verify her reservations, like the girl who got chocolate for Rio despite Rio having a girlfriend. But then the author flips the script again by not letting the original angst lead to more (even dumber) angst. Rio went back to TALK about the problem with Yuna. He didn't just walk away and let her stew in doubt and confusion. That's a healthy relationship! And then it gets paralleled with the fact that Akari won't talk out her problems because she doesn't want to 'inconvenience' people with her issues. Which fits with her 'fixer' personality and naturally brings up the topic of good mental/emotional health.

Seriously, this series is so good, guys.

This series has 12 volumes.

[Siobhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four people try to figure out if they love each other in this manga. Akari and Rio are siblings because their parents married each other. Rio and Akari liked each other but now they are over that. Rio falls in love with a girl named Yuna. Akari is friends with Yuna. Now Rio and Yuna are dating. Akari likes a boy named Kazuomi. Kazu is Yuna's childhood friend. Akari and Kazu are shy and are not sure if they should confess their feelings for each other. There's also a a problem. Akari's ex-boyfriend, Ryosuke, is trying to get Akari back because he misses her. Now it is Valentine's day and everybody is trying to figure out their feelings. It doesn't help that Yuna is insecure about Rio's love for her and Akari has two boys after her. Will Akari tell Kazu her feelings? Will Kazu confess to Akari? Why is Rio so handsome? Am I like Yuna?

All these questions will be answered if you read the manga. :) (Like, go read it right now)

[♡Kayla♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I'm sorry for being stupid and for troubling you so much, I always get upset because of the same things and troubling you with nonsense. I'm really no- Ow!"

"Please stop badmouthing the girl I love. Okay?" („• ᴗ •„)

This series remains being too cute for words at times. And to try to keep myself from sounding too much like a broken record, I'm not going to put too much focus on Rio and Yuna (even though they are my faves), and instead I'll talk about some moments between Inui and Akari that I enjoyed. For instance, when Inui was hinting that he wanted a Valentine from Akari, or when she tried to cheer him up by buying him a movie. They really can be cute, I just always get frustrated with how they never cease continuing to run in circles around each other, without doing much for the progress of their romance.