Ao Haru Ride, Vol. 12

アオハライド [Ao Haru Ride] #12

by Io Sakisaka

Futaba Yoshioka has encountered her first love again in high school, but he seems different from the boy she once knew. Kou no longer wants to hold back how he feels about Futaba. He’s determined to keep trying as long as he has even a sliver of a chance with her. Meanwhile, Futaba has decided to be more honest in her relationship with Toma, but is her heart still in it?

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

192 pages, Paperback

First published December 12, 2014

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

[Madison Ramaget · Rating 5 out of 5]

J’ai grave eu les larmes aux yeux à la fin omg 🥺😭♥️

[Archit · Rating 4 out of 5]

You read this manga and realize there's a whole world of manga out there, waiting for you to explore. I'm really glad to have found this one. Simply a beauty.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ Review on IG: @xojazzle
This volume gave me whiplash. I WAS ALL OVER THE FIRST. starting from the beginning, kou did what he needed to and decided to go after futaba. While I was upset bc she was still in a relationship, it was so refreshing to FINALLY see him take initiative and show her how he feels! Like we needed this energy from u, kou! Meanwhile, my Kikuchi heart hearts💔 I rly loved him sm and I’m so sad tht he got his heart broken… but at the same time I’m happy for futaba and her pursuing her own feelings as well. She was never going to be able to develop feelings for Kikuchi bc kou already had her heart. Fast forward a little towards the END WHAT. THE. HELL. I HAD A HEART ATTACK AND I WAS ABOUT THE HAVE AN OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCE. but everything turned out ok and we got a love confession that I adored and I LOVE KOU AND FUTABA YEAHHHH🫶 happy to see my people FINALLY have the right timing and be together! Futaba has kou and I have Kikuchi😜

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

AHHHHHHHHHHH! *resumes screaming*

This was everything my heart needed!!!

A fabulous and beautiful addition to the series.

RTC

[Apatricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most beautiful manga that I ever read

[Pinky · Rating 5 out of 5]

One more volume to go and I am finished this series! I had a really bad day today and this volume was the thing that cheered me up. It was sweet and I loved everything that happened in it. I look forward to reading the last volume in this series, it's crazy that I am already finished! I am super excited to start another series later on. I need to read more novels and I keep telling myself that and end up reading another manga series.



In middle school, Futaba was a girl who was super cute but had a hard time making friends. This was because a lot of boys liked her and the girls were jealous of this. This led to Futaba hating all of the guys in her grade except one, named Kou. Kou was less manly, shorter than the other guys in his grade and had a gentle voice. Before Kou and Futaba can hang out and get to know each other, Kou moved away and disappeared. Later on in high school, Futaba decides to eat more and act aggressive in order for her to make more friends and appeal unattractive to guys in her grade. This worked and she had friends but they were fake. She is shocked to see her childhood crush in the same high school as her, and has changed just as much as she has.



I love the characters in this series, Aya, Marou, Kou, Futaba, Yuuri and Tanaka Sensei. They are all different and easy to relate to in different ways. Their personalities are gold and I love how they support each other. Ever since they all met up and became the class representatives in their school, they have gotten used to each other's presence. They are a nice crew that I would love to join! And I love how everyone understands each other. It is better to have friends around you than being alone.



I love the character development of Futaba and Kou. They changed so much from how they were at the beginning of the series. There were so many moments where I laughed, while other times it was sad. It played with my emotions and I am glad it did because it felt like I had a connection to the story.

I'll be off to read the last volume in the series!

[Keiko, the manga enthusiast ♒︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

7 PM AT THE CLOCK TOWER. FINALLY THEY MET AT SANKAKU PARK

Damn, I literally got the chills when they finally confessed their feelings for each other.

Lol, but I found the accident too funny, I dunno why but I was like: This is the part where Kou is going to be in an accident right? No, wait, I think you're mistaking it for that classic movie. Lol, I don't know why my old memory of this series is too severe and painful for me that I thought I wouldn't get past easily once Narumi girl comes out. I was afraid. But yea, I was young, free from dama that it was a hard pill to swallow for me. But hell, it's milder than what I expected it to be. Funny, how the monster from the shadow that you are so afraid of turns out to be only a pillow, huh? Or, it musty be the hatred I had back then that put a large red cross on this series.

Now, I kinda regret I didn't reread it sooner. Alright, let's go to the final volume!!

[Coco · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡AL FIN!


¡11 volúmenes esperando esto!

[Jess | jadecanread · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you look out to the closest field, you can see me running through it with joy.

We made it. They're FINALLY OFFICIAL!!!

I'm so glad these five have each other to give our beloved main characters the reality check they desperately need.

RECAP: Kou officially breaks off his friendship with Narumi and pushes full acceleration to getting Futaba. He tells her he wants to go to the scary movie with her, she tells him to back off. Toma asks her to Christmas concert, Kou is potentially back for honors, Kou confronts her again. She thinks long and hard and breaks up with Toma but doesn't want to start anything with Kou because of optics. Yuri gives her the push she needs. Toma reflects with his friend and isn't upset about the relationship and how it went. Christmas Eve, Kou is working and calls her to see if she's a the concert, he confirms she's not and they agree to meet. He even gets her flowers and then A FUCKING CAR HITS HIM. But at the hospital they confess and kiss and then they try meeting again at the clock tower the next day and THEY'RE SO FREAKING CUTE.

[Victoria ✮⋆˙ · Rating 5 out of 5]

FINALLY AHHHH!! God this series is such a rollercoaster of emotions!

[Rereader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, this is easily the worst volume of the entire series for the following reasons:

1. Futaba breaking up with Kikuchi. Not just because I think they made a way better couple than she and Mabuchi, but also the break up came both too late in the series and also came too fast in the volume. Yes, I know the series has been building up to this moment, but Futaba never seemed terribly unhappy with Kikuchi and she put in so much effort in their relationship, acting more maturely than most shoujo romance heroines. Their break up seems like it was there purely to serve the plot because obviously Futaba was going to inevitably end up with Mabuchi, but Sakisaka dragged out this relationship too long and there's only one volume left, so she had to break them up so that Futaba and Mabuchi could be together at the end of the volume. Also, Kikuchi's just totally cool with it? Seriously, this guy was a way better partner than Mabuchi.

2. Shun calling Futaba a bitch. Dude, you've barely been relevant in this series and now you straight up call her a bitch? Because Mabuchi's making advances and she's confused? Not cool, bro.

3. Speaking of advances, I'm not okay with Mabuchi still trying to get back with Futaba. It felt very manipulative and disrespectful. Even if she was still on the fence, he should have dropped it when she told him to stop, but he didn't. I know this is classic shoujo romance behavior and if I was a teen I probably would have been okay with this, but I'm a grown-ass adult and this just pisses me off.

4. The stereotypical "main love interest gets hit by a car on the way to meeting the main character". I understand this series is the epitome of shoujo romances, but that was so fucking unnecessary and didn't do anything for the story. It straight up felt like filler disguised as tension because it parallels the last two failed meetings between Futaba and Mabuchi. Whatevs.

I'm glad there's one volume left because after this disappointment of a volume I really want to finish this series ASAP. Gotta wait two months, though, which sucks...

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOL. why does the car thing always happen in shoujo?? Like I'm not mad about it or anything and honestly it gets me every time, but who decided to make this a trope for all shoujo? Anyway I KNEW this is where the manga was going, but whatever!!! I'm happy for them I GUESS.

[Patry Fernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kou-Futaba son amor!!!!! <3

[steph reads (hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

ya sé, creo que estoy siendo bastante generosa pERO ES QUE ME HIZO SENTIR TANTAS COSAS, A PESAR DE QUE FUTABA ERA ODIOSA NO PUDE EVITAR MORIR DE AMOR POR ELLA Y KOU, ME ENCANTÓ VERLO CELOSO (SI, QUE MALA) AUNQUE ME DIÓ LÁSTIMA JUNTO CON TOUMA PERO FUE TAN TIERNO QUE HAYA LUCHADO POR ELLA ¿QUIÉN NO QUIERE UN KOU? ADEMÁS DE QUE SU RELACIÓN DESDE EL PRINCIPIO FUE LINDA Y GRACIOSA, Y ME ESPERABA UN BESO APASIONADO Y QUE SE MATEN EN UN CUARTO DE HOTEL ahre. SI SIGO REAFIRMANDO QUE MURAO HUBIERA SIDO UNA BUENA PROTAGONISTA CUERDA E INTELIGENTE PERO IGUAL LOS QUISE A TODOS, A ELLA A KOMINATO, TANAKA, MURITA, TOUMA Y SUS AMIGOS.
NO PUEDO EVITARLO, AMÉ ESTE MANGA CON TODOS SUS DRAMAS Y CLICHÉS.

(igual mucha despedida pero creo que no es el final porque falta una declaración)

[court ౨ৎ librarycutie · Rating 3 out of 5]

FINALLY! SO CUTE! SO MANY EMOTIONS! I’M HAPPY BUT SAD IT ENDS NEXT VOLUME!!!

[Irene exquisitepages · Rating 3 out of 5]

damn I’m actually so pissed it took this long 😃

[IzamaRi H. Fabela]

RESEÑA COMPLETA ➜ https://goo.gl/MeBK82

Kou por fin le ha puesto fin a su relación con Narumi pues aunque siempre estará agradecido con ella por ayudarle a adaptarse cuando sus padres se divorciaron y más adelante en la enfermedad de su madre por fin ha entendido que con ella siempre se ha mentido al evadirse de los problemas así que ahora está dispuesto a enfrentarse a todos empezando con arreglar todo con Futaba.
Futaba por su parte ha decidido por fin escuchar a su corazón así que aunque no quiere lastimar a Kikuchi termina la relación que tiene por él pues no importa lo muhco que se esfuerce en olvidar a Kou pues su corazón no lo quiere dejar ir. así que ahora ambos tendrán que encontrar la manera de estar juntos sin volver a herir a alguien más y perdonarse por todo lo que ha pasado.


Debo decir que este tomo me ha parecido el más maduro de toda la serie pues por fin Kou logra ver más allá de su sufrimiento para ver que con Narumi sólo se estaba evadiendo de todo al punto de

cerrarse hacía a todos, a diferencia que con Futaba quien lo ínsita constantemente a abrirse a las personas y enfrentar los problemas. Debo decir que aunque soy team Kou si llegó un momento en el que me desesperaba un poco al ver lo ciego que estaba pero al final entendí todo el camino que tuvo que recorrer y sip, sigo prefiriéndolo a él.

Sobre Kikuchi… bien no puedo decir que haya resultado un mal personaje porque lo cierto es que no, es el clásico príncipe encantador que está ahí dispuesto para todo sin perder la sonrisa cosa que al final de cuentas me decepciona un poco pues hubiera preferido que la autora le permitiera demostrar más emociones (en especial enojo) ya que si nos ponemos a pensar en realidad nunca llegamos a conocerlo más allá de la superficie.
Y ya estamos a un tomo del final así que en la próxima reseña les hablaré más extensamente de la historia haciendo un resumen de todos los puntos que la conforman...

RESEÑA COMPLETA ➜ https://goo.gl/MeBK82

[Kadi P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall Manga Review:

Wonderful in some aspects but questionable in others, this was certainly an interesting manga.

One thing that was fantastically done in this manga series was the exploration and representation of grief and the long-lasting impact a parent’s death can have on a child.

The exploration of true friendships was also nicely done, especially with the protagonist letting go of her fake friends and making new friends with whom she went through hardships with but still came out well on the other side due to genuine communication and understanding between them all.

The romance was mostly cute and it certainly started off nicely but it got really murky and messy as it went on. The introduction of the second love interest threw a spanner in the works and to be honest, this was the one instance in which I rooted for the second love interest over the main love interest.

There were some problematic things in this manga that I really wish hadn’t been there.
1. The indecisiveness of the protagonist coupled with the irritatingly dumb decisions of the main love interest became a bit annoying, especially as the right-person, wrong-time scenarios kept cropping up so that the protagonist and main love interest went round in circles constantly.
2. The way the female rival love interest used her unfortunately sad situation to manipulate the main love interest into being with her even though she knew that he wanted to be with the protagonist was awful, exploitative and downright shady.
3. The protagonist made a good decision to move on from the main love interest when he chose to look after the rival love interest instead of being romantically with her. Yet those were all words and no action because the entire time she was with the second love interest she was pining for the main love interest. And it was made even more pitiful by the fact that she knew she didn’t love the second love interest but still insisted on being with him and hurt him by being overly enthusiastic in her actions but not really feeling anything towards him. She led him on and then dropped him like a stone the moment she could go running back to the main love interest after deluding herself that all the terrible decisions she had made and lies she’d told the second love interest were in his interest and only done with him in mind. In actuality, the protagonist acted in a way that was cruel and selfish.
4. The main love interest was sometimes mean too. He managed to make the protagonist cry on more than one occasion with his unnecessarily harsh words and worse, his borderline sexually abusive actions. The scene where he tried to scare her into protecting herself around guys by getting on top of her and pinning her to the ground was insane and the fact that all she did was cry was even more insane. She wasn’t mad at him at all afterwards even though he had severely abused his position as her friend. The lack of consequences for his actions just showed the kind of toxic love between the protagonist and the love interest that hurt themselves and everyone around them.

And so, despite how cute this manga appeared at times, it grew harder and harder to ignore all that was wrong with it and all the blatant issues cast long shadows over the strengths of this manga.

[Olly · Rating 3 out of 5]

scontatissima la scena della macchina, poteva benissimo chiamarla per dirle che arrivava mezz'ora dopo, non penso avesse altro da fare lei...

[Lena's Version · Rating 4 out of 5]

KYAAAAAA por fin, era inevitable...

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/a4XU75uG8Bw

"A lot happened to get us to this point. I've made plenty of mistakes. I've been hurt. And I hurt others. But I won't care what anyone else thinks anymore. I don't want any more regrets."

I don't know how Io Sakisaka does it, but this volume was the fulfillment of everything I was hoping for in regards to Futaba.

Was it hard? Oh yes! I never expected to feel as much compassion as I did for the characters involved in regards to what takes place in this volume. I might have struggled the previous volume, but I think this series is an incredible example of showing that feelings and relationships are never easy. Sometimes we make mistakes that not only cause us pain, but those around us too. It is strangely a comforting thought, even if it wasn't the message I was expecting to take away from this series. Ha!

I really really really loved the ending and the persistence and determination showed by Kou. I don't know what it is about him, but he is in my top five favorite male shojo heroes! There is so much depth to him and seeing him grow and learn new things was so beautiful. Plus his smile!!

I deeply love Yuri (and Uchimiya!) and her friendship with Futaba! She really is like the older sister and while I was also surprised at her outburst in one conversation, I'm so glad she told Futaba to think for herself for herself. Yuri and Shuko might have worried often about what to do, but in the end they realized they had to let Futaba decide, and boy does she!

This was such an excellent volume and rekindled my love for this series! I can't wait to read the final volume!!

[Karoline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kou y Futaba...

Estuve esperando durante 11 volumenes a que ESTO pasara.
Estoy modo fangirl porque siempre quise esto para ellos dos pero aun así... Mi pobre Touma :'(
Touma, ven a mi, yo te consuelo


En fin, ellos dos son adorables. Kou es un amor, pero Futaba aghhhhhh ella me saca de quicio, ella ha cambiado si, pero sigue con sus inseguridades "¿Será que Kou está cansado de mi? ¿Será que él me quiere tanto como yo a él?" AGHHHHHHHH, osea ¡Kou está contigo superalo así que deja la inseguridad de una buena vez!
Espero que en el capitulo que falta deje la maldita inseguridad.

[Irene Calle · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡Por fin! Ha costado doce tomos de desarrollo, pero al fin ha pasado lo que tenía que pasar. El próximo tomo será el último y, con él, llegará mi reseña general de esta serie. Me da pena terminarla...

[Charlotte]

Relecture le 18/02/2022

[Saraí Elvir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ay por fin completaron su cita.

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm sooo happy!

[Kayla Brunson · Rating 2 out of 5]

These two finally admitted they want to be together! This is has been so drawn out and that I can't even say that I'm happy for them.

[zahra · Rating 5 out of 5]

pls that ending was so sweet

[sunny]

they’re my world 🥺😭