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ささやくように恋を唄う [Sasayaku yō ni koi wo utau+ #5
Whisper Me a Love Song, Vol. 5
Himari and Yori are settling into their relationship, but there’s still tension in the air—tension, that is, between SSGIRLS and Lorelei, the band Shiho joined after she acrimoniously quit SSGIRLS. Aki remains bent on finding out exactly why Shiho left so abruptly and angrily, but she doesn’t always ask in the most delicate way—and Shiho doesn’t seem interested in opening up. When Shiho and Himari unexpectedly bump into each other, Shiho shares a bit of her hidden past. It gives Himari an idea, but will it help heal the rift between the two former friends, or make things even worse?
168 pages, Paperback
First published September 17, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
September 12, 2022
I have to admire the fact that Eku Takeshima just made Shiho's backstory that she's a petty, bitter person who can't handle not being the best. It's a risk, because it removes most of the easy fixes to make her likeable, but also a worthwhile move. There are people like that out there, and acknowledging that grounds the story more than just leaning into Himari's naivety would have.
January 27, 2024
The culture festival is coming up, and Shiho has decided that the music competition will also be an all-or-nothing showdown between Lorelei and SSGirls. (awkward name) Hima meets Shiho by coincidence out in town, and Shiho tells Hima some of her background as a musician. As a result, Hima decides she wants Aki and Shiho to reconcile, and arranges a baking club tasting with both sets of band members in attendance. Things don't go anywhere as well as she'd hoped, and instead of reconciliation, hurt feelings prevail.
I like Shiho's presentation in this volume. It's evident to me that Shiho has let competitiveness, pride, and/or spite get in the way of her performance. She's using her talents as a bludgeon, or attempting to. When she "loses" she is inclined to give up, and to insist that it's others' lack of talent that's getting in her way. She has some growing up to do, in other words.
Hima has rather painfully come to realize that getting along well with group A and group B doesn't necessarily mean that A and B will get along with each other. I've seen this presented as a nerdish fallacy before, but of course it's a human fallacy.
I expect the culture festival will bring all of this to a climax. There wasn't a lot of our main couple interacting in this volume, but that's okay. Takeshima is doing a good job balancing romantic and other tensions among a rather large cast. Despite what seemed to be homogenous character designs at first, it's been surprisingly easy to both tell them apart, and understand each character's relations with the others.
I like Shiho's presentation in this volume. It's evident to me that Shiho has let competitiveness, pride, and/or spite get in the way of her performance. She's using her talents as a bludgeon, or attempting to. When she "loses" she is inclined to give up, and to insist that it's others' lack of talent that's getting in her way. She has some growing up to do, in other words.
Hima has rather painfully come to realize that getting along well with group A and group B doesn't necessarily mean that A and B will get along with each other. I've seen this presented as a nerdish fallacy before, but of course it's a human fallacy.
I expect the culture festival will bring all of this to a climax. There wasn't a lot of our main couple interacting in this volume, but that's okay. Takeshima is doing a good job balancing romantic and other tensions among a rather large cast. Despite what seemed to be homogenous character designs at first, it's been surprisingly easy to both tell them apart, and understand each character's relations with the others.
February 10, 2023
nie wierzę ze at some point wszyscy tu chodzili ze wszystkimi
May 5, 2024
stop why is shiho more interesting than the main characters 😭😭
December 7, 2022
Shiho needs to be the best and woe betide those who get in her way. After she fell out with her old band, she made a new one to show them how it’s done, but her reasons are a little vague. Aki decides to force the issue, but once Himari gets involved, Yori’s going to have more stake in this than she thought…
With the driving romance of the main story resolved, it’s time for the side characters and Aki certainly loomed large in the series before, so having her tangled up in the twisty angst of Shiho makes perfect sense.
Shiho has a whole basket of axes to grind with her old band mates, however, and while she makes no bones about her reasons for wanting to lay the beat down on what she derisively calls a hobby band, that’s hardly enough reason to be this snippy all the time.
And it’s not. Plus, Himari has gotten to know Shiho independently of all this, which leads to a little coffee talk where Shiho reveals her motivations. And cue the violins, because this is a girl who thought she was unstoppable until she was quite thoroughly shown that she was.
Poor Shiho accidentally made friends at a young age with a fellow prodigy who was better than her and defeat after defeat turns out to be more than she can handle. Thus, she turned away from one instrument and took up the guitar when she got older, and snubbed said friend for making a (perceived) mockery of her.
Yes, this is all incredibly petty on one level, but Shiho’s neither the first nor last person who couldn’t handle it when reality came along to give her a bit of a wallop. Further, she is the agent of her own misery, which was kind of obvious, but while her drive is laudable, her attitude is somewhat less so.
This didn’t seem like the strongest arc last volume, it’s a far cry from the romance bits, but the mangaka is doing all the work to make Shiho interesting and, for me, it worked. She’s as fragile as she is strong and she doesn’t shy away from putting the work in, making her one of the better realized antagonists I’ve seen in a bit.
And Shiho’s still not even being that honest - once Yori and Himari’s relationship is revealed during Himari’s very Himari-like attempt to patch things up without a silly contest during the school, well, Shiho’s bitter proclamation that ‘you’ve stolen everything from me’ isn’t aimed at Aki, I’m pretty certain, but Yori.
Yeah, the most likely reading of all this is that Yori stole Aki, who was Shiho’s “bestie” (I sense that runs a bit deeper), and now Shiho feels like she’s lost whatever she was building with Himari (that’s a bit murkier). So Shiho pivots to believable villainy in her final moments here.
Now, the correct response to the proposed throwdown at the end of the book is, in fact, to say ‘go soak your head’, but I feel like we’ll be seeing this one all the way through, since it’s going to bring Yori back into this in a huge way and if there’s a hero moment to be had for her, this is it.
Obvious weakness is obvious - there is not nearly enough mushy Yori and Himari content here, as we settle in for the battle of these two bands. Himari’s got a pretty major role, of course, but their day to day is definitely missed, even if the story is quite good here.
Yori is the one with the least to do, as Himari ends up being involved in all of this by virtue of her kind and simple nature. Possibly too simple at times - the scene with her and Yori where the shoe finally drops is pretty adorable. But she remains true to herself even now, which is a nice touch.
4 stars - a well-drawn, interesting bit of yuri fun. A nicely realized plot plus the return of the meanest bonus pages (that revelation!) in the industry? Heck yes. Why, this would make an excellent second arc to an anime even, HINT HINT licensing gods.
With the driving romance of the main story resolved, it’s time for the side characters and Aki certainly loomed large in the series before, so having her tangled up in the twisty angst of Shiho makes perfect sense.
Shiho has a whole basket of axes to grind with her old band mates, however, and while she makes no bones about her reasons for wanting to lay the beat down on what she derisively calls a hobby band, that’s hardly enough reason to be this snippy all the time.
And it’s not. Plus, Himari has gotten to know Shiho independently of all this, which leads to a little coffee talk where Shiho reveals her motivations. And cue the violins, because this is a girl who thought she was unstoppable until she was quite thoroughly shown that she was.
Poor Shiho accidentally made friends at a young age with a fellow prodigy who was better than her and defeat after defeat turns out to be more than she can handle. Thus, she turned away from one instrument and took up the guitar when she got older, and snubbed said friend for making a (perceived) mockery of her.
Yes, this is all incredibly petty on one level, but Shiho’s neither the first nor last person who couldn’t handle it when reality came along to give her a bit of a wallop. Further, she is the agent of her own misery, which was kind of obvious, but while her drive is laudable, her attitude is somewhat less so.
This didn’t seem like the strongest arc last volume, it’s a far cry from the romance bits, but the mangaka is doing all the work to make Shiho interesting and, for me, it worked. She’s as fragile as she is strong and she doesn’t shy away from putting the work in, making her one of the better realized antagonists I’ve seen in a bit.
And Shiho’s still not even being that honest - once Yori and Himari’s relationship is revealed during Himari’s very Himari-like attempt to patch things up without a silly contest during the school, well, Shiho’s bitter proclamation that ‘you’ve stolen everything from me’ isn’t aimed at Aki, I’m pretty certain, but Yori.
Yeah, the most likely reading of all this is that Yori stole Aki, who was Shiho’s “bestie” (I sense that runs a bit deeper), and now Shiho feels like she’s lost whatever she was building with Himari (that’s a bit murkier). So Shiho pivots to believable villainy in her final moments here.
Now, the correct response to the proposed throwdown at the end of the book is, in fact, to say ‘go soak your head’, but I feel like we’ll be seeing this one all the way through, since it’s going to bring Yori back into this in a huge way and if there’s a hero moment to be had for her, this is it.
Obvious weakness is obvious - there is not nearly enough mushy Yori and Himari content here, as we settle in for the battle of these two bands. Himari’s got a pretty major role, of course, but their day to day is definitely missed, even if the story is quite good here.
Yori is the one with the least to do, as Himari ends up being involved in all of this by virtue of her kind and simple nature. Possibly too simple at times - the scene with her and Yori where the shoe finally drops is pretty adorable. But she remains true to herself even now, which is a nice touch.
4 stars - a well-drawn, interesting bit of yuri fun. A nicely realized plot plus the return of the meanest bonus pages (that revelation!) in the industry? Heck yes. Why, this would make an excellent second arc to an anime even, HINT HINT licensing gods.
February 7, 2023
Oof, Shiho is such a pain...
Although I do get her in her backstory. I do know what it feels like having a friend who seems like they want to support you, but at the same time they're better in everything than you, even though you take it more seriously than them. And you don't know whether or not they're only keeping this friendship because they like being better than you, or if they're completely oblivious about your feelings and don't mean no harm.
Since you can't really talk to them about it because you know how they'll react and it won't change anything, the best option is to cut the contact and go separate ways. It's not healthy and the hurt won't go away, also mostly transform into anger, which you'll likely let out at innocent people who have nothing to do with that... but yeah.
At the same time, Shiho was a narcissist (kind of) since she was a kid, and her backstory didn't change that. Becoming a bully and talking down upon everyone just bc are jealous, doesn't make it better. You're just a jerk if you act this way.
Tbh I do admire Hima's spirit of wanting them to get along again, and I know they will likely end up resolving things (as it's always with story-arcs like these), I'm not really eager to go through and read all this drama. Some things are better to be left alone. You don't need to resolve every fight you had in your lifetime. If anything, Shiho simply needs to go to a therapist and get a hobby where she can let her anger out, without bullying and annoying others.
Although I do get her in her backstory. I do know what it feels like having a friend who seems like they want to support you, but at the same time they're better in everything than you, even though you take it more seriously than them. And you don't know whether or not they're only keeping this friendship because they like being better than you, or if they're completely oblivious about your feelings and don't mean no harm.
Since you can't really talk to them about it because you know how they'll react and it won't change anything, the best option is to cut the contact and go separate ways. It's not healthy and the hurt won't go away, also mostly transform into anger, which you'll likely let out at innocent people who have nothing to do with that... but yeah.
At the same time, Shiho was a narcissist (kind of) since she was a kid, and her backstory didn't change that. Becoming a bully and talking down upon everyone just bc are jealous, doesn't make it better. You're just a jerk if you act this way.
Tbh I do admire Hima's spirit of wanting them to get along again, and I know they will likely end up resolving things (as it's always with story-arcs like these), I'm not really eager to go through and read all this drama. Some things are better to be left alone. You don't need to resolve every fight you had in your lifetime. If anything, Shiho simply needs to go to a therapist and get a hobby where she can let her anger out, without bullying and annoying others.
December 20, 2025
nejsem závislá
January 15, 2024
NO W KOŃCU JAKIEŚ CIEKAWE INTRYGI
(Niesamowitym zaskoczeniem był fakt istnienia kolejnego tomu 🤭)
(Niesamowitym zaskoczeniem był fakt istnienia kolejnego tomu 🤭)
May 8, 2024
This series is so sapphic. The new storyline seems to be heading in a classic lesbian experience way.
November 25, 2022
Nic nie pamiętam z poprzednich tomów, ale bawiłam się całkiem dobrze lol
July 22, 2022
有點臉盲
一集一集追劇情記不起來Orz
不大喜歡這部劇情
不過似乎賣得不錯
追日本進度追好緊
一集一集追劇情記不起來Orz
不大喜歡這部劇情
不過似乎賣得不錯
追日本進度追好緊
February 7, 2023
they kiss btw
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2024
Ooooooo!!!! Battle of the Bands INCOMING! I love love love this series so much.
November 14, 2023
gonna make my bf buy me the last two books
March 20, 2024
3.5 stars. It's cute, but this volume was slower with more happening with the plot. Slowly teasing out secrets and not as much focused on the main couple of the first few volumes.
September 28, 2025
Shiho is actually such an interesting character i'm pretty suprised thst i am giving this series a 5⭐ BUT LIKE IN A GOOD WAY
May 8, 2023
Tbh it's been a while since I read the last volume so my memory of the series might be a bit fuzzy.
This volume was alright, I don't know why these kinda stories tend to have the focus shift to a side character midway through. I liked the empahasis on an actual plot rather than making it an episodic romance, but Himari and Yori should be the focus as their relationship is just starting. While the band conflict is well written enough I couldn't get too invested until the last chapter I loved how soap drama-y it got. And of course Himari is such a likeable character that you just want to see the conflict resolved because she wants that. It's just weird how Shiho felt like the main character of this story. I mean the comic has been half romance half band story since the start, but there wasn't a good balance in this.
Maybe the next volume will be better but yeah, I had trouble finishing this cuz I wasn't very interesting.
This volume was alright, I don't know why these kinda stories tend to have the focus shift to a side character midway through. I liked the empahasis on an actual plot rather than making it an episodic romance, but Himari and Yori should be the focus as their relationship is just starting. While the band conflict is well written enough I couldn't get too invested until the last chapter I loved how soap drama-y it got. And of course Himari is such a likeable character that you just want to see the conflict resolved because she wants that. It's just weird how Shiho felt like the main character of this story. I mean the comic has been half romance half band story since the start, but there wasn't a good balance in this.
Maybe the next volume will be better but yeah, I had trouble finishing this cuz I wasn't very interesting.
April 18, 2025
I love a naive and kind protagonist who just wants everyone to be happy. It's especially funny when they interact with real-world conflicts, thinking a simple meal and conversation can fix everything. I laughed out loud when Himari was making her plans, knowing it was going to blow up. Comedic gold.
Only part I didn't like is Himari possibly being set up as a prize. Like she's not an object to be won or discarded. Very irritating. I did love the surprise at the end with the introduction of a new character from Shiho's past.
Speaking of Shiho, what a sore loser. It's not normal to need to be the best at everything and tie your self perception to being the best. Winning and losing are all part of life, and just because you're winning one day doesn't guarantee you will be the next.
Also, it must be exhausting to be in competition with everyone you meet. Could never be me, and honestly, if it's you, this is your wake-up call to touch some grass or look into therapy.
Only part I didn't like is Himari possibly being set up as a prize. Like she's not an object to be won or discarded. Very irritating. I did love the surprise at the end with the introduction of a new character from Shiho's past.
Speaking of Shiho, what a sore loser. It's not normal to need to be the best at everything and tie your self perception to being the best. Winning and losing are all part of life, and just because you're winning one day doesn't guarantee you will be the next.
Also, it must be exhausting to be in competition with everyone you meet. Could never be me, and honestly, if it's you, this is your wake-up call to touch some grass or look into therapy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2022
I like that we get to see a battle of the battles situation, which I’m interested to see play out. But, I I don’t entirely like the rival band vocalist: Shiho. Although, I also don’t entirely dislike her either.
I wanted to like her and understand her motivations for wanting to be the best, after learning about her backstory. However, Shiho really is her own downfall and I don’t like how she’s putting the blame on someone else and not her own actions/words. I’m hoping she gets some character development in future volumes, and am curious to see which band wins this little match up.
I wanted to like her and understand her motivations for wanting to be the best, after learning about her backstory. However, Shiho really is her own downfall and I don’t like how she’s putting the blame on someone else and not her own actions/words. I’m hoping she gets some character development in future volumes, and am curious to see which band wins this little match up.
March 6, 2023
🇵🇱:3.63⭐
Tom 5 był dla mnie miłą odmianą, skupia uwagę na 2 poznanych w poprzednim tomie zespołach i relacji między dawnymi przyjaciółmi a obecnie rywalkami. Historia jest ciekawa, jednak trochę mało ukazano relacji Himari i Yoru, zamiast tego pokazano nam jakie relacje Himari posiada z resztą postaci, backstory Shiho mimo że interesujące to nijak nie tłumaczy motywacji postaci, jedyne co z tego wyniosłej to że ma poważne problemy natury narcystycznej, sam zakład który ma być siłą napędową dla dalszych tomów też jest z dupy i nie ma większego sensu.
Tom 5 był dla mnie miłą odmianą, skupia uwagę na 2 poznanych w poprzednim tomie zespołach i relacji między dawnymi przyjaciółmi a obecnie rywalkami. Historia jest ciekawa, jednak trochę mało ukazano relacji Himari i Yoru, zamiast tego pokazano nam jakie relacje Himari posiada z resztą postaci, backstory Shiho mimo że interesujące to nijak nie tłumaczy motywacji postaci, jedyne co z tego wyniosłej to że ma poważne problemy natury narcystycznej, sam zakład który ma być siłą napędową dla dalszych tomów też jest z dupy i nie ma większego sensu.
June 26, 2024
A rival band comes into play and Himari finds herself caught between it and her girlfriend's band. It's actually refreshing to see a rival truly be filled with spite as a backstory. It may seem one note but its very real element of storytelling. In real life people are motivated by spite all the time and it guides the choices in their life for more than they would want others to believe. It will be interesting to see if this character evolves past only having spite in their heart as the plot continues.
October 16, 2024
Primero de todo, ¿podemos hablar de lo chulísima que es la portada?
En este quinto volumen de Whispering you a Love Song seguimos conociendo a las chicas de Laureley y, sobre todo, nos centramos en Shiho. Ya me había gustado el personaje en los tomos anteriores, pero en este me ha encandilado absolutamente. Creo que es un personaje con una cierta complejidad y una personalidad muy interesante, puesto que ningún otro en la serie se le parece. Además, la relación fallida que tiene con Aki es un dramón adictivo del que necesito ver más.
En definitiva, ¡lo he disfrutado mucho y estoy deseando leer el siguiente tomo!
En este quinto volumen de Whispering you a Love Song seguimos conociendo a las chicas de Laureley y, sobre todo, nos centramos en Shiho. Ya me había gustado el personaje en los tomos anteriores, pero en este me ha encandilado absolutamente. Creo que es un personaje con una cierta complejidad y una personalidad muy interesante, puesto que ningún otro en la serie se le parece. Además, la relación fallida que tiene con Aki es un dramón adictivo del que necesito ver más.
En definitiva, ¡lo he disfrutado mucho y estoy deseando leer el siguiente tomo!
May 29, 2022
Things are really starting to heat up between the two bands. And now, as wager, with Himi the prize!
Emotions boil over, there are spats, aand it's starting to seem like the festival music show is going to be akin to the showdown at the OK Corral! More is learned about the original split up of the bands, as well.
Emotions boil over, there are spats, aand it's starting to seem like the festival music show is going to be akin to the showdown at the OK Corral! More is learned about the original split up of the bands, as well.
August 6, 2022
I'm glad the series has stayed interesting even after bringing in more characters and not focusing only Himari and Yori. I think it actually riches it. This volume had very little of Himari and Yori though, maybe a bit more balance between them and other girls' drama would be nice. Anyway, I still like this a lot and the art is really nice.
April 8, 2024
damn Shiho sure is able to hold a grudge... fascinating backstory, i love fucked up characters <3
also i love Hima and her naivety is mostly endearing but... talking it out was never gonna work, not when there are still such hard feelings between the Shiho and the rest of her ex band members. especially since we've literally seen what a stubborn and proud person she is
also i love Hima and her naivety is mostly endearing but... talking it out was never gonna work, not when there are still such hard feelings between the Shiho and the rest of her ex band members. especially since we've literally seen what a stubborn and proud person she is
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2024
I had to put this on hold to get through some readathons but finally finished this volume. All it takes is one small moment between these two to make me giggle and kick my feet like a kid. They're just too cute. We are definitely getting into more of the bang and all the members relationships and past. I'm excited to see what happens next.
January 9, 2023
best volume yet!!!! tension and backstory and moe all in one!!!!
surprisingly the tension was so present that Kino’s clumsy moe girl moment cut through it and had me feeling it, instead of the regular disbelief that anyone could be that clumsy. wonderful execution.
surprisingly the tension was so present that Kino’s clumsy moe girl moment cut through it and had me feeling it, instead of the regular disbelief that anyone could be that clumsy. wonderful execution.
October 11, 2023
4 stars. Getting Shiho’s backstory was pretty cool as I like the fact that she’s just a petty person just because. Love that for her but this wasn’t my favorite volume. It felt a bit all over the place and the ending was weird and I wanted more Kino and Yori!
September 14, 2024
3.5 stars. I'm starting to get pretty bored by all this overdramatic rivalry. I also wish it was easier to tell the different characters apart... they all look so similar. I'll give it another volume and see how I feel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews