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Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon #4
Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon, Vol. 4
A CHANGE OF HEART
Asahi has never been big on romantic love—her top priority has always been family. But now that Hinako is in her life, her feelings about romance seem to be changing. Asahi still doesn’t know exactly what that means, but one thing is for sure: her feelings for Hinako are growing more intense by the day. Are Asahi and Hinako destined for more than friendship? Find out in the final volume of Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon!
Asahi has never been big on romantic love—her top priority has always been family. But now that Hinako is in her life, her feelings about romance seem to be changing. Asahi still doesn’t know exactly what that means, but one thing is for sure: her feelings for Hinako are growing more intense by the day. Are Asahi and Hinako destined for more than friendship? Find out in the final volume of Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon!
172 pages, Paperback
First published July 15, 2022
22 people are currently reading
373 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
December 15, 2023
Ahhhh, this was so great wtf. 😭 It made me emotional, I relate to this so hard. It’s never exactly said, but these characters are giving me major asexual / demisexual / aromantic vibes and this representation means the world to me. 😭🫠 This last volume especially wrecked me, I relate to them both so hard and it was just so beautiful to read, I felt very seen by this 🥹😭🫶🏻
December 31, 2023
This series has a melancholic tone, but it's also gentle and comforting. I liked the slow build of their relationship, and I was happily surprised that this has asexual representation. (The terms aren't used, but both characters are probably lesbians on the asexual spectrum.) I also appreciated the side characters, like Asahi's best friend Fuuka and her little sister Subaru. They added some levity and excitement to a more slow-paced love story between Asahi and Hinako.
Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon isn't my favourite sapphic manga: it's a little sadder than I'd prefer, I wish the representation was a bit clearer, and the conclusion is a bit abrupt, but I still really enjoyed it, and I'm happy to see more adult sapphic manga available in English now!
Full review at the Lesbrary on January 29th, 2024.
Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon isn't my favourite sapphic manga: it's a little sadder than I'd prefer, I wish the representation was a bit clearer, and the conclusion is a bit abrupt, but I still really enjoyed it, and I'm happy to see more adult sapphic manga available in English now!
Full review at the Lesbrary on January 29th, 2024.
March 21, 2023
Happy Release Day!!! Ran to the bookstore & finished it immediately. We love asexual representation & cute queer romance!!!!!!!!
June 1, 2023
4.5/5⭐️ A sweet slow burn work romance! There were some good side plots woth friends and family that I also really enjoyed. I'm glad to have found a Yuri with adults and I thought it was cool to see these kinds of characters. While they don't use this language in the books, it's pretty clear that these are neurodivergent ace lesbians (Asahi, probably being aro-spec too). I'm also a sucker for the moon so that thread on parts of the series also had my heart.
May 9, 2024
A sweet wrap-up to a slow-paced, low-key romance.
The creator has another series, I Married My Female Friend, but my library only has vol. 2, so I'm placing a request to get vol. 1. I hope to check it out someday.
The creator has another series, I Married My Female Friend, but my library only has vol. 2, so I'm placing a request to get vol. 1. I hope to check it out someday.
March 27, 2023
After her date with Asahi went nowhere, Fuuka meets up with Hinako to hash things out. Hinako and Asahi are drawn to one another, but what is love anyway? And why isn’t there more Subaru in this final volume?
Uh, well, things come to a close and a resolution is had by all. And, yet, it can’t help but feel a little unsatisfying. It feels like everybody is doing an awful lot of inner monologue and not much dialogue. And when they do talk, just be assured that a doughnut might be involved.
I’m glad Fuuka doesn’t exit the stage after her confession, choosing instead to still be a friend to everybody (especially Subaru; I’m glad they kept the hints up about the latter crushing on the former right up to the end). Fuuka has a very pragmatic outlook behind her usual personality and her meeting with Hinako is quite nicely done.
Then, well, stand back because it’s time to hit the gas. I think the plot suddenly kicking into higher gear is a lot of the problem here, as things that maybe need a little more room to breathe are basically crammed together such that they start to asphyxiate.
Yet, at the same time, what’s going on feels incredibly slow. Hinako’s judgemental mother comes to town riding her own bitter regrets in life and, with a little time for her to make supper, Hinako explodes and stands up against her mom’s casual homophobia.
Which is great, but all feels incredibly unearned, especially the denouement. And that turns into a treatise on aging, where this poor… (checks notes)… 50-something woman is acting like they’ll be sending her off on the next ice flow.
It feels like we get a lot of added in plot here that should have been brought up ages ago. If there’s one word that I would use to define how this story ends up, it would be awkward. Yeah, you get your happy ending, but it doesn’t feel earned.
Partly because that doughnut metaphor comes back and turns out to be all about Hinako being uninterested in physical sexuality. To say that this ‘imagery’ has been baked in from the start is not a lie, it’s right in the title, but good lord is it a bit much. And using it as a metaphor for acceptance is fine, except, try as it might to explain, it still feels like it’s saying she’s missing something. Which is not true, she’s fine as she is.
I know the asexual reading of Hinako has been prevalent from the get-go too, and her journey is not the problem, I just don’t like how the two of them have their big moment and just start lobbing these not-insignificant details at one another in the middle of the street.
It all feels really rushed. I’m glad things work out, congrats to the only two ace people in the whole story finding one another, but this entire volume feels off in a way the previous ones didn’t, like the whole thing just ran out of steam. Which sucks, because up to this point it had been pretty stellar. And so very little Subaru to distract me.
3 stars - this one hurts, but talk about a let-down. I love when we get less prevalent gender identities in manga, but they deserve the same quality of storytelling and I found this wanting compared to, say, Is Love the Answer?
Uh, well, things come to a close and a resolution is had by all. And, yet, it can’t help but feel a little unsatisfying. It feels like everybody is doing an awful lot of inner monologue and not much dialogue. And when they do talk, just be assured that a doughnut might be involved.
I’m glad Fuuka doesn’t exit the stage after her confession, choosing instead to still be a friend to everybody (especially Subaru; I’m glad they kept the hints up about the latter crushing on the former right up to the end). Fuuka has a very pragmatic outlook behind her usual personality and her meeting with Hinako is quite nicely done.
Then, well, stand back because it’s time to hit the gas. I think the plot suddenly kicking into higher gear is a lot of the problem here, as things that maybe need a little more room to breathe are basically crammed together such that they start to asphyxiate.
Yet, at the same time, what’s going on feels incredibly slow. Hinako’s judgemental mother comes to town riding her own bitter regrets in life and, with a little time for her to make supper, Hinako explodes and stands up against her mom’s casual homophobia.
Which is great, but all feels incredibly unearned, especially the denouement. And that turns into a treatise on aging, where this poor… (checks notes)… 50-something woman is acting like they’ll be sending her off on the next ice flow.
It feels like we get a lot of added in plot here that should have been brought up ages ago. If there’s one word that I would use to define how this story ends up, it would be awkward. Yeah, you get your happy ending, but it doesn’t feel earned.
Partly because that doughnut metaphor comes back and turns out to be all about Hinako being uninterested in physical sexuality. To say that this ‘imagery’ has been baked in from the start is not a lie, it’s right in the title, but good lord is it a bit much. And using it as a metaphor for acceptance is fine, except, try as it might to explain, it still feels like it’s saying she’s missing something. Which is not true, she’s fine as she is.
I know the asexual reading of Hinako has been prevalent from the get-go too, and her journey is not the problem, I just don’t like how the two of them have their big moment and just start lobbing these not-insignificant details at one another in the middle of the street.
It all feels really rushed. I’m glad things work out, congrats to the only two ace people in the whole story finding one another, but this entire volume feels off in a way the previous ones didn’t, like the whole thing just ran out of steam. Which sucks, because up to this point it had been pretty stellar. And so very little Subaru to distract me.
3 stars - this one hurts, but talk about a let-down. I love when we get less prevalent gender identities in manga, but they deserve the same quality of storytelling and I found this wanting compared to, say, Is Love the Answer?
June 28, 2023
There are a lot of things to love about this conclusion, but my favorite is the way it completely validates a form of relationship that doesn't always get treated with respect: a romantic, asexual partnership. I wish it didn't have to be so spelled out that Asahi and Hinako are a real couple, but if more stories like theirs are written, we'll get there, because love is love, full stop.
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June 13, 2024https://aspeccharactersoftheday.tumbl...
Asahi Satou from Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon is asexual!
Hinako Uno from Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon is asexual!
Asahi Satou from Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon is asexual!
Hinako Uno from Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon is asexual!
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October 16, 2025🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩 Five doughnuts
Lovely end to a terrific manga!
Lovely end to a terrific manga!
May 3, 2023
The last volume felt a bit rushed but still enjoyable and a satisfying ending to this short series.
The first and second volume were definitely more planned out by Shio Usui.
The first and second volume were definitely more planned out by Shio Usui.
February 20, 2025
So I am in two minds about this; on one hand, it's quite subdued and a little underwhelming for me personally, and on the other hand that’s sort of the point.
This story is less of a capital-r romance and more of a lesbian-ish, queerplatonic-ish awakening for the two main characters. I liked how it questioned what is considered “normal” in a relationship, with both of the leads being somewhat ace/aro. I thought it was sweet how they found each other, and appreciated a yuri story that featured working adults instead of high schoolers. Maybe it was a little too melodramatic and low energy for me personally, but that’s ok. Art was nothing to write home about, but it was cute.
This manga didn’t have me blushing or giggling but it was quiet and comforting! Which isn’t necessarily what I look for when I pick up romance manga, but is valuable nonetheless.
This story is less of a capital-r romance and more of a lesbian-ish, queerplatonic-ish awakening for the two main characters. I liked how it questioned what is considered “normal” in a relationship, with both of the leads being somewhat ace/aro. I thought it was sweet how they found each other, and appreciated a yuri story that featured working adults instead of high schoolers. Maybe it was a little too melodramatic and low energy for me personally, but that’s ok. Art was nothing to write home about, but it was cute.
This manga didn’t have me blushing or giggling but it was quiet and comforting! Which isn’t necessarily what I look for when I pick up romance manga, but is valuable nonetheless.
March 24, 2023
This was an excellent little series, perfectly paced and with a very sweet romance. It was nice to see each of the characters face their fears and grow as people.
September 14, 2025
I love being yuriholic
July 6, 2023
“With tears in my eyes… and a doughnut in my hand”
This line is the truest form of art, also doughnut yummy
-BB
This line is the truest form of art, also doughnut yummy
-BB
July 6, 2023
Damn can’t believe her mum was Moleman all along. Also yummy yummy doughnuts and crescenty moons are also my love language.
-BB
-BB
June 19, 2024
these asexual lesbians have my heart <3
February 9, 2025
3.5☆ Review:
My asexual lesbians 🥹
My asexual lesbians 🥹
March 21, 2023
- gay people!!
- ive been so stressed about the ending of this series, so im quite glad it's out
- i feel like the quality of editing and drawing dropped significantly in this vol. tho 😞 the dialogue felt SUPER stiff 😭
- i wish there was more epilogue 😌 i really liked the ending!!
- ive been so stressed about the ending of this series, so im quite glad it's out
- i feel like the quality of editing and drawing dropped significantly in this vol. tho 😞 the dialogue felt SUPER stiff 😭
- i wish there was more epilogue 😌 i really liked the ending!!
December 28, 2022
lol being a romance repulsed aromantic is ruining my life ✌
February 26, 2024
This review is for the whole series, since it's not too long.
This yuri office romance was surprisingly real. Hinako dealing with her mum gave this a depth I didn't expect, along with Fuuka's character. This series depicts the expectations of Japanese women and how the characters want to do their own thing.
There's quite a few bittersweet moments which I found refreshing. At one point I was concerned about a typical love triangle plot, but it doesn't become stereotypically dramatic.
This last volume certainly felt quite rushed though. I thought there would be more epilogue style content to show how the characters deal with the revelations. Maybe even one more volume could have finished it better. A solid 3.5 stars.
This yuri office romance was surprisingly real. Hinako dealing with her mum gave this a depth I didn't expect, along with Fuuka's character. This series depicts the expectations of Japanese women and how the characters want to do their own thing.
There's quite a few bittersweet moments which I found refreshing. At one point I was concerned about a typical love triangle plot, but it doesn't become stereotypically dramatic.
This last volume certainly felt quite rushed though. I thought there would be more epilogue style content to show how the characters deal with the revelations. Maybe even one more volume could have finished it better. A solid 3.5 stars.
November 6, 2025
Reseña:
Encontrar una pareja puede resultar complicado para aquellas personas que el formar un vinculo es mucho más que apariencias, se trata de conexión, entendimiento y momentos a compartir.
Hinako es una mujer que se esfuerza por ser femenina, confiada y parecer normal ante sus compañeros, esto para recompensar sus fracasos al intentar tener una relación normativa con un hombre. Dentro de sus inseguridades comienza a compararse con su compañera Sato, quien destaca por su profesionalismo y amabilidad al relacionarse con Hinako.
Una noche bajo la luna comparten donas para calmar sus ansias y es así como la conexión entre ambas chicas comienza a surgir; dos personas las cuales creyeron estar solas y sin comprender el sentimiento de un amor romántico del que todos hablan, pudieron encontrar compañía y respuestas en la otra.
Un amor reconfortante, dulce y pacifico como compartir donas bajo la luna.
Opinión personal:
Me ha encantado leer a Hinako y a Sato son una gran representación de los vínculos, no solamente del vinculo romántico; la relación con sus respectivas familias es algo interesante de leer, especialmente Sato y su hermana son una unión bastante cálida y de un cariño sincero.
La representación de la asexualidad también es reconfortante de leer, a pesar de no ser nombrado tal cual, se puede notar la en diferentes pensamientos y acciones de las protagonista, en mi opinión, especialmente de Hinako al interactuar con los demás hombres presentados en la historia.
Es una historia que recomendaría si se gusta leer un romance inocente pero con protagonistas adultas, donde se puede encontrar romance, pero también destaque la importancia de los vínculos y la conexión con las personas.
Encontrar una pareja puede resultar complicado para aquellas personas que el formar un vinculo es mucho más que apariencias, se trata de conexión, entendimiento y momentos a compartir.
Hinako es una mujer que se esfuerza por ser femenina, confiada y parecer normal ante sus compañeros, esto para recompensar sus fracasos al intentar tener una relación normativa con un hombre. Dentro de sus inseguridades comienza a compararse con su compañera Sato, quien destaca por su profesionalismo y amabilidad al relacionarse con Hinako.
Una noche bajo la luna comparten donas para calmar sus ansias y es así como la conexión entre ambas chicas comienza a surgir; dos personas las cuales creyeron estar solas y sin comprender el sentimiento de un amor romántico del que todos hablan, pudieron encontrar compañía y respuestas en la otra.
Un amor reconfortante, dulce y pacifico como compartir donas bajo la luna.
Opinión personal:
Me ha encantado leer a Hinako y a Sato son una gran representación de los vínculos, no solamente del vinculo romántico; la relación con sus respectivas familias es algo interesante de leer, especialmente Sato y su hermana son una unión bastante cálida y de un cariño sincero.
La representación de la asexualidad también es reconfortante de leer, a pesar de no ser nombrado tal cual, se puede notar la en diferentes pensamientos y acciones de las protagonista, en mi opinión, especialmente de Hinako al interactuar con los demás hombres presentados en la historia.
Es una historia que recomendaría si se gusta leer un romance inocente pero con protagonistas adultas, donde se puede encontrar romance, pero también destaque la importancia de los vínculos y la conexión con las personas.
March 24, 2024
Overall a 5⭐ series! Let's go lesbians let's go!!!
Although we didn't get to see them as a couple as much as I would've liked, at least they became one. The asexual/demisexual representation is also amazing. Loved the parts with Hinako and her mom, hopefully the mother goes after her own happiness as well.
All in all it was a cute, relatable and very relaxed read, with stunning art and a nicely wrapped up ending.
Although we didn't get to see them as a couple as much as I would've liked, at least they became one. The asexual/demisexual representation is also amazing. Loved the parts with Hinako and her mom, hopefully the mother goes after her own happiness as well.
All in all it was a cute, relatable and very relaxed read, with stunning art and a nicely wrapped up ending.
April 25, 2025
Creo que este manga me acaba de dar una meta en la vida: comer donas bajo la luna y caminar junto a una persona que quiera y que me quiera de regreso. Ese final se sintió muy intimido, muy dulce y el extra se sintió como un abrazo al alma.
Me encanta que supieran comunicar sus sentimientos y necesidades. Obviamente no es algo que fuera espontáneo sino que poco a poco fueron construyendo las escaleras hasta que coincidieron en la cima. QUÉ LINDO, NO PUEDOOOOOO.
Me encanta que supieran comunicar sus sentimientos y necesidades. Obviamente no es algo que fuera espontáneo sino que poco a poco fueron construyendo las escaleras hasta que coincidieron en la cima. QUÉ LINDO, NO PUEDOOOOOO.
June 19, 2023
Oh, this series means so much to me, they are both so dear to me 😭 I wanted more slice of life-y stuff between hinako and asahi, and the ending felt a bit rushed, but they are so cute. Sapphic ace representation!!!
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December 29, 2024this series was cute… i particularly liked its discussion of different kinds of love (and asexuality you could say). but i thought the paneling/art didn’t always maximize the potential of the writing, and the parental issues resolution and final confession felt a bit too rushed/tidy. i rly liked asahi’s character arc…
March 2, 2025
You get cozy romance! You get fluffy slice of life romance! You get asexual representation! You get lesbian representation! Everybody gets to celebrate our doughnut loving protagonists having a happily ever after!
April 29, 2023
My eyes are all gooey, this was so sweet!!!!
June 3, 2023
3.75 stars.
July 15, 2023
I feel like this was a wonderful story. I loved seeing ace representation and how it can be a romance story, which I feel some people forget can happen.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews