Anti-Romance Vol. 2 Special Edition

アンチロマンス (Anti-Romance) #2

by Shoko Hidaka

BREAKING POINT

After a tense and intimate encounter with Suou, Ryou reaches his limit and decides to move out. How will their relationship change now that they’re no longer living together? Will Ryou’s absence finally be enough to push their friendship into romance…or is this the end for them?

The final volume!

Genres: Manga, Romance, LGBT, Boys Love, Contemporary, Yaoi, Friends To Lovers

272 pages, Paperback

First published October 24, 2022

About the author

Shoko Hidaka (native name: 日高ショーコ) is a Japanese mangaka unit.
The drawings are by Shoko Hidaka, and the stories are by Takie (タキエ) but the author name is always "Shoko Hidaka".

Dōjinshi Circle: speaker

Reviews

[Brigi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't think I really liked this overall. I wish the reconciliation had happened sooner.

[Marureviere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anti-romance is basically friends to lovers with all its messy feelings and want for things to change and wish for things to remain the same and lack of communication and confusion and push and pull and awkwardness and second chances and being stuck in a limbo of friendship and romance with one having the constant desire to be loved *still* while the other constantly desires to be loved in return.

[Imanewreader ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

communication is key, yall

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

could this all have been avoided with one conversation that had been put off for 6 years? yes. did I eat it up regardless? also yes.

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

Tears clouded my eyes while reading the sequel. I was sure I'll only get butterflies in my belly when I read it. That's why I put it on hold after the release—I wasn't sure what to make of the contents since I was after the angst so much it hurts. However, confession has already happened, and I'm anticipating the arrival of the happy couple. Probably, not much angst there anymore. Much to my dismay, it wasn't happily ever after for the couple... just yet. The volume vomitted angst and longing and pain and—ANGST. It was the definite ANTI-ROMANCE—I loved it so much. Thank you, sensei!! I thought the story was over already. This one is nice, too.

The ending was lovely and satisfying!! Thank you, sensei.

[Fny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know what it was. Maybe I was too tired when I read it but I didn’t vibe with it. I loved the first installment but this volume was just not cutting it. A bit boring and too much unnecessary drama in it’s contended plot. The art is still very pleasing but the rest of the story….is kinda eh too outdrawn for my taste. The conclusion was a bit lackluster.
(3/5)

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm honestly so confused by this series.

I did like this second volume more, and I think it could actually stand on its own. The first volume was so messy that the only important part, the information that they lived together for 6 years and then Ryou made a move on Suou and moved out, had to be repeated at the beginning of this volume anyway, with more context.

I'll probably go back and reread at some point to see if I enjoy the whole thing more with more of the backstory from this volume, but...I don't know. Again, if I didn't have a special spot in my heart for Shoko Hidaka's work, I don't know that I'd be keeping these. And I ultimately might not.

Plus I'm very confused by the ending. Is it a translation issue, like the ones Seven Seas tends to run into? (Like in Volume 1, with that character who I think was being misgendered in the dialogue, since she clearly seems to be a trans woman in this volume. And it's also a very important part of the dynamic that she was accepted as such with no fuss, even from her straight cis male best friend, and all their coworkers.)

It's just...I don't know, an oddly sour note to hint that they might fall in love with other people in the future? Is that what it's saying? Or is it just a messy translation describing how their relationship started up, since "fall in love for the first time" wouldn't apply when they've *been* in a romantic relationship for what, 3-4 years now?

I was confused, and confused isn't a good note to end a series on.

I think it's that Hidaka likes less clear-cut relationships and less concrete happy endings. You can see that in the side not-couple, who went through a very similar one-sided romantic friendship in years past, and never made the transition to an actual relationship. In some ways, it might've made sense for that to happen with Ryou and Suou too - at least, that's how Ryou feels about it, and he does his best to cut ties with Suou and work on getting over him.

But Suou was more romantically interested than he was ever willing to admit, and it just took the shock of their separation, and the realization that he couldn't bear to lose Ryou, for him to come to terms with those feelings. Plus, he accidentally got his mother's approval, which from this volume's backstory, was a major barrier for him.

I did like the idea of "normal" meaning different things to the two of them, and Suou spending 20+ years trying to suppress anything "abnormal" so that he wouldn't embarrass his mother and his family. That was the best part of this volume, and I think it could've been unpacked in more satisfying ways throughout. Quitting his job at the salon - something he was doing mostly out of loyalty to his mother, who didn't even need or want him to take over her business - was an important step, and it helped him to take the next step...admitting that he was in love with Ryou.

Decent ideas but disappointingly messy execution. It just wasn't planned out well enough, or edited to tighten up the rambling bits that strayed through years of on-and-off writing. (I hope Ryou's book was written better than this manga.)

I just can't really get hooked, and the communication was remarkably terrible between two characters who's known each other basically since birth. They spend so much time not talking...about anything. Again, I still don't feel like we saw enough of the actual friendship to feel that connection. We were mostly just told that they were best friends and had this deeply affectionate bond that just wasn't on the page very much.

Hidaka even noted at the end that they were supposed to be even more clueless and messy and their friends had to be written in to push them to talk to each other again...which didn't actually work in the narrative, especially on Suou's side. That whole speech from Misono was very ??? and out of nowhere. Why would you randomly lecture one of your coworkers about going to address your feelings with a special friend or lover if you don't actually know anything about that person's situation? It felt very contrived.

Not a terrible manga but not a great one, and I expected great from Hidaka.

[Megan K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both of these characters were low key annoying and most of their issues could have been solved right away with one conversation 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Fudanshi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was cute.

Just not my favorite. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[Nelva (nelvalostinpages)]

I'm gonna start by saying this is not for everyone! This manga perfectly captures how messy love and wanting to be loved can be, and it really takes the time to show the longing and pain that keeping those things bottled up can do. It's also understandable why these two didn't talk about things for this long, but I get why others would find it frustrating.

I'm also pretty sure there's a bit of a translation issue, esp bc the ending does not land the way I think it's intended? There's also *a choice* the author made by making intimacy a part of them moving forward that can be triggering. I think the author was going for one of the characters not facing his own feelings but it doesn't come across well. Again, not sure if it's a translation issue.

Overall, I'm glad I gave this manga a chance! It's not something I had seen before, especially with older characters, but again, I can see why others would not like it so its hard to recommend.

[ℂ ✧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Per fi a la meva col·lecció, una gran història d'amor reprimit amb estira-i-arronsa ♥️
Una història preciosa que, sense cap mena de dubte, compraré quan es publiqui en castellà. Val moltíssim la pena veure l'evolució dels personatges, entendre els seus sentiments, els seus temors, com reaccionen als comportaments dels altres. M'ha flipat ♥
1r volum: Ostresssss, quina ràbia que acabi en cliffhanger!!! Planeta ha anunciat llicència en castellà i m'ha semblat un volum interessantíssim Ö Es tracta d'un BL entre dos companys d'institut que fa sis anys que conviuen i que mantenen una relació molt ambigua, sense acabar-la de definir, però que com a lectors podem deduir que tots dos estan reprimint els seus sentiments. De fet, el company de feina d'un d'ells li diu que "you're aware of your feelings yet pretend you're not", però arribats a un cert punt d'inflexió la cosa no pot continuar així. Amb mil ganes de saber com acaba i com evoluciona la parella!!!

[vee’🎤 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-3.5/5⭐️ review of both of the volumes, this manga had been standing in my amazon wishlist for some years now so i finally decided to give it a try. it’s about two best friends, now roommates, that have been knowing each other since they were babies. it kinda disappointed me, there’s much lack of communication that gets resolved after almost TWO years of them not seeing each other. the art is beautiful but some scenes were written in the wrong way, ryou literally “confessed” and than he didn’t even give the time to acknowledge what had happen to suou AND THAN HE MOVED TO ANOTHER HOUSE?!?!? he didn’t say the address of his new house, he didn’t answer all the phone calls that suou gave him and one time HE EVEN GOT MAD BECAUSE ONE TIME SUOU DIDNT LEAVE HIM A VOICE MESSAGE LIKE HE ALWAYS DOES. he went back to their old house only because his mom said suou was going to quit his job and after seeing him he WANTED TO ESCAPE AGAIN?!?! oh lord what did i get myself into

[Ester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me ha encantado y se que voy a querer leer este manga más veces. Es el poder que tiene Hidaka Shoko: hacer obras complejas, profundas y muy adultas con personajes llenos de matices, imperfectos y que ni ellos mismos se comprenden. Lo que más me gusta de este manga es que sea un Friends to be lovers, pero que parta de la base de que llevan muchos años siendo amigos y huyendo sin querer enfrentarse a lo que sienten por temor de romper el status Quo, pero sin ser capaces de soportar más el propio status Quo. El fin es tan precioso.

[Ayesha Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN.
oh my god. The angst. The drama. It was so good. Written so well. I fell in love with the characters even more. And we got more of Suou's perspective in this one and I really liked that. I loved this volume so much. The ending was AMAZING. Their relationship. AND I FINALLY GOT...well I'll just say "balance" but Meagan knows what I actually mean. 🫣😘 Anyway I really loved this and I will definitely be reading it again.

[任煦涵 · Rating 5 out of 5]

WAAAAY better than volume one!

[Izzy Torres · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/3

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Todos sentimos algo especial por alguien. A veces es solo cariño y confianza. Otras se convierte en amor y pasión. Pero ese sentimiento, casi siempre es doloroso, pesado e inconfesable.

Te apena y te asfixia hasta que desaparezca como la espuma."

[kaylina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 / 5: "It was sad, in a way. Realizing that, even when I was around him, I didn't feel that same pounding in my heart anymore. And now? I just feel a little nostalgic. I can look back on it as if it happened to someone else."

I wonder when that day will come for me?

. . . . . . . . I don't want that.

this is just--

all the potential i saw in the first volume of this manga made this sequel stand so completely out, i liked it so much more!!

as deeply as it hurt at times to see ryou and suou hurting, it made the story feel more compelling as it depicted all the ways in which romantic love can twist you in different directions. having a lot more focus on suou's pov as he was reckoning with the truth that his friendship with ryou had always been something different, and now may potentiall be gone, was done very well. i loved seeing his indecisiveness and i loved seeing how once the pieces came together thanks to other characters, he can feel certain for once about what he wishes to see in his future. to have it be that it includes ryou made the romance feel a little more sweet by the end.

and it was just all so surreal for ryou, knowing all the years he had been hoping for a reciprocation like this. it doesn't come easy at all and ryou even tries to reject it, but there's an earnestness in here that makes suou's persistence to have them stay in each other's life almost emotional. there's so much uncertainty to the feelings they're navigating with each other, but once they finally are able to communicate, it's like so much light shines in on them. i ate this up really quickly, and i just appreciate a lot how much depth there was to the messiness of this main pairing's dynamic because it felt so genuine.

to have these amazing side characters come in the picture to tell their own kind of story in order to motivate ryou and suou added such a reflective element to this narrative and also felt very personal. i liked that they were much more than simply background characters who gave some helpful advice to the main characters. rather, towada, sakuma, misono, and junichi, each had their own experiences with love that didn't turn out the way most love stories hope to end. really.....it turned into something much more interesting. in the case of sakuma and misono, for example, they seem to stay as really close friends who support each other just as much as they've done since they've been in high school together. with towada and junichi, they hang out casually at the bar junichi works at and seem to always fall into easy conversations.

one might call these two outcomes very bittersweet, and it is like that in a way, but as junichi makes clear, and misono says enthusiastically, time has a way of fitting people into your life in a way that can be very pleasantly unexpected. something that doesn't just fall into the category of heartbreak, but really means moving on. for suou and ryou, they really have to come to terms with what they want to move on from, and whether or not that means each other.

in suou's case, i think the most endearing thing about his character is that he never once considered a reality where him and ryou are not joined at the hip. at first, it comes across more as he's taking it all for granted, but he has to come to terms with the importance of making clear what kind of future he hopes to lead. with ryou, it means so much once they build that bridge between them, and i'm absolutely rooting for them and this story. it deserves a lot of love.

(p.s. i was not expecting the explicit sexual content in chapter 17 but well, life is full of surprises, i should've already learned from this story lol)

[Leila ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

el dibujo después del time skip >>>>> god.

3.5 de 5 estrellas.

[Luana · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Mi sono solo accorto che le cose che finora ho pensato fossero ovvie, non ci saranno in futuro, se non faccio sul serio."

3,5

Allora, partiamo con una piccola premessa: i disegni di Shoko Hidaka sono sempre bellissimi, su questo non ci sono dubbi.
Detto questo, devo ammettere che avevo delle aspettative abbastanza alte per questa opera, aspettative che sono state in parte deluse. Non è un brutto manga, anzi, solo che la storia non mi ha coinvolto particolarmente. Non ai livelli di "Does the Flower Blossom?", ecco.

All'inizio del primo volume scopriamo che i nostri protagonisti, Ryo e Hiro, vivono insieme da sei anni: i due si conoscono da una vita e, una volta arrivati a Tokyo per studiare, condividono l'appartamento. In apparenza, tutto sembra scorrere senza intoppi, un rapporto che si mantiene costante nel tempo. Il fatto è che questa "normalità" è venuta meno già da tempo, ma nessuno dei due sa bene come fare il primo passo - anzi, Hiro continua a voltare la testa dall'altra parte senza affrontare la cosa, mentre il povero Hiro si trova a convivere con questi sentimenti difficili. Ad evolvere non è solo la situazione personale, ma anche quella lavorativa. Limitarsi a vivere il presente o pensare al futuro: i ragazzi hanno due approcci molto diversi che finiranno per collidere, portandoli a un passo dal punto di rottura. A quel punto Hiro dovrà fare ordine nei suoi pensieri, non solo per quanto riguarda i suoi sentimenti, ma anche dal punto di vista professionale. Vivere il presente, ma, allo stesso tempo, rivolgere un pensiero al futuro.
Al fianco di Hiro e Ryo si muovono i loro colleghi più maturi, che dispenseranno ottimi consigli, visto che hanno inquadrato piuttosto bene la vera natura del rapporto che lega i due, i loro caratteri, i dubbi e le paure.

Come detto, questo non è affatto un brutto manga, solo che mi ha lasciato un po' pochino. Mi aspettavo di più. Ryo mi ha fatto comunque una gran tenerezza, però capisco anche l'atteggiamento di Hiro - il voltare la testa dall'altra parte quando ci si para di fronte qualcosa che rischia di rompere uno status quo che ci dà sicurezza, la paura di fare quel passo in più, il dare per scontato qualcuno o qualcosa solo perché pensiamo che non ci lascerà mai. Quindi sono anche riuscita a empatizzare con i protagonisti, però mi manca comunque qualcosa. Chissà, magari cambierò idea a una prossima rilettura.
Non è l'opera migliore della sensei, ma mi sento di consigliarla lo stesso anche a chi vuole approcciarsi al mondo del BL.

[Kimberlee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the overall experience of reading this manga series (duology?) was mediocre, but there were aspects of it that I really found enjoyable and thought provoking. First, the production value is really good. I'm not sure how to explain it, but the manga feels better than other manga? I also really appreciate the glossy color illustrations in the front and back showing the various serial covers. The art in this is excellent throughout, so having the full illustrations was a treat.

I enjoyed that this manga focused on the romance of the main couple but also other relationships in the background in a different way than most other romance or bl manga. Both secondary couples are "failed" relationship examples that ended before they even really had a chance. The story makes it pretty clear that the reason for the failure wasn't because of anything inherently wrong with anyone, just that each person was in a different stage of life. I found that a very realistic way to say "Hey, we could have been something, but instead we were passing ships in the night." It also made for a very compelling foil to the main couple, who, through miscommunication could end in the same situation.

I would say, for me, the main reason this manga didn't hit was the main couple themselves. The whole miscommunication trope really isn't my favorite. These two have been miscommunicating for years when the manga starts and it leads to a lot of "tortured artist" melodrama that is very oddly paced. I normally adore a childhood friends to lovers romance, but the pacing and the fact the two main leads just wouldn't have an adult conversation until it all exploded really left me unsatisfied. I will say that the intimate scene in this book was really well done once it got there in volume 2. It felt authentic emotionally and really felt like it did factor in the longevity of the relationship.

[Akansha · Rating 5 out of 5]

My babies 🥹❤️

Good things should last longer than just 2 volumes. This one has one of my favourite tropes, childhood friends to lovers and Ryou and Suou didn't disappoint.

This volume began with Ryou moving out of the apartment and cutting all contacts with his best friend. They both had such different and yet similar reactions to everything, it was painful to watch. Miscommunication is a key ingredient in good friends to lovers, probably the biggest reason not a lot of people like it but I was eating it up like a starved woman.

It did make me furious, especially at Ryou who was acting like a sadist at some point. Intentionally causing pain even after everything Suou tries. He convinced himself he was the reason Ryou has said terrible things. He called himself TRASH and I hated Ryou for it, a little bit. Cutting contact like that, he sent voice notes daily and Ryou never responded even though he said I want him to want this. He was sending you voicemails daily even when they were going unanswered how much more can anyone want someone? When Ryou finds out that Suou had quit his job, he goes to him and says why didn't you tell me? Uh because you never answered his calls, you didn't give him the address of your new place? Like I said INFURIATING.

There were also side couples with unrequited love stories that remained unrequited and then they moved on, it was as sad as it was a happy thing.

In the end they worked out their differences and that matters.

Read this if you like:
💌 Childhood friends/roommates to lovers
💌 Miscommunication
💌 Switch couple
💌 Idiots in love
💌 So High School by TS vibes
💌 Writer × Hair stylist

PS: Manga need to be more clear on the time period. I realised in the last chapter that they were separated for almost 2 years, I thought it was a few weeks or months at most.

[Jack Reynolds · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Warning, there will be spoilers*

I'm not the biggest fan with feeling ambivalent towards finishing a manga, and despite the high points of Anti-Romance's ending, that's what I'm leaning towards. I'm happy Suou and Ryou were able to finally state their feelings for each other went beyond friendship, and the added backstory added additional context in their relationship and why things may have ended up the way they did. I was invested in the emotional stakes despite the plot not feeling like it was progressing as smoothly as it could. Suou re-connecting with a variety of people, from his mom to Towada, helped him realize how him hanging on to Ryou could be viewed as leading the latter on. Is it something I completely agree with? No, but I do understand that plot point.

The art was also more consistent, Ruiz was confirmed as trans (which helped her framing even out from the first volume. I'll chalk it up to translation), and Hidaka said vers rights. This also added to my enjoyment, but at the same time, there's a part of me that was expecting more.

Given how Towada and Yuuichi ended last volume, I was expecting their subplot to get resolved in a better way than it did. I was also expecting a different outcome, and partly due to that (and the fact this isn't their manga), that ended up flatlining. I also felt the build-up to Ryou and Suou's first time had phrasing that read pushy. Again, it likely was due to the translation, but that didn't stop me from feeling mildly uncomfortable. My first work from Hidaka wasn't terrible; I do wish it ended on a better note given the spark of joy I felt upon first seeing Volume 1.

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the conclusion to the Japanese Friends to lovers story of Anti-Romance. It was a good story. The thing is, I know this is a high school setting and geared toward high schoolers. I suppose in high school the best part is actually getting into the relationship. I get so tired of these stories where it's all angst and as soon as the relationship starts, the story ends. I love reading about the relationship.

Relationships are not easy and there is plenty of drama to explore while two people get to know one another. Anyway.

This story starts out with one guy who has had feelings his whole life for the clueless boy end up in a make-out session. This boy is tried of being teased and he realizes that his friend will never reciprocate. So he leaves.

So, again, the story is filled with angst on both sides and they try and figure out what they want. It's obvious they both have feelings for each other. These are childhood friends with a long history.

As I said, when they get together, boom, it's over. Done. I find it anti-climatic. I'm not interested in will they/won't they. I'm interested in how they.

Anyway, A good tale, not great. Nice art.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could put into words just how much I loved this story, from beginning to end. The ending of this last part specially, it felt so warm.

For people like me who have a soft spot for the friends to lovers trope, the story felt so special and there was more that one time I could relate to both characters. I like miscommunication as long as the reconciliation is well written and it can make me feel something deep. This story was able to do so.

I LOVED the story of the other characters, I felt like there was still so much to say about them but just the few pieces we got, they felt so special. Not gonna lie, I cried a couple of too many times. I really liked how well the connections were written. Shoko Hidaka, I love you 🗣️.

I don’t know, for me, it was such a cute, nice and warm story to read. I’m so happy I got the recommendation and I’m even happier to give this manga to people I appreciate. Even though, I gotta admit, the very first time I gave this manga as a gift was a subtle way to tell the other person I liked her but well, just like this manga, it took some time.

Anyway! Very special story in my heart.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars

I'm honestly sad this is over. I'm happy they ended up together and made things work, but I'm still rather sad that this ended. I was sad at the fact that 2 of the 4 side characters had unrequited love for the other 2 characters and their feelings ended up dissolving, so I found that to be really sad despite the fact that they still remained close friends - even when the one guy apologized, I had kind of hoped that might bridge the gap and rekindle emotions, but I don't think it did. I thought this showcased reality really well in that aspect as not everyone you fall in love with will be reciprocated, last forever, and takes a lot of work to ensure a relationship is successful.
I'm not sure exactly what caused the 1-2 year gap of them not living with each other, so I'm not sure if he just didn't agree to move back in right away or if it was due to their work, I'm not exactly sure.

[Fresca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anti- Romance in just 2 volumes captures the complicated feelings of friends into lovers in a very real way. Hidaka displays in the books how time, your friends, career, situation-ship, dreams, life in general factors into all relationships. Through pain, silence, feeling lost, confusion, frustration...Hidaka shows with no filler or fluff that these feelings are needed for the self to reflect, in which change leads to growth and potential clarity in your life...influencing life changing decisions (in this case pertaining to friend/relationships). More so, sometimes timing just isn't right and opportunities are missed...but it's what you do with that info, Hidaka points out, that is important, and time forgives. The story, in the end, gives the reader a feeling (in my case at least) of pride and applause for each character. I have thoroughly enjoyed this mini series.

[Morthos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 2 was much more my jam and I'm so happy and relieved that it was. The tension that the first volume left off from cared all throughout volume 2 and that exactly what I wanted. I even left it giving a shit about Suou and Ryou.

Although- and I get the point! Not every romantic relationship works out, not every romantic relationship even gets the chance to start… But Towada and Junichi, though. Every scene about them, even in volume 1, activated so many things in my brain. I just wanted them. Suou and Ryou? Good for them or sorry that happened. My whole attention got completely taken over whenever we learn about these two mature men <3.

[Kris Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeah this was worth reading, and to believe this took seven years?! One of the reasons was due to Covid. Reading books today with authors mentioning how much it disrupted their lives and writing is so surreal. I loved this volume because this is the development I was looking for, yearning for. I appreciate the love and care placed into this story. Very refreshing pulling at my heartstrings ❤️ I felt like so I was reading it from a realistic perspective as someone who is also queer. It captures the essence of how our people navigate the world of cishets.

[Eliud · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anti-Romance Vol. 2 marks the conclusion of Shoko Hidaka’s nuanced exploration of friendship, longing, and the messy transition from friends to lovers. Picking up after a tense and intimate encounter, the story finds Ryou at his breaking point, prompting him to move out and forcing both himself and Suou to confront the true nature of their relationship. The question at the heart of this volume is whether distance will finally push their friendship into romance—or end it for good.