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あの子の子ども [Ano Ko no Kodomo] #1

My Girlfriend's Child, Vol. 1

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Sachi and her boyfriend Takara are your average high school couple. They go to school together, hang out, and even engage in the more intimate side of dating. However, as time passes, Sachi starts to get the feeling that something isn't right and decides to buy a pregnancy test. Later, in the bathroom of a family restaurant far from her home, she sees the two red lines that will change both her and Takara's life forever...

196 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 13, 2021

12 people are currently reading
321 people want to read

About the author

Mamoru Aoi

35 books9 followers
Blood Type: B
Birthday: June 6th

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5 stars
173 (33%)
4 stars
238 (46%)
3 stars
88 (17%)
2 stars
13 (2%)
1 star
3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
Profile Image for Mark.
2,801 reviews269 followers
May 1, 2023
Unlike what most manga would have you believe, Sachi and Takara - being two teenagers in love - actually have a sex life. And, unlike most manga, Sachi’s about to deal with a very serious consequence and all the fallout that comes along with it.

Accidents happen. They do. And some are bigger deals than others, so when a condom broke the other time, no big deal, right? Right. So it begins for Sachi, who is about to spend a lot of time wrestling with her denial even as she has this weird sick feeling in the mornings.

This is a very interesting start to something that could have come across as very, very after-school special and mercifully does not. We get the clear message early on that sex is just part of the way Sachi and Takara express their love. They’re kids with drives and, yeah, one time the contraception fails hard. It’s not like she had sex once and then exploded with quintuplets, so I appreciate that.

Sachi is definitely the main character, as she should be. I don’t plan to get on my soapbox too hard, but the woman should have every right and say in a thing happening to her body. Full stop. So we experience her journey from denial to more denial (not believing the pregnancy test is some next level attempt to keep reality at bay) and finally to ‘what in the hell am I going to do now’.

And Takara is struggling to keep up, which is amusing since his whole deal is being a track star. He makes a perfectly reasonable gesture late in the game and says all the right things, truly, but I love that the manga basically recognizes that sometimes even the best you can give means absolutely nothing to the person who’s most involved.

This is definitely a slow burn, but it’s interesting enough to hold the attention. Sachi is very clearly projecting some of her anxiety onto the search for a lost cat and there’s a lot of her disconnect as she tries to accept the truth of things. I like that she’s confused and developing a coping mechanism, which feels very reasonable.

And then other people start to get involved, and Takara has some thoughts but is mostly there to be moral support. Then Sachi’s brother comes through by being incredibly, supremely judgemental about it all. Which only reinforces Sachi’s feeling of isolation, even as Takara is trying his teenage boy best to help things.

This feels like some really well realized drama from a very dramatic situation. It’s hard not to feel bad for Sachi as society and her body conspire to make her feel miserable even as she is trying to figure out if she even wants this baby.

I mean, the story’s title does kind of give away the forthcoming action and there is a massive social safety net for our lead, but that’s all well and good when everybody minus your boyfriend is primed to look down on you for the next several years.

There’s something about a complicated situation with people who are completely not equipped to handle a complicated situation and I imagine this is but a prelude to the joy and heartbreak and shouting to come. It did the most important job of any first volume - it engaged me and made me want to read more.

4 stars - yes, there are tons of teen pregnancy stories, but precious few have the manga take on the issue and this one is doing some strong work at taking a well work concept and giving it life with fresh eyes.
Profile Image for Laura A. Grace.
1,970 reviews310 followers
April 30, 2023
Fantastic first volume!

Definitely not the fluffy reads I usually pick up, but I knew three different girls growing up who were teen moms and felt this story could be personally eye-opening to me in potentially seeing what it was like for them. Even just as someone who wasn't ready to be pregnant a second-time years ago, I found this story very relatable in the way the stress and anxiety of potentially being pregnant were written. My heart definitely went out to Sachi and couldn't imagine being in her shoes.

Thankfully she has an AMAZING boyfriend because that young man is incredible! From the beginning, it was obvious he definitely cares and loves Sachi, but as the story goes on (especially with that one moment in the car), there is ZERO doubt in how much he wants to support her. We NEED more young men like him in fiction!

While the ending wasn't a huge cliffhanger, I am definitely eager to read the next volume!

This is a touching story that I would recommend to those who are looking for manga titles that have teen pregnancy and an emotional journey with engaging characters!

CW: There is one non-graphic nudity/sex scene in the beginning.
Profile Image for marcia.
1,266 reviews57 followers
August 29, 2024
On one hand, the paneling is great and makes the story very atmospheric. However, I struggle to connect with the characters. I don't know what they're like nor do I have a good grasp of their dynamic with one another. As a result, I'm not as invested as I should've been.
Profile Image for Sassy Sarah Reads.
2,334 reviews306 followers
September 1, 2024
5 stars

This was an absolutely stunning and remarkable first volume. The panels, the emotional stops and beats, and the focus on Sachi's emotions as she grapples with realizing she is pregnant were cinematic and often crescendoing into an emotional build-up laced with bitterness, confusion, and fear. I had heard wonderful things about this manga, but reading it was a separate experience outside of my expectations. I am looking forward to continuing with the series, but I don't want to rush through the volumes that I have.
Profile Image for Katya .
93 reviews
July 13, 2023
Right in the feels. Finally, a realistic high school relationship.
Profile Image for Chelsea.
1,689 reviews47 followers
July 30, 2023
4.5 stars

"I'm sorry you had to go through this alone."

This story is such a large departure from the manga I usually read. It is an emotionally raw and real depiction of the fear, secrecy and uncertainty of becoming pregnant while still in high school. I appreciate the frank candor of Sachi and Takara's sexual experiences; the complexity of the situation is accurately illustrated. The art style doesn't appeal to me, but that's a personal preference and not a knock against the artist. A fantastic start to the series overall! (But let's not talk about the cat, Nora...)
380 reviews1 follower
January 7, 2024
Read this like a month ago, but I remember thinking 3.5 stars. It's a realistic drama about teenage pregnancy and it kept me interested enough in the events. I had to backtrack a few times because I got confused as to what was happening. Also to be honest I didn't love the characters. I felt for them because they are young and the future they envisioned is now uncertain due to an accidental pregnancy. But. Their personalities felt kinda bland to me. Maybe they'll grow on me as the story goes on. I can definitely see myself continuing the story.
Profile Image for mel.
334 reviews4 followers
June 16, 2023
Stunning! The story telling is absolutely amazing, with gorgeous wordless scenes that get every emotion across without the need to include them, which I absolutely love. The characters, their struggles, their inner relationships, everything is written so masterfully. The art style is a little old school, so not for everyone, but I thought it was very cute.
Profile Image for Maude.
458 reviews8 followers
May 19, 2023
this title recently won a kodansha manga award and i have been looking forward to the english release for months now. overall it was a great first volume. this is a delicate topic that isn't depicted a whole lot in manga but i think it was handled quite well so far. i also like the art (the covers are so beautiful!!), though i can see why others might not enjoy it as much as i did.
Profile Image for r4shida.
46 reviews
January 9, 2025
oh this story makes my stomach HURT. A really interesting perspective on teen pregnancy - I can see this becoming an essential reading one day. It covers all the bases - the romantic relationship between the 2 leads, the familial relationships, friendships, academics, health, money, etc. It doesn't dramatise anything, but it definitely doesn't sugarcoat it either. The main relationship is SO lovely!! The ML is very dedicated to the FL and is taking his role as a soon-to-be father very seriously😌

However, the familial relationships are very tense as a result of the pregnancy, and in all honesty, it's very hard to read at points. But instead of the narrative being overly critical of certain characters (except the FL's dad he's such a bum the narrative CANNOT save him), the way the story is written forces you to come to terms with everyone's perspective. It raises a lot of questions about autonomy, support networks and the duty that adults have to young people.

The latest volume made me SOB - although her teacher had good intentions, the FL has no obligation to be the face for an educational reform for teen mothers. It takes two people for a pregnancy to happen, and yet, society puts all the weight on the shoulders of the woman, be it in terms of blame or in terms of showing up.

Anyways, a very very important read! Has made me a bit paranoid to have sex icl but I digress ☺️ and of course this author gets along with the author of 'Perfect world', they're both doing so much for the shojosei genres ahh🥹
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Sesana.
6,276 reviews329 followers
June 5, 2024
I'd be curious to know why this book is titled My Girlfriend's Child, even though the only POV character is the girlfriend. Shouldn't it be called My Child? I don't know, maybe I'm missing some kind of nuance there.

The actual story is really good and really realistic. Sachi's denial and indecision makes her a very sympathetic character, enough so that I didn't mind that it takes most of this volume for her to talk to her boyfriend. The boyfriend, Takara, is a sweet young man, and their relationship is cute and warm. All of which makes the oncoming train that is Sachi's pregnancy that much more ominous. This volume alone could open up so many conversations, could make so many teens feel seen.

All of this makes the sex scene in the first chapter even more disappointing. I wouldn't call it gratuitous, because it does serve a story purpose: the scene is there to show that Sachi and Takara are in a sexual relationship that's mutually enthusiastic and enjoyable, and I do think there's value in establishing that. But I would say it's unnecessary, because the very same message could also be conveyed without an actual sex scene of 15 or 16 year old teens. It takes this book from one that could be a valuable addition to high school library collections to one that few high schools would be able to put on the shelves, which is exactly why I found the inclusion of that scene to be so disappointing.
Profile Image for nana ୨ৎ.
75 reviews4 followers
November 22, 2023
4.5 ⭐
this is truly a project the mangaka wanted to create and im glad they are the ones doing it ! they did vast research about teen pregnancy and contacted specialised clinics and talked with people about the topic - they are bringing light to teen pregnancy and that's very important!! this manga does not, AT ALL, promote nor sexualise teen pregnancy nor the characters - the writing is very raw, emocional and beautiful. the imagery manages to touch your heart in such a intense way, it's brilliant and definitely worth reading !
teen pregnancy should be more discussed at schools and approached in the same way this mangaka is doing it - it's a very delicate topic and its important that kids learn correctly about it !! health care & sexuality should be more prioritised when teachers teach it (if they do) AND the textbooks meant for students do not contain all the needed information (especially womens' health care!)

READ it to become more aware of the topic in question, you might learn something new.
Profile Image for James DeSantis.
Author 17 books1,203 followers
September 7, 2024
This was really good!

Sachi and her boyfriend Takara like to fuck. Hey, who doesn't, right? But the problem is these two high schoolers did it with a broken condom. And you know what that can mean, right? Baby time! This volume consist of Sachi mostly trying to come to terms that she might be pregnant while also dealing with her emotions, weight gain, and worried about a cat who was left outside in the cold. It sounds like a weird mix of things but it also helps to explain her mindset.

I enjoyed this a lot because I think the realistic reactions to these events work. I think Takara is a good partner, but also two hormonal teenagers dealing with maybe having a baby is a huge issue for them both to deal with at such a young age. I love how they work it out.

My only negative is when there's more than 2 characters on the page sometimes it's hard to tell who's speaking. A lot of it has bubbles all over and you kind of have to peace it together.

But overall will be checking out volume 2!
Profile Image for Angela López.
248 reviews3 followers
December 26, 2024
Tenia mucha curiosidad por empezar esta historia por las buenas recomendaciones que había leído de mis mutuals de Twitter (si me niego a llamarlo X jaja) y porque ganó un premio importante en japón el año pasado, me ha parecido un buen abrebocas y me ha dejado con mucha curiosidad con ese final de tomo.

Sigo muy curiosa de como la mangaka seguirá abordando un tema tan delicado como lo es un embarazo adolescente y más en la sociedad japonesa que es bastante tradicional, el protagonista masculino me ha parecido magnifico y la prota me ha parecido tierna, ya quiero leer que les depara a este par en este nuevo rumbo que ha tomado su vida.
Profile Image for Tib.
769 reviews73 followers
April 26, 2023
Don't tell the majority of the states this has been released. It'll be super banned if any "concerned" conservatives saw this. Teen pregnancy? Yeah, super banned.

On that note, this was an interesting story. There were so many wordless panels, which is fine. The art is beautiful. My only issue is that you get thrown into the story super fast and because there are a lot of wordless panels, not a whole lot of interaction happens between the characters. Also, the ending is very rude given I have to wait until July for the next volume.
Profile Image for Tania.
846 reviews11 followers
April 28, 2023
El dibujo no es tanto de mi agrado, pero sí los encuadres. Dicho esto, la historia me llamaba desde que supe del manga y ya por fin se me hizo leerlo. Una pareja de adolescentes descubre que está embarazada y acá comienza una nueva etapa con miedos, inseguridades y desconocimiento.

Me latió que se mostrara la falta de educación sexual de Sachi y Takara porque es algo usual para su edad ya sea por tabú o por no ser enseñado en la escuela; también me gustó todo el apoyo que Takara desde un inicio le da a Sachi, habla de lo fuerte que es su relación. Ya quiero saber cómo sigue está historia.
Profile Image for Anele ♡.
187 reviews7 followers
April 19, 2024
Este manga tendría que ser de lectura obligatoria en institutos. Pocas obras hay en las que se hable del embarazo adolescente de una forma tan acertada como lo hace esta obra 🤰♥️ Se agradece también que el personaje masculino apoye a su novia ante el problema que se les viene encima, en vez de huir despavorido, que sería lo esperable en este caso (y quizá, en la vida real). Ellos como pareja son adorables, se apoyan el uno al otro y se palpa el amor que se tienen. Amor inmaduro, pero amor al fin y al cabo.

Deseando ver cómo se va desarrollando esta historia.
Profile Image for Marc.
37 reviews
June 2, 2024
I wasnt expecting to be invested in this story like I am now.

The story follows high school couple, Sachi and Takara. They enjoy spending time with each other which includes engaging in a little spicy time. However, as time passes Sachi begins to feel a bit off. So, she decides to buy a pregnancy test and after using it the test showed a positive result.
How will this result affect her and Takara future ?

I thought this was a very heartfelt read. I am not a fan of the artwork but the story makes up for it. I do recommend.
Profile Image for Danielle.
144 reviews4 followers
October 2, 2024
My Girlfriend's Child Vol. 1 is a YA, manga novel about a young couple experiencing an unexpected pregnancy

Things You'll Find:
*A snitch*
*A supportive boyfriend*
*Brief snippets of sexual education*

Sachi and Takara have been doing what plenty of teenage couples do. But Sachi hasn't been feeling well lately, and decides she should probably take a pregnancy test. Surprise (but not) it's positive. Now Sachi is grappling with what to do next from whether to tell Takara to whether she should keep the baby.

I've heard this a popular series, and based off this first volume I can see why. It's clear to see that drama is coming and both Sachi and Takara are relatable and likeable. However, as a single book, this first volume is little more than set up for the rest of the series. Nothing even remotely unique or unpredictable happens and it seems the only point of this is to introduce the two characters who I assume we'll be following throughout the rest of the books.

Overall, it's not great, it's not bad, it's just a beginning, sort of like a first chapter just spanning a book instead. I probably won't continue because the premise doesn't seem that enticing or original to me, but I can see where it's a series that others will enjoy.
Profile Image for Yeon.
511 reviews153 followers
January 22, 2025
hay nhưng nặng tâm lý quá ToT

Mình rất thích chi tiết khi Sachi tâm sự với Takara về việc muốn bỏ đứa nhỏ, Sachi đã hỏi tại sao năm xưa Takara lại thích mình. Takara nói rằng khi thấy cô bé Sachi năm đó khóc lớn vì ko thể bảo vệ mèo con, cậu đã muốn bảo vệ cô bé đó suốt đời. Sau đó Sachi đã hỏi cậu, thế cô bé năm xưa đi đâu mất rồi.

Tại sao năm đó cô bé Sachi rủ lòng xót thương với mèo con, nhưng nay lại có ý định muốn bỏ chính máu mủ của mình🥺

Và Takara nói rằng cô bé năm đó không đi đâu cả, cô bé đó vẫn luôn ở đây, và tớ sẽ tôn trọng mọi quyết định của cậu🥺
Profile Image for Atticus.
223 reviews2 followers
October 1, 2023
This sort of thing coming from Japan is HUGE. Any depiction of female sexual desire or teens having sex, or even open period discussions, are something I have never seen in a manga like this. The art is gorgeous and it's a strong first volume. I do think the depicted sexual acts and nudity could give parents pause, and I myself could have done without the cat part. I really loved this - the characters were not your usual manga protagonists, the plot was not your usual manga plot
Profile Image for mars :3.
20 reviews
July 3, 2025
its been written and made decently, its not romanticizing it or overly sexualizing it, one of those things as an adult you read and can understand why its frustrating to read it as an adult knowing the reality of such huge events
one of those "omg this girl is gonna piss me off" then being like wait she's literally a kid its no wonder she thinks this way
though with the route its going i likely won't continue the series
Profile Image for Laura.
569 reviews28 followers
May 18, 2023
This was a great first volume. I really liked the art style and the way the mangaka was able to portray feelings and story without words was really well done and something that is lacking from a lot of newer shoujo series.
The story feels very real and is a breath of fresh air in the sea of stale generic trope heavy high school shoujo romances that constantly get pumped out.
Profile Image for Evelyn.
282 reviews
June 12, 2023
Collens Manga Recs on YouTube said that this manga was extremely cinematic, and I honestly have to agree! I feel like I'm looking at storyboards for a coming of age movie, and the art has some of the most delicate and simple lineart I've seen. Our main leads are really compelling people, and this is a very refreshing shojo story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews

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