SCPL Teens discussion

Given is probably one of my most favorite manga series out there. It touches on several topics that are applicable to today's society, including mental health and LGBT identities. The story begins with a high school student named Mafuyu, who we learn lost his boyfriend due to suicide, and he picks up his guitar and tries to learn how to play it. From there, another high school student, Ritsuka, who is an experienced guitar player, runs into him and ends up befriending him. The two of them develop a closer relationship and they end up falling in love with the other, but issues arise; this is where struggles with identities come in, as well as themes regarding trauma and past events.
There are other characters in the cast who are also LGBT, and undergo their own problems as well. The other two main characters are college students in their 20s, and we get to see how they cope with issues compared to the rest of the cast. Music is also a heavy topic in this manga; Mafuyu writes music and ends up properly learning to play guitar, as it reminds him of his late lover. There is a perfect blend between all these themes, and even the romance in this series grows deeper as you progress through the volumes.
I would rate this manga a 5 out of 5; I can be picky with manga ratings, and I often drop them, but this is a series I just had to keep reading. I love the depiction of couples and how the characters come to terms with their sexuality. I often see unhealthy couples in media, or they are not handled properly (toxic, abusive, etc). The relationships in this manga are healthy, and even the toxic ones are resolved in the end. I would note that some themes and scenes can be heavy, including suicide, depression, abusive relationships, and sexual assault; please keep these in mind if you decide to pick this up.