Tonari no Metaller-san
The Metalhead Next Door

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I had this in my "to read" list for so long I didn't even remember who was the author, wich was good because the other works I've read from her, are not my cup of tea.

But this manga? Oh boy was it good. It managed to hook me right from chapter 1 and the more I read the more I wanted to keep on reading.

It's a story with a slow pacing, but it manages to develop the characters quite well for a 1 volume manga. The way it presented the characters, giving us some context for the both of them little by little and I ... also really liked that they were truly friends for a whole year before getting into romance shenanigans.

I don't want to give more details, because I really believe it's a story that deserves to be enjoyed with minimal context, so I will just add that I looooooved the art in this manga. It was so nice and it added so much charm to every character and situation. It really managed to convey so many things without needing dialogue. Just amazing art.

Edit to add that I completely forgot to mention that the details about metal and metal culture were on point! You can tell the author knows what she's talking about and as someone that really enjoys the genre, it was refreshing to see an author incorporating such a misunderstood genre of amazing music. Plus, it made me relate soooo much with Soushi it was unreal (I have similar issues like him and I started to like metal for similar reasons).

Definitely 100% recomended.

This is such a sweet, heart-warming story, almost unbelievably so. The idea of a metalhead who is really shy and doesn't speak much is interesting, original and incredibly well crafted into the story, the art style is beautiful, and both guys are sweethearts and kind to each other, and the feelings... oh the feelings. It hits so well.
Overall a great short story for a quick read that causes increased blood sugar and mushy heart. Of course, some of the moments are exaggerated for the comedic effect, but nothing feels forced and the situations are actually funny (seriously, who wouldn't want a preschool kid as ... their relationship therapist?) And you can learn something about metal while reading too.
10/10, would read again at any time.

First of all, this manga is way better than it seems. At first I wasn't sure about it, I mean, I was afraid about how Mamita would turn out this story. And it surprised me SO WELL. It's so easy to emphatize with the main characters(specially with Soushi).
Words are not enough to describe it. It's such a warm, cute and soft love story, about friends that eventually discover their true feelings about each other. I really liked the fact that there's no "but I'm a man, I can't fall in love with another man!" line. It's not bad, but you see it so often in ... this kind of soft BL story that really make me feel a little bit sad about it. I mean, it doesn't have to be that hard and difficult to be with the one that you love the most.
It really blown me out how Mamita didn't put in this manga any stereotype about metalheads. He turns out to listen to Metal music, but besides that he enjoys the gender (I'm taking about Soushi) there's a story behind that choice.
Kento make such a big (and a little bit dramatic) entrance in Soushi's life, that Soushi didn't have any other option that letting him in, and take care of him...
It's just a beautiful story that I really wish it would have more recognition in the BL manga gender.