Story: 6
the story of a prodigy student who became a teacher not quite an uncommon plot, yet this manga seems to reinforce or satisfy the fantasy of teacher/student relationship. This was not the quite plot that I expected, yet it wasn't really a surprise factor as it seems to drive in this direction very early in the story. Essentially 3 main characters, Tomonaga, Haruka, and Aoi are all seemingly related to the scheme of the plot, but there is quite obviously a focus on the relationship between Aoi and Tomanaga, with Haruka as a girl with hopeless, unrequited feelings for her teacher. We later find out that Aoi is a genius, similarly to Tomanaga and this further drives their relationship into boundaries that not even Tomanaga wanted to indulge in as they both try to uncover the mathematical concept that explains the world in all its beauties. While there is a emphasis on physics and mathematics, one can enjoy the story without really acknowledging it, which is convenient i guess. As mentioned before, this story seems to satisfy a rather particular niche, yet lacks motivation for progression besides a the love relationship. Strange due to the fact that the main character seems to discourage such relationships in general.
Art: 8
It's good, not extremely unique but satisfying for a lack of a better word.
Characters: 6
While there are other characters in Aoi's friend group, some that reinforce the teacher/student relationship and others that are completely unrelated to the plot. I might've missed something, but the general sense of some of the characters seemed to be very vague in terms of presence or relation to the story. Tomanaga and Aoi are explicitly the main characters, and while the story tries to intertwine Haruka into the plot by convenience, she merely seems to represent the rom/com (with a lack of com) and is left in the dust. This could be seen as realistic and bitter turn of events, but i honestly ask the question; what's the point? Haruka's experience kickstarts the story and puts her in the spotlight in the beginning, but later on her presence dwindles and her pursuits for love seem so hopeless, i can't help but feel pity. Tomanaga lacks a solid background besides the fact that he was a genius kid while Aoi's experiences are more developed, and these two are completely cut off from the rest of the world while working together in their lab. This directly relates to the relative beauty of the world in the eyes of others, and it becomes clear that my views differ from Tomanaga's or Aoi's. Probably why Tomanaga seemed like such a spineless individual that lacked anything I could empathize with.
Enjoyment / Overall: 6
In conclusion, this manga was a fine time-spender and a 6 seems to fit my experiences with it fairly well. Not exactly my cup of tea, but similarly to the beauties of this world, thats relative to the individual.
