Ao no Flag

Overall, this manga is quite predictable to anyone who has read shoujo manga. The characters have more development than many other shoujo heroines and their ubermensch love interests, and it shows here. Unlike other shoujo manga that you will read purely for enjoyment, you will find yourself invested in these characters and their interactions. The artwork is quite fluffy and expressive, with minimal panel background art.

I gave this manga an 8 because through it's characters it actually got me invested in the story and feeling a similar sense of finality to friends going through their last year at high school together, unsure of their own selves or their future. 16 chapters is too short to judge whether this will be a success or whether it will just peter out in later chapters. If they keep the plot pacing and provide some real opportunities for character growth, I think it could score even higher.

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A good manga compared to the huge load of fantasy manga that keeps coming out... As other people have said, the path this manga is going towards is pretty predictable... But hey, who doesn't want to read something realistic for once?

The story itself is pretty good, very realistic. The development of the characters is decent too. All of the MCs seem to be in a situation where they are not fully sure of the decisions they will make in the future. They kind of help each other to know their true feelings towards each other. But many paths seem to be open in my opinion as to who ends up with who.

The art is pretty cute, though their heights are a bit changed throughout... Like from one scene they're really small then they look like they have normal heights... But anyway, the art was still good for me. Overall an 8.

But if you want something unique, this isn't what I'd recommend.

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Consider that I've only read 5 chapters please =)

Story about two guys and one girl, a very interesting love triangle. I don't like these complicated love triangles but in this manga it's actually looks very potential and likeable. MC is trying to help his classmate to confess to his friend but is slowly starting to like her too. Story just naturally progress and presents some original concepts.
Characters are very well done and feel very realistic. MC is kinda average type of character, very normal. His friend on the other hand is very popular within girls and boys. He has a lot of friends but MC doesn't. Main girl is very cute and shy, but it doesn't feel like her character is too over the top. Just from the start I was easily invested in them because they feel pretty normal, like people I've met at my school too. Interactions between characters are done very well.
Art is very good. Author know how to put panels together and tell a story throught it, nothing feels forced, everything is very clear. It shows emotions in very relatable way. It has also very nice and cute touch to it =)
If you like serious romance which is also cute I think you might like this one.
If it would progress like this and wouldn't end up as one of those boring and overcomplicated cliché things I might continue. So far it's very interesting!!

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THIS, is what Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru could have been.
THIS IS HOW YOU WRITE CHARACTERS, A LOVE TRIANGLE, A DRAMA, SOL.
I will savor the criticisms of Yahari for some other post, but to keep it short, all around subjectively better yet similar characters, more gripping dramatic story, and addressing common themes that occur in youth.

Characters & Story:
Being a character driven story, the characters are top notch. It's amazingly feasible and relatable. The themes of drift between friends as they progress through school,
the restrictions of what society places for boys growing up into "men",
the loss of childhood imagination because of the ridicule on creative works(custom battle pencils) that aren't practical, leading one to conform to the norm and quit,
the bitchy standards that women go through,
the thorns and complications with romance, of misunderstandings and miscommunication,
and the struggle of self acceptance.

As they say, "you can only love someone else to the extent you love yourself" and it shows very hard in this manga.
The main characters hate themselves, told to be something, to look beyond, the common advice for youth.
SPOILERS ON CHARACTERS HERE:
but
Kuze Futaba is a ditzy fumbly clumsy whimsical anxious character, seen by society and her family as an airhead who isn't capable of much, condemned harshly when making mistakes, and if not only pretending to be clumsy because it's "cute". Seeing her tremble on progressing to growing out of her shell was remarkable.

Mita Touma, strong, athletic, the all around pretty perfect guy. Also is in sort of the same boat with Taichi in just wanting to do stuff that are "unmanly"(baking madelines Tachi's for birthday).

Ichinose Taichi is a very creative person in the past having had custom made a lot of his toys, of which eventually is "lame and childish" when growing up. Throwing away his enthusiasm in the creative arts for being unable to handle the ridicule of many, he is reduced to a common character in every highschool SOL harem series, that of being lost and conforming to the norm, afraid to stand out and pursue internal desires. Of wishing to be someone else, he wishes he was more like his best friend(Mita), athletic, popular with everyone, and strong, of which ironically is the same thing his best friend thinks. In denial and un-confident, unable to see his positive aspects, and ridiculing himself whenever he feels pain as it pales in comparison to what his best friend struggled with, scourging himself, not letting allow to mourn.

Yahari - 4TH WALL BREAK. You see her as annoying because of interfering with our main characters plans, overtly disliked her a lot in the beginning, but later on makes some very strong points on how her appearance, popularity and playful nature has stung her friendships in a way that also yells at the audience for prejudging her.

Itachi Masumi - haven't seen her backstory yet, but in the progress.


the flustering, the drama of miscommunication, misunderstanding, it all intermingles so well with the characters as they can't accept and embrace themselves for who they are.

The character development, the slick progressive flow of the story, the growth of our characters, fricken RIGHT IN THE KOKORO HERE LADS. Puts the "D" in good drama.

Caught up with all 30ish chapters that are out in one night. Curse that it kept me up making me lose sleep but this is how I tell a manga is good. When you can't stop turning the pages, you know!

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