Jun to Kaoru

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Sometimes one wants to read mangas that are hundreds of chapters that follow an epic storyline. Sometimes one wants to read oneshots that present us with unique situations. Jun to Kaoru finds itself somewhere in the middle as a manga you can read for a short while and feel just a bit happier than before. It is a slice-of-life manga that follows two childhood friends and neighbors that change sexes with each other every midnight as they crush on each other and interact throughout their school life.

The beauty of Jun to Kaoru comes from its simplicity. It doesn't look for grandiose scenes or heart-wrenching moments. ... There's no big confession nor is the reader belittled. There's little, quiet moments throughout the pages which coat the whole work in a soft atmosphere that makes for really comfortable reading.

Both characters are adorable, the art is soft and vague, and the stakes are non-existent. It feels more like a meditation or a break than a work that has something important to say. And it knows that. That's what makes it so good.

8/10

It's an interesting premise that goes nowhere. Two childhood friends, a boy and a girl, change their gender everyday at midnight. It's never explained how and why it occurs, or it's showed how the main characters reacted when it started. Instead, everyone acts naturally despite knowing their circumstances. This is a common aspect of the author works, like in Kanojo wa Rokurokubi, displaying many supernatural elements in the story without explaining them. I think this is a refreshing way of telling a story, and is one of the reasons I like the author works.

The story is really simple and slice of life-esque. The development is ... almost nonexistent and even those slice of life chapters are usually very weak, like showing the MCs playing Jenga or studying together. There's some development when it's subtly hinted that Jun and Kaoru have romantic feelings for each other, but it's for the most part just teasing and never goes beyond that.

The characters are fine. Jun seems to be more passive, meek and assiduous, while Kaoru is more assertive and lazy. I think their dynamic should be explored more regarding their gender changes. There's also Hana-chan who was a really endearing character, but unfortunately had too little exposure.

The art is beautiful, it's detailed and I love the characters design. The author is good at drawing cute expressions, specially when the characters are in awkward moments, and I particularly liked Hana-chan's design, she is really cute.

In the end, when it ended abruptly, I was left with the impression the manga didn't fulfil its potential, I wanted to see more of Jun and Kaoru relationship. It was not bad overall, it had good moments, but nothing too great and could be much better. Still, I recommend this if you like other works by Nieki Zui as it's similar to them and is quite short.