Ano Hi no Kimi wo Dakishimeta nara

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Storyline:
Well, basically, this Manga is about Kengo and his best Friend Hidetoshi.
Hidetoshi told Kengo that he's gay on Graduation Day, and even though Kango realized that he might actually be in love with him, he sticked at being friends.
After several years pass and seeing Hidetoshi in several abusive relationships, Kengo starts to date him.

I must say I quite enjoyed this Manga, because the story was, while of course being dramatized, it still had the kind of feeling like "ahh, this could actually happen in real life"

Kengos character was nice, he explained his confused feelings about his friend, seeing him getting beaten and realizing his own ... protectiveness and love towards him.
Hidetoshi's character was a bit annoying sometimes, because he was very insecure and doubting.
But while that got a bit under my skin, his behaviour is pretty much how I can imagine a person in his position would be.
Other than those two, there were barely any other charcters, the story is focused mainly on them.
The troubles of homosexual people were also mentioned, but while it got clear that he had problems with his family because of it, it doesn't get overbearing.
It only contributes to the realistic feeling.

The art was alright, you might even call it nice...
Overall, it suited the story. (a overly cute drawing stile would look kinda out of place)

I tried not to make to many spoilers and I really recommend this Manga if you're looking for a cute, realistic and maybe a bit more mature love story that isn't too much about figuring out your feelings, but establishing and mantaining a relationship regardless if hetero/homosexual.

...It kinda makes you feel more mature , youself... ;) haha!
....come on, you know you wanna try it!

My review of this story is that weak girls and stupid boys shouldn't read it. Because it pretty much suggests that if you are in an abusive relationship, it is because you are acting in ways that make your lover beat you. Yep, that is the little message we get from this story. Now of course there are other themes to it, such as if you are in an abusive relationship then it is your responsibility to seek help. And, an abuser will get help on their own when they are ready. two points I agree with. But that combined with the apologetic message ... to the abuser give these two points a sour taste. Yes it is the victims fault for staying however, why isn't it the abuser's fault for choosing to raise their hands in violence? The victim gets the cold hard truth, while the abuser gets freaking coddled. BS

In this story we get too many passages of "I'm not saying it is right to beat on women BUT it is up to her to stop behaving in ways that causes misunderstandings" This is because one character had lunch with a guy at work. I pretty much had to curse someone out on another forum because of their ignorant comments that anyone passing judgement on an abuser is acting holier than thou, and that it is partly the woman's fault for being abused. *eye roll*

Honestly, when Kengo, the seme, suggested that the woman return to her abusive husband "Because he already suspects her of cheating and she shouldn't want to cause more misunderstandings" I knew I had about all I could take of this story. The Uke stills blames himself for being abused and pretty much so does the Seme. As he points out earlier "This is why his lovers lose control and beat him, because he doesn't return their feelings." WTF?!?!

Now I sooo do not want to pass judgement on writers because of the crap their characters are spewing, I do like that the writer is daring in having a character with these views without solving them. But at the same time the characters repeats these types of words so freaking often with the random "but I'm not saying it's right to beat up women....But....(insert "how women get beat for behaving in certain ways vs women who don't get beat" here) tot he point where I can't help but think that this person is either an abuser or they are getting abused.

Anyway, the story itself leaves off on an almost unresolved note. The uke seeks no help at all for his problem, you would think that if a character's flaw is mentioned multiple times throughout the story it should get resolved before the story's end. But nope. You see the uke's flaw, that we were told time and time again, is that he blames himself all the time for everything, one of the main problems he had was that he blamed himself for getting abused. Does this problem get resolved? NO! As both he and the seme believe that he did deserved to get beat for causing misunderstandings. I gave this manga a one star all around for giving stupid people ammo for getting on my nerves.

As a domestic violence survivor, i am appalled.

Victim blaming is a huge aspect of this manga series. It's suggested in multiple chapters, that men and women who are abused by their lover did something to deserve it by doing such things has having lunch with a colleague or not reciprocating feelings. Which is disgusting and wrong. Especially when so many people die because of domestic violence on a daily basis. This could of been a beautiful story of hope and love but it was tarnished. All it does, is add to stigma.

If you are being abused (regardless of gender identity or sexuality) please ... seek help and avoid this manga at all costs.