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There is manga that you recall by just looking at the cover, you look at the cover and you remember the whole story, or the general outlines, at least. You can remember a manga when you find it very good, or when you find it very bad. But there are times when you cannot even begin to recall what it was about. Most of the times, it’s because the plot and the characters were just insignificant. Of course, there is -as always- a great amount of subjectivity in this appreciation, but most probably we all have come across a manga that gave us this impression. ... These works fall into what I´ve come to call a "great cloud of nothingness".

Unfortunately, "Anata no Mune ni Kaeru Hi made" falls into this category.

When I made up my mind to write something about this manga, I just couldn´t remember a thing about it. I had to go through the first chapters again, to refresh my memory in order to write something.

Plot:
This is a love story between a girl and a wealthy man, whose girlfriends always see themselves involved in dangerous situations. They love each other, but he doesn´t want her to suffer any harm, of course... and here they start with the usual "I want to be with you, but I can´t" and "family getting in the way of their love" process. The typical soap opera plot.

Characters:
Kazuya, the main male character, is the typical reach, handsome and mysterious guy... but he doesn´t stand out enough to make you remember him. Nor does the female character, who is the usual martyr and devoted girlfriend.

Art:
The art doesn’t help. It isn’t bad, but it doesn´t stand out either. It is just too "ordinary". There are artist who have a very distinctive style. You can even perceive it by reading one manga alone. It's not the case with this manga. The characters, for example, look just like many others in other mangas.

Enjoyment:
I´m not saying you will not enjoy reading "Anata no Mune ni Kaeru Hi made". If you are looking for romance, you may enjoy reading this one, just to pass time. But it is most probably not going to remain engraved in your memory.

I really think this manga is a masterpiece. I am adding it to my favorite manga list, no doubt.

It goes about two kids who die at the exact same time in two completely different places in the world. But their spirits remain and contact several people they are drawn to, due to some sort of compatibility that allows these humans to see them (they can be seen by humans who have a twin-sole somewhere). As they interact with the humans, we slowly get to know their story and the reason for their deaths, and the kids, who are, as a matter of fact, twin soles ... themselves, start getting closer to each other.

Story
The plot is just PERFECT. Not just because the story is original and breathtaking, but because it is masterfully structured.

When I first started reading the manga, I was a little confused. The girl and the boy interacted shortly with several characters, one character per chapter. It looked as if the manga was going to be structured in individual and closed chapters, with a subplot in each. Each subplot was aimed to trigger something in the memory of the children, thus driving the main story forward. But some of the chapters had an open ending that didn´t leave me satisfied. Some of the chapters left me thinking: And? That´s it?

But I was so wrong. Every unclosed issue is resumed latter, and everything comes together perfectly as you keep on reading. Every single encounter with every human the kids interact with is there for a reason.

I think I´ve never come through a manga plot that has been so well thought through.

Art
I wouldn´t say the art is "beautiful". It´s strange, kind of unsettling. But it goes perfectly with the story, which is as unsettling, and crude.
I loved the prologues for each volume, where a special tone (one color) is added to the grey tones.

Characters
The two main characters have some kind of a creepy aura, not only in looks but in their behavior. It is not that they are scary, they are not... they are "strange". Their looks and behavior reflect in a way their tortured souls.
A wide range of human adults accompany them in their journey. We don´t get to know all of them in depth... but they all carry some kind of burden, pain or sin.

In short, I highly recommend reading this manga. If you feel confused in the beginning, hang on in there. Everything will make sense as you keep on reading.

The story is really heavy, you will probably cry at some point, or at least feel your chest squeezing... but there is also a feeling of hope and redemption in the manga. Definitely, worth reading.

As already stated in the synopsis, Goth goes about two morbid students who are attracted to murders.

The first three chapters go about three murder cases they solve, or rather that Kamiyama Itsuki solves. The last two chapters are centered in the main characters, and especially in Morino Yoru's past.

It would have been much better if the author had given us hints on the main story involving the main characters in the first three chapters. That would have given more unity to the whole manga, the characters would have gained in depth, and there would have been more mystery, apart from the gore.

However, the manga is ... entertaining. The stories are really creepy. The characters are interesting, even when they lack development.

The art is ok: dark, good gore scenes.

The problem with this manga is that at some point the mangaka tries to trick us with a rather "cheap" art procedure. Unfortunately, I cannot go deep into this issue, because it would be rendered as a spoiler. I can only say that there are procedures to create suspense that are valid, and other procedures that are inadmissible.

I have the feeling that this manga had potential to be much better, but it is still interesting to read.

This collection is so strange. I have read all stories separately, and I liked them all, but it´s strange to see them all compiled into one volume, because they are very different in nature.

-"NightS" involves the yakuza and a free-lance transporter.
-"Kanjou Spectrum" is a shounen-ai story between two highschool students.
-"Reply" is a charming love story between a car salesman and a mechanic that work for the same company.

I don´t know if the stories are that original. Doesn´t matter, really. The thing is Yoneda Kou´s work does not stand out because of the plot, but rather thanks to her characters, which are great. They all have ... strong personalities, not only the semes, but also the ukes, who don´t behave like cry-babies and don´t go acting all tsundere. Nor do the semes go acting all-mighty, violent and manipulative.

I think the dialogs are her strongest point. I´ve already mentioned this in another review. I think her dialogs may be the best I´ve read, not only in yaoi manga but in general. They are full of irony, play of words, sarcasm. They flow naturally. She does not resort to the usual clichés, she doesn´t go over the top with words. Perfect dialogs.

I love the art. It’s very realistic. The characters are down to earth, not only as regards their development, but also their looks. The ukes don´t look like girls. The semes aren´t overworked. The H scenes in "NightS" (the first story) are a little more explicit than the ones in "Reply" or in other works by her, such as "Iro no Aru Sekai" or "Crows ZERO". But they are still closer to being erotic, rather than pornographic.

There is one thing I would like to applaud as regards the plot in all three stories. That is, the way in which all three relationships develop is believable... I generally don´t like it when the story involves heterosexual adults that suddenly and naturally fall in love with another man, without even questioning themselves or having some kind of inner conflict with their change of tastes. They usually solve the problem with a "thought bubble" that reads something like "Why have I just found him cute? No, no! What is happening to me?" And on the next page he has already come to terms with everything and suddenly accepts the fact that he has fallen in love with a man... or even more, he may even come to a conclusion such as: "I´m not gay... I just fell in love with you, because it´s you". Not credible at all.

But none of this happens here. In the first story this is not even a matter in question. We aren´t told about the previous sexuality of the characters... there is just chemistry between them, and that´s it. Furthermore, none of them looks naive and inexperienced in the matter. The second story is about teenagers who are, by definition, at the age where they define their preferences, and I think the manga reflects in a way this "awakening" to sexuality. The third story does involve heterosexual characters that fall in love with each other... but they both have a rough time accepting and admitting it. They even stop seeing each other for a while.

This natural flow of events in her manga, which makes her stories credible, goes with her realistic portrayal of the characters and the spontaneity of her dialogs. And I think that´s what makes her work stand out.

This manga could be rated with a 7, if it weren't for the fact that it has a serious and almost unforgivable plot mistake.

The story is kind of a "fairy tale": poor girl that falls in love with the handsome and wealthy company president. We’ve seen that already. But it is told in a way you can believe it. Things aren´t rushed... they don´t fall in love at first sight... their marriage is arranged, and -in the beginning- they are both distant. Both main characters have strong personalities, and they fight a lot. They must work to get to know each other, and learn to ... communicate properly.

There is some sex (not much and not from the very beginning: it starts by chapter 16 or so), but it´s very mild and tasteful.

The characters are charming, the art is nice (the interiors are much better than the cover) and it is entertaining. But the mistake in the plot is almost unbelievable and it makes me wonder if the author was even focusing when designing the plot, or if the editors were paying attention when they approved it.

At some point Chiwa (the heroin) starts working somewhere under the supervision of an ex-boyfriend who is very surprised to find out she is now married. They talk as if he didn´t know anything about her marriage, as if they were meeting for the first time after long.

Has the author really forgotten that they had already met at a friend´s wedding, a few chapters before, and that the ex even got to talk to her husband? It is really difficult to understand how the author could make such a mistake.

I´ve been told that these two men are not the same person, because they have different names, which I hadn´t noticed. But they look the same, and their stories with the female protagonist are just too similar. Even if they are not the same person everything is too confusing. Therefore, I would still regard it as a serious mistake in terms of plot construction.

I´m still rating the manga with a 6, mainly because the characters are somehow interesting and their interaction is funny, because the mistake is not central to the main conflict in the story, and because -to be true- it wasn´t that serious so as to make me drop the manga.

In short... regardless of the issue I've just pointed out, I wouldn´t tell you not to read this... the manga is entertaining.

I think the best thing about Yumeka Sumomo's one-shots is their simplicity, in the sense that they depict every-day life events, but with lots of style. I would say her work in general could be defined as "suggestive". This manga is no exception. Except for the last story, which is much heavier... the one-shots included in this volume are charming love stories.

Except for the second story, which is shounen-ai, the rest have been labeled as shoujo. It is true that some of the characters are highschool teenagers... but neither the plots, nor the art, are the typical shoujo. Her plots and her characters are very ... realistic, we can generally relate to them. There is no melodrama, no teary girl, no seductive or rebellious prince. The characters are neither pop stars, nor idols, nor sport aces, nor wealthy heirs. They are just like the boy or the girl sitting next to you in class. But they are not boring. They are interesting characters.

There is a very mature feel to all four stories, probably because the art is very mature: realistic, simple and clean. But also because, as simple as the stories may be, Yumeka Sumomo drives us into the mind of her characters. Her stories are introspective.

Definitely worth reading.

Mod Note: This review was initially posted for the one-shot, Drops, and was subsequently merged into Toumei Ningen no Koi.

This is a really good and very original manga.

The originality does not lie in the story "per se", but rather in the way it is structured. As simple and routinary the actual facts or events in Ando Yuki's stories may be, her plots always have an interesting structure.

Story - 10 / Character development - 8

The first time I read it, I thought the manga showed an instant, a brief moment, in the lives of several people that didn´t even know each other. All this ... mini love stories happened at the same time, on a rainy day, and were connected by some random event.

But after discussing it with another reviewer, and reading it again, we ended up figuring the whole thing is one sole story, with the same two characters or at least one of them in each mini-episode, flashback or memory.

Both options or interpretations would work. But the second one is even better. However, It’s a shame it´s a little confusing. It isn’t that clear the characters are always the same, and that is mainly because the female character changes hair color. Not that it can´t be, hair can be bleached... but I wouldn´t have done it in this particular manga, because it´s misleading.

I´m still rating Drops with a 10, because I honestly don´t think this is much of an issue. The charm of the manga lies somewhere else in my opinion. The charm lies in the "mood" of the manga, in the beauty of the instants it shows, in the great amount of small and almost imperceptible details that help construct the story, even in the chaos of the story´s structure: the world and memories are in fact chaotic.

Art - 10

Although Ando Yuki's manga is labeled as shoujo, neither her plots nor her art are the typical shoujo. Her art is clean and mature, with simple backgrounds, or no background at all. There is a vanguardist -black and white pop art- feel to it.

I highly recommend reading this one-shot, which may be her best.

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Mod Note: This review was initially posted for the one-shot, Matryoshka, and was subsequently merged into Toumei Ningen no Koi.

It feels nice when you come across good one-shots such as this one.

The story is simple and the ending is predictable... but it´s the way it is told what makes it special. Yuuri has just been dumped by her girlfriend, and looks for comfort in her childhood friend, Nina.

He shows her a matryoska he had bought for her ex-girlfriend as a present, and as the play around with it, Yuuri starts unfolding his memories with his friend Nina, just like the matrioskas open to reveal a smaller one inside.

As I said before, the ending is predictable, but the way in which it is told, isn´t. I think the last four panels in the last page may be the best thing in the manga... with everything being kept "implied" rather than "shown".

As regards the characters... obviously, in a longer manga, there is more time to work on them, so the characters in Matrioska must be judged taking into account that this is a one-shot. There is little you can do to develop a character in depth in a one-shot manga... but this two characters you come to care for. It is remarkable how the author managed -in barely 50 pages- to create endearing characters.

The art is beautiful. It is very mature, extremely simple, especially the backgrounds, and the characters are very expressive.

I highly recommend reading this.

This manga is irregular. It includes four one-shots, some better than others. The art is not my favorite style, but it is ok.

The second story (Hotaru no mori e) must be one of the best one-shots I've read. Hotaru gets lost in the forest and a boy called Gin, who is really a spirit, helps her find her way home. They become friends; they start meeting every summer holiday, and grow each year closer. But she cannot touch him, or he will disappear. A really beautiful sad story.
It was made an anime, with the same name, which is also very good, with nice ... art, and beautiful music. I seriously recommend watching it.
If it were for this story alone, I would rate it with a 10.

The fourth story (Deepening the Scar) is also very good. It is a love story between brother and sister, but unlike most brother-sister love stories, this one is realistic. It is not the typical "we are siblings, but love prevails, so who cares" type of story. Good development, good ending... very sad, too.
I would probably rate this one-shot with a 9.

The other two stories are not as good. The first one isn´t very clear... there are things I didn´t understand, or that were kept unexplained: I think it is a ghost story, though I'm not sure... but even if I'm right, who is that ghost? And does that ghost have anything to do with the character's injuries? I think that if it were a little bit longer, the plot could have been better developed. The third story is just average, nothing really special about it, although there are instants -certain panels- were you can perceive a deeper and more serious feeling that what's usual in the typical shoujo manga. I think there is a gap between the two stories I mentioned first and these other two. But I wouldn't say they are "bad", either.

In any case, I recommend reading this manga. "Hotaru no mori e" and "Deepening the Scar" alone make it worthy.

I must give this manga some merit because of the characters, which aren´t the typical shoujo characters, especially the girl who has a strong personality.

The story isn’t the typical shoujo school love story either (which is good), but there are serious problems with the plot. To be true, there is one big problem, which ruined the whole story, it threw me out of the story completely.

Harumi is expected to die of cancer in a few months. Having lived in a hospital since she was a little girl, she has experience little in life, until she meets Masato, a boy (a man, really, as ... he is at least ten years older than her) who is hospitalized with a similar diagnosis.

He has a brain tumor and is going to die in 4 days. And this is where the problem lies.

I do believe Harumi´s and Masato´s reactions, the way they decide to deal with their situation, I believe their emotions... I just can´t believe Masato would be physically able to do the things he does.

If he really had 4 days to live, his brain should already be in a state that wouldn´t allow him to do anything. He probably wouldn´t be able to walk or speak, even eat. He might even have lost his sight.

Let´s assume that this is a rare exception, and that he can still do all that... how is it that the doctors could predict that he was going to die in exactly 4 days? It doesn’t work like that.


The end, as touching and poetic as it is, is absolutely unrealistic two.

Perhaps my judgment of this work is too influenced by my personal experience. Anyone who has witnessed the death of a relative from brain cancer knows things are way different from how they are portrayed in this manga. I´m not saying every case is the same, but I really couldn´t bring myself to believe what happens in this story.

This manga is really disappointing. I wasn´t expecting anything in particular, but at least I expected to read josei. The manga is closer to shoujo. Naive, full of clichés. The only difference is that the characters are adults.

There is connection at all among the stories... I´m not saying they all should deal with the same topic, but at least there should be a shared atmosphere, or something. There is no cohesion at all, besides being all love stories, which isn´t enough.

The stories are too naive and "fairy tale" like. When reading josei, you expect some depth and conflict in the plot or in the characters' ... personalities that you don't necessarily expect that much in shoujo manga. Won’t find it here.

The art isn´t bad, but it isn´t extraordinary either. It also has some shoujo elements. Kind of childish, with perfect prince-like male characters, full of flowers, diamonds and the like in the background.

Definitely overrated.