Bokura ga Ita (We Were There) is a must-read for all rom-com and drama lovers. Written by Yuuki Obata, it is filled with the most beautiful (and romantic) quotes relating to life, which is one of its greatest aspects as a Slice of Life manga. Given that the story follows a high school romance between an innocent girl (Takahashi) and a popular boy (Yano), it may be assumed that this is just another cliché rom-com or drama manga. However, it’s greatly unpredictable. As the story progresses, you will face several turn of events among the characters.
Volumes 1-8 (and the anime) focuses on their lives in high school, while Volumes 9-16 goes into their adulthood five years later. The manga takes place within a ten-year time span. Instead of dragging on, the story allows you to understand the characters by reflecting on their past and their daily lives.
The story is uniquely remarkable. High school love begins to bloom, and they both face several obstacles over time, especially the meaning of trust. A new chapter of their lives begins after high school, and shocking secrets are revealed that took place within the five years of their separation. Reality hits every character. It focuses on several aspects of life, including unrequited love, psychological issues, and family drama. The drama goes on, and the characters mature as the years go by. The ending is so beautiful that I could reread the last chapter for a lifetime. (10)
Thankfully, there are only five main characters, and each of them have their own personality that distinguishes them from each other. They all meet new people that make a huge impact on their lives. Interaction with the supporting characters influences their decisions and allows them to think of situations from different angles. It’s easy to develop a love-hate relationship with the characters as they mature, especially when tears are shed. As you read on into the story, you may find yourself sympathizing with some of the characters as they experience trial-and-error. (10)
The art is unique for the most part, but some may find it annoying. The manga’s artwork leaves a lot for your imagination. The introduction of a new scene is fully drawn with a concise background and artwork in general. After that, it becomes sketchy with mere outlines until the next scene. The backgrounds are not fully drawn, and the characters will appear to have either one eye or a blank face. It doesn’t distract from the story at all, and it’s easy to grow used to it. The characters are drawn to fit their personality. For example, Takahashi’s eyes are round, giving off her cute baby face that shows her innocence. (8)
After watching the anime, I became curious as to how the two main characters continued their relationship. Honestly, the characters pissed me off in the anime because of their naivety, but my feelings changed after continuing the story. I read the best romance, drama, and slice of life manga in my life. My heart reached out to the characters as they dealt with tragedies, and I found myself relating to the characters, especially Takahashi as she dealt with her first relationship. (10)
If you’re looking for a good slice of life, rom-com, and drama manga, I highly recommend Bokura ga Ita. You’ll come to realize why Yuki Obata won the Shogakukan Manga Award for this masterpiece in 2005. Read into the remarkable love story of Takahashi and Yano. Prepare to laugh, cry, and even crave to punch a character in the face. I promise you won’t regret reading this. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to read this beautiful final chapter again. (10)
*If you completed the Bokura ga Ita anime series, you can continue the story at Volume 9: Chapter 32. However, read Chapters 29-31, because the scenes are different from the series.*
