Yukino Miyashita is the kind of person that felt the need for attention and to adored and it’s that mindset of hers that propelled her into the entertainment industry, as an Idol. There she thrived on the attention and admiration but as the saying goes; “what goes up must come down” and having returned back to earth, from her quick flight into stardom; Yukino now lives a humble life but her dream to be beloved by someone is still there in the corner of her mind. So that’s how the journey began for Yukino and there are just a number of life’s journeys that Yukino will embark on during the duration of this manga, such as the life of a career woman and the hardships that come with loving another person so dearly. As you’ve probably guessed, this manga focuses on same sex relations; but unlike your typical yuri manga set in a predominantly female environment, where lesbianism is considered the norm, Octave is as real as it gets (well almost) but that can also takes away some of the enjoyment.
At least being able to see such a relationship bare fruit is enjoyable enough for any fan of the genre. It’s also more worthwhile since the 2 main characters are thoroughly developed and you’ll see how they struggle with their internal problems; like Yukino being such a self-conscious individual lacking self-confidence. Unfortunately not enough time and care is spent on other characters and they are used as mere tools for progressing the story and developing the main characters. But overall I consider the characters to be a strong aspect.
Even though the characters had a fair amount of depth, the artwork was quite the opposite. This manga had a very minimalistic look to its design and some may appreciate that, however this reviewer is all for: effort, detail, stylizing, etc. Yet none of those words corresponded with the art style found here. The art was still adequate in portraying what it needed to portray and is one of the better looking yuri manga I've come across, but it still felt somewhat lacking in my opinion.
In the end, what was found in Octave was a fairly realistic portrayal of a same-sex relationship, filled with hardships and insecurities. This manga deals with such issues in a profound and mature manner, never sugar-coating the issue but getting straight to the point. Sure I did find myself not enjoying some moments but life’s never guaranteed to be full of pleasantries and this manga clearly depicts that.
