Story: 10/10
On the surface this is a story about a boy, Takeru, who after wishing on a shooting star finds a hollow tree stump that is a gateway to an alternate reality in which his deceased best friend, Takuya, is in fact alive and well, while /Takeru/ is dead. On a deeper layer, this manga is about the delicate crossroads of life and the losses we obtain because of them. In the most humble and beautiful way possible, this manga explores these themes from all sorts of character perspectives with much consideration and life musing. I was completely absorbed in the story while reading.
Art: 9/10
The art of this manga is unique in its minimalism and character designs – both of which compliment the story content. Some of the most impactful moments of the manga were highlighted by panel placement and art techniques/choices.
Characters: 10/10
Every character in this manga feels honestly human. I appreciated the exploration of not only Takeru and Takuya's individual perspectives, but also the perspectives of certain other characters that were affected by those two main characters and their life crossroads. Takeru's reactions to the events of the manga are very believable, I found, even in the moments when he only observes those around him. All the characters are very relatable and definitely pull at your heartstrings.
Enjoyment: 10/10
I loved this manga. It is the kind of story you read more with your heart than with your mind. It certainly made me think about the bittersweet strangeness of how life plays out, and how us humans deal with it in time. This manga seems to reflect the sincerity of life and human relationships so perfectly.
Overall: 10/10
I really have no bad criticism for 'Inai Boku wa Hotarumachi ni Iru'. It is a gently unfolding manga that captivated me from start to finish, and I would recommend it to almost anyone. If you happened to enjoy the manga 'Orange' or the anime film 'Kimi no Na wa' this manga has a similar story basis - just to throw that out there. I hope this review convinces others to give this manga a try, because it is, in my opinion, a hidden gem that more people should be aware of.
