Story: 8/10 - very good
The story is one of the reasons I liked this manga so much. It was fast-paced but cute at the same time. The characters were developed and the plot didn't seem too rushed, even though it's a one-shot. The plot is pretty simple: the main character is a boy named Taiki Inomata, who plays volleyball and is really passionate about it. He practices every day in the gym, alone except for one other person - a member of the girls' basketball team, Chinatsu Kano. They each practice on their own, but they still have small moments together and they get to know each other and start to fall in love. Sounds cute and a little cheesy, right? It might be, but it was executed wonderfully. I didn't feel like there was anything being forced onto me, as the reader, and everything flowed well. There was none of the typical shoujo drama, which I much appreciated, too.
Art: 8/10 - very good
There wasn't anything too unique about the art, but I like how it looked like a mix of the typical shoujo and shounen styles. There was none of the over-the-top glittery bubbles and flowers accompanied by huge, glowing eyes and blushing spasms that shoujo romance manga tend to have too much of, and there wasn't that overabundance of action lines like some shounen manga. The characters were drawn beautifully, too, and I appreciate how Chinatsu actually looked serious, capable, and dedicated, instead of the stereotypical "moe" anime girl. Taiki looked pretty typical, but with just the right amount of cuteness to make him attractive to Chinatsu. The mangaka definitely did a good job of designing these characters and drawing the scenes of their story.
Character: 10/10 - outstanding
I rarely give something a 10/10 rating for anything, but I think Ao no Hako’s characters deserved it. The manga only has two main characters, Taiki and Chinatsu, but they’re amazing and it’s easy to get attached to them and want to see their relationship develop more. First I want to talk about Taiki, and then I’ll discuss Chinatsu (who, by the way, is one of my favorite female manga characters ever now!).
OK, so - Taiki. He’s full of passion and energy, he’s loud, dedicated to volleyball, gets distracted easily by Chinatsu, and jumps to conclusions pretty fast (and they’re not always right). He’s persistent and determined, too, and he never quits at anything, be it volleyball or love. I really liked that he admired Chinatsu not just because she was pretty and kind, but because she was dedicated to her sport and practiced the hardest out of all the girls on her team. This shows that he’s not as simple-minded as he first appears, since he’s able to appreciate her for who she is, and not just her looks. He’s a pretty sweet guy, too.
Now, Chinatsu, the girl who broke the mold of delicate, love-obsessed girls who shed all their independence once the guy they like even so much as looks at them. This girl is NOTHING like them, and I love that! She’s dealt with lots of losses in her basketball career, but even when she’s crying after losing an important tournament, she still puts in the necessary hard work to practice her shots and become better and stronger - a form of character development typically reserved for shounen protagonists. Even during the development of her romance with Taiki, she never loses the independent, strong, resilient, determined, competitive, and driven personality that defines her character. She’s skilled in basketball, too, which makes her a great match for Taiki, the boy who loves volleyball. Chinatsu is written to be more than just a love interest, although this IS a romance manga; she’s her own great character and I LOVE her!
Basically, Ao no Hako has unique characters that actually seem like real people and are relatable and believable. This is a very character-driven story, after all, so they have to be good!
Enjoyment: 8/10 - very good
Ao no Hako was fun, cute, fluffy, but emotional, and it wasn’t just that. It made me really want to root for Taiki and Chinatsu not just in their developing relationship, but also in their sports. I wanted Chinatsu to win a basketball tournament and see that her work and tears paid off. I wanted Taiki to become a starter on the volleyball team and be able to finally show off his skills. I wanted them to be able to give each other a big, teary hug after it’s all over and be able to say that they were finally satisfied. That never happened, of course, since this is just a one-shot, but if it ever did continue, I’d be excited to read more!
Overall: 8/10 - very good
The score probably isn’t higher simply because I’m not a big fan of romance manga, but don’t get me wrong - I really liked this one! Everything about it is very good, so I definitely recommend it to anybody looking for a short but emotionally packed manga about two student-athletes who grow their love for each other as they grow their skills in their sports.
