(Don't get me wrong, the eroticism is there. It's also not subtle or mild at all. It just only ever lasts a few pages per chapter, and feels more like it's there out of obligation.)
Story: given more weight than I'd normally expect for a short erotic comedy.
Art: Adorable
Characters: funny and endearing.
Enjoyment: delightful.
Closeted gay boy has a crisis over falling for his kind, considerate, fish-obsessed classmate (and awakening to some kinks). Incredibly, the romantic development is treated with a lot of care and honestly made my heart clench a few times. When they get together it gets a little corny, but...I mean, the manga never tries to take itself too seriously.
One of the things I find most refreshing about this manga is that the super-otaku special interest character isn't the butt of jokes. When the love interest (a marine life-obsessed student who loves to talk about fish) was introduced, I thought this manga would go like many others and focus on how annoying he was for being so fixated on his interest. Early on it shows the main character admiring him for his passion, but I still thought they'd throw some mockery his way.
Instead, the main character is overwhelmingly the source of the embarrassment-comedy, while the love interest keeps most of his dignity intact (albeit with some naivete). Especially later in the story, he's given time for self reflection and insight, allowing him to show a mature side. Of course his fish-nerdery and over zealous personality is played for laughs at times, but it's never outside the bounds of how any other character would be used in a comedy series like this. I feel like his character is treated with a fair amount of respect.
In conclusion, Ero Yume Aquarium kinda said nuerodivergent rights.
