The level of warmth, depth and intimacy of romance is almost indescribable with this manga. While not the most original nor grand display of romance, what Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia does is take the execution and refines it to near perfection. Everything clicks from the character interactions, the chemistry, to the evolution of feelings. It feels organic and genuine, nothing is out of place, and it is understandable why the way they are and how their personalities blend so well with their interactions. What is intriguing about this series is that the couple never come to an exact realization that they are in love with each other, meaning they never had that explicit internal or external dialogue of "Oh, I like her/him." It's always shown through their actions, what they do and the way they do it for each other. It's heartwarmingly realistic and clenching to see two insomniacs grow closer together, how they need each other, and how they love each other. There is a sense that they are soulmates or kindred spirits, even from the very first chapter. They are comfortable around each other; they feel safe and aren't afraid to express those thoughts to each other. Nakami and Magari grow from finding a person to share their troubles with to friendship to romantic feelings, all flowing in a steady stream of development.
There are certain boxes that this couple checks off so when looking at this manga, expect:
1. A balanced and equal power dynamic between the leads: One does not hold power over the other in any way, they are partners who are equals.
2. Open and honest communication: Nakami and Magari will express their desires, their fears, and their feelings. They genuinely get to learn about one another.
3. Emotional support: The leads are each other's rocks, they will have each other's backs, defend each other, and encourage each other.
4. Physical intimacy: This is one of the strongest aspects of the manga. The couple are not afraid to get close, there's no tiptoeing around each other. They lean on each other a lot, hug, snuggle and more. Those actions feel natural and are not done too often that it gets stale, always at those strong emotional moments and sometimes the little ones.
5. High chemistry: Both leads can be quite stubborn and can bicker/argue at times, even get into fights, but never in a way that feels contrived. There are many fun and cute scenes of teasing, flirting, and banter that flow naturally. They bounce off each other well. There are also moments of awkwardness that's done in a way that isn't cringe but rather in a "damn, I felt that" in a sympathetic way, just flavors of Nakami and Magari experiencing teenage love with one another (an example would be the end of chapter 14). It just adds to the realism of their relationship.
6. Help one another grow and see new perspectives: As the story develops, secrets are revealed, and character feelings are grown and changed. Nakami is changed because of Magari and vice versa. They complement each other and are each other's other half, the connecting puzzle pieces.
7. Sappy moments: There are some scattered throughout the story but are balanced and grounded enough in the story that rather than providing eyerolling, they enhance the level of depth and love the characters have for each other. It's a certain level of romantic idealization that instills a sense of wonder in the readers.
8. Struggles and bumpy roads: There will be moments of struggles and setbacks they face but will never come from certain external factors. That means there are no love rivals, jealous moments, outside misunderstandings. Those struggles will come from them as characters, their perspectives, and their personalities. They will however not devolve into melodrama and will be tackled appropriately.
Those factors can give off the energy of them being a legitimate married couple, which is interesting considering they're still in high school. That's another thing about this manga, there are no usual bad tropes that are present. No contrived misunderstandings, no crazy wacky over the top humor that ruins the story tone, no cliché archetypes, and no stringing the readers along with zero development. The romance is paced fluidly, never rushed nor dragged out. It simmers with the characters and shows the readers why the characters are the way they are. There are no external contrivances that are made for Nakami and Magari to shallowly overcome together. They move the story forward on their own, the flow of the story is dependent on them, not the other way around. They are not products made to be swept along with random plotlines, they are fleshed out to guide the story themselves. Another strong aspect is that the leads are well-written enough to function on their own without romance. Both have their own fears, struggles, and personalities that are intriguing enough that even without romance, they are still great as characters. Both the fMC and mMC are not caricatures of tropes, they are fleshed out enough to pass as real people.
Switching to the other aspects of outside the main couple, let's first address the supporting cast. While they aren't as tightly written as the leads, that's not a problem in the writing, but rather the focus the author wants to take. The manga is written as about 70% couple and 30% side casts, when in terms of focus. That does not mean the side characters are ignored, rather they are not as prevalent. They won't steal the spotlight from the couple and act as strong support systems to provide wisdom, perspectives, and warm character interactions. They are distinguishable enough to have their own personalities while feeling realistic at the same time. They do their job while not being just empty husks. The author understands that the story is mainly between Magari and Nakami while not excluding others.
Going into the more technical aspects of the manga, Makoto Ojiro has complete control of the medium. The art has a kind of lazy elegance that feels so naturally blended into the story. Beautiful, detailed spreads are what she loves to utilize to bring the emotions of her characters across the story, emphasize certain moments in time, create breathtaking scenery, or all three. The slice of life presentation is portrayed so soothingly and smoothly. Panel and page compositions are easy to follow and flow so naturally. Full frame pages are placed perfectly at the right moments, to say that those certain moments are especially important. Even looking at the details on the characters' eyebrows, that's how dedicated and passionate the author is when drawing the manga. The author is also a master at the “show not tell” approach, there will be certain scenes of no dialogue that perfectly gets her message across and tell more than words ever could. It allows for the SFX, characters, scenery, or silence to speak for the story. The first half of chapter 35 fits that description perfectly. All these aspects blend to create an immersive atmosphere, as if one is in the manga experiencing the moments instead of watching it from an outside perspective.
Lastly, there is the story tone and themes to consider. Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia is a story of overcoming afflictions together, exploring personal trauma, cherishing the beautiful moments of youth and time, and creating new precious memories. Insomnia is a condition that is treated with respect in the story, it never goes away completely and the two can fall back into the cycle of getting no sleep. There is no cure, only working to lessen the effects. This is done through finding passions that help bring a mechanism to cope with their problems, and those passions also help alter the way they see things. The tone takes a very strong coming of age focus at times, as the characters slowly battle the challenges of life and grow up over time, to prepare for life beyond high school. The two insomniacs learn personal life lessons, work to combat their internal or external conflicts, and they do it together. There is life drama, the exploration of how their issues can affect each other and the future. The manga can be painfully relatable, melancholic and soul clenching despite the comfiness it provides. It’s an iyashikei that puts a warm blanket over the reader while whispering chillingly in their ears that winter is coming. It’s an emotional journey to remember.
To conclude:
Story: 10/10
Art: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
This manga is my personal favorite one and I truly believe it to be the best ongoing romance manga out there. Depending on how it ends, it could be the best romance SoL manga for me period (also I’m glad MAL finally decided to add the romance tag). I don’t think I’ve ever connected to a story as much as this one nor do I believe Makoto Ojiro can top this masterpiece, but I would like to see her try if she ever does make another manga.
