Here is a manga that deserves to be far more well-known that it currently is.

Initially, the description of this manga turned me off from reading it - I generally don't like stories that revolve around the female MC being "rescued" or dependent on the male MC....I prefer female characters that are strong, independent, and not afraid to kick some ass or call others out on their BS when needed. Despite that, I found myself really loving this story. It's hard to pinpoint exactly why - but, the story is very well-written, with excellent artwork and solid characters to back it up.

The story is both touching and poignant, with a good balance of both sad and happy elements, but not in an overly dramatic "emotional roller coaster" manner. It definitely pulls at your heartstrings and creates a connection between the reader and the characters. The pacing of the story and the speed at which the romance between the characters develop were (in my opinion) very well-timed. Additionally, the way in which the relationship between the two MCs changed over time felt very natural to me. The overall length of the manga felt appropriate, and the ending was satisfying. It was not an "open" ending - there was definitely closure on all of the major plot points (either implicitly or explicitly), but the mangaka did not beat the story into the ground trying to tie off every little loose end.

I liked the characters a lot, and felt that they were developed without relying on cliches. Tetsu was definitely my favorite. I don't come across well-rounded male characters like him very often. He is a high school guy with a nurturing personality who is passionate about soccer, but also likes cleaning and cooking. He can have a strong, resolved personality at times, but is also fearful of things like ghosts. Despite all of this, he is not portrayed as effeminate or weak , nor maligned by his classmates or used as a source of comedic relief (all or which are how such characters seem to be portrayed in the other manga that I have read). I did like the female MC, Shizu, as well, even though she is different than what I normally look for in a female charater. Even though she does end up relying on Tetsu quite a bit, she is not a completely passive character, and clearly has a mind of her own - she has just become accustomed to suppressing it due to previous traumas. Watching her leave her shell and become comfortable in her own skin was an enjoyable metamorphosis.

There were a lot of aspects about the artwork in this manga that I really appreciated as well. Excellent background detail. In romance-oriented manga, facial expressions are one of the main criteria that I judge the artwork on, and Ohayo, Ibarahime definitely excels in that category. The facial expressions are well-detailed and moving, clearly able to convey what the characters are thinking and feeling without having to rely on assistance from the text or sfx. I was also impressed by the way that the mangaka was able to make it so clear to the reader which spirit was possessing Shizu based on her facial expressions and appearance.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this manga to a wide variety of readers. Despite being a shoujo romance based on school-aged characters, I think that it would appeal to many older readers as well (like myself), and many male readers might find the supernatural elements of the story (as well as a very well-developed male MC) interesting.