Ao no Flag

I have never before heard about this manga by anyone online or in real life and im so thankful that i did find it. By accident i came across a manga that fully embraces what "Slice of life" means by giving a story that fills us with all emotions we experience in our lives. I would recommend it for most people who like romance stories. I hope more people will find and read this great manga.

Story: 9/10
Although the story is by no means a brand new plot that has never been done before, its still great at what it does. It doesnt need or try to become something different, instead it focuses on being amazing at what it tries to do.

Art: 9/10
One of the great Things about manga is that it can show us the characters emotions in other ways than Words. I personally love the way the art style changes to fit the mood or emotions of the characters. It makes it possible to create funny and cute moments and turn it into a deeper and realistic style in a fitting way.

Character: 9/10
The reason the whole story works so well is only due to the characters and their great dynamics. The story manages to explain to us the complex nature of our characters with their romantic feelings and self doubts. We see our characters wanting to grow and find their ideal self through the other character which gives us a clear understanding of who they are. They are flawed and awkward, but still we find them great due to their inner self and strengths that we as the reader get to observe.

Enjoyment: 10/10
I found myself extremely invested in the story and characters. I am usually very Critical to rating Things, but i found myself loving for the manga before i knew it. The romantic feelings between the characters dont feel forced which gives a great vibe.

Overall i found myself enjoying this manga very much and im sure that most people who read it will enjoy it as well.

Dang that was beautiful. I never really cry while reading manga because I have a feeling I have become desensitized to many things but this made me cry so hard. If you are a fan of complicated romance this is the one for you. The art can go from really funny chibi sprites to extremely realistic and beautiful drawings that perfectly convey what the character is feeling in that scene. The issues this covers are so real for so many people and every volume made my stomach turn with how realistic it was becoming. You feel horrible for the characters when something happens to them. The ending was so amazing and the last panel is one to make you remember forever. These characters will live in my heart forever. I urge you to read this manga if you get the chance.

This manga was the best thing I had ever read, right up until it was not. Incredible story, but the last chapter felt like the worst kind of betrayal--a knife to the chest of every queer reader who really empathized with the narrative.

I highly suggest reading it, but never touching the ending; if done this way, you'll be left with an incredible experience.

(Spoilers)
It starts out looking like a typical love triangle, and reads that way for a while. And it's a cute love triangle, a very enjoyable shoujo-esque romance. But then it slowly starts getting more complicated, and as characters develop it feels like the cast cumulatively goes through every letter of the LGBT acronym (some characters seem to hit every letter on their own). All of this is paired incredibly insightful, mature, and thoughtful explorations of gender, attraction, and the dynamics between those things, along with lots of great queer solidarity.

And then the ending goes "PSYCHE, screw you actually, we're subverting everything we built up to make it a bunch of straight couples + one BL, hahaha isn't that the only queerness people like?" It felt like maybe the publishers put a gun to the mangaka's head and demanded everything be reigned in. It left me feeling hollow and empty after an all-day high where I couldn't stop reading (I literally finished all 54 chapters in 1 day because I couldn't put it down).

Ao no Flag delivered on every front from dialogue, to characters, to story... for about 40 chapters. The last quarter of the series truly feels like it was written by a completely different person. Characters get a lot more preachy and while characters would usually have something interesting to say, suddenly every sentence out of every characters’ mouth was rambling nonsense that regularly teetered on homophobia. Ao no Flag attempted to tell the story of 2 gay teenagers dealing with their objects of affection starting to date, and for a long time it succeeded. It was a clearly straight author writing not from their experiences, but it meant well and never was anything harmful. Then, about 40 chapters in, something happens and suddenly every chapter became a painful exercise in misery wondering how much worse it could get. This persisted up until the final chapter, which had some bad parts but would ultimately have been a satisfying ending if it weren’t for the fact that nothing in the ending was built up to. If the series had focused on the main characters instead of trying to get the audience to sympathize with the homophobic ramblings of random teenage boys, then maybe any of the ending could have been earned. As is though, Ao no Flag goes from cogent LGBT drama to an exercise in misery that takes focus away from the feelings of anyone in the main cast, leaving a conclusion that doesn’t feel earned and at parts feels incredibly tone deaf. I can’t in good conscience recommend anyone read Ao no Flag, especially any LGBT person looking for a story that will represent them well.

At first glance this seems like your typical shojo manga, though on the more well drawn side of shojo, the lame dude gets close to a girl to help her with a guy and they end up falling for each other, love triangles etc. However, as the story progresses I was really pleasantly surprised by the depth of these characters and their interactions, ESPECIALLY in the more recent chapters! (say 30 onward). It touches on some difficult topics and the mangaka was able to really accurately depict a number of opposing biases, in a way that makes you question your own standing in the conflicts as well. I think when the characters argue with each other, we get the most interesting bits, where there are complex and sometimes contradictory high school students that are figuring themselves out.

Good LGBT+ representation! Done tastefully
I'm really looking forward as to how things will go on from here. If you are considering reading or continuing to read, I recommend you to power through the initial clump of chapters because its worth it.
p.s: My favorite character is Mami, as I felt I could relate to her the best.

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

The story is fantastic. The love triangle (or square?) is incredible, and the way it gets you involved is breathtaking. The characters are almost all very interesting, and from chapter 1 to 52 you basically keep yearning for more. I read the whole thing in a day, over the course of 7 or so hours, and I wasn't bored not even one second.

That being said...

What the FUCK was this ending? I seriously can't stress a worse ending for a manga. All the building up of their relationship as well as the friendship between Taichi and Tuoma just to trash it in four fucking sentences? And the university plot was basically just flavor since it didn't mean shit in the end?
I can't even put into words the disgust I felt seeing Futaba with her new husband. I felt like I was being stabbed in the heart. Of course, while you're reading the previous chapters you have an idea that this might happen, but it made no fucking sense. The story is SPECIFIC on how they are BEST FRIENDS FOREVER. And how Taichi really loves Futaba. Who would consider an ending like this for the manga? Who in their sane mind would do this? Why? This is the equivalent of emotional terrorism. And I swear I am not even exaggerating.

I love the Touma character. If this were an alternative ending, I would think it is fine. BUT IT IS NOT. This is the real deal. This is the official ending.

I don't know how there aren't more people angry over this.

So. I NEVER write reviews, but this time I felt like i had to. I randomly saw this manga in my recommended list and decided to give it a chance. I read it in a day and instantly fell in love with it. The characters were all written really well and the story was interesting. When I was a bit over halfway through, I thought to myself: "This is my favorite manga. 10/10." That was my feeling up until the last chapter. The last chapter ruined everything.

*SPOILER*
I've always loved healthy friendships between two guys in media because it's really rare. I honestly cried in the second to last chapter when Taichi told Touma he still thinks of him as his best friend, and it's not going to change. Seeing Taichi say he wants BOTH his best friend and his girlfriend in his life was beautiful. And then comes the last chapter and BAM. Taichi and Touma get together? The mangaka straight up changed characters' sexualities? Taichi is suddenly into dudes and Masumi, who I though was clearly a lesbian is now married to a dude?
The only reason I didn't rate this manga lower than I did is because Mami's arc was was amazing. I had never related so much to a character. The whole "why can't girls and boys just be friends?" is something I've wondered and struggled with many times. She saved this manga.

When I saw the cover, I thought it was just another typical pure romance manga that I could get over with quickly.

Boy, was I wrong.

The story is well-written with great character development. No one in this manga was written with one-dimensional personalities. In the beginning, my first impression of Touma was a cool jock archetype who was strong-headed and bright, but then it is revealed that he's much more complex and mature than he seems. Every character has their own flaws but they thoroughly develop over time and learn to come to terms with being honest to their true self.

The beautiful art and the humor enhances their journey even more. Even if their designs aren't over the top, it's enough to show their individuality and represents their character really well. The way their expressions are skillfully drawn helps you really feel their emotions through the panel and the way they morph into their cute chibi style adds the right amount of humor that makes you crash back to reality. These two are important components that make this story so real and prompt you to laugh rather than dwell on how serious the events are.

Blue Flag really portrays how high schoolers are like. In this day and age (note I'm 15) we contemplate our sexuality, try to figure out who we are and what we want to do in the future. The main characters go through things like self-acceptance, dealing with one-sided love, comparing themselves to others, expectations from parents, and many more that I have come to relate to- even with the conflicts between the secondary characters.

vvv >>>> SPOILERS TO ENDING <<<< vvv

The ending wasn't what I was expecting. I think most of us would have wanted to see more about how their relationship progressed and what went through during college, and how Taichi discovered how he felt for Touma. A look at how they became a couple would've made the ending even wayyyy better, but looking at it from a different point of view had removed the sour taste I felt.

The ending of Blue Flag was a realistic approach to how high school relationships don't last sometimes but friendships do. The sudden skip in time shows how his rejection was barely but a little part of their lives, and that they all moved on with their own.

Honestly, I thought it should have more buildup and I wished they didn't rush the relationship. Everyone found their happiness in their own way but I still felt like their development was thrown away. I don't blame the author though since Shounen usually censors these kinds of stories.

Even though the ending was rushed, I'd give it a solid 8. I still had a good experience that left me laughing, smiling, and crying, so I recommend it to anyone.

This is such a beautiful manga. Not just the art: the plot, the romance, drama, the characters and the joy and pain you feel with them while accompanying them through their last year of high school. It is not perfect (nothing is perfect), but everything fits really well together and while the story may not be the most unique, it is executed beautifully and in such a grounded and realistic way. It is painful to see the protagonists Touma, Taichi and Futaba (and Masumi) struggle and there is always this underlying feeling that the way things are now, at least one of them is going to end up unhappy. But you see them trying so hard and living so earnestly and you just want the best for them. The characters are so inspiring and touching in a way that they make you think about your own life and the decisions you made. This manga really is worth a try in my opinion, but it shouldn't be rushed (honestly it would be hard to rush because the art is so good (the author has a really nice style) and some of the chibi drawings are just too cute).

I came across this series randomly and thought it would be a good slice of life/romance to give my attention for a short while but it turned out to be much more. It is a relatively short read so it is worth taking a look at and reading through.
The story revolves around three third year high school students, Taichi Ichinose, Touma Mita and Futaba Kuze in a romance/ slice of life manga. Futaba Kuze approaches Taichi in an attempt to start dating Touma, Taichi's childhood friend and who is one of the most popular people in school.
I gave the story an overall of 9, it isn't perfect with small bumps along the way. The flow of the story pulls you in as you want to keep reading to find out what happens next and feels refreshing, new and mostly unique. I haven't read a story like this before with so much depth for each and every aspect of this manga.
Art, an 8 overall, it isn't the best art in the world but the beauty of it really shines through with the character's design which perfectly encapsulates each of their inner selves. To me art wouldn't be an important factor when deciding on what to read but despite that the cover art and character art for this manga drew me in.
To me the best part of this manga is the characters-thus my giving of a 10. The depth in which the mangaka goes in to for each character is astounding and helps us get a deep understanding of each individual character. Each character receives a great deal of development throughout the story as we learn about each of their inner thoughts and the relationships they end up building with the other characters in the story. I find the best part is how each and every character is their own person and to an extent realistic, each and every character, at least to me, is likable and even with their faults the author is able to show their importance in telling the story and makes us often sympathize with them. It is also great that many of the non-main characters aren't neglected and each have their own stories.
In all this is one of the most enjoyable series for me, thus also a 10. I find it to be one of the most engaging stories that I have read with some of the best written characters that I have come across. I read it over the course of two days and would end up thinking about it in-between reading sessions and thinking about possible situations.
To end it I would give it an overall of 10 also. I feel as though it is a great read for anyone even remotely in to slice of life or romance, and I know it wouldn't be for everyone but even so it is worth a shot for anyone.

THIS, is what Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru could have been.
THIS IS HOW YOU WRITE CHARACTERS, A LOVE TRIANGLE, A DRAMA, SOL.
I will savor the criticisms of Yahari for some other post, but to keep it short, it cuts out a lot of the nonsensical edginess with hard hitting drama, addressing common themes that occur in youth with a more "realist" outlook, and much better pacing.

I am a crazy action shonen fanatic, so I normally dislike the "slice of life" genre(unless its very comedic) because the characters and plot moves too slow. This series is the golden standard on how to do drama and SOL in a way that keeps the fire hot. Every panel, every chapter, every piece of dialog just flows like butter and contributes to actually developing the characters or moving the plot.

I just can't put it into words but the author captures very very subtle movements that convey large amounts of information without dialogue. I don't need to read internal monologuing to tell that a character is nervous or anxious, just tell me through how a character moves in action! (*cough* e.g series like Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy)
Examples of this are littered throughout the story, e.g: the small panels that show Futaba fluttering, and little pauses everywhere.

The authors ability to stitch together panels without tons of overbearing dialogue is something I will constantly praise throughout this review.

Characters & Story:
Being a character driven story, the characters are top notch. Honestly the story seems extremely surreal. The themes of drift between friends as they progress through school,
the restrictions of what society places for boys growing up into "men" (cut off creativity and imagination and get real),
the loss of childhood imagination because of the ridicule on creative works that aren't practical/pragmatic (in this case Tachi having fun making battle pencils),
the gossipy bullying girls experience (as a guy, holy shits),
the thorns and complications with romance, of misunderstandings and miscommunication,
and the struggle of self acceptance.

As they say, "you can only love someone else to the extent you love yourself" and it shows very hard in this manga.

THE MAIN CHARACTERS HATE THEMSELVES

and throughout the entire story, they slowly grow and learn how to express and accept themselves honestly.
Again, I can't commend the art and pacing enough on this... the facial expressions and panels of the characters initially appearing to open their mouths and wanting to say/do something, only to doubt it and look away conveys rich amounts of emotion and brings them to life.
In other SOL/Dramas, this isn't conveyed enough, main characters like Hachiman(in Yahari) does a mic-drop and utters a roast and the audience just blindly follows it without any thought to fact check it(also he gets a harem win from this). This brings me to another point:

The author actively argues with the main characters, and also our point of view(more on that later). The author actively tries to predict what you'll think and argue and writes in counter arguments to challenge more perspectives, which not only makes the story feel more personal and engaging, but makes growth seem earned.

SPOILERS ON CHARACTERS HERE:

Kuze Futaba is a ditzy clumsy whimsical anxious character, seen by society and her family as an airhead who isn't capable of much, condemned harshly when making mistakes, and if not only pretending to be clumsy because it's "cute". Seeing her being socially crippled by anxiety to growing out of her shell was remarkable. Jesus the small panels of her fluttering... you can see her try her hardest to be someone else, try to live up to everyone's impossible expectations, and it just hits hard.

Mita Touma, strong, athletic, socially afluent, the all around pretty perfect guy. It's funny how he doesn't want to be himself, but to be more like Tachi who's more crafty. We find out that he's gay, and that society gives him a lot of shit for just not picking a girl. Boys are grimly envious and jealous of him, telling him off that he could have any girl he wants and his brother wants him to be "normal"(don't worry, he's a good guy in the end), so it makes him feel alone with no one to confide with, an outcast who is contradicingly popular.

Ichinose Taichi is a creative crafty person who enjoys things like making his own toys when he was younger but threw it all away due to ridicule because it was "lame" and wasn't as cool as being good at sports, etc. He decides to play everything normal and not embrace his passions, a lost soul wishing to be more like his best friend Mita, athletic strong and liked by everyone. Unable to see his positives, he's always questioning "Why me?" Why does Touma still chose to hang out with me? Why doesn't Futaba just leave me? Wanting to be someone else is something the lot of us have been through and the way the author explores this psyche hits hard.

Yagihara Mami - She is bitchy, she is annoying, she keeps getting in our characters way, but she breaks the 4th wall and shouts at the audience as to why we hate her. We think she's a manipulative bitch who is only with our main characters because she has a crush on Touma, which is only part true. She reveals she's just a naturally playful and that this screwed her over because her girlfriends bullied her because they were being overly paranoid that she was trying to steal their boyfriends. She hammers down the point that once someone is in a romantic relationship, friendships break apart because if you're too playful, you're going to get accused of trying to steal. The author knew exactly what we thought about her. Why is she suddenly trying to get close and playful with Tachi when he's going out with Futaba? Oh my god, is she trying to steal him? This bitch...BEGONE! DON'T RUIN THEIR RELATIONSHIP! This is what I thought, but the godly author has her bite the readers. Why can't she be playful? Why does everyone immediately jump painting her as a bitch? Is it because she's seen as preitter than most girls? What if she was ugly?

Itachi Masumi - haven't seen her backstory yet, but in the progress.

The bald guy - He's in love with Mami because of her hot looks. Everyone thinks he's a thirsty shallow horndog but yet again, the author makes us question just what's wrong with liking pretty people? Some people put a lot of effort in it so they wouldn't want to go unnoticed.

The flustering, the drama of miscommunication, misunderstanding, it all intermingles so well with the characters as they can't accept and embrace themselves for who they are, and live honestly. The author touches upon so many issues without making it too one sided. No full on SJW, no full on ANTI-SJW, just well balanced engaging exposition on varying perspectives.

The character development, the slick progressive flow of the story, the growth of our characters, fricken RIGHT IN THE KOKORO HERE LADS. Puts the "D" in good drama.

Caught up with all 30ish chapters that were out in one night. Curse that it kept me up making me lose sleep but this is how I tell a manga is good. When you can't stop turning the pages, you know!

!!WARNING, SPOILERS ON THE ENDING!!
So the ending just hit, and I need to re-read this series to update this review since its been a while, and reading it monthly is fragmenting. Anywhoo, my thoughts on the ending:

The ending has left many people dissatisfied, including me. Speculations are that the series got axed and had to rush itself but I am doubtful(unless someone gives me solid proof). As stated in the review, the author is very aware of our reactions, and actively challenges our viewpoints. Tachi noted in his breakup with Futaba:

"there wasn't an interesting story behind it, people might have said what they would've done in our place not understanding the little decisions we made".

As like you, I WANT TO KNOW TOO, but what good does it do me if it just wasn't an interesting story? So I can roll my eyes, judge em and say they could have forced it to work out? It doesn't change the fact that I'm still salty about it... but the author put that line there to address the backlash of the sudden break up. Of course I don't mind people really wanting to know the gradual process of how their relationship decayed, but I think to say this is absolutely bad writing is going overboard.

People want more development on Tachi and Touma coming together romantically at the end, and I'm in the minority that doesn't. Imagine how you would personally write Tachi becoming romantically involved with Touma. Considering Tachis history,
>he never was against gay relationships, just confused because he never thought about it.
>he never was bullied for being gay/bi
>he never was always gay and had to hide it while growing up so he's "not coming out of the closet"

What is there to develop and overcome if he's open to it and he just wanted to try it out? This entire series is premised around overcoming problems, and the author just didn't find Tachi eventually dating Touma an interesting struggle, neither with Masumi dating a guy. Granted for us, it'd be great if we could get some small fan service panels of it in action, maybe of Touma fluttering and doing couple things.

I complete agree that the author should have at least drawn Touma at the end though. I mean... maybe the author thought it wasn't interesting, maybe he looks the complete same, but it still would have been a nice final touch.

In conclusion, I still think this is the best SOL, school life romance series I've ever read. The ending may get a lot of salt but I'm willing to bet if it ended with Futaba and Tachi never breaking up, Touma finding someone else, and etc, it'd get a lot less flack...

Propaganda. Its a very interesting thing, subversive and yet targeted and overt at the same thing. Propaganda doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing, we can have positive propaganda. But, at the end of the day, once the consumer of the propaganda realizes what they've been fed, it can leave a very bad taste in their mouths.

Ao no Flag was one of the most immersive and ground breaking manga I've ever read, with amazing art and deep characters, and extremely deep relationships. It was well on its way to a 9 or 10 rating (rare for me) until literally the final 2 chapters. I'm not going to spoil here, but essentially the whole story and pace of the narrative is flipped on its head for some kind of political statement. Again, I agree with messaging being pushed, but to really lead reader on for years, and then to shove this horseshit in our faces at the last minute, is just inexcusable.

If you are going to read this, and don't want to feel a severe sense of disappointment, confusion, and then anger, do yourself a favour and stop at chapter 52 and leave the rest to your imagination.

I saw this manga on tiktok (the part when taichi saved the cat) and thought this is some sort of tragedy manga. But when i read it, i was amazed. We all thought this was a normal love romance kind of manga, but boy it was a rollercoaster. I love every character, my favorite is still Mami. She gave me all the emotions and that is what good character development. We get to see stuff from everyone POV, the reason of their actions. The ending was kinda suprise to me but i still loved it. I must say this is some good quality i have ever read.

The first 53 chapters of this well crafter story get at least a 9/10. With that said, the final chapter of this absolutely powerful and beautiful story is enough to make me regret ever starting it. This terrible excuse for an ending came out of absolutely nowhere and leaves an absolutely horrid taste in your mouth. I almost got cancer of the eyes reading through it.

All in all, if you are looking for a wonderful in SOL/Drama/Romance category, the first 53 chapters of Ao no Flag are definitely for you. It wouldn't be a stretch to say they are among to best of their particular genre, but if you can't stand shitty endings that make less sense than a Joe Biden speech-to-text translation, I would highly advise you save yourself the trouble and put this whole thing on your do not read list, as chapter 54 truly degrades and utterly decimates everything the rest of this story works so hard to build.

Ao no Flag is one of the rare series that draws me in so much with the characters and relationships that it makes me feel somehow empty every time I finish it. At its core it is an emotional and realistic coming of age story about understanding and accepting who we are and the decisions we make. While the ending is sudden and controversial, I personally enjoyed it and felt it was appropriate for the themes and goals of the series. Finally, I present some bullet point that would have convinced at least me to pick up this series (mild spoilers):

* Every single chapter has some significant character or relationship development/advancement
* Two of the main cast begin dating half way through the series and spend the rest tackling issues as a couple
* Platonic relationships are as interesting and developed as the romantic ones
* Includes a Nichijou-esque sequence where characters start arguing but end up yelling compliments at each other
* Has really interesting exploration of LGBT characters and issues that also relate to the series' wider themes and ideas
* Contains some of the saddest smiles you've ever seen

Overall, 10/10 definitely recommend. Probably my favorite manga at the moment.

This manga tackles a lot of issues around homosexuality, relationships, and gender roles in society. There are a lot of complaints regarding the pacing but I personally felt that the sudden increase in pace added a sense of explosivity that seemed appropriate for the situation. Though, I do believe that the author could have done a slightly better job at easing people into it - maybe by letting the tension grow a bit more or giving more time to sit on certain topics rather than suddenly jumping from one topic to the next.

The art HUGELY helps in conveying the subtleties of the emotions of the characters, I feel that the story would be rather lacking without such nuances. Each character had their own unique charm and none of them felt like they were just there to be a plot device or just to add tension. Honestly, the art makes this story what it is, I don't know what it would be without it.

The main issue that really made this an 8/10 rather than a 9-10/10 for me, was the ending. It seemed like the author was aiming for a sense of realism by having it be that way but instead, it seemed to dismiss and belittle everything that happened earlier in the story. I would recommend not even reading the last chapter.

A good manga compared to the huge load of fantasy manga that keeps coming out... As other people have said, the path this manga is going towards is pretty predictable... But hey, who doesn't want to read something realistic for once?

The story itself is pretty good, very realistic. The development of the characters is decent too. All of the MCs seem to be in a situation where they are not fully sure of the decisions they will make in the future. They kind of help each other to know their true feelings towards each other. But many paths seem to be open in my opinion as to who ends up with who.

The art is pretty cute, though their heights are a bit changed throughout... Like from one scene they're really small then they look like they have normal heights... But anyway, the art was still good for me. Overall an 8.

But if you want something unique, this isn't what I'd recommend.

This is one of the best written (yet somehow criminally underrated) manga I have ever come across.

Taking a look at the premise, one would not exactly expect this story to go as deep into certain issues as much as it did. A simple "love triangle" is not merely enough to describe the intricate relationships between all of the characters. The writing flows with the characters, their words reflecting and foreshadowing things in the future that the reader can't help but to be curious about. The absolute realness of their words, of their actions, is beautifully portrayed by KAITO alongside of seemingly simplistic drawings that actually contain multitudes of emotion. Their style of drawing strips of motion, with one or more characters subtly changing features as the panels progress, is simultaneously intriguing and comedic.

KAITO deals with the struggles of growing up LGBTQ+ amazingly. If you happen to be LGBTQ+, you can pretty much resonate with every single character in Ao No Flag, no matter their declared sexuality. Every single character goes through development and hardships that pose different reactions depending on who the topic is dealing with. Masumi is one of my favorite characters simply because she represents the kids who feel as if they cannot come out, not because they feel they wouldn't be supported, but because they don't feel an obligation to. As someone who is still in the closet to most of their family and friends (and certainly doesn't pass as desired gender), there is a certain kind of ache when you constantly are misinterpreted by people around you but know that they can never know the real truth of your identity. It's like walking in a dream, constantly feeling hazy around the edges of your body and never quite...fitting in. Perhaps it's just my projection, but Masumi's interactions with others really proves to me that she feels like nobody will ever truly know her. I feel that is the way a lot of closeted LGBTQ+ kids feel as well.

KAITO raises questions for the reader that aren't always answered right away. They throw in words that are seemingly unimportant until you read one of the last chapters and you scramble to go back to where you saw those words spoken for the first time. The parallels between all of the characters is almost jarring; how beautifully they all reflect each others flaws and personalities is almost too real to be seen drawn on paper.

Reading the ending and how other people interpret the ending is the toughest part about enjoying this manga. As someone who is a fan of happy endings, I have no qualms about it, though I know many who aren't happy about it. I will say that these characters grow in more ways than one while they are in high school; they are not stagnant nor unwilling to change. They are all aware of their flaws and their way of interacting with others. If you like a story that helps you grow alongside of the characters as if they are reaching out and grabbing you by the heartstrings, I cannot recommend this manga more. It truly touched me in ways that no series has ever done before. KAITO truly deserves praise for writing such a masterpiece.

When I first picked up "Blue Flag" there was a lot that was making it difficult to get into the story but by the end of the first volume I would have to say I was at least mildly enjoying this stock shonen romance story. The narrative centers on a basic love triangle, or maybe it’s a love quadrangle, or perhaps even a love pentagon? While it is obvious the focus will be on a core of three high school students that need to sort out their feelings for each other, every side character that is brought into the early story seemingly adds yet another layer to the network of relationships in which everyone appears to be in love with the wrong person. I wouldn’t say the characters were boring, but the angst of the main character, the earnestness of the girl, and the bubbly optimism of the best friend felt a little too convenient. Now for some these things will be exactly what makes the reading juicy, but in general people should brace themselves for an extensive use of misunderstandings to drive the plot alongside fairly predictable character growth moments. And in short that summarizes my take on this story – it looks like it’s going to play it close to the pre-constructed script of a romance manga, albeit with a shonen flair, and so anyone that is looking for a fresh take is unlikely to find anything too original to keep them going. Nonetheless, those already converted and looking for more in their favored genre of high school shonen romance will undoubtedly find plenty that keeps them turning pages.

As for the art, I felt it was really lacking throughout the exposition chapters. The pacing between the opening panels felt really stilted with gaps often forming as it tries to leave a little too much implied rather than shown. Similarly, each panel is incredibly sparse with next to no background art to help one feel like the world is full, and character expressions are drawn in such a small manner that they are overwhelmed by their white backgrounds. Further on that, character designs struck me as a confusing mixture of different series all hobbled together rather than having its own unique look – the main character strongly reminded me of Deku from "My Hero Academia," his cadre of loser friends appeared to be borrowed from Inio Asano’s "Dead Dead Demon's Dededededestruction," the best friend looks like every hunky high school boy drawn in a manga ever, and the main girl looks to be so faintly and uncertainly drawn as to be an afterthought. Still, I could see how some will see this as helping to powerfully convey the personality types of each character, and even being a bit original in not having a singular “look.” For me it just made it hard to see how everyone fit together as part of the same story.

In summary, the art just barely keeps the story afloat, and the story barely recommends itself beyond tried and true tropes. Judging this series on its opening volume, it leaves little to recommend itself if you didn’t already find the cover art or the back page description enough to make you want to throw yourself full on into it. For those that did find that enough, I think they’ll find about what they were expecting.

Consider that I've only read 5 chapters please =)

Story about two guys and one girl, a very interesting love triangle. I don't like these complicated love triangles but in this manga it's actually looks very potential and likeable. MC is trying to help his classmate to confess to his friend but is slowly starting to like her too. Story just naturally progress and presents some original concepts.
Characters are very well done and feel very realistic. MC is kinda average type of character, very normal. His friend on the other hand is very popular within girls and boys. He has a lot of friends but MC doesn't. Main girl is very cute and shy, but it doesn't feel like her character is too over the top. Just from the start I was easily invested in them because they feel pretty normal, like people I've met at my school too. Interactions between characters are done very well.
Art is very good. Author know how to put panels together and tell a story throught it, nothing feels forced, everything is very clear. It shows emotions in very relatable way. It has also very nice and cute touch to it =)
If you like serious romance which is also cute I think you might like this one.
If it would progress like this and wouldn't end up as one of those boring and overcomplicated cliché things I might continue. So far it's very interesting!!