Manga Review: Our Dreams at Dusk: Shimanami Tasogare, Volume 1, by Yuhki Kamatani

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Seven Seas

Release Date: May 2019

Volumes: 4.

Spoilers?: Yes.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A beautiful tale of coming-out and coming-of-age.

Not only is high schooler Tasuku Kaname the new kid in town, he is also terrified that he has been outed as gay. Just as he’s contemplating doing the unthinkable, Tasuku meets a mysterious woman who leads him to a group of people dealing with problems not so different from his own. In this realistic, heartfelt depiction of LGBT+ characters from different backgrounds finding their place in the world, a search for inner peace proves to be the most universal experience of all.

Review:

I am so glad that we're at the point where we can get diverse series like this now. It's taken such a long time, but now more publishers are picking up yaoi and yuri series, yes, but also series like this—where there's a mix of identities and sexual orientation. The story doesn't have to be about one gay couple. There can be coming of age stories that include this stuff, in manga as well.

Kaname is at a new school, and he's starting to learn things about himself, but he doesn't quite have friends or fit in yet, and he can't react organically to things. He discovers a house that anyone can go in and hang out, and there's an odd group of friends there, with a mix of identities. Kaname was considering suicide, and then discovers that maybe he's not all alone. He's still not sure how to identify, if he can let himself even think of himself as gay, when he discovers these people. One of which is mysterious and gives him no information or advice, and another who's a lesbian in a serious relationship. And there appears to be acceptance and other people with potentially similar stories.

There's clear to be more struggles in the future for him, but I think there'll be more accepting characters to meet.

The start of this volume very much felt like middle/high school in the early 00's. People spouting the word “gay” and “homo” insensitively, and it unknowingly causing a bad affect on others. Kaname starts off in a spiral, but I think this group of people are going to help him, and be there for him. He's also got an interesting imagination, and I'm confused but intrigued by how it's portrayed.

I'm just so happy series like this is being released now, and definitely want to support it. I want more stuff like this, more representation and diversity of characters and people. I'm excited for it.