Manga Review: Ao Haru Ride, Volume 8, by Io Sakisaka

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: December 2019

Volumes: 13.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 7. 9.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The popular shojo manga series that was adapted into the Blue Spring Ride anime!

Futaba Yoshioka thought all boys were loud and obnoxious until she met Kou Tanaka in junior high. But as soon as she realized she really liked him, he had already moved away because of family issues. Now, in high school, Kou has reappeared, but is he still the same boy she fell in love with?

Futaba Yoshioka has encountered her first love again in high school, but he seems different from the boy she once knew. Wanting closure, Futaba decides to confess to Kou to hear his response. Meanwhile, Toma has decided it’s time for him pursue Futaba.

Review:

Kou is in a bit of a spiral here, because he's forced to say something to Futaba, while still trying to help his old classmate, and getting pressure from Kominato because he's being an idiot about it all and ignoring his own feelings.

Meanwhile, Kikuchi is being his sweet self, and seeing an opportunity and going for it. He's so very honest and open about his feelings, and I really appreciate that. It's definitely a contrast to Kou, too, and something that Futaba hasn't had too much of.

The last bit of the book featured a one-shot, definitely an earlier work of Sakisaka's. It was cute, with a little less finesse than her stories have now, but cute nonetheless.

We're left on a bit of a cliffhanger in this volume, and I'm curious where it's going next. Whether Kou is going to fix things or make them worse from here.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!