- Mangaka : Eku Takeshima
- Publisher : Kodansha Comic
- Genre : Romance, Shoujo Ai
- Published : October 2020 - Ongoing
Adorable and Energetic first-year high school student Himari falls in love with her senpai Yori after witnessing her band perform on the first day of school. On the same day, Himari gets to meet Yori at one of the shoe lockers and, without thinking, confess her love to Yori. Surprisingly, Yori felt the same way, but both girls have a different kind of love. Himari begins to question what she thinks what the definition of love is.
Contains Spoilers
Discussion Time
Ah, High school; a place and time where students can enjoy the peak of their youth. Meet Himari, the cutest and bubbly girl in this series, who probably is the most OWO character we have ever met of all manga and doesn’t think before speaking her mind out so quickly. The story focuses on the romance between Himari and Yori in a wholesome yuri fashion. Not only that, these two main characters are trying to discover what love is. The characters are lovable and unique. There wasn’t much irritating drama which is a good selling point as the author focuses on the central theme of the story. The character development and the romantic build-up between characters are relatable. The artwork can make us feel fuzzy and warm from the inside, and they are gorgeous in their way.
1. The Story
This isn’t the kind of Yuri we are usually read. We are talking about realistic Yuri romance and the high school experience. The story and scenes can be related to reality: discussing romance with best friends or friends, going out for a date or shopping during the weekend with someone you love and care about, staying back and spending time at school for a conversation during rainy days.
The feelings Himari and Yori hold for each other felt genuine, and they remind us of our first romantic experience in life. Love, at first sight, is not something we should mess with because they are real, but everyone has their own opinion, so don’t force it on them. Himari exuded an extrovert atmosphere and attracted to Yori-senpai’s singing ability. As for Yori, she is more a tomboy and cool on the surface, but she has a feminine side of her own on the inside. Did we mention that both characters are cat-lovers?
However, there is a slight drama element added between Himari and Yori. Himari is in love with Yori as a fan, while Yori is in love with Himari in a romantic way. That is the central element of the story, and that is where we readers are going to find out as we embark on their journey. Other than that, the characters are unique and lovable that complements each other’s role perfectly for the story and character development.
2. Art Style
Let’s start with the characters. This may not apply to everyone, but the moment you see the character designs, you can’t helped but feel the amount of hard work and iterations Eku Takeshima put into it. The hairstyle, eyebrows, eye color, hues, body proportions, and builds, height have to align with their personalities and their roles in the story. Even the subtle details Eku had placed on the school uniforms based on first to third years shows how much details Eku is willing to put into. It isn’t just the uniforms, their casual clothes, expressions, scenes, and panels for Himari, Yori and others are cinematic and jaw-dropping moments. Every single panel of art was done with care and professionally as you can see all the text effects, backgrounds, and beta.
3. Wholesome and Cuteness Overload
Yes, we did mention that this is probably the most OWO manga there is. Why? We mean… look at how Himari reacts when it comes to Yori?! Although she has a pet cat, she sometimes acts like a puppy, with dog ears and tail, whenever she is around Yori or talk about Yori with her best friend, Miki-chan. The relationship between Himari and Yori are sweet to a point where the author adds more sweetness to the story in every single chapter. Stop! Our heart can’t take the innocent, adorable, and true love from this!
Final Thoughts
Sasayaku You ni Kou wo Utau (Whisper Me a Love Song) doesn’t have an issue as the story, artwork and character development are top-tier due to the realism and details Eku Takeshima had worked on. The characters are filled with a cuteness atmosphere, the cinematic style panels and expressions they carried can melt our hearts and turn up the heartbeat rate. The background and environment pulled us into their world so easily. The relationship between Yori and Himari is more than memorable, even though there is a slight complication between them which is the central theme of the story, and you can’t help but cheer them on. If you want to read a relatable and realistic Yuri manga that is filled with adorable and fuzzy moments, give this manga a shot, you won’t regret it. If you have read this manga, leave a comment below which chapter or scene is your favorite.
Author: Nobodies17