Synopsis
Is it ever too late to make up for a lie? Or can the opportunity be swept away, like white clouds across a blue summer sky?
It's been seven years since Hozumi left the island town he grew up on, leaving behind not only the seaside, but also Mishima—his close friend and first love from high school. The two haven't spoken since Hozumi turned Mishima down when he rejected him and lied about his own feelings, so when Hozumi returns for his high school reunion, he wants nothing more than to make amends with Mishima—a task easier said than done. In their years apart, Mishima has distanced himself from not only Hozumi, but everyone in the entire town, choosing to live alone in the lighthouse his grandfather used to tend to. Will Hozumi finally be able to break down Mishima's walls, clear the air between them, and finally confess his true feelings, or are the two fated to be separated from one another?
(Source: Kodansha USA)
I really, really wanted to love this. In fact, upon oggling over the gorgeous cover, then being immediately impressed with the real art and character designs on the first chapter, everything was great until . . . it was not. Bokura wo Hedateru Ao to Shiro went downhill from there. Now, this manga isn't bad. But is it also isn't necessarily worth the read. First off, the pacing is pretty awful. The first chapter sets the scene wonderfully but by the second and third chapters, things are whirling around at a choppy, headache-like speed. Things either move way too fast or way too slow, with barelyof a balance in-between.
This, in turn, also affected the overall plot. It became way too rushed, and the climax, well, wasn't really a climax. And although I know most yaois are pretty melodramatic (and that people don't really pay attention to this aspect when reading), but Bokura wo Hedateru Ao to Shiro's overly unsatisfactory and disappointing climax was almost impossible to ignore.
Lastly, the characters are pretty wishy-washy. They change their minds too often, and their personalities are inconsistent as a light switch. This hindered the romance- you stop caring in the end because the characters, who are supposed to be the heart of this manga, are not worth caring for anymore. Again, they're not extremely bad characters or anything, but judging from the first chapter compared to the last, it was just a huge letdown.
All in all, it felt like a very sloppy and lazy story after the first chapter. But hey, it's an incredibly short manga and the art is quite good, so read this of your own demise. 5.5/10
