The Flavor of Melon

Its rare that I ever rate a yaoi higher than a 7 on here, but this is one worthy exception. I randomly stumbled upon this manga at a bookstore and the art style caught my eye so I decided to pick it up, even though the synopsis gave me mixed feelings. I am so glad I did because boy does the synopsis undersell and misrepresent what this manga is actually about. It has nothing to do with their past relationships and all to do with their growth as individuals and together, and it was such a touching story I couldn't help but shed a tear. It's souncommon to have any type of mental health issues represented so accurately in manga and especially yaoi which is most times just smut with plot, but this is the opposite. I think anyone that has ever struggled with depression or anxiety will really see themselves in this and find it just as touching as I did. Don't pick this up if you want smut though. The fact that its a yaoi is really just an added bonus for anyone like me that finds more comfort in same gender romance than opposite gender. The relationship between the two leads is so unconventional and so beautiful I couldn't help but envy it. The art style is also just incredibly beautiful and the way its written is so direct and poignant, its like a gut punch everytime a character says something emotional and it usually takes you by complete surprise. It kind of reminded me of strangers by the shore in its overall atmosphere and dialogue, so if you liked that please check this out. You should also most certainly check this out if you know what struggling with your mental health feels like, as personally it brought me a lot of comfort. However there is one singular negative thing I have to say about this and its that there are a couple sort-of loose ends but they are really unnoticeable, to the point I'm not even sure if they are actually loose ends or if it was just a bit harder to understand their resolutions. It seems this manga uses some metaphors I couldn't quite fully grasp but after a reread or two they will reveal themselves, giving this manga points for the fact that you can discover more after reading a second time and recontextualising everything. Anyways, PLEASE read this masterpiece.