Koibito Play

"...well then" Same words I had when I started, same words I muttered when I finished. STORY: 7/10 This story was definitely on the darker side of things-- not in the grotesque, creepy or gut wrenching kind of way though. It's more of a makes you think, second guess yourself and check your emotions at the door kind of story. Despite not having a traditional A to B plot or anything, something made me want to keep reading til the end. Something with the way that the atmosphere that was set made it really compelling to see this manga til the end. I... still don't know what itwas. ART: 6/10 I haven't read many old mangas (Koibito was published well over a decade ago) but I'm guessing the art was pretty standard and or average for it's time. Characters while simple in terms of designs, (females not attractive/appealing, males bland and typical) something about them felt rather human and realistic. Backgrounds were pretty much nonexistent and forgettable as panels are kept short and simple; but again everything just clicked naturally-- Overall, I had no major problems with it and it didn't provide any distractions as I progressed through the manga. CHARACTERS: 7/10 The characters were "okay"-- for lack of a better word; but make no mistake it was definitely the manga's strong point. Each individual character had their own backstory that contributed to the overall atmosphere. They had their own problems that were humanly relatable. The emotions they carried were strong enough to leave an impact on the story. The growth that they showed, the main leads specifically were respectable and something I could imagine out here in the real world. ENJOYMENT/OVERALL: 7/10 Again, I was a bit surprised that I kept reading til the end. After reading the first few pages, I was feeling a bit hesitant. Eventually I found myself reading a few more chapters and I still felt that everything was so-so. It wasn't until I got to the last chapter or so, read the ending, that I realized what a pleasant story it actually was. Personally, (read: I'm a happy go-lucky guy that loves his fairy tale endings) I would have preferred an alternate ending but I will say this much though, the mangaka kept it very realistic from beginning to end so it was enjoyable for what it presented itself as.