Sakura no Sono

This is a coming-of-age story revolved around an all-girl school known for their rows of cherry blossom trees that would immerse the whole scenery in shades of floral pink. Each chapter gives us insights into the inner and social life of each member belonging to the school's drama club, bound together by the growing pains of girlhood as the main theme, while the play "The Cherry Orchard" they participated in stays in the background. Life is full of complexities and so is the matter regarding teenage angst and sexuality. The story carries out such a difficult and heavy theme with grace and a down-to-earth approach withoutbeing melodramatic. Despite the girls' frustration for the injustice that the patriarchal society put them through, the ultimate closure for the girls all conveys a encouraging and positive outlook while sprinkling the mellow mist of nostalgia like cherry blossom petals throughout the story. Overall, the delivery is short and sweet, humorous and light-hearted at times, and most importantly, comprehensible where the message matters without compromising the poetic ambience that pretty much characterizes Japanese artistry as a whole. This is truly the definition of a hidden gem for those who share the aching heart of searching for it all along.