Nanairo Sekai

I think the best thing about Yumeka Sumomo's one-shots is their simplicity, in the sense that they depict every-day life events, but with lots of style. I would say her work in general could be defined as "suggestive". This manga is no exception. Except for the last story, which is much heavier... the one-shots included in this volume are charming love stories. Except for the second story, which is shounen-ai, the rest have been labeled as shoujo. It is true that some of the characters are highschool teenagers... but neither the plots, nor the art, are the typical shoujo. Her plots and her characters are veryrealistic, we can generally relate to them. There is no melodrama, no teary girl, no seductive or rebellious prince. The characters are neither pop stars, nor idols, nor sport aces, nor wealthy heirs. They are just like the boy or the girl sitting next to you in class. But they are not boring. They are interesting characters. There is a very mature feel to all four stories, probably because the art is very mature: realistic, simple and clean. But also because, as simple as the stories may be, Yumeka Sumomo drives us into the mind of her characters. Her stories are introspective. Definitely worth reading.