Ao Haru Ride Volume 1, by Io Sakisaka

With the exception of Kou Tanaka, Futaba Yoshioka has disliked boys since middle school because she thinks they're too harsh and violent. Futaba had no problems with them getting friends and even had a crush on Kou because of how little and delicate he was. Kou then implies that she is going to ask Futaba out by inviting her to a festival in the summer. However, shortly after, Kou overhears Futaba yelling about how she despises all boys while she is being harassed by a few boys. Kou abruptly departs after failing to show up for their scheduled rendezvous at the festival. In her senior year of high school, Futaba is consumed by thoughts of her first love and longs to reconnect with him.

I liked this volume overall. Besides the true feeling and circumstances our protagonists encountered, I appreciated how relatable the characters were. When Kou's backstory is exposed, I'm hoping he feels a little bit more distinctive because a story this simple will rely significantly on its protagonists to keep readers interested. I'm enjoying this series so far and am eagerly awaiting volume two, although it seems like it may quickly go any way.

Ao Haru Ride Volume 1, by Io Sakisaka, had me flipping the pages even though I had reservations about certain things I had read. This novel has a certain appeal, which I believe is a result of the way the personalities are written. 

Reviewed by Natali <3, Grade 11

Glendale Central Library