Suou and Ryou have been friends since childhood. The hairstylist and writer have lived together for six years now and, though they definitely aren’t dating, their close relationship is hard to define. Will they ever move beyond the nebulous territory of “more than friends” or will they keep living in a stalemate forever?
By Shoko Hidaka
Series Anti-Romance
Volume 1 of 2
Release Date 20.10.2022
Genre Yaoi
Age Rating 15+
Publisher Seven Seas Entertainment
CW None
Rating ★★★★☆
My Review
I was so excited to start Anti-Romance by Shoko Hidaka! After finishing Blue Morning (which was absolutely amazing, everyone should read it), I was really curious to see how her other works would be. Judging by the cover, the characters looked a little like a modern-day Katsuragi and Kuze— haha!
The story follows Suou and Ryou, who have been friends since childhood and have been living together for the past six years. Their relationship is kind of an awkward "in-between" stage—definitely not strictly friends, but not quite lovers either. They both have unacknowledged feelings for each other, which they deny due to their insecurities. It’s the gray area that makes their dynamic so intriguing, and it’s one of the things I’m really enjoying.
What I love most about this manga is how it shows their interactions from when they were young, instead of just starting with the present day. It gives you such a deeper sense of their history together, and I appreciate that detail! Also, their daily life is shown, which I think adds a lot to the emotional depth of the story.
Shoko Hidaka’s art and style (and of course, the story by Takie) are just gorgeous as always! Her ability to convey emotions and longing without needing too many words is incredible. You can feel what the characters are going through, even in the quiet moments. It might have a bit of that angsty vibe, but that is exactly what I’m loving about it.
In the workplace, Ryou starts to spend more time with a coworker named Towada, a character where my opinion of changed after every appearance. Towada is acting (overly) friendly towards Ryou and this, of course, doesn’t sit well with Suou, and you can just feel the tense mood and interactions. Towada's character is an interesting one—he kind of acts as an "eye opener" for Suou, and I’m curious to see how his presence will affect their relationship.
Another thing I love is that we get to see both Suou and Ryou’s points of view, which adds so much to the story and their development.
And oh, this first volume ends on such a cliffhanger! I can’t wait to see where it goes next—definitely hooked!
