Aug 30 2009 01:28 PM Hello, it's August 2009 now, and I just read this incredible manga last week. I'm done with it, but not over the emotions of it. The ending really hit the spot. Being in my late 20's, the characters' experiences through their mid-schooling until their days of working as career people really reminded me of the great memories and even disappointments I had when I was young. The manga made me wish I was young again! More than anything, it emphasizes how precious time is and how you have to make a lot of memories with those close to your heart.
Although some of the people here have been bashing the manga's ending and the mangaka (A GIRL, A SHE, so don't even say it was some fanboy fantasy of schoolgirls swarming one guy), I thought all the girls were too good and lovable that alot of readers were rooting for different characters, yes they were that well conceptualized. It makes you feel as if you were put in the shoes of Manaka. All of these girls were wonderful and it's somehow true that when you're young, you think that if you choose someone as your girlfriend, it really does mean that you close yourself off to the other girls who could have been the other half of your heart. It was just so difficult for Manaka to choose one girl because it means the girls who he spent all the great times and memories with would have to move on with their lives. Manaka is indeed GREEDY hehehe, as Nishino also is. Maybe in Western society, things may have seemingly moved too slow, but first time relationships are always special and even overwhelming (all the more for Asians). Again we should give regard and make a delineation between LIKE and LOVE. You may occasionally get LIKE, but LOVE it's a rare moment that two people try to find, perhaps a convergence of timing, atmosphere, emotions, words, actions, whatever.
As for the best moments, I would say that it would be these:
1) When Manaka hugged a 'Satsuki in despair' during their 1st movie in the inn they stayed in. Although the scene's start was just a bit sleazy to invoke some romance, it eventually lead to me realizing how Satsuki tried hard to create a 'moment' between her and Manaka (throughout the manga). Sometimes, love can be found in a moment and the spark is hard to ignite, especially when you're in the "FRIEND ZONE". Satsuki wanted Manaka to see her as a woman he can love, not a girl buddy.
2) When Nishino and Manaka went to a park, where Nishino sat on a bench and Manaka was crouched in front of Nishino and they had their real first kiss and they had that incredible exchange of words about GREED and how the first kiss wasn't enough and Nishino wanted some more! GREED! hahahaha! Damn, I wish I had a romance like that with a Nishino Tsukasa-esque girl
3) The final scene, where an older Tsukasa Nishino arrived and remarked to an older Manaka how excellent it was that Manaka was early. And Manaka said if Nishino can become Manaka's girlfriend again (after that clean slate agreement they had) and Nishino replied, "Will you excite me again?" and that scene where the camera on the ground was shooting them together (with Manaka carrying Nishino in his arms)
4)... I want to add a nice memory of Manaka and Toujou Aya, but I'll have to re-read Ichigo again.
I would have to say though, that it was apparent during the early chapters that Toujou was losing out, because most of the memories of Manaka were with Nishino. All we got from Aya Toujou were tons of awkward moments with Manaka. Maybe the mangaka herself or someone she knew was like this when she was young, never assertive to tell a guy she likes him (perhaps a nuance in the Japanese girl psyche?) Well, you reap what you sow and hindsight is always 20-20
To be this old and feel these feelings, I think this would be therapeutic. Whenever I want to feel that feeling I guess I'll just look for these parts in the manga. hehehehe
Damn these really make my heart weaken, like the first time I really felt that feeling of falling in love. Yes, not LIKE, I'm referring to FALLING IN LOVE. I dunno if you can relate to that feeling, but it's an incredibly rare feeling, it's as if you don't care about the world and you only think about the person in front of you
