Nagahama to Be, or Not to Be

by Scarlet Beriko, Madlen Beret (Translator)

Nagahama ist eine malerische Kleinstadt am Wasser. Wellenrauschen und Sonnenschein bestimmen den Alltag, in dem die beiden Freunde Nagisa und Issa groß geworden sind. Kaum etwas kann die Idylle trüben! Doch eines Tages entdeckt Nagisa seinen Freund mit einer fremden Frau, die sich ungewöhnlich vertraut verhält. Hat Issa etwa heimlich eine Freundin gefunden? Und warum kann Nagisa an nichts anderes mehr denken?

Genres: Manga, Romance, LGBT, Yaoi, Boys Love, Queer, Comics

208 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2024

About the author

Name (in native language) : スカーレット・ベリ子

Birth date : March 21

Zodiac : Aries

Blood type : A

She also published 2 tutorials with photos teaching how to draw male bodies in manga.

Reviews

[rory (jess' version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

where is my childhood friend which i have a long running unsaid love going on between us and would invite me to eat salmon in the morning? 😔

[Katarzyna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art was beutiful but the story was pretty...boring? Like there was almost no story. The whole thing that was described in the summary got resolved like within 20 pages and it didnt even matter at all to the story appearantly LOL it gets 2.5 bc the art was pretty and the scenes were cute.

[Keiko, the manga enthusiast ♒︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's cutesy and all, and too healthy for myself. Not much conflict, not much angst at all—just lovely long-time friends who gradually become lovers. If you want a chill bl manga, this will definitely suffice.

I felt like I could finish it in half an hour (if my phone didn't keep on falling on my face because I'm fricken sleepy. Don't worry, the manga is not boring. I'm just tired and can't fight the drowsiness.) Overall, this is good! I'm craving for a sequel!

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute and fluffy 🐶🐟
Perfekter Read für zwischendurch 💖

[⭐Toonasa⭐ •Romance Book Lovers' Haven• · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a cute, fluffy, feel-good Highschool Boys Love manga! The art is sooo pretty too, our boys look handsome 😍. This was a quick read! This was my first manga by the author & I'll definitely read more.

The story is about 2 best friends: Nagisa who looks like a delinquent but is a normal teen who's great at soccer; & Itsuki "Issa" who's a oblivious, golden retriever type & loves fish!

Their love story grows so... sweetly. No angst, yes emotions, all talks (green flags 😍)! Ya like real besties 😍. If you're having a bad day, definitely read this! They're an ideal relationship fr.

Each chapter did have something new— jealousy, long distance, realising what they want after HS. & As it was only 5 chapters, I wasn't bored! Their kisses are cute, & we get some hot first times & position talks in the bonus! They didn't even go all the way but what they did is HOT 🔥.

Comic rating:

1) The Characters & cuteness: 5/5
2) Story: 😌🤭🤐😆😅🥰😂😄🥰😍
3) Art: 4.5/5 (not colored)
4) Sexy/Steamy scenes: Once (In bonus)

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[Maartje · Rating 4 out of 5]

❤️ Nagahama to be, or not to be - Scarlet Beriko ❤️

📖 school life
💕 friends to lovers
🐟 fish
🌈 bi-awakening
🌊 character journey

this is such an adorable manga 🥰 I haven't read many of them so far but Nagahama to be, or not to be motivates me to read more of them 🙌🏻 I love the fluff ☁️ in this story, the setting is so memancholic somehow 🤗 and the relationship development is the cutest!! 💞 the art is gorgeous as well 😍

[Joselyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una historia cortita y bonita ( mi primer manga y yo disque no iba a leer mangas jaja aunque esté es el primero que me atrapa porq si eh tratado de leer mangas)

[Kay Russ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a slice of life story where nothing much happens. It’s incredibly sweet, like it may even cause cavities. The art is beautiful and totally gives the feel of being in a beachside town. I wish the plot had a little bit more substance, but I don’t think that’s what this story was aiming for, and that’s okay.

[Gaia Rolando · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il racconto gira attorno a Nagisa e Issa, due amici d'infanzia apparentemente agli antipodi ma che in realtà trasmettono un'immagine comune di loro stessi inesatta, vengono infatti ritratti come due teppisti e poco di buono: Nagisa per via dell'abbigliamento, nasconde invece una personalità pacata e studiosa.
Issa descritto come un ribelle, è invece una persona gentile, dedita al lavoro e alla sua passione, la pesca.🎣

I due ragazzi si conoscono fin da piccoli, l'amicizia che li lega è costante e genuina fino a quando un evento non fa dubitare Nagisa dei suoi sentimenti.
Con lo scorrere delle pagine il loro rapporto prende più consapevolezza, diventando maturo e profondo.
La paura per il futuro e della lontananza prende il sopravvento ma, il sostegno reciproco aiuterà Nagisa ed Issa ad andare avanti e migliorarsi.

L'elemento che più mi ha conquistata sono senza dubbio i disegni della mangaka, dal tratto estremamente fine e delicato.
Viene prestata maggiore attenzione ed accuratezza verso l'illustrazione dei personaggi e delle loro espressioni, mantenendo così l'attenzione su di loro e il loro rapporto.✏️

L'ho trovata una storia classica ma, che nella sua semplicità e dolcezza mi ha conquistata.
Non ci sono infatti scene espl1cite o particolari colpi di scena, è un racconto lineare e fluido, secondo me è il manga perfetto per chi vuole approcciarsi al genere dei BL.✨

Bisogna tener conto che è un one-shot, quindi tutto avviene molto velocemente, ammetto che però mi avrebbe fatto piacere fossero stati approfonditi di più il rapporto tra i due protagonisti e le loro emozioni.
.
Vi consiglio questa lettura, soprattutto se state cercando qualcosa di leggero e dolcino da sfogliare✨

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ein Beriko-Manga, bei dem nicht mal Sex drin vorkommt? Wow, sign me up.
Dabei war die Story gar nichts so ausgerwöhnliches, aber es war irgendwie einfach nur mega süß, beide Chars waren irgendwie realistisch - die Idee mit einem, der die Schule schmeist, weil er Fischer werden will, ist irgendwie mega nice. Und die ganze Thematik über Zukunft und Arbeit war leicht aber toll gelöst~
Und die Zeichnungen sind einfach perfekt, sie sind so verdammt schön gezeichnet, ugh. Ich liebe Berikos Mangas einfach. ABer das hier war einfach ein richtig schöner feel-happy-Manga.

[任煦涵 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art is so beautiful

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scarlet has done it again 😍

[ContiClown · Rating 4 out of 5]

lo tengo que admitir, algunas veces las tramas de amigos de la infancia son tan buenas

[synzz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[Marijose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cutisimos

[Agnese Rosengren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uno tra i Boys Love più belli che abbia mai letto.
I disegni sono stupendi e la storia è molto dolce, tenera, anche commovente — la trama di per sé è molto semplice, ma il modo in cui è stata sviluppata mi è davvero piaciuto.
Lo consiglio a chi, magari, desidera leggere un BL soft che non contenga scene spicy.
Secondo me merita.

[khai · Rating 4 out of 5]

what the hell this was so freaking cute 😭

[Dora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected new favourite! And ugh, I wish it was longer!!

"I can still remember the first time we were in the same class. It was back in the fifth grade... I thought "Wow, that guy shines so bright - no wonder he is the center of attention" That was the first time I realised just how much one person could... glow. Your smile, your determined face when you played football, even when you were asleep you were still glowing. And I learned what love is that way, by watching you in all your different shades and lights. I love you. I really love you, Nagisa."

Okay but this entire story was so stinking cute like... I could not for the life of me stop giggling 🥰✨️They are both so silly and young and precious and so so funny! I laughed so hard at the whole "dropped my phone in the middle of the ocean oops and now an old sailor is sick pf my teen angst and is teaching me a boat indeed has wifi" and Nagisa's football juniors fan club... Oh, mustn't forget the fact that "let's eat salmon together" is the best vode for sex I have ever encountered lol

Speaking of sex, this story had the most realistic firat time depection yi have ever seen...? Like it's all so silly and yet horny and yet funny and ridiculous and no one knows what to do bht you know, horny and justyeah, it was wonderful.

[Veronica Villar · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 estrellas

Nagahama to be, or not to be se ha convertido en uno de mis mangas favoritos de Scarlet Beriko, tanto por la manera de ser de sus protagonistas como por lo dulce que es la historia.

Este tomo único esconde una historia bastante juvenil y muy soft que me ha dejado el corazón calentito en la que Nagisa e Issa, amigos desde niños, a raíz de un malentendido, descubren los sentimientos que tienen el uno por el otro. Todo bien hasta que la vida da un giro debido a una decisión que toma Issa.

Nagisa e Issa son de mis personajes favoritos de Beriko hasta el momento. Nagisa viste como un pandillero y un rebelde, pero en el fondo le encanta ir al instituto y es un buenazo. Issa parece todo un canalla, pero es como un perrito faldero alrededor de Nagisa, todo un cinnamon roll. Juntos son perfectos y me han dado muchos momentos tiernos y cómicos.

Como he dicho antes, la historia es super tierna, sin escenas de sexo (y sinceramente, no las he echado en falta), que he disfrutado mucho. Más que nada porque nos ha mostrado más la parte sentimental de los protagonistas, además de su relación, como ha evolucionado y como les ven los personajes secundarios.

Mi único pero, es que se me ha hecho muy corto T_T, se lee en un abrir y cerrar de ojos y deja con ganas de mucho más. Ojalá llegue el día en que Beriko nos sorprenda con la noticia de que Nagisa e Issa tendrán más que contar, porque ya os digo yo que esta pareja da para mucho más y con un toque más adulto.

Por mi parte os recomiendo este tomo único aunque nunca hayáis leído a Scarlet Beriko, por sus personajes, la historia y sobre todo el dibujo de la mangaka que es espectacular.

[Ester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha parecido un tomo único muy cuqui, muy slice of life que nos traslada a una ciudad costera y caemos de lleno en la rutina y en la vida diaria de dos jóvenes amigos de la infancia: Nagisa e Issa. Beriko es una mangaka que me gusta mucho, sobre todo cuando hace historias bonitas sin mucho drama (o cero como aquí) y que haya mucho amor bonito. Este tomo es todo azúcar, fluffy, adorable... Todo es muuuuu dulce. Si bien la historia es muy típica, una historia leída ya mil veces, la ambientación y los personajes la hace muy disfrutable y muy Beriko por cómo la sensei construye a sus protagonistas. Es de esos tomos de lectura de confort que me gusta releer de cuando en cuando. Muy recomendable.

Leer la reseña completa:
https://unabibliotecaentremundos.blog...

[Imanewreader ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was.. absolute perfection ?
best friends to lovers. the shift being so natural and beautiful. i am in love

[Claudia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I disegni della Beriko sono sempre 10/10 ma la storia era abbastanza banale e non mi ha detto nulla.

[Carl's · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5🌟 Mi lectura de san Valentín no podría haber sido más mona. Ligera, graciosa y un dibujazo de Scarlet Beriko always

[Lorena · Rating 5 out of 5]

nagisa mio figlio

[Silly Pick · Rating 2 out of 5]

The inconsistency of this volume drove me crazy.

[Neve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giorni di silenzio desolante nei post e poi ecco il secondo in due giorni, con i social ci so proprio fare benissimo 😂

Ma non potevo aspettare, questa piccola chicca regalata da @dazed_marci era lì, che mi chiamava e l'ho assecondata (farò finta di non vedere i volumi che aspettano da mesi e che mi stanno giudicando dalla libreria)

Nagisa e Issa sono amici d'infanzia. Il primo sembra un teppista con i suoi capelli tinti di rosa e la sigaretta tra la labbra, ma frequenta l'ultimo anno di liceo, è considerato un campione nel calcio ed è un sempai rispettato, è dolce il modo in cui, fin dall'inizio cerca Issa e il modo in cui si rapporta con lui. Il secondo sembra calmo e serafico, ma è disposto a tutto per seguire le proprie aspirazioni, i propri sogni e ciò che gli piace, per certi versi mi ha ricordato Ida di Vanishing My First Love (e con questo mi sono giocata @simo.komorebi) è un cucciolone che ama farsi coccolare da Nagisa e quest'ultimo ama la sua dolcezza nascosta.

La loro non è una semplice amicizia, c'è qualcosa di più profondo che li lega, e proprio poco prima di una decisione importante da parte di Issa diventerà reale. Non vi aspettare dichiarazioni e grandi terremoti, tutto si muove in modo naturale e senza traumi, in un mondo che sembra più ideale che reale ma a noi, che di drammi ne vediamo ogni giorno, credo vada bene così; almeno a me va benissimo 💕

Ho amato la storia, dolce e romantica, i baci rubati, le risate e gli abbracci, il tutto mostrato dai disegni dal tratto pulito che mi piacciono davvero un sacco.
Quindi se non l'avete ancora fatto e volete una lettura leggera e dolce per coccolarci un po', non posso far altro che consigliarvi questo volume unico.

[Luisartbook · Rating 4 out of 5]

AMO LA HISTORIA, AMO LA PAREJA, AMO EL DIBUJO. AMO TODOOO ❤️✨️


Aquí seguimos la historia de dos chicos que están a nada de terminar sus estudios, pero uno de ellos decide irse por otro camino y abandona la escuela, pero aun así, no deja de ser una historia hermosa, donde ambos, van cumpliendo sus sueños y amándose.


Definitivamente, como se narró el amor entre ellos, fue lo que más me gustó, verlo amarse e ir a su ritmo, de hablar de temas que muy poco las parejas hacen y no romantizar tanto su primera vez.


Mi único rollo es que fue muy corta 😭😭😭 yo quiero más de ellos, quiero saber si Itsuki logró acabar sus estudios o abrió una empresa de pescado, y si Nagisa llegó a ser profesor, me urge saber cómo fue su futuro y cómo enfrentaron los problemas de la vida.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely and soft friends-to-lovers story.

I don't really get the point of the title or the graffiti, since the Hamlet quote doesn't relate to anything in this story. And we kind of fast-forwarded through Issa's time on the deep sea fishing boat. (From the way it was framed, with no time jumps indicated, I thought he dropped his phone in the ocean at the beginning of his trip, not two weeks before he got back. Also: how do you charge a cellphone on a boat for six months? Are charging stations a feature boats have nowadays? I feel like as much of an old man as Issa sometimes.)

But Beriko does an absolutely fantastic job of infusing every page with such an incredibly tangible sense of longing. I don't know what it is - the hands, maybe, or all the close up panels of side profiles and throats and awe-filled, widened eyes. It's beautifully drawn, but it's also just framed really effectively. You don't realize other manga isn't accomplishing it as well until you run across one like this.

Most of Beriko's work is much too dark for me, so I appreciated this tender story about friendship and young love. I liked how effortlessly the hints of Nagisa's future career were woven in, and how cute his relationship with his underclassmen was. You wouldn't automatically think "teacher" from his dyed hair and cigarettes and school-skipping, but he has a really important quality, which is the ability to understand and support different people's journeys.

He loves Issa exactly as he is, without needing to change him - but he's still able to gently and firmly tell Issa that he needs better communication. It's Issa's dream to go on fishing boats, so that's fine. Taking that away from him would be asking him to change who he is as a person. But asking Issa to talk about it earlier and think and care about Nagisa's feelings is important, too.

That kind of insight and support will make Nagisa a really good teacher.

The loan sharks being after Issa's boss was pretty random, and I think just a nod to the kinds of stories Beriko prefers telling. I don't think those parts were necessary...or even made much sense...but all the emotions in this story were gorgeously portrayed. It has a very nostalgic feel, helped along by Nagisa dressing in 80s-style clothing, so it really feels like a beautiful snapshot in time. Young love, captured in a single, eloquent volume.

[Robiok · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scarlet Beriko è la mia dea.
Il disegno è PERFETTO e la dolcezza e serenità che questa storia trasuda è infinita.
L’apoteosi dell’high school romance, slice of life, la fine del liceo e la nostalgia per l’infanzia che finisce ma guardando ad un radioso futuro con la persona che ami e che ti renderà per sempre felice.
The ultimate fantasy, SONO SOTTO MILLE TRENI.
Insomma: da rileggere all’infinito!

[Felix The Pirate Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Niedliche Geschichte in einem interessanten Setting mit sympathischen Charakteren. Die zeichnerische Umsetzung ist wirklich gelungen. Wer erotischere BL-Lektüre sucht, ist bei dieser zuckersüßen Liebesgeschichte nicht an der richtigen Adresse.

Die Protagonisten sind zwar sympathisch, aber teilweise ganz schön verpeilt. *gg*