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春待つ僕ら [Haru Matsu Bokura] #1
Waiting for Spring, Vol. 1
A sweet romantic story of a soft-spoken high school freshman and her quest to make friends, Waiting for Spring will delight fans of earnest, fun, and dramatic shojo like Kimi ni Todoke and Say I Love You.
Mizuki is a shy girl who's about to enter high school, and vows to open herself up to new friendships. Of course, the four stars of the boys' basketball team weren't exactly the friends she had in mind! Yet, when they drop by the café where she works, the five quickly hit it off. Soon she's been accidentally thrust into the spotlight, targeted by jealous girls. And will she expand her mission to include... love?
Mizuki is a shy girl who's about to enter high school, and vows to open herself up to new friendships. Of course, the four stars of the boys' basketball team weren't exactly the friends she had in mind! Yet, when they drop by the café where she works, the five quickly hit it off. Soon she's been accidentally thrust into the spotlight, targeted by jealous girls. And will she expand her mission to include... love?
208 pages, Paperback
First published July 11, 2014
310 people are currently reading
3068 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 515 reviews
January 7, 2019
super cute!!! & it involves BASKETBALL
December 6, 2020
3.5 stars
Very cute! It made me laugh ☺️
Though for how popular this manga series is I was definitely expecting something more. It’s not really that different from other shoujo manga I used to read back in the day. Maybe it could work better in anime format for me.
So far I care for all the male characters, they’re super sweet, but the main character is kind of plain and I can’t see where the plot is going or if there’s even a plot apart from the blossoming relationship between Mitsuki and Asakura.
I didn’t really enjoy the creepy vibes from the school girls towards the four guys, including Reina’s yuri obsession with them...yuk.
Very cute! It made me laugh ☺️
Though for how popular this manga series is I was definitely expecting something more. It’s not really that different from other shoujo manga I used to read back in the day. Maybe it could work better in anime format for me.
So far I care for all the male characters, they’re super sweet, but the main character is kind of plain and I can’t see where the plot is going or if there’s even a plot apart from the blossoming relationship between Mitsuki and Asakura.
I didn’t really enjoy the creepy vibes from the school girls towards the four guys, including Reina’s yuri obsession with them...yuk.
July 23, 2018
re-reading 'cause why notttt
March 22, 2020
This was a pretty cute book with mostly likable characters. It probably deserves 4 stars, but I'm not that into shojo and although I liked this I didn't find myself really caring what happened. To me one of the hallmarks of strong shojo or slice-of-life stories in general is that I'm invested even though nothing significant is really going on -- like I was with the earlier installments of ホリミヤ 1.
March 11, 2025
This story is so freakin adorable, I’m obsessed already.
August 30, 2019
Thank you to Madison for getting me my first manga 💙
I read this during The Reading Rush and it was so cute and fun! It definitely took me a bit to get used to reading manga, since I've never read one before, but I picked up on it pretty quickly! I really felt for Mitsuki and how she felt like a bit of an outsider. It warmed my heart seeing how the boys took her in to their group and helped her open up.
This was honestly such a great manga to pick as a starter to the genre! I'm excited to continue on with the series!
I read this during The Reading Rush and it was so cute and fun! It definitely took me a bit to get used to reading manga, since I've never read one before, but I picked up on it pretty quickly! I really felt for Mitsuki and how she felt like a bit of an outsider. It warmed my heart seeing how the boys took her in to their group and helped her open up.
This was honestly such a great manga to pick as a starter to the genre! I'm excited to continue on with the series!
February 12, 2019
Really enjoyed this opening volume of Waiting for Spring - great artwork, lovable characters and a very cute premise.
November 21, 2021
Ok......this is cute af
August 24, 2022
I love this sm i needed smth like this
October 17, 2021
Updated Review 10/17/21: Bumping this to a full five stars! I love this book even more then the first time I read it!! So very good and loved how we see Mitsuki take a stand for herself. <3 So pumped to read this series!
Original Review 7/16/20: 4.5 stars
This book surprised me!
I wanted to jump into this manga because it’s similar to a story idea I wanted to write and was SOOO excited to find something similar to it (even if after reading and realizing they are pretty different)!
Butttttt...
As I read the first chapter I just couldn’t seem to get into it the way I was hoping and wanting. I think it’s because here was a young woman surrounded by these “hot guys” and seemed like it would be a reverse harem of sorts, and for the rest of the series the young woman would be undecided who to choose.
I was SO happy to discover it is NOT that!
Mitsuki is SO sweet and I absolutely loved how she valued friendship above “boys.” (Sort of vague because #spoilers) There is a scene that completely transformed my outlook of her and Towa, who made the powerful comment about how she should ALWAYS be able to be herself no matter who she was around. No need to hide any of her friendships for the sake of another friendship.
So *clap* good. *clap*
I am officially hooked to this manga and SUPER pumped to keep reading it! Mitsuki is a fantastic heroine that is easily relatable and easy to cheer for. Plus, all the guys are adorable and love their bond of friendship.
And I am 100% here for this ship!
Recommended to those who like sport romances, with a focus on romance!
Original Review 7/16/20: 4.5 stars
This book surprised me!
I wanted to jump into this manga because it’s similar to a story idea I wanted to write and was SOOO excited to find something similar to it (even if after reading and realizing they are pretty different)!
Butttttt...
As I read the first chapter I just couldn’t seem to get into it the way I was hoping and wanting. I think it’s because here was a young woman surrounded by these “hot guys” and seemed like it would be a reverse harem of sorts, and for the rest of the series the young woman would be undecided who to choose.
I was SO happy to discover it is NOT that!
Mitsuki is SO sweet and I absolutely loved how she valued friendship above “boys.” (Sort of vague because #spoilers) There is a scene that completely transformed my outlook of her and Towa, who made the powerful comment about how she should ALWAYS be able to be herself no matter who she was around. No need to hide any of her friendships for the sake of another friendship.
So *clap* good. *clap*
I am officially hooked to this manga and SUPER pumped to keep reading it! Mitsuki is a fantastic heroine that is easily relatable and easy to cheer for. Plus, all the guys are adorable and love their bond of friendship.
And I am 100% here for this ship!
Recommended to those who like sport romances, with a focus on romance!
July 21, 2020
Woow cute, i think i will add another favorite manga to my list✨😍
April 21, 2019
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
Mitsuki is a shy and socially awkward girl who struggled to make friends in middle school. Now as she enters high school she vows to make an ultimate friend! Towa, Kyosuke, Ryuji and Rui are the stars of the boys' basketball team and not what she was looking for, but after a huge misunderstanding they befriend Mitsuki... whether she wants them to or not! Add in an odd girl with her own ideas about this foursome and a long-haired guy who could give beauty queens a run for their money and we have Mitsuki's new high school life!
This is a review of volumes 1-2 which I read together back to back. See the plot section for my thoughts on the individual volumes.
I'm part of a reading challenge this year to break me out of my comfort zone and since this is only February I really wanted to give it my all and not fail this early in the year... so I had to get creative with the prompt - a sports romance and finally decided I would give a sports shoujo manga a try! I hits the lists of popular sports romance and found Waiting for Spring vol 1-2 and WOW!!!
Waiting for Spring vol 1-2 was so good and actually it is quite a bit more depthful than most manga stories... I loved the combination of the boys friendship with how they interact with Mitsuki alone and as a group. Then we have the girl she does befriend... All of these meet cutes are sooooo adorable!! It makes for an exciting start to these friendships... however another friend is about the rock the nice little group of friendships as a person from Mitsuki's past returns!! I LOVE this person and how they arrive on the scene and totally turn this manga on its head... I've never been so excited by a shoujo manga and only on vol 1 and 2!
I enjoy coming of age stories about girls finding themselves and trying to figure out life. This time I feel like Waiting for Spring vol 1-2 has a focus on what's important, finding the courage to be friends with others that Mitsuki really likes. The romance is slow burn and that's good! That's how it is in high school honestly. And I really enjoy how everyone is quite nice as people too. This isn't just some squeeeee romance where the girl is really ditzy and crushing on a boy. Mitsuki is in earnest about making friends and overcoming her social shyness. At the same time she is wondering if she's found a boy that she wants to be more with. It's quite well balanced!
The art accentuates all of this!! First we have these four boys who are admittedly cute and VERY WELL DRAWN! Hahahaha I feel like they are really an excellent group of friends and that comes out through the art very well. Their character designs totally support their star status and you can see why Mitsuki is intimidated at first, but then she sees that they really do have a dream about basketball and she admires it so much. I feel like Reina, Mitsuki's new "girl" friend really comes to like through the art too, I totally love how odd and yet totally perfect socially Reina is.
Talking about balance there is this wonderful tension that starts right away from the moment we meet Mitsuki. She has set herself up in a situation that is HARD! She has a goal though and is trying to realistically maneuver toward it in Waiting for Spring vol 1-2. The boys totally complicate her life but at the same time are a fun and lively addition. They become motivation for Mitsuki to continue to push herself and step out of her comfort zone. This with vol 2 we get a new character (yes, already! that is how well the other boys are developed!) and he ratchets up the tension and totally complicates things further.
Waiting for Spring vol 1-2 are the BEST start to a sports romance that has slow burn, a love triangle that makes total sense, a coming of age where friends, a sports passion and an awkward girl combine for a shoujo manga that is fun and full of unexpected depth!! I will TOTALLY be checking out vol 3-4 next and see what happens with this mix of friendships and potentially more...
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tension
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Art
This is a multi-volume series and there may be references to the plot of those volumes... SO READ WITH CARE! Here is my review of 1 | 2 |
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You can find this manga review and many others on my book blog every Monday @ Perspective of a Writer. See my manga and graphic novel reviews at the bottom of the page.
Please like this review if you enjoyed it! *bow* *bow* It helps me out a ton!!
August 30, 2019
A solid start to this series! I went into this not know what it was about and really enjoyed it! I’m a little confused about Aya-Chan though, from the beginning it said she’s a girl but now there’s an emphasis on it...why? Guess I’ll find out in vol 2!
July 24, 2021
Completely fantastic! Finally a romance manga that isn’t formulaic and cliché.
The group of boys were well-rounded and all with unique personalities which was impressive considering manga very often copy-paste personalities and character traits. Their individuality led to a lot of unexpected and unpredictable moments most of which were hilarious or filled me with secondhand embarrassment.
The love relationships weren’t completely formed by the end, mostly hinted at, but the friendships were well under way and I can’t wait to see how they continue to develop in Waiting For Spring Vol. 2!
The group of boys were well-rounded and all with unique personalities which was impressive considering manga very often copy-paste personalities and character traits. Their individuality led to a lot of unexpected and unpredictable moments most of which were hilarious or filled me with secondhand embarrassment.
The love relationships weren’t completely formed by the end, mostly hinted at, but the friendships were well under way and I can’t wait to see how they continue to develop in Waiting For Spring Vol. 2!
June 5, 2022
I was intrigued by the idea of this manga, and I thought I would like it. But I’m surprised by just how much I enjoyed it! There’s something about the combination of characters and set-up that really worked for me, and I’m eager to continue on with the series.
March 3, 2019
4/5stars
a little generic but still a lot of fun! i love all the different characters and learning their personalities. the only thing i'm confused with is at the end
a little generic but still a lot of fun! i love all the different characters and learning their personalities. the only thing i'm confused with is at the end
May 31, 2021
A super cute story about the growth of a shy girl Mizuki, who gets some help from the basketball team. I loved seeing her interactions with the boys as an entire group and individually. It was also great seeing that each of the guys had their own distinct personalities that sets them apart from each other, and makes them great friends. This series is also going to have romance for the main character Mizuki, and I do like it’s a slow burn because she is still becoming confident for herself. And the art was so beautiful I loved all the scenes. Overall, I really enjoyed this and I look forward to reading more.
February 13, 2019
First Manga I’ve ever read, but it turned out to be really good. It was overall just a cute story with likable characters and a cheesy plot.
March 22, 2019
4.5 this is so cute the characters are adorable!!! I really want the second hahaha
December 8, 2019
❖ Please ignore my rating, as my ratings are more for me than for you. Thank you! ✌
❖ I also talk about the books on my BookTube channel.
❖ I make friendships through twitter.
2nd attempt:
What worked for me
❖ The characters are charming and likable.
❖ The romance is slow enough to almost feel organic.
❖ The art style is nice?
❖ The story is not mediocre or cliche.
❖I ship the protagonist and her childhood friend which has NEVER happened to me before as I typically hate that trope. (But you'll see why I like it in this case when the "big reveal" happens.) (Nvm, I must have read it wrong.)
What did not work for me
❖ The friendship between the protagonist and the boys doesn't seem natural.
❖ My favorite guy isn't the love interest for the protagonist.
❖ I'm not into harem in general unless all of them end up falling in love with different people on the page.
❖ The "big reveal"was so anticlimactic and obvious, I can't believe it was even a surprise? was either written or translated weird because I did not get it until volume 2.
❖ The writing feels disjointed, like the author is focusing very strictly on the romance so all of the necessary contemporary subplots are not well-developed.
❖ I'm not wild about the first female friend the protag makes, and I'm usually enamored with the female friends so this is a new one for me.
❖ The story leaves a bit to be desired.
❖ The romance doesn't feel organic enough for me.
--
1st attempt:
Not gelling with this one.
❖ I also talk about the books on my BookTube channel.
❖ I make friendships through twitter.
2nd attempt:
What worked for me
❖ The characters are charming and likable.
❖ The romance is slow enough to almost feel organic.
❖ The art style is nice?
❖ The story is not mediocre or cliche.
❖
What did not work for me
❖ The friendship between the protagonist and the boys doesn't seem natural.
❖ My favorite guy isn't the love interest for the protagonist.
❖ I'm not into harem in general unless all of them end up falling in love with different people on the page.
❖ The "big reveal"
❖ The writing feels disjointed, like the author is focusing very strictly on the romance so all of the necessary contemporary subplots are not well-developed.
❖ I'm not wild about the first female friend the protag makes, and I'm usually enamored with the female friends so this is a new one for me.
❖ The story leaves a bit to be desired.
❖ The romance doesn't feel organic enough for me.
--
1st attempt:
Not gelling with this one.
August 16, 2017
C'est mignone! Il n’y a pas mauvais garçon et play-boy, mais il est plein de mignons garçons qui me fait tomber à leur charmes! Towa est ( that drop-dead gorgeous *dies* ) Mon nouveau petit ami de livre! Ce manga a me fait sentir comme je suis en l’ecole encore... Je l’aime!
“Une normale fille rencounte quatre beau garçons de l’équipe de basketball.”
- N’y a pas l’amour instant!
- N’y a pas les garçons embêtants!
- Beaucoup de gentils et mignons garçons *soupire*
“Une normale fille rencounte quatre beau garçons de l’équipe de basketball.”
- N’y a pas l’amour instant!
- N’y a pas les garçons embêtants!
- Beaucoup de gentils et mignons garçons *soupire*
July 22, 2017
this is just another shoujo romance manga. a girl meets boy kind of story. a loner main character who become friends with this super cool guy. yup, just another shoujo romance.
i ended up enjoying it though. it's a super cute shoujo romance manga ❤❤❤
i ended up enjoying it though. it's a super cute shoujo romance manga ❤❤❤
January 16, 2018
Very cute, very simple story. The drawings are all clear and nice. It's about a quiet girl who makes friends with a group of four boys who are all in the basketball club.
April 1, 2018
I LOVED THIS! It was so cute and pure! And actually gave me raven boys vibes in some sections. I’ll be picking up the next volumes soon!
April 21, 2020
It's official. I'm adopting all these characters. They were all so well created. I can't wait to see the character growth over the rest of the series.
The storyline is sort of a typical shojo one, but it was made better by the art and characters. You can tell the author fleshed it out and outlined it to the max.
I really loved the art!!! Anashin draws like the manga artist who did 'Orange,' Ichigo Takano. But they drew the noses differently, so their faces seemed structured better. They also drew the eyes differently in a way I love.
The storyline is sort of a typical shojo one, but it was made better by the art and characters. You can tell the author fleshed it out and outlined it to the max.
I really loved the art!!! Anashin draws like the manga artist who did 'Orange,' Ichigo Takano. But they drew the noses differently, so their faces seemed structured better. They also drew the eyes differently in a way I love.
January 17, 2023
I finally read volume 1 of this series and I have to say it's pretty good. This whole story gave me Fruits Basket vibes as well as Lovesick Ellie. It's super fun, cute, and easy to read. It's light shojo romance and I'm here so that. I already ship Mizuki and Aya I think they are adorable. I think I'm gonna continue with this series but I have no idea when.
April 24, 2019
So cute!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 515 reviews