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Chasing After Aoi Koshiba #1
Chasing After Aoi Koshiba, Vol. 1
A WISTFUL YURI ROMANCE ABOUT THE INTENSE FEELINGS OF YOUTH, AND THE PERSPECTIVE AND REGRETS THAT ADULTHOOD CAN BRING.
Sahoko had lots of friends in high school, so there’s no shortage of people to catch up with at her reunion. But the person she wants to see most is missing: Aoi Koshiba, her old classmate and first crush. Years ago, Aoi was the basketball team’s rising star, and caught Sahoko’s eye as an easy way to score social points. Sahoko later learned, however, that Aoi had long quit the game due to a difficult home situation. When an unexpected kiss pulled the girls closer together one day, it became clear that Aoi was in need of more than just a cynical social climber—and perhaps, Sahoko was the one.
Sahoko had lots of friends in high school, so there’s no shortage of people to catch up with at her reunion. But the person she wants to see most is missing: Aoi Koshiba, her old classmate and first crush. Years ago, Aoi was the basketball team’s rising star, and caught Sahoko’s eye as an easy way to score social points. Sahoko later learned, however, that Aoi had long quit the game due to a difficult home situation. When an unexpected kiss pulled the girls closer together one day, it became clear that Aoi was in need of more than just a cynical social climber—and perhaps, Sahoko was the one.
196 pages, Paperback
First published July 29, 2019
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356 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
May 23, 2021
EDIT: Happy publishing to this beautiful book! Y'all should go check it out!!!!
Thanks to Netgally and the publishers for the ARC
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
This was so fun to read. If you're an anime or manga fan and you love yuri stories then I'd highly recommend. This one talks about finding lost love, self - discovery and overall, it adorable. I liked the drawings, the artist did the characters really well.
There are lots of flashbacks in this as the MC takes us back to when she and the love interest met. I loved that aspect as it helped with the buildup. Can't wait for the next one!
I highly recommend this. Vey interesting!
Thanks to Netgally and the publishers for the ARC
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
This was so fun to read. If you're an anime or manga fan and you love yuri stories then I'd highly recommend. This one talks about finding lost love, self - discovery and overall, it adorable. I liked the drawings, the artist did the characters really well.
There are lots of flashbacks in this as the MC takes us back to when she and the love interest met. I loved that aspect as it helped with the buildup. Can't wait for the next one!
I highly recommend this. Vey interesting!
April 19, 2021
This is my third ever manga and my second yuri manga and I loved it so much! It follows Sahoko who was one of the popular girls at her school as she goes to her high school reunion, but is left waiting for the one person she really wanted to see again - Aoi, her first kiss! The story flashes back to Sahoko's time at school as she first gets to know Aoi, and it was really so much fun! Despite being so short I was sucked into the story straight away and I absolutely flew through it! The art is so lovely (I think possibly my favourite of the manga I've read so far) and the writing is so funny - I actually laughed out loud on several occasions! The story is a lot of fun and I really wish that this volume had been longer! Regardless, I loved my time reading this and I can't wait for the next installment!
Thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for an eARC in return for an honest review!
Want more sapphic books? You can find me here: Book Blog | Twitter | Instagram
Thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for an eARC in return for an honest review!
Want more sapphic books? You can find me here: Book Blog | Twitter | Instagram
May 16, 2021
Chasing After Aoi Koshiba is a sweet manga packed full of romance and incredible illustrations.
The cover photo and internal coloured pictures alone make this book stand out. It's so pretty and elegant for being a manga. I like seeing these kinds of books around! Then throw in some LGTBQ+ representation, a sweet and romantic storyline with those illustrations? This book just screams awesome. On top of all of that, I just really enjoyed it. I wish I had the opportunity to sit down and slowly read through a print copy, it's that sort of good. You'll soak yourself up on this fantastic story and not want to leave.
Side note: I like the dresses in this book. It's a weird, quirky thing that stood out to me. Pretty manga dresses = my thing.
This book is going to be hit or miss for some people. It's definitely a more artsy book with a "will they? won't they?" story line. Overall, I think it's just a fun manga read to slip away from reality into.
Three out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
The cover photo and internal coloured pictures alone make this book stand out. It's so pretty and elegant for being a manga. I like seeing these kinds of books around! Then throw in some LGTBQ+ representation, a sweet and romantic storyline with those illustrations? This book just screams awesome. On top of all of that, I just really enjoyed it. I wish I had the opportunity to sit down and slowly read through a print copy, it's that sort of good. You'll soak yourself up on this fantastic story and not want to leave.
Side note: I like the dresses in this book. It's a weird, quirky thing that stood out to me. Pretty manga dresses = my thing.
This book is going to be hit or miss for some people. It's definitely a more artsy book with a "will they? won't they?" story line. Overall, I think it's just a fun manga read to slip away from reality into.
Three out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
May 7, 2021
This series is starting off strong with this charming first novel. I adored both characters and their dynamics. The artwork is also stunning. I'm intrigued by the story and I will definitely be picking up the next book.
Thank you, NetGalley, Kodansha Comics, and Hazuki Takeoka for the arc!
Thank you, NetGalley, Kodansha Comics, and Hazuki Takeoka for the arc!
May 5, 2021
I've been a dedicated fan of Fly's work since Eclair Blanc, and Chasing After Aoi Koshiba does nothing to change my mind. The story - which follows Sahoko in her crush on Aoi Koshiba, another girl at her high school - relies on both a framing device of a four-year school reunion and on Sahoko's uncertainty about just what it is she feels for Aoi, and both of those plot points require an art style heavy on the speaking glances, body language, and quiet moments of emotional turmoil.. Fly is certainly up for all of that.
What's interesting about the romance itself is how uncertain it is about whether or not there's a romance happening. Sahoko has consciously remade herself from an angler fish into a dolphin, but that strange dark-dwelling form is still inside of her, and she has to be very aware of how it struggles to escape. Aoi, she thinks, has the sort of easy flair that she lacks, but to Aoi, it's Sahoko with all of the gifts. Do they like each other? Are they simply envious of each other? Even if there's no happy ending for these two, it looks like this will be a journey worth taking.
What's interesting about the romance itself is how uncertain it is about whether or not there's a romance happening. Sahoko has consciously remade herself from an angler fish into a dolphin, but that strange dark-dwelling form is still inside of her, and she has to be very aware of how it struggles to escape. Aoi, she thinks, has the sort of easy flair that she lacks, but to Aoi, it's Sahoko with all of the gifts. Do they like each other? Are they simply envious of each other? Even if there's no happy ending for these two, it looks like this will be a journey worth taking.
April 27, 2021
3/10
I- I don’t know how to feel about this one.
It felt very plain and illogical at times and while I am a sucker for these predictable gxg stories, too, this one just had a weird rushed vibe. I really didn’t like how one MC is so annoying and unlikable and rude while the other one is practically a saint. Not a fan of such unbalanced forced dynamic.
Imma skip all the rude uncalled for comments in it but they were the main reason I didn’t like this at all.
Still, if I have a chance I’d maybe continue reading the story because it’s short and, like I said, I’m a sucker for everything gay.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
P.S. I know I’m in the minority with this one b u t the weird angled perspective view of the stairs in one sketch made the architect in me want to take my eyeballs out and wash them with acid.*
* Dramatic much.
I- I don’t know how to feel about this one.
It felt very plain and illogical at times and while I am a sucker for these predictable gxg stories, too, this one just had a weird rushed vibe. I really didn’t like how one MC is so annoying and unlikable and rude while the other one is practically a saint. Not a fan of such unbalanced forced dynamic.
Imma skip all the rude uncalled for comments in it but they were the main reason I didn’t like this at all.
Still, if I have a chance I’d maybe continue reading the story because it’s short and, like I said, I’m a sucker for everything gay.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
P.S. I know I’m in the minority with this one b u t the weird angled perspective view of the stairs in one sketch made the architect in me want to take my eyeballs out and wash them with acid.*
* Dramatic much.
October 1, 2024
I love these characters and the school setting as well! The art was definitely up my alley. Can’t wait to see more from this author!
Thank you NetGalley for a review copy of this book 😊
Thank you NetGalley for a review copy of this book 😊
November 12, 2022
A questioning college student returns to Tokyo for a high school reunion looking for a chance to reconnect with the woman upon whom she had a confusing crush in high school. Most of the book flashes back to her high school days and her awkward pursuit of Aoi Koshiba which gets a little nonconsensual, harassing and stalkery at times but is not entirely unwelcome.
The scenario is a bit too mild and the set up a bit too dull by just a hair. The characters seem promising, so I'll try a couple more volumes in because-it's-there mode.
The scenario is a bit too mild and the set up a bit too dull by just a hair. The characters seem promising, so I'll try a couple more volumes in because-it's-there mode.
May 7, 2021
Blog Review: https://trishadoeseverythingbutstudy2...
I received a free e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
I liked it!
I found this book so hard to categorise in my shelves; I try to categorise by trope, but I couldn't put it in anyone. The reason for this is that even though we had a romance, I don't think we were given enough to go off on.
Aoi Koshiba and Sahoko become good friends yes, but we never get to know if they ever get past that. There was one kiss, and then I think they were only friends, which makes it so hard to write this because WHAT DO I EVEN WRITE. What I was waiting for was only hinted, and the present bits didn't completely make sense because, again, things were only hinted at.
I loved the pining, and the awkward bits, a bit of the meeting the family, and l ots of doing stuff you're not even interested in to feel close to the other person, but we had like no romance.
So, this is a seriously short review (I can't believe this is only 5 paragraphs), but I'm definitely waiting for more.
I received a free e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
I liked it!
I found this book so hard to categorise in my shelves; I try to categorise by trope, but I couldn't put it in anyone. The reason for this is that even though we had a romance, I don't think we were given enough to go off on.
Aoi Koshiba and Sahoko become good friends yes, but we never get to know if they ever get past that. There was one kiss, and then I think they were only friends, which makes it so hard to write this because WHAT DO I EVEN WRITE. What I was waiting for was only hinted, and the present bits didn't completely make sense because, again, things were only hinted at.
I loved the pining, and the awkward bits, a bit of the meeting the family, and l ots of doing stuff you're not even interested in to feel close to the other person, but we had like no romance.
So, this is a seriously short review (I can't believe this is only 5 paragraphs), but I'm definitely waiting for more.
April 2, 2022
A pretty cute start to a short (seems only 3 volume) Yuri love story.
With our main lead she just wants to be a popular high school girl. Who wouldn't? But in doing so she sacrifices maybe a bit of who she is. That is until she begins to catch feelings for a tomboy who just for some reason makes her feel different.
This series jumps back and forth a bit between adult life with the characters at the start and end that make the mystery of why Aoi is missing in the future more intriguing. I'm liking the characters, the art is great, pace is solid. Some of the plot and humor is just okay and typical but overall it's an enjoyable read that'll continue. A 3.5 out of 4 but I'll bump it to a 4 for the art.
With our main lead she just wants to be a popular high school girl. Who wouldn't? But in doing so she sacrifices maybe a bit of who she is. That is until she begins to catch feelings for a tomboy who just for some reason makes her feel different.
This series jumps back and forth a bit between adult life with the characters at the start and end that make the mystery of why Aoi is missing in the future more intriguing. I'm liking the characters, the art is great, pace is solid. Some of the plot and humor is just okay and typical but overall it's an enjoyable read that'll continue. A 3.5 out of 4 but I'll bump it to a 4 for the art.
April 28, 2021
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes. This in no way influences my review; all words, thoughts, and opinions are my own.
Content notes:
I'm always on the lookout for new yuri manga, and this is a great addition to the genre. Chasing After Aoi Koshiba volume 1 is kind of a slow start, but it also makes me very excited for more of the story of Sahoko and Aoi. Most of this volume goes into the two of them starting to get to know one another after Sahoko kisses Aoi accidentally, then joins the home ec club in order to get close to her. Sahoko sees Aoi as effortlessly popular and Sahoko wishes to be loved by her classmates. When she learns Aoi is taking care of her younger brothers after the death of her mom, she realizes that's why Aoi is no longer playing basketball and wants to help her out. This is a very soft story and I'm very interested in seeing where things went between second year of high school and Sahoko's third year of college that they are no longer friends or close. Plus, the art is very cute and works really well for the story.
Content notes:
I'm always on the lookout for new yuri manga, and this is a great addition to the genre. Chasing After Aoi Koshiba volume 1 is kind of a slow start, but it also makes me very excited for more of the story of Sahoko and Aoi. Most of this volume goes into the two of them starting to get to know one another after Sahoko kisses Aoi accidentally, then joins the home ec club in order to get close to her. Sahoko sees Aoi as effortlessly popular and Sahoko wishes to be loved by her classmates. When she learns Aoi is taking care of her younger brothers after the death of her mom, she realizes that's why Aoi is no longer playing basketball and wants to help her out. This is a very soft story and I'm very interested in seeing where things went between second year of high school and Sahoko's third year of college that they are no longer friends or close. Plus, the art is very cute and works really well for the story.
May 7, 2021
This manga was incredibly cute and I just want to gush about the characters! The art is so gorgeous and I really liked the writing and it was also unexpectedly funny.
The story is set it two timelines, the current college one with the highschool reunion and a flashback to the highschool years. Sahoko is very relatable, especially the clumsiness and awkwardness around Aoi. I loved seeing both Aoi and Sahoko get to know each other. The ending leaves us with a lot questions and I atleast some of them are answered in the sequel.
I had a lot of fun reading this volume and I really can't wait for the next one! Highly recommended!
*ARC provided by Kodansha Comics via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review
The story is set it two timelines, the current college one with the highschool reunion and a flashback to the highschool years. Sahoko is very relatable, especially the clumsiness and awkwardness around Aoi. I loved seeing both Aoi and Sahoko get to know each other. The ending leaves us with a lot questions and I atleast some of them are answered in the sequel.
I had a lot of fun reading this volume and I really can't wait for the next one! Highly recommended!
*ARC provided by Kodansha Comics via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review
April 24, 2021
That's such a fine starter volume! It managed to include enough information to launch the actual story, maybe in the next volumes, and I'm quite excited, I must say.
The opening scene was epic. I thought the plot should focus more there, and use the flashbacks just as a plot device, really. I'm happy that the last scene of the volume went back there. I think it's more interesting to follow that timeline because the mystery there is stronger.
The characterization of the main characters are a plus, too. I have big hopes for this series.
E-arc from NetGalley.
The opening scene was epic. I thought the plot should focus more there, and use the flashbacks just as a plot device, really. I'm happy that the last scene of the volume went back there. I think it's more interesting to follow that timeline because the mystery there is stronger.
The characterization of the main characters are a plus, too. I have big hopes for this series.
E-arc from NetGalley.
April 29, 2021
4.5 sparkling stars!
Chasing After Aoi Koshiba is an incredibly gripping story about 4 high school girls, however, it also shows them in the future too. I loved the idea of portraying the women's lives in the future, as usually in shoujo manga we almost never see what happens next. Overall, this was an exceptional and refreshing read that I recommend to any romance or graphic novel fans!
(Thank you Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for providing me with an e-ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)
Chasing After Aoi Koshiba is an incredibly gripping story about 4 high school girls, however, it also shows them in the future too. I loved the idea of portraying the women's lives in the future, as usually in shoujo manga we almost never see what happens next. Overall, this was an exceptional and refreshing read that I recommend to any romance or graphic novel fans!
(Thank you Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for providing me with an e-ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)
January 8, 2024
That’s wild honestly. Also insane way to end volume 1.
May 2, 2021
Sahoko reinvented herself in high school and became a standout beauty in her school’s social scene. This drive has lead to her taking a lot of the wrong lessons from life, but that can’t keep her out of the orbit of Aoi Koshiba, former basketball star. While Aoi is something of an ideal to Sahoko, there might be a lot more to both girls than it initially appears - and maybe a lot more between them as well.
Let’s clear the initial superlative first - Fly, the illustrator, did my absolute favourite manga short story ever in the Eclair Blanc yuri anthology and I am predisposed to like this book on art alone. They do an amazing job with a full series and I love the distinct look between the many characters.
Beyond that? Well, this is a mighty fine first volume. It definitely has some issues, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed it and it will certainly end up in my ongoing reading pile (though, to be fair, you’d have to have the cast wearing dresses made of hair to keep me from most yuri ongoings).
The characters are, so far, all quite interesting. Sahoko is incredibly flawed and reliant on her popularity, but she quickly realizes how shallow that makes her as a human being. Sure she has a much different life now, but is it any better and is it one she actually wants?
I have rarely felt more for a character than when Sahoko describes herself as an anglerfish later on (recognizance is painful). She’s a high school girl making some really questionable choices and those flaws make her interesting. There are layers to her as well - I love the thoughtless way she enters one club, but how she then shows she has a real talent for something surprising.
And the popular girls are certainly aloof, but they’re not quite the mean girls you might be expecting and they all seem quite chummy (I am quite sure the test of this is coming later). Aoi herself is just able to move between groups as she pleases - I look forward to seeing more of the other two who are in the splash page.
I’d be further remiss if I didn’t praise the delicious framing device, as Sahoko returns for a class reunion. While it arguably gives some of the game away, it poses a lot of tantalizing questions about exactly what happened during high school (and asking an interesting question about whether anything from those days truly survives to adulthood). Not to mention ending the book with one slick little revelation.
My major issue with the story is how fast it blows through Sahoko’s initial journey. She’s clearly had cracks in her facade forming all along, but the speed with which she’s breaking down and her out of nowhere (well, okay, there’s definitely a hint that Sahoko doesn’t exactly know herself yet), close contact first encounter with Aoi does feel a little cart before the horse.
Aoi’s situation is also somewhat predictable, even as it’s clear that some of her carefree attitude is covering up an awful lot of sadness. I look forward to our heroines opening up more to each other. I will say that I appreciate how the home ec club turns out to not just be a throwaway thing.
4 stars. The story has real meat to it, even with that slightly rehashed turn for Aoi herself. It’s reminiscent of Failed Princesses, which dealt with a similar pivot for a popular girl, though not quite to the level of that series for me. And, honestly, if Fly released an illustrated Yellow Pages (kids, ask your parents), I would buy a copy. Great first volume.
Let’s clear the initial superlative first - Fly, the illustrator, did my absolute favourite manga short story ever in the Eclair Blanc yuri anthology and I am predisposed to like this book on art alone. They do an amazing job with a full series and I love the distinct look between the many characters.
Beyond that? Well, this is a mighty fine first volume. It definitely has some issues, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed it and it will certainly end up in my ongoing reading pile (though, to be fair, you’d have to have the cast wearing dresses made of hair to keep me from most yuri ongoings).
The characters are, so far, all quite interesting. Sahoko is incredibly flawed and reliant on her popularity, but she quickly realizes how shallow that makes her as a human being. Sure she has a much different life now, but is it any better and is it one she actually wants?
I have rarely felt more for a character than when Sahoko describes herself as an anglerfish later on (recognizance is painful). She’s a high school girl making some really questionable choices and those flaws make her interesting. There are layers to her as well - I love the thoughtless way she enters one club, but how she then shows she has a real talent for something surprising.
And the popular girls are certainly aloof, but they’re not quite the mean girls you might be expecting and they all seem quite chummy (I am quite sure the test of this is coming later). Aoi herself is just able to move between groups as she pleases - I look forward to seeing more of the other two who are in the splash page.
I’d be further remiss if I didn’t praise the delicious framing device, as Sahoko returns for a class reunion. While it arguably gives some of the game away, it poses a lot of tantalizing questions about exactly what happened during high school (and asking an interesting question about whether anything from those days truly survives to adulthood). Not to mention ending the book with one slick little revelation.
My major issue with the story is how fast it blows through Sahoko’s initial journey. She’s clearly had cracks in her facade forming all along, but the speed with which she’s breaking down and her out of nowhere (well, okay, there’s definitely a hint that Sahoko doesn’t exactly know herself yet), close contact first encounter with Aoi does feel a little cart before the horse.
Aoi’s situation is also somewhat predictable, even as it’s clear that some of her carefree attitude is covering up an awful lot of sadness. I look forward to our heroines opening up more to each other. I will say that I appreciate how the home ec club turns out to not just be a throwaway thing.
4 stars. The story has real meat to it, even with that slightly rehashed turn for Aoi herself. It’s reminiscent of Failed Princesses, which dealt with a similar pivot for a popular girl, though not quite to the level of that series for me. And, honestly, if Fly released an illustrated Yellow Pages (kids, ask your parents), I would buy a copy. Great first volume.
June 22, 2021
Thank you Netgalley and Kodansha for this arc!
My honest review:
It was entertaining, not so much but it could become more in the future. Its not that I didn’t liked it though. It just wasn’t all that hooked to me. I think I would like to know what happens next but I’m not dying to know.
The characters... are not very defined yet so I couldn’t say much on that. What I do can say it’s that the main character didn’t get too much into me. I didn’t liked her so much, at least for now. I get that she is designed to be a superficial teen girl but either way.
I hope it’ll comes to better.
That’s all! ✨
My honest review:
It was entertaining, not so much but it could become more in the future. Its not that I didn’t liked it though. It just wasn’t all that hooked to me. I think I would like to know what happens next but I’m not dying to know.
The characters... are not very defined yet so I couldn’t say much on that. What I do can say it’s that the main character didn’t get too much into me. I didn’t liked her so much, at least for now. I get that she is designed to be a superficial teen girl but either way.
I hope it’ll comes to better.
That’s all! ✨
August 17, 2023
hmmmm this a little fruity 🤨
April 21, 2021
A yuri manga with gorgeous art and a reference to Bloom Into You? Of course I needed to read this immediately. Huge thank you to Kodansha and NetGalley.
The story starts present day, Sahoko Narita is headed for her high school reunion party. She is in her third year of university right now and on her way she wonders why do people even go to these parties. She meets up with her two best friends from school and one of them mentions that a certain Aoi Koshiba is not likely to attend tonight. Sahoko feels sad and a bit embarassed and this is when we head to flashback territory - and see the girls at high school, as they are on the cover.
I was surpsied that we only got to see the high school years in the flashbacks. This is just my personal preference but I don’t really like stories where the present day character spends most of their time reminiscing about the past. It seems that the things that happened in the past will be a cataclyst for things to move forward in the present, and if that is the case I won’t mind it much. But this is mostly speculation after volume one.
Most of the first volume is spent in the past and I liked these chapters much better. We learned what kind of a person our protagonist, Sahoko is. And boy, is she a handful! Sahoko remembers having a boring school experience before high school so she did everything she could to change her life around. In Japan kids usually graduate from their previous school and attend high school for three years (essentially 10, 11 and 12th grade) and we see Sahoko as a 17-year old in her second high school year. She spends a lot of time and energy to look pretty, and to give others a good impression. She is obsessed with having a popular Instagram account and getting likes while also fishing for people’s irl admiration of her. She became friends with two equally cute and popular girls so she feels settled in her new life - while also secretly worrying about doing anything that would brand her as lame. Unfortunately, due to her new social status she also became a bit vain, easily writing off other students as lame, unpopular, etc. based on looks alone.
Things change when she meets Aoi Koshiba, who is just so effortlessly fun and people seem to like her even though she is a bit of a tomboy. Sahoko is jealous of her free spirited attitude and finds herself gravitating towards Aoi.
I liked this set up and I liked how the two girls started to learn a bit about each other. Aoi also admires Sahoko, and she has her own issues as well. But I felt the communication between them is something that badly needs improvement. Sahoko is rather pushy in wanting to get closer to Aoi and she never stops to ask if Aoi wants her around. Instead she worries about doing things that will make Aoi dislike her. There was a confusing moment where Aoi calls her annoying - which I get, she was a bit pushy - but then immediately wants to hang out with Sahoko. I was also not a fan of the first kiss - it felt rushed, and one sided, with both girls being really confused and it was hard to tell just how much of it was on purpose and how much of it was just an accident.
The girls also have a short talk about dating, but we don’t learn why Aoi brings it up and we don’t know if Sahoko ever really came to terms with her own attraction for Aoi during high school. She is clearly still in denial at the beginning.
Sahoko’s conflicting feelings for Aoi are super relatable though, finding the other girl really amazing and wanting to know her better while being confused if this was friendship or more. It is not clear what happened between the two yet, the dialogue suggests they had some kind of falling out, but present day Sahoko is still clearly hang up on what could have happened or could still happen between them.
I liked this first volume but the end of the book leaves me with more questions and no answers, I felt like too many things were left open for the next volume. I wish we got some answers at least, but for now so many things are waiting to be answered that it is hard to get really invested in the story. Sahoko is asked once about dating and boys and she visible feels uncomfortable, an ex is mentione and her friends even tease her if she just made this boy up - but we don’t actually learn what the deal is. She talks about being unpopular so it could be that she made up an ex to hide the fact that she was never asked out, but it is not clear and we don’t know if she is even interested in dating. It is implied Sahoko is unhappy in her current
life, but we don’t know what she does besides studying. She also seems a bit depressed in comparison to her high school self - is this all because of what happened with Aoi? We don’t know if her and Aoi would even meet in the presents - Sahoko wants to but she doesn’t know if Aoi feels the same way. She mentions having her contact and texting sometimes but Aoi not being very responsive and the two slowly stopping to text. Did she ever actually ask Aoi to meet up? We don’t know why Aoi stopped texting her back. Present day Sahoko feels to be a really passive character, waiting for Aoi to accidentally turn up at the reunion party but not really trying to make it happen eg. asking if she is coming.
While I liked the past chapters more, I was pulled into the story for a sweet high school romance after all, I hope that the present - past - present divide won’t be used for many volumes. I expect the next volume to still follow this set up, but in the long run this could quickly prove annoying, trying to guess what happened in the past while the present characters stagnate and don’t move forward. However if the past inspires them to move forward in the present day that could be interesting.
I really really love the art, and the pacing and the paneling is done really well. I felt that the illustrator captured the feelings and moments really well. I loved that the scenes had enough space to breathe, sometimes we would have pages with only two panels, but it was needed so you can really get immersed in the story.
The story starts present day, Sahoko Narita is headed for her high school reunion party. She is in her third year of university right now and on her way she wonders why do people even go to these parties. She meets up with her two best friends from school and one of them mentions that a certain Aoi Koshiba is not likely to attend tonight. Sahoko feels sad and a bit embarassed and this is when we head to flashback territory - and see the girls at high school, as they are on the cover.
I was surpsied that we only got to see the high school years in the flashbacks. This is just my personal preference but I don’t really like stories where the present day character spends most of their time reminiscing about the past. It seems that the things that happened in the past will be a cataclyst for things to move forward in the present, and if that is the case I won’t mind it much. But this is mostly speculation after volume one.
Most of the first volume is spent in the past and I liked these chapters much better. We learned what kind of a person our protagonist, Sahoko is. And boy, is she a handful! Sahoko remembers having a boring school experience before high school so she did everything she could to change her life around. In Japan kids usually graduate from their previous school and attend high school for three years (essentially 10, 11 and 12th grade) and we see Sahoko as a 17-year old in her second high school year. She spends a lot of time and energy to look pretty, and to give others a good impression. She is obsessed with having a popular Instagram account and getting likes while also fishing for people’s irl admiration of her. She became friends with two equally cute and popular girls so she feels settled in her new life - while also secretly worrying about doing anything that would brand her as lame. Unfortunately, due to her new social status she also became a bit vain, easily writing off other students as lame, unpopular, etc. based on looks alone.
Things change when she meets Aoi Koshiba, who is just so effortlessly fun and people seem to like her even though she is a bit of a tomboy. Sahoko is jealous of her free spirited attitude and finds herself gravitating towards Aoi.
I liked this set up and I liked how the two girls started to learn a bit about each other. Aoi also admires Sahoko, and she has her own issues as well. But I felt the communication between them is something that badly needs improvement. Sahoko is rather pushy in wanting to get closer to Aoi and she never stops to ask if Aoi wants her around. Instead she worries about doing things that will make Aoi dislike her. There was a confusing moment where Aoi calls her annoying - which I get, she was a bit pushy - but then immediately wants to hang out with Sahoko. I was also not a fan of the first kiss - it felt rushed, and one sided, with both girls being really confused and it was hard to tell just how much of it was on purpose and how much of it was just an accident.
The girls also have a short talk about dating, but we don’t learn why Aoi brings it up and we don’t know if Sahoko ever really came to terms with her own attraction for Aoi during high school. She is clearly still in denial at the beginning.
Sahoko’s conflicting feelings for Aoi are super relatable though, finding the other girl really amazing and wanting to know her better while being confused if this was friendship or more. It is not clear what happened between the two yet, the dialogue suggests they had some kind of falling out, but present day Sahoko is still clearly hang up on what could have happened or could still happen between them.
I liked this first volume but the end of the book leaves me with more questions and no answers, I felt like too many things were left open for the next volume. I wish we got some answers at least, but for now so many things are waiting to be answered that it is hard to get really invested in the story. Sahoko is asked once about dating and boys and she visible feels uncomfortable, an ex is mentione and her friends even tease her if she just made this boy up - but we don’t actually learn what the deal is. She talks about being unpopular so it could be that she made up an ex to hide the fact that she was never asked out, but it is not clear and we don’t know if she is even interested in dating. It is implied Sahoko is unhappy in her current
life, but we don’t know what she does besides studying. She also seems a bit depressed in comparison to her high school self - is this all because of what happened with Aoi? We don’t know if her and Aoi would even meet in the presents - Sahoko wants to but she doesn’t know if Aoi feels the same way. She mentions having her contact and texting sometimes but Aoi not being very responsive and the two slowly stopping to text. Did she ever actually ask Aoi to meet up? We don’t know why Aoi stopped texting her back. Present day Sahoko feels to be a really passive character, waiting for Aoi to accidentally turn up at the reunion party but not really trying to make it happen eg. asking if she is coming.
While I liked the past chapters more, I was pulled into the story for a sweet high school romance after all, I hope that the present - past - present divide won’t be used for many volumes. I expect the next volume to still follow this set up, but in the long run this could quickly prove annoying, trying to guess what happened in the past while the present characters stagnate and don’t move forward. However if the past inspires them to move forward in the present day that could be interesting.
I really really love the art, and the pacing and the paneling is done really well. I felt that the illustrator captured the feelings and moments really well. I loved that the scenes had enough space to breathe, sometimes we would have pages with only two panels, but it was needed so you can really get immersed in the story.
July 30, 2021
4 stars | Chasing After Aoi Koshiba opens with a high school reunion where Sahoko is disappointed to learn that Aoi Koshiba won't be there. After that initial scene, we go back in time and learn how Sahoko first met Aoi and what happened between them.
At 17, Sahoko is part of the "IT-girls". She lives for her Instagram feed and the likes she gets, only hangs out with other IT-girls and only does ~cool activities. She's worked hard to climb the popularity ladder, but now at the top, she doesn't seem to be enjoying herself very much.
When she first noticed Aoi, Sahoko admired her. Aoi is effortlessly liked by everyone. She doesn't seem to care what the other students think of her and she appears to have a lot of fun hanging out with all sorts of people, jocks to nerds alike.
In this first volume, we see how Sahoko becomes infatuated with her and her admiration for this mysterious Aoi might be an actual crush!
The last time I reviewed a manga I mentioned I didn't think I liked mangas and that book was an exception... Well, I enjoyed Chasing After Aoi Koshiba as well, so I'm thinking maybe I enjoy mangas, but they need to be sapphic ✌🏻 and I have to space them out.
This manga was really adorable. The illustrations were pretty and the story was fluid and engaging.
Most of the time, my problem with mangas is that I find them problematic, but this first volume was okay. I'm curious to see how her friends will handle her coming out in the upcoming volumes. I also suspect we might be getting a love triangle? We shall see!
TL;DR - This Yuri manga is another winner, you should give it a try!
Thanks to Kodansha Comics for the opportunity to read this eARC!
At 17, Sahoko is part of the "IT-girls". She lives for her Instagram feed and the likes she gets, only hangs out with other IT-girls and only does ~cool activities. She's worked hard to climb the popularity ladder, but now at the top, she doesn't seem to be enjoying herself very much.
No matter how much you work on what’s inside, if you don’t look good, no one will notice.
When she first noticed Aoi, Sahoko admired her. Aoi is effortlessly liked by everyone. She doesn't seem to care what the other students think of her and she appears to have a lot of fun hanging out with all sorts of people, jocks to nerds alike.
In this first volume, we see how Sahoko becomes infatuated with her and her admiration for this mysterious Aoi might be an actual crush!
The last time I reviewed a manga I mentioned I didn't think I liked mangas and that book was an exception... Well, I enjoyed Chasing After Aoi Koshiba as well, so I'm thinking maybe I enjoy mangas, but they need to be sapphic ✌🏻 and I have to space them out.
This manga was really adorable. The illustrations were pretty and the story was fluid and engaging.
Most of the time, my problem with mangas is that I find them problematic, but this first volume was okay. I'm curious to see how her friends will handle her coming out in the upcoming volumes. I also suspect we might be getting a love triangle? We shall see!
TL;DR - This Yuri manga is another winner, you should give it a try!
Thanks to Kodansha Comics for the opportunity to read this eARC!
May 1, 2021
I received an eARC of this book from Kodansha Comics through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
3 stars
A nice first volume. We discover Sahoko and her friends, Anna and Riko, at a high school reunion and we're instantly intrigued about who Aoi is and what her relationship with the protagonist is.
I like the dual timelines, it makes you want to know more about all the characters and what happened between them and why Aoi isn't at the reunion.
The budding friendship/relationship between Sahoko and Aoi is both cute and awkward, they don't know how to act around each other but you see they feel drawn to each other.
And that ending! A kind of little cliffhanger that leaves you wanting for more!
CW: kiss without consent, fatphobic comments
3 stars
A nice first volume. We discover Sahoko and her friends, Anna and Riko, at a high school reunion and we're instantly intrigued about who Aoi is and what her relationship with the protagonist is.
I like the dual timelines, it makes you want to know more about all the characters and what happened between them and why Aoi isn't at the reunion.
The budding friendship/relationship between Sahoko and Aoi is both cute and awkward, they don't know how to act around each other but you see they feel drawn to each other.
And that ending! A kind of little cliffhanger that leaves you wanting for more!
CW: kiss without consent, fatphobic comments
April 30, 2021
This was a pretty good first volume. It has set itself up for future volumes really well, and I absolutely adore the art style. The plot was pretty generic however, and this rating would have been a lot higher if not for some of the fat-phobic and judgmental tendencies of the main girl. I understand that the main girl is meant to be this shallow popular teenager, but the volume doesn't even try to make it obvious that her fat-phobic comments are bad, it makes it kind of natural and without backlash. However, that being said, it was still an enjoyable read and I'm curious to see where it'll go.
May 2, 2021
I love this & Sahoko, she’s so fucking cute!! It’s funny to see that she actually thought she was straight, whilst she is completely obsessed with aoi. When she asked her if Sahoko “swings that way” and she said no, i lost it. However, she has very obviously a crush on aoi which was so cute to read about even though she doesnt admit it.
I flew through it in one sitting (i do that to most yuri mangas but still!) & the art was also very cute.
I cant wait for the next installment in this manga series & if u like yuri or u want to start reading that genre, i recommend checking this manga out!
(Thank you netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this manga!)
I flew through it in one sitting (i do that to most yuri mangas but still!) & the art was also very cute.
I cant wait for the next installment in this manga series & if u like yuri or u want to start reading that genre, i recommend checking this manga out!
(Thank you netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this manga!)
April 22, 2021
While the art is gorgeous, unfortunately the characters and the plot were out the window for me.....
May 27, 2022
I’ve never read manga before so I feel like I don’t know how to correctly read it..? It’s not like I don’t know I’m just not used to it yet. Overall, it was cute from what I understood
April 10, 2023
The main character is a bit annoying, otherwise it’s pretty regular cutesy shoujo manga.🙂
May 20, 2023
Sahoko, there is no heterosexual explanation for this...
April 27, 2022
The struggle of teenagers dealing with embarrassment, fitting in, and new friendships.
May 20, 2021
"Chasing After Aoi Koshiba" is a pretty satisfying read. The story opens in the present day at a high school reunion with Sahako anxiously awaiting the arrival of her former crush Aoi who she seems to have carried a torch for even all these years later. She begins to recount their story and the reader is transported back to their high school days. where this entire love affair first began. The parallel story-telling is a fun aspect of the story because the reader is left guessing how the plot threads will come together, and although we know these characters have a past, we know for sure that they aren't together in the future. Just like Sahako, we are left wondering if Aoi will even show up at the reunion, but we'll have to read the next volume to find out.
The chapters that are set in the past provide a lot of well-needed character development. We find out that Sahako was the kind of high school girl who was obsessed with being cool, and this idea slowly unravels her as a person. The wannabe narrative is one that I think many people can relate to. It's hard being someone you're not and living up to the expectations of others, and in that way, I think Sahako proves to be an interesting character.
When she meets Aoi, who is just so effortlessly cool and somehow seems completely herself, Sahaoko is very intrigued. This leads to lots of fluffy romantic scenes.
Overall, I think this was a fun read. It's not something that I personally would have picked up off the shelf to read, but I'm pleasantly surprised by it. I do think some of the romance aspects and characterizations are a bit heavy-handed, but this story isn't going for subtlety.
The chapters that are set in the past provide a lot of well-needed character development. We find out that Sahako was the kind of high school girl who was obsessed with being cool, and this idea slowly unravels her as a person. The wannabe narrative is one that I think many people can relate to. It's hard being someone you're not and living up to the expectations of others, and in that way, I think Sahako proves to be an interesting character.
When she meets Aoi, who is just so effortlessly cool and somehow seems completely herself, Sahaoko is very intrigued. This leads to lots of fluffy romantic scenes.
Overall, I think this was a fun read. It's not something that I personally would have picked up off the shelf to read, but I'm pleasantly surprised by it. I do think some of the romance aspects and characterizations are a bit heavy-handed, but this story isn't going for subtlety.
April 23, 2021
This manga follows Sahoko, a girl who used to have trouble fitting in but now, after changing herself, is able to surround herself with friends and other people who admire and love her. In her high school days, she makes friends with Aoi, who she's immediately intrigued by and, as the title suggests, she literally chases after her. This volume primarily focuses on their high school days and shows how their relationship develops, which comes to an abrupt stop in the last chapter once we're introduced to a high school reunion and Aoi is not there, leaving Sahoko disappointed even though she's in University now.
Although the volume ends on a cliff-hanger and was pretty short compared to other mangas I've read, the story was really interesting and I wanted to find out more about what happened or what will happen next, like whether or not Sahoko will ever speak to or find Aoi. Throughout the manga, the story didn't really feel as developed as I would have liked it to be and felt like it went by too fast, but in the next volumes more information will probably come out. The manga was also very cute, like seeing how Sahoko acted when she was around Aoi, and I absolutely loved the art style, it's lovely.
However, Sahoko's character did kind of annoy me - although it was pretty realistic, I didn't like how self-centred she acted sometimes, focusing all on her looks and popularity. There was a nice juxtaposition between her, someone who fakes her identity, and Aoi, someone who doesn't seem to be afraid to show who they are, which could be why Sahoko was intrigued by her. Sahoko's judgement to other people did kind of throw me off too. But even with this type of character somehow she's still made loveable - she is very cute. Just like every other character in this manga, I loved the character design itself.
Overall, I feel like there could have been more development in the story and that it didn't feel rushed, but I really liked it either way! The story was still intriguing and adorable, along with the characters and art. I do suggest it to yuri lovers, or just manga lovers in general who are looking for a quick romance (that will probably have some drama in the upcoming volumes...)
Although the volume ends on a cliff-hanger and was pretty short compared to other mangas I've read, the story was really interesting and I wanted to find out more about what happened or what will happen next, like whether or not Sahoko will ever speak to or find Aoi. Throughout the manga, the story didn't really feel as developed as I would have liked it to be and felt like it went by too fast, but in the next volumes more information will probably come out. The manga was also very cute, like seeing how Sahoko acted when she was around Aoi, and I absolutely loved the art style, it's lovely.
However, Sahoko's character did kind of annoy me - although it was pretty realistic, I didn't like how self-centred she acted sometimes, focusing all on her looks and popularity. There was a nice juxtaposition between her, someone who fakes her identity, and Aoi, someone who doesn't seem to be afraid to show who they are, which could be why Sahoko was intrigued by her. Sahoko's judgement to other people did kind of throw me off too. But even with this type of character somehow she's still made loveable - she is very cute. Just like every other character in this manga, I loved the character design itself.
Overall, I feel like there could have been more development in the story and that it didn't feel rushed, but I really liked it either way! The story was still intriguing and adorable, along with the characters and art. I do suggest it to yuri lovers, or just manga lovers in general who are looking for a quick romance (that will probably have some drama in the upcoming volumes...)
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