Jun 21, 2023
Note this review was written after reading chapter 29.
This story is perfectly servicable. Just the fact that I use that language is a criticism of it. It's servicable, not much more. While it is entertaining enough and the use of a deaf character as the main character is rather interesting it falls on certain aspects. So let's talk about that. The main character, Hiiragi, is deaf and joins a new class. She doesn't go to a special school or has an interpreter so she has felt outside for more of her school life and thus changed schools. This works though because she can read lips,
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which is quite common among deaf people so they can understand people who don't know sign language. It does portray the struggle in a rather alright way although there are certain aspects that seem weird. The author shows that she needs to focus and look straight on to read lips, which is the way to do it, but usually ignores that aspect and makes it seem that she can read lips from the side. It's a small issue but it's part of a whole that I got bothered by.
Let's break the manga down into categories and talk more from there
Story: It's a simple slice of life story just with a deaf girl. This comes with some usual tropes but it's not as overt with the tropes as other mangas. In the first 29 chapters the manga hasn't gone that far in development, but that's not terribly unusual although this might be slower to do anything than is common. Overall the score for the story sits at a 6/10. Nothing special.
Characters: There are a few characters. The main character Hiiragi being the best of them. She's well grounded and reasonable. She got that cute quirky side of her. Although there is one aspect of Hiiragi's character that is annoying: She's basically perfect in all sports. It just comes out of nowhere and is so unnatural that even the humor that is supposed to come from this aspect falls flat. Then we have what is obviously Hiiragi's best friend in the school, Sakura. She is also a good character, always lively and it's a wonderful sight. Although not a lot of depth of substance, she works as a character. The older sister of Hiiragi also makes multiple appearances and the way she's written is absolutely wonderful. Begone the caring sister trope, begone the angry sister trope welcome the teasing annoying sister reality. The way she's written is so real, that's how siblings are, teasing and annoying each other.
Now for you who have already started reading this manga you might be wondering why I spent so much text on the side characters and not the male supporting character. Well that's because he's a complication. While the characters are good in most parts, not great but good, the male supporting character Taijou is not even good. He's written to be this overly nice guy in the eyes of the author but he mostly comes across as absolutely annoying and somewhat creepy at times. Like there is a limit to being a nice guy where you turn creepy because why are you like that? Taijou crosses that limit with strides. He tries to help Hiiragi but always goes against her will, he cares only for his own ego and after reading more and learning more of his character his helpful nice guy habits could be seen as a way he uses to stroke his own ego. This is fine if the author means for you to hate the character but he's written as sympathetic and someone that could potentially be a love interest which brings a disconnect and thus the character can't be called well written. The characters without Taijou would get a 7/10, servicable, but with Taijou it drops to a 5/10 mediocre.
Comedy: Not a lot. Not that good. It's better to read this for the good characters rather than to get a laugh 5/10 mediocre.
Conclusion: A pretty mediocre to fine manga that is pretty interesting to read mainly due to Hiiragi. I wouldn't recommend it but I wouldn't dissuade anyone from reading it either. Final score 6/10, nothing special.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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