Half & Half

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Half & Half is a love story that I can only imagine as tragic, yet beautiful. It has that classic Seo Kouji feel to it, that both brings in his delightfully intrinsic art style, and his fabulous characterization.

I started this manga on a whim, after completing another one of Seo Kouji's works (Kimi no Iru Machi) and found it to be both the shortest manga I have read in a long time, and the most heartbreaking. It is my new Shinichi Nagakawa and Yuuki Sanada are my new Romeo and Juliet.

If you are a hopeless romantic looking for something special; This is it!

The premise is actually nice and, as a short story, you can read it all very quickly. I don't usually like this kind of romance manga but this one had me intrigued and i think the author did a good job in expressing human feelings (something a lot of mangaka's lack). Overall i'd recommend to read it, but keep in mind it's far from a masterpiece. I really didn't enjoyed the ending, not to mention all that scenes where the girl is cooking and then washing the dishes while boy just keeps smiling and thinking he could live like that forever...

While being a little short, this manga by Seo Kouji is a must read for any lover of romance.

Half & Half delights the reader with a good story that goes straight to the point, its art is simple, yet it manages to deliver sucessfully the whole range of emotions that the story needs. It could have been better, but it gets the work done.
The characters are really likeable, although, they may look cliche at the beginning, yet, we see them growing in the story until they reach their pinnacle of maturity.

In my opinion, it also has a few flaws. Maybe it lacked a little ... bit of time, maybe the story should have been developed during a month, considering the events, etcetera. But those flaws shouldn't prevent you from reading this manga.

Anyways, if you're looking for something with a little bit of comedy, and romance mixed with fast-paced feelings rushing to your heart within an hour or two, you'll love this one. It may not be memorable, but I can assure that you'll enjoy it.

Half & Half is another manga by the well-known mangaka, Seo, Kouji. Delightfuly short, emotional to the core coupled with an outrageously good premise and idea, this manga manages to steal the show from some of the other mangas that I have read recently.

Comprising of 13 chapters (the last one is set to come out in a month), Half & Half manages to delve into the themes of betrayal, love and the misfortunes that both of these themes create. Our two main characters are left to deal with these problems after both of them die, resulting in an inteference by god that allows both ... of them to live for 7 days before one has to die. It's simple and elegant but it's able to pull it off so well, creating a manga full of beauty and emotion.

My review is short and to the point. If you need a manga to read in a short amount of time but you also want a deep and meaningful story, backed up by great charactes and an emotional premise, then Half & Half is perfect for you.

When I write, I tend to go straight into being a hypocritical a$$hole. However, for this manga, I feel obligated to say that I actually recommend it. If you are in the mood for a white night, entitlement fantasy (wish fulfillment), sort of a romance then this is actually a pretty good pick. This manga is about a guy and a girl who end up in this situation where one of them has to die, and they have a week to decide which one it is. During this week, they share each other’s senses and emotions, hence ... the title Half & Half. This all happened because they accidentally died together and in what I assume to be purgatory, some random voice that claims to be god set up this ultimatum were only one can live. So basically, this manga is a like Future Diary except with a lot of the fat cut off, and it goes straight to the ending in less than half the time Future Diary took.

I would say the biggest strength to this manga--not counting it’s convenient length--is how the manga actually details out the seven days they spend together. I am one of those people who wound want to see a day in the life actually be a twenty four hour experience. That is obviously a hyperbole though, but I do enjoy seeing as much detail as I can get without it turning irrelevant. And this manga, despite its short length, did a decent job with that. It left me satisfied at least.

Now that I got those few sentences of praise out of the way, I can start being a bully. This manga is as arbitrary as it gets. The whole story is based a premise that is just there as an excuse for this beta male to meet a pretty girl. In any respectable romance, the characters should meet naturally. Girls don’t literally fall out of they sky and get stuck with you until they love you. Despite what this story might say, it just isn’t how reality works. Stories like this I think can be detrimental to its beta male readers. If people actually think this is how relationships happen, then they are gravely mistaken. I really hope I am wrong and that single men don’t expect beautiful girls to fall from the sky and fall in love with them, but you never know.

Honestly, that is about all I am going to harp on. Everything else I could critique I think is kinda irrelevant. I say irrelevant because this story is a cute little traject romance for anime fans that happen to be in the mood for it. Breaking it down would be a waste of time. If I did, I would probably be putting more thought into this than the author did. Consequently, this manga is another Future Diary/Guilty Crown/Darling in the Franxx except it is short enough were you can get the same emotional high in a bathroom sitting rather than 20 plus episodes. And despite my ratings, I actually enjoyed all the titles I listed above. This manga was a fun read, and if you’re in the mood for it, go for it. Since it isn’t anything life changing or super profound, it just gets four in my book. Not entirely bad though.

Like my pretentious rambling? Then please check out my twitch where I ramble about anime live (https://www.twitch.tv/infinite_fiend). I do anime discussions/analysis live for all to comment on in real time. Peace.

Let's start with the story(7):

Personally, I enjoyed the main concept of the story, with the sharing of basically EVERYTHING they had. The story had potential; the author basically had a huge story palette where he can play around and try different mixtures to see what new inventions he can come up with. Although he did not fail to meet my expectations on that end, there were some moments that felt too rushed for my taste. That is my personal take on the story section of this .

The Art(9):

My score may be due to my bias to this form of artstyle. This is the kind of ... art I grew up with, therefore, I apologize for all of those who disagree. This is just the kind of art I prefer.

Character(7):

Oh boy, oh boy. I personally enjoyed the characters since, I myself am a boy of age filled with thoughts that may send me to jail. The author was not afraid to showcase the different emotions teenagers could have. The character development was amazing as I felt myself becoming attached to them as the final chapters came through.

Enjoyment(8):

Okay, so most people might have different opinions, but I really enjoyed this as it was one of my firsts. This showed me a different side to this genre and explored topics that may not be mainly practical as revival upon death can not really occur. My main point is, this was seriously enjoyable and I recommend all of those who are searching for a different take on supernatural/romance to read this .

I will make this review a quick one.

This manga is outstanding. A true masterpiece. For people who don't really enjoy romance and drama, this isn't the manga for you. However, if you love romance and drama, this is perfect. It might be short, but that's the good thing. It doesn't get boring and progresses quickly and well, keeping your attention.

The art is amazing, the characters look realistic and the art style really does help the reader understand and feel what each character feels. The expressions on the characters are very expressive.

The story is very sad but very original. I enjoyed every second of the ... story. The plot is very interesting and quite original. The way Seo Kouji (the writer) uses romance and supernatural themes are very interesting and he uses this very well to create this idea.

In conclusion, this manga is a must read and I guarantee you will like it. If you do find that you like this manga, I recommend also reading Kimi no Iru Machi.

I gave everything a 9/10 except for "Enjoyment" because I'm just too sad and unfulfilled to give this manga any higher.

But ignoring that, everything about this short manga story is amazing.

Story - 9
The length and depth of the story was a perfect balance given the limited chapters Seo decided to work with. There is great plot progression (as required), and each chapter featured a plethora of events and such that was obviously significant. There were a few well-orchestrated plot twists here and there that didn't make readers necessarily gasp in anxiety, but still created enough chaos to keep the story moving in the right direction.

Now, ... for the ending, as befitting (and fine, satisfying given the tragedy and drama we had to endure...) as it was, my own heart just couldn't handle it. I live for satisfying/fulfilling endings when it comes to romance. Tragedies are just not for me, but from an objective point of view, it fit this story perfectly.

Art - 9

Not much to say here since I've already went into detail in the past about Seo's art. I think his strengths are his character expressions, detailed backdrops, depiction of characters postures and their beauty, and, God forbid, naked (or nearly naked) women for the sake of his shounen fanbase.

Characters - 9

Man oh man, the character development was smooth and well executed in just the short duration of time we had with this manga. I never thought that Seo's characters acted out of place for who they were, and the our main pair - Yuuki and Shinichi - exposed a brilliant dynamic with each other that blossomed at the end. The other characters were briefly written for their roles within the story, which is fine given the story was short.

Enjoyment - 6
And here is where I differentiate "enjoyment" with the overall rating I'm giving Half & Half. I just couldn't bear the ending and felt frustrated because of how much I fell in love with both characters despite the short number of chapters. I enjoyed the majority of this manga, and then the ending crashed into me like a swinging bat. For most who found it fulfilling, that's great - I can understand why.

Overall - 9
But despite what I said above, this manga still deserves a 9. It was beautifully written for the short territory it covered, and the characters were very likeable. Definitely recommend reading it - just be prepared to steal your heart <3

I often didn't even bother to write a review of a series but damn, this thing is GOLD

I really like the story, even with a short amount of time the character is really well developed. I just glad i found this manga and be able to read it in one seat. And the emotions is really well constructed to make me think of this manga for whole night lmao. I got so much enjoyment while reading it, the ending also have a very solid conclusion which i like.

Sure it have flaws too, the biggest one is time issue. This manga has a lot of ... potential, there is so MUCH that can be developed in it, if they have 1 month or more to live i'm sure this will be a top tier romance manga

Regardless to say i LOVE this manga, looking forward for more Seo Kouji-san works!

if you're looking for a good romance manga, well here you go


Overal: 8,5

The original 1996 one shot was clunky and saccharine. It suffered from rough sketches of 2 mostly stereotypical characters. This was foreseeable as it was a debut and not really a finalized idea. Over in the updated full version we get something with darkness to it. The dynamics shift now to 2 characters who are apathetic and cynical, finding themselves in a fitting situation. It's interesting to see how their attitudes evolve in this life and death contemplation. The supporting cast is near nonexistent but luckily both main characters balance each other out enough. Their exchanges and just "walking around and doing stuff" is the ... main bulk of the story, but drama is exercised at the right times.

Before the reader had to make some narrative concessions but now there's some real urgency and maturity to what should be a dire, dire situation. I'm all for subversive and emotionally charged romance stories. This delivers hand over fist for the most part. Yuuki's oversexualized unnecessarily at some junctures. excusing the YA moments of intimacy which are actually touching. It should be noted it keeps it in check contrasted to many other ecchi counterparts.

Despite the added depth, key moments of inconsistency poke holes through what is otherwise a bittersweet and brief story with surprising wisdom and life lessons.

Lets start with a summary of the plot : Half and half is a story about a boy named Shinichi and a girl named Yuuki who die together in an accident.After they die god takes them in a place between life and death and gives them seven more days to live to decide who must die. But in this week they share there emotions and physical sensations so none can lie to the other or kill the other.

story: the stroy is original and a true 10/10 to me. The way the plot progress is really nice and it doesnt let you get bored.If you ... like romance/drama masterpieces, this one is for you.( I read it in one day and i couldnt sleep.)

characters: the character development in this story is fantastic. The characters are always true to there feelings and they are very realistic. the relationship between the 2 main characters is the best part of the story their love is true and this makes the reader depressed in the end. ( 10/10 for me)

Art: the art isnt something special but it was clean and i liked it very much (8/10) .

the end of the sory: the ending will make you very depressed and sad. Its very dramatic but you will like it believe me. (9.5/10)

overall: as a whole characters, art and story are amazing one of the best manga i have read and for rom/drama lovers and generaly for all manga readers this is a must read (overall 11/10 for me ).

EXTRA
In the begginig there is a chapter 0 , this is a one shot( basicaly short story) with defferent characters but still amazing as well. (10/10 for me )