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Do not fear for this review contains NO spoilers.
This manga is not average at all. The characters display immense maturity which makes the story all the more realistic. If you are tired of cheesy romances and cliché plots, then this manga will definitely spice up your life.
Nobara, main protagonist, is very serious about volleyball however is NOT a stone cold warrior. She is an average high school teenager struggling to become stronger and more independent. What is generally seen in shoujo manga is that the romance takes a very central position in the ... plot however that is not the case with this manga.
Nobara not only grows as a character as she encounters various challenges through volleyball but ALSO in dealing with her romantic feelings towards other characters. If this entire manga revolved around volleyball then the story would, no doubt, be slightly boring but Nobara encounters feelings of love and decides how to face them. The plot is in fact strong enough without any romance as Nobara is a very deep character and her growth itself is compelling enough to keep one interested in the manga. HOWEVER as there is enough romance to jazz things even more, the story gets even more FANTASTIC!
The art gets a perfect 10 as there are no irritating blushing spasms that characters have. Those to me are extremely unrealistic. The characters of course DO blush, but just the perfect amount. The art is otherwise really beautiful and each character shows a lot of expression. (I'm a stickler for art)
This manga is however not perfect. Although this manga contains a refreshing sight of maturity in characters, they are still high school teenagers who don't know how to perfectly deal with life. I really would have liked it even more if the main characters had chosen to deal with their problems together, through their romance, and hence shown more scenes where they grow together but Nobara is stubborn and takes very independent decisions (which can also be admired in fact). There are enough squeal worthy moments in the romance but I would have liked it if the manga showed more of the main couple's high school life together.
This manga was utterly compelling. I finished it within two days and stayed up the entirety of last night finishing it. Anyone who liked Chihayafuru will love this as well!