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To put it simply, this is a cute romance story that you pick up for fun, not much more. The plot isn't the most original or extravagant, and Sakisaka tends to pull some nonsense along the way to keep chapters publishing, but it was still a fun little page-turner during the first two-thirds. Later in the story, the fun and joy of the romance starts to wear off big time.

This is the first time that I don't want to review this work in separate chunks (characters, plot, art, etc.) because I believe the main issues with this manga lie in the overall execution (and we ... all know Sakisaka's art and characters are consistently good). The main issue is that there is a severe lack of satisfying wrap-ups in this story. At some point, things start to just sort of work out, despite the focus of the entire story being change, evolution, and growth. While the characters do grow, and I did appreciate seeing them become closer, there isn't actually much in the story that makes the reader feel as though their interactions have evolved.

Additionally, the actual couples started losing all spark the second Sakisaka started dragging out the story. The 'main' couple of Yuna and Rio, who are great together when you get to see them, slowly get less and less page time as Akari and Kazuomi tip-toe around each other for the entire second half. Akari and Kazuomi were simply not fun to follow after a certain point - can't quite say when the switch happens, but you'll definitely feel it. Having that dragging love story brings the entire second half down, as Sakisaka also throws in a ton of extra family drama that really needed an entire separate arc to sift through, especially since it was brought up in the final three chapters no less. Every problem that the couples encountered after a certain point was quickly and oddly resolved without the reader FEELING like it was resolved and, personally, I'm here for romance - I want the couples interacting as the main focus while the drama shaking them up takes a back seat. By the end, it just feels like everything this story was trying to accomplish was rushed, and therefore it feels as though nothing was accomplished much at all.

Now that the missed execution was discussed, let me tell you what I loved about this story. This was a manga I could burn through in a single sitting if I had the time. For the first 9 volumes, these relationships hook you and keep you engaged with little effort - it's an incredibly easy and endearing read. Yuna and Rio were somehow the sane duo to follow through this (which I didn't expect when I started), and I appreciate their appearances above everything else this manga had to offer. If it wasn't for my enjoyment with them or my appreciation for the friendships Sakisaka portrayed, this story would have dropped to a 6 or 5 easily. Yuna and Rio as a couple have their problems, of course, but they were much more heartwarming to follow than Akari and Kazuomi by the end to say the least.

While I complained a bit here, as I am fresh off reading the frustrating end of this story, I do still recommend you give this a read if you're looking for some fulfilling and enjoyable romance. The characters are lovable, and it's a fun romp, it just has a few bumps along the way - a solid 7/10!

this story was so sweet i read it twice! strobe edge is a perfect little romance story, as long as the reader enjoys the slow burn of characters growing towards their feelings. there is drama and conflict of course, which keeps things interesting, but i am grateful to announce that none of the tropes were mind-numbingly annoying - like those found in Sakisaka's other work ao haru ride. this manga is only sitting at an 8 simply because it wasn't quite groundbreaking, and it didn't evoke too many big emotions or changes from me, but it was incredibly heartwarming and fulfilling to read despite that.

characters ... (7/10): while the characters are definitely likable and enjoyable to follow, they were nothing special. kinoshita is a sweetheart that (thankfully) listens to her heart, and you want to root for her, but she is easily relatable for a reason. they're all simple, these aren't necessarily characters that would hit your favorites list - they're sweet and kind-hearted, but lack extreme depth. additionally, ichinose is practically the cardboard cutout for a shoujo love interest. while he does have his good moments, he's just as 'perfect' and normal as you'd expect, which isn't necessarily a bad thing for this story. the secondary 'love interest' is once again forgettable, if not a bit annoying at times, but not important enough to write even more than a sentence about.

plot (8/10): the plot here is inherently straightforward, girl meets and falls for boy, boy is already taken and doesn't Think he likes girl back - and now you get to follow them figuring it out. there are ups and downs and some unlikely situations, but nothing too trope-y or upsetting that dilutes the sweetness of the overall story. a romance like this might seem unrealistic, but we're reading a story for a reason, and it's fun to watch it work out. i also appreciate how Sakisaka handled those 'side' love interests to the main characters, they had fulfilling and plausible exits that supported everyones development nicely.

art (8/10): the art is incredibly cute and lovely, i've always enjoyed how Sakisaka portrayed their stories. there is nothing about it or the manga layout that puts me off - its very nice on the eyes.

final thoughts (8/10): wanting to re-read a manga is a big deal to me, and this one encouraged me to come back. after reading this, and encountering all the other absolute trash romance manga out there, this is definitely a sweet gem. this story is heartwarming and fulfilling - and that's all we really need!

[SLIGHT SPOILERS]
this story was incredibly hyped when i first heard of it, and i am disappointed to say it didn't live up to the initial expectations. while the manga starts interesting and engaging, it is quickly revealed why the anime only adapted the first arc of this story.

characters (7/10): I assume these protagonists are the reason this manga's score was bloated, i think we can all accept that. while he turns into a total f**khead later in the story, kou mabuchi (main male chara) starts as a very interesting and ideal shoujo love interest. additionally, futaba yoshioka was one of the more real and ... relatable protagonists - or, at least, i enjoyed her character well enough in the beginning. the second love interest to yoshioka, touma kikuchi (?), was a sweetheart, but of course only a trope used to further the story - so forgettable that i didn't even recognize his name when i saw it. the side characters are nice to follow too, but nothing major comes from them, they're just a bit of extra fun. while i enjoyed the protagonists that Sakisaka cultivated in the beginning, all the effort put into making mabuchi and yoshioka well-rounded and fun to follow characters became a bit pointless during the second half when they stopped growing/adapting for the sake of drama. similarly to hibi chouchou, these main characters take leaps in development for the first half just to suddenly lose all memory of their changes when it's most important. makes the whole story leave a sour taste.

plot (6/10): overall, this manga has more interesting interactions than a lot of other romance options, but please tell me in what world i would want to read a story about our main character dating a boy for seemingly no good reason when she is well aware she still likes a different boy, especially after readers just followed the first couple for the entire first half of the manga. this love story starts so incredibly strong, it's heating up perfectly for the entire first half until suddenly, it comes to a screaming, crying halt - they simply sort of believe they stop liking each other and decide to entertain other people for the sake of "responsibility" or "to move on". the only reason Sakisaka manages to drag you through that hellfire of a second arc is hinged on you being interested enough to see if the characters finally learn their lesson by the end, and how nicely it could possibly end. at the same time, it's obvious they're going to get back together, so it would have been much better to just watch them grow as a couple (more like kimi ni todoke).

art (9/10): cute, pretty, enjoyable to read. i've always enjoyed Sakisaka's artwork, it immerses the reader in the emotion of the scene in a way some others can't achieve sometimes. the panelling and dialogue was also easy to follow, which i unfortunately require.

final thoughts (7/10): I really wanted and hoped for this to be the perfect romance manga - unfortunately, that can only be found in kimi ni todoke (as far as i've read). great start on both plot and characters, but things unravel quite quickly. a frustrating read, but still incredibly enjoyable when it does things right.