464 pages
English language
Published April 16, 2012
Nunca parará de sorprenderme cómo las obras de Shinkai cambian sus finales según el medio en el que las disfrutes.
A beautiful, lyrical story of a first love that almost one of the lovers' chances at true happiness.
This wasn't the book I was expecting, not exactly. It is 461 pages, which is amazing since most manga are a lot shorter. The story drew me in deeply and I come to care for the characters - Takaki, Akari, Kanae, Risa - like they were real people. I would get angry with them, especially Takaki, and cried over them. Mostly, I would get very depressed over how sad things had become, but I could understand why they did what they did. I even agreed with them because I felt the same way.
Takaki and Akari meet as children and become quick friends. However, it is not to last for Akari's family is moving far away. Devastated, they pledge to keep in touch through letters. In their first year of junior high, …
A beautiful, lyrical story of a first love that almost one of the lovers' chances at true happiness.
This wasn't the book I was expecting, not exactly. It is 461 pages, which is amazing since most manga are a lot shorter. The story drew me in deeply and I come to care for the characters - Takaki, Akari, Kanae, Risa - like they were real people. I would get angry with them, especially Takaki, and cried over them. Mostly, I would get very depressed over how sad things had become, but I could understand why they did what they did. I even agreed with them because I felt the same way.
Takaki and Akari meet as children and become quick friends. However, it is not to last for Akari's family is moving far away. Devastated, they pledge to keep in touch through letters. In their first year of junior high, they managed to meet after a lengthy wait due to bad weather. They still have a wonderful meeting and have their first kiss. However, it will be some time before they can see each other again.
Takaki's family moves away and his correspondence with Akari becomes more difficult. He withdraws into himself and holds aloof from most relationships, though he eventually forms a tentative friendship with Kanae, who is infatuated with him. However, Takaki has not let go of Akari and is unable to have meaningful relationships with people. It is as if that part of him is turned off. Takaki must learn to live with Akari's loss so he can move on with his life.
This is a sad book, but it is also a hopeful one. Some people said the ending was ambiguous. It wasn't for me.
