A simple but earnest highschool BL manga of best friends turned boyfriends. Personally the manga was a bit boring to me. It focused mostly on the internal struggles of the main characters who were always in class together but now find themselves separated into different classrooms causing them to grow distant. Kai has to come to terms with his feelings for his best friend Ren and he is trying to stop his feelings affecting their friendship. Ren, after discovering Kai likes him, also has struggles with understanding his own feelings towards Kai. It kind of felt very similar to most BL highschool mangas with one character confessing first and the other only realising how they feel afterwards sprinkled with some jealousy. While I’m not one to dislike cliches I just didn’t see much that made this manga stand out. I would recommend this manga to someone that enjoys highschool romances and that wants to get into the BL genre as it is only 1 volume and a nice read with not too much drama or angst but enough to keep the plot moving with a good conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for the ARC in return for an honest review!
3.5 stars rounded down
This was a very sweet, short story about two best friends who realized they felt more for each other than just a close friendship. There is not much that happens during the story, we just go through the daily life of Ren and Kai in high school as they make their way through school, relationships, and understanding their own feelings. I really enjoyed this! It didn't do anything amazing, but it was super sweet and felt very realistic.

Review to come late January on blog/goodreads/other places.

I received this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange of an honest review.

One of the two LGBT/MM manga I requested on Netgalley. In the hopes that this would be a wholesome one, and not one of those yaoi you have too much of (aka, rape, no consent, and other shitty stuff). And I can tell you, this one was just pure wholesome and adorable. Just a tad frustrating as it takes the guys long before they confess their feelings.🤣

In this one we meet Kai and Ren, two boys who have been together since the first year of middle school and up to their second year in high school (yep, that is quite a feat from what I can read in this manga + what I know from other manga/anime). Now this 3rd year however they are in separate classes and we see that it isn't easy for both of them. Because yes, they are friends, but you can quickly see that they both like the other and don't know how to handle that/how to say anything. I guess, it also didn't help that they have some kind of BL play thing going on as a joke, what I mean with that, well you know those classic romance stuff that happens to peeps, they are really good at re-enacting those to the hilarity of their group of friends. But what if you have those feelings? That BL play comes a bit too close home and I was just laughing how both of them were so natural at it yet also so awkward. 

I really loved both Ren and Kai and seeing how they manoeuvre through their feelings + the fact they got separated this year. At times it got a bit annoying as I was just like, KISS already or AT LEAST CONFESS. Well, as you read in the blurb Kai accidentally confesses when he thinks that his best friend is asleep (and we manga readers/anime watchers know that sleeping people are rarely really asleep). That causes a lot of awkwardness and even more distance. And there are a few moments that had me wanting to just lock these two up in a classroom to finally talk about their feelings instead of just tiptoeing around it and, in one case, even try dating a girl to see if it would just get the feels away (hint, it never does). 

Most of the volume is from the POV of Kai with some glimpses of Ren's feels as well. And then in Chapter 4 and 5 it is time to further the story through Kai's eyes. Which I just absolutely adored. 

Oh, and I love that throughout the manga we get some backflashes to earlier times of these two. Seeing them go to the same school. See them have summer together. Read about Shogi. It was a really nice addition because now you really see how deep the bond and connection is between them. 

I loved the last part of the manga and I was just throwing around virtual confetti in happiness. WHOO! 

Plus, I always love it when we get a bonus chapter to end a volume. With some extras to show how the characters are faring now. 

OH, and I cannot forget Ren/Kai's friends. Kanamecchi was just my favourite, I love that type of character (who looks cute but knows everything and is quite sly at times). But I also like Ando/Andy, though he really is thick at times, haha. 

All in all, I would recommend this manga to all, it was a fun, sweet, adorable, yes sometimes frustrating romance story featuring two guys who have been together for a long time. And I just adore it when the title comes back in the story as well. The art is pretty (just look at that cover).

The illustrations and plotline was equally good. The author has definitely penn down a beautiful and cute story while the illustrator has presented beautiful drawings so the unlimite reading experience of this volume of the manga was amazing.

This was a super cute story with great art. I was quickly drawn in and it held my attention well. I was pleased with how sweet and genuine it was. It was nothing life changing and no huge story was told, but it was lovely and enjoyable all the same.

This is exactly what I was hoping it would be: a cute, quick read to help me get over my reading slump! But, it was a lot more than that too. My Ultramarine Sky is about the complexities of queer friendships becoming something more, and it hit me right in the feels as Kai, Ren, and their relationship grew. I loved the expressions and backgrounds Furuya drew a lot too, I'll definitely be picking up her other work in the future!

I'm also just a sucker for mutual pining, especially when one of the couple doesn't realize it at first so this was perfect for me

Within the realm of overlooked treasures lies a captivating BL manga penned by my cherished artist. Entwined in its pages is the timeless narrative of childhood friends evolving into ardent lovers. The tapestry of their shared history unfolds in poignant sequences, rendering the tale rich with emotion.

The author's remarkable talent for expressing emotions shines through, elevating each panel to an exquisite portrayal of heartfelt moments. Despite the deliberate pacing, I reveled in the gradual character development, witnessing their authentic growth and emotional revelations. This measured approach not only deepened my connection to the characters but also immersed me in the unfolding events, making it a truly gratifying experience. In my perspective, the deliberate pacing served to enhance the overall charm of this hidden gem.

It's cute and soft. You're not going to find the big story here, but I love it for that. The art it's pretty, they're super nice characters and the story itself it's uncomplicated, a little bit of angst and a beautiful slice of life. Give it a chance.

The cover of this is what oddly drew me in. Very simple and soft colored. I've bene reading a lot of bold action/fantasy manga/manhwa lately with bold covers, so this as a nice soft change. I am also a softy for sweet school romance and friends to lovers. So the description hooked me in.

The beginning was set up really well and had my heart both skipping/racing as well as aching as the main character talked about how he felt and how he didn’t want to give up what he already had in case anything went wrong.

I absolutely love the rollercoaster that poor boy goes through with his emotions and how he feels for his friend! So cute!!!

This was an overall sweet and lovely story about young love and overcoming one's doubts for a happy ending.

I really enjoyed this!! This is from the same mangaka as My Summer With You, so I was super excited to pick this one up. This was a very sweet friends to lovers romance with a dash of angst (nothing too out of pocket or distracting). Is this plot/concept that has been done a million times before? Yes, but I felt like this had a certain charm to it that will set it apart from other stories out there. Also, the art was so cute.

thanks to netgalley and the publisher Kodansha for an e-arc

single volume mangas always hit different. they already have so few pages, and the medium itself limits the number of words that can be used. yet, somehow My Ultramarine Sky managed to convey the deep yearning between Kai and Ren so profoundly, as well as what it means to 'take for granted' what we thought would always be.

i've always had issues with that personally. whenever i graduate or change classes, i always think that i'd just continue my days as per normal and somehow i'd still be in contact with everyone i know. well, that's a lie. and seeing how things between our two protagonists change once they get into different classes, something they never thought would happen, just because they thought things would always remain the same, hurts deeply.

i loved seeing both sides of the 'x fell first, y fell harder' trope. clearly, Kai is the one who fell first here, having resigned to keeping his feelings in check for Ren for the rest of his days. it didn't occur to me the pain that he's always carried, something that should always hurt, has become normal for him, to the point where he pulls away from touching Ren casually (outside of their usual BL plays in front of their friends, which are hilarious and a nice meta touch on the contemporary romance tropes).

seeing the pay off where Ren is hit with his sudden awakening after Kai distances himself from him was very relieving, and i especially loved that Ren is the one who took the initiative to seek Kai out to resolve the misunderstanding and FINALLY get together.

the bonus chapter of the two of them playing shogi (and their first kiss!!) was very sweet, and i always love content of a couple living out their days after getting together!!

(review cross-posted on goodreads)

While a bit basic, this was an extremely cute manga with very lovable characters. I enjoyed following their slow burn journey of discovering their feeling of beyond friendship for each other. This story is mainly character driven and the plot is rather secondary to their emotional journey.

When you think it's a one sided love but maybe the other person is just dense or doesn't know how they truly feel.

Kai and Ren have been in the same class since the beginning of middle school but now they are in different classes. As they experience a change, Kai realizes when he and Ren would naturally go home together or hang out all the hang out is now much harder to do. One day thinking Ren was sleeping in the classroom, Kai slipped by saying how he felt and Ren heard... Few things happen and Kai tries to be happy for Ren but in the end finds he needs to put some distance between them. Then of course it hits Ren that he didn't like that. How will a slip up affect Kai and Ren's friendship after all these years?

I did enjoy reading this BL, it was a light hearted story. If you liked Summer With You/Summer of You, you will more than likely like this one too. For me, I do like how the mc thinks he is hiding his feelings but his friends around him already know and they seem cool about it. They do have them act out some BL pick up moves for their entertainment.
**Also, this is another BL that is not 🥵🔥.

Rating: 3.72 leaves out of 5
-Characters: 3/5
-Cover (+art): 3/5
-Story: 2.75/5
-Writing: 5/5
Genre: BL, Contemporary, Romance, YA
-BL: 3/5
-Contemporary: 5/5
-Romance: 3/5
-YA: 5/5
Type: Manga
Worth?: I suppose

Want to thank Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read this book.

Your basic teens figuring out their emotions. Was it bad? No, but it wasn't capturing either. Your typical YA romance for a manga. It is a good palate cleanser.

I have only read a handful of manga books as I am just getting into the genre. This one, in particular, I found to be just okay. It didn't rock my world, but the art was good, and it was a quick read, which I go to graphic novels specifically for, but it somehow felt incredibly slow-moving. overall, like the few other mangas I've read, I have found that the main characters look so similar that I got them a little mixed up sometimes, but as I am new to the genre and drawing style, I can honestly attribute some of these flaws in my reading experience to be overall user error. but the plot wasn't that engaging and i didn't feel very connected to the characters as i have in the past for other books with similar themes.

Ok so NetGalley was kind enough to let me read this manga for free in exchange for a review so here's my honest feedback

The concept of this manga is just chefs kiss but the execution was unfortunately very lacking.
The pining in this manga was pretty enjoyable and relatable but God I wish it was with a stronger couple. Also the love confession from Ren dropped a pretty banger line that again, I wish was in a stronger story.
The problem was this manga didn't really show us Kai and Ren's friendship all that much. We're given bits and pieces here and their but we're never really shown much else. Also they were pretty boring characters so they made the relationship a little harder to root for.
But this manga was still somewhat enjoyable despite it flaws and I don't hate it so for that it gets a 3. If you need a pallet cleanser that you can just turn your brain off to, this manga's pretty good for that.

Again thank you to NetGalley for this copy

Thank you netgalley for an advanced ARC of this manga

* Great Art
* M&M Story Based
* Love story
* coming of Age
* Emotional
* Some Deep Meaning

Reading this was fun and Emotional in places where u are routing for the characters to get together, you see how one of the main characters is dealing with events that have happened and seeing him look deep into things shows character growth and I cannot wait to see how far this series goes and how it keeps on

It was such a very cute oneshot, the
best kind that is the right amount of romantic and cute, makes you root for the protagonists from the start. Made me wonder for quite a few chapters whether Ren was a bit on the denser side, or just a pro at compartmentalizing his feelings. And getting Kai to narrate the first chapters was an excellent decision: a sunshine child like him was a lovely entryway into the stories of childhood friends slowly catching up to the feelings of being in love. Adorable!

Pretty good BL. It's a typical high school romance, the protagonists have been friends for a long time and are now in different classes, so they have to deal with this new reality. However, Kai is in love with Ren and has to disguise his feelings in order to not blow their friendship. Ren, on the other hand, is oblivious to his own feelings. Nagisa Furuya turned a banal plot into a poetic and compelling story that has us rooting for their love. This manga was released before My summer of you, and it's nice to see her evolution. I enjoyed it and recommend it to BL fans.

Not the best BL manga I've read but it is good nonetheless. It has everything you'd expect in a classic BL plot, the pining and yearning, the secret crush, the two best friends that fall in love. It was pretty easy to follow through as the plot is generic. The art though wasn't my style and I felt like some angles were kinda awkward. Overall, the art could have been more detailed!