I really loved this! This is the sort of contemporary story that isn't really a romance but you have multiple characters experiencing crushes within their friend group and trying to get to know each other better. It's very cute, but also really heartfelt.

In the story, Mori has this view of "being okay" with just being the friend (or side character) and not the main heroine that she sees her best friend to be. It's a role that she secretly wants for herself, but isn't ready to acknowledge.

Mori is also dealing with unrequited feelings for the guy she likes, who, she finds out early on, has a crush on her shy, pretty, double-eyelided best friend. She must grapple with the scary feeling of truly chasing after what she wants, whether it's her crush or a school-related activity, and it was interesting to see how her mind becomes occupied with all of this emotional turmoil. It's something I found to be quite relatable, both the feelings she has and how she deals with them.

A lot of my thoughts center around my anticipation for volume 2. Since we only get four chapters in this first volume, it's hard to see any big changes within the characters' arcs, but I loved that we got to see different perspectives within the friend group and how certain details about one friend can easily go unnoticed. I'm hoping for the moment where Mori realizes that maybe she doesn't know who her best friend is on the inside, or rather learns something new about her that changes the image she has of her. Sometimes, it's difficult to remove those tinted glasses and really see a person outside of that image, especially if you're constantly envisioning them next to someone else. But, I think, their friendship could grow to a deeper level with more open communication.

I've really enjoyed what has already been developed in terms of the friendships within the group of four and look forward to this author's future work.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this and will be picking up a copy as soon it releases. 💕
It was well written and I really enjoyed my time reading it.

Rating 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

While I liked the plot of this manga, there were instances where I struggled to juggle the side stories for the characters as the story progressed. This manga centers around Hikari who is merely in the shadow of her friend Mari who is admired by a guy in their class named Ohtani. This slice-of-life manga highlights how Hikari's perspective gradually shifts as she develops feelings for Ohtani, leaving her conflicted about her presence in social settings. I am curious about what will unfold in the next volume since Hikari's character development progressed toward the end of volume 1.

I enjoyed this comic book, it was a long time I read a manga and I loved every bit of it. I’m curious to know on how the story will develop further so looking forward to the next release!!!

I really liked this. The artwork was gentle, the story and characters were likable and low drama, though you could see it was growing with the feelings being caught by one side and not the other. I definitely enjoyed this one, though I do hope that the center of everyone's desires gets to actually have her own needs heard, seen, understood and respected. She doesn't seem to have much agency according to the other characters. I would like to see her spread her winds and grow.

4, gentle sweet and interesting, stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for an eARC of this to read and review.

I really enjoyed this manga. I thought the plot seemed fun and I'm excited to read the next in the series! The translation was great and I always appreciate the translation notes at the end of the manga. Basically the story is about an average high school girl who starts falling for the guy she's trying to hook her friend up with. Since this is only the first volume, not too much happened in the plot, it was more introducing characters. At first I got two of the characters confused but was able to resolve that! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for the opportunity to read and review this manga. This is an interesting romance manga when it comes to the characters. However, I do not see why it won any awards except for its art. I am though curious to see what happens next. Because of these points, I have to give this a 3 out of 5 stars.

Four students, who become friends, where feelings intertwine and yet, they are looking the other way.

Hikari is a self proclaimed ordinary person. She fantasizes her friend Mari, with a cute boy, Ohtani, in their class. Coincidentally, Ohtani has feelings for Mari and has been trying to get closer with the help of his friend, Asagiri. However, while playing matchmaker Hikari slowly starts realizing her feelings for Ohtani..

This story has so many emotions but it’s clear it’ll be focusing on the four friends alternatively. Volume one is primarily told from Hikari’s perspective and changes to Ohtani’s perspective near the end. The story is fast paced and although set up like a typical shoujo romance, it quickly evades the common troupes. There is only selflessness and innocence behind each character. However, this creates a lack of drama and intrigue because everyone is so understanding, which causes the story to feel like a gentle summer breeze passing by.

These four friends are all different. Each has their own personality and it’s clearly depicted in both the artwork and their dialogues. Personally, I could relate with Hikari the most, although I consider myself below average. However, I also play an instrument and I did at one time like pairing my friends together in my mind. I found the way Hikari reacted was similar to how I would, which was surprising and a bit unsettling.

The artwork is beautiful. It’s soft and lyrical, similar to the words. Prioritizing the depiction of emotions and relationships, the manga makes it easy to understand what the characters are feeling. There are goofy facial expressions from time to time adding a little comedic relief and scenes of censored nudity. The character designs are pretty, although I sometimes couldn’t tell Asagi and Ohtani apart. The manga uses descriptive sceneries and iconography occasionally, placing an emphasis on the characters themself.

Overall I enjoyed the volume but I feel it lacks an overall intrigue to keep me interested. The cliffhanger at the end had me curious but also worried the story might go downhill for me. I think the story is somewhat beautiful but also a bit unrealistic. Nevertheless, I will continue this series as I think it’s only fair to hear the rest of Ohtani’s perspective as well as Mari and Asagi’s.

Hikari and her shy best friend Mari navigate love and self-perception in this manga. Hikari takes charge of Mari’s romantic life, but feelings don’t always follow the script. The art is familiar and sometimes quirky, and while the story has its ups and downs, it’s setting up for an intriguing journey ahead.

The first thing I read by Rumi Ichinohe and I really like it. I feel like the story may have several plot twists that will make me dive deeper into the manga.

At the moment it begins as a youthful romance story where a young woman, Hikari, would be helping Ohtani, who sits in front of her, to start a relationship with her great friend, Mari. But... well it seems that Hikari is starting to have feelings for the boy.

Within this story we have Hikari's growth with music, Ohtani's friend who I think will have great importance later on and an ending that leaves you wanting more. WHAT WAS THAT ENDING?

Thank you Kodansha Comics for the ARC I read on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

2/5 Hmm. This manga could not keep my attention. I was drawn in originally by the cover, title, and blurb...but I found the story to be overall dull. I usually like slice-of-life style manga, however this was just too bland. I See Your Face, Turned Away, Vol 1 followed a high school friend group of four and their four stories of unrequited love. It was just mundane and not really for me. I did like the pov switches and the art, though the two boys look awfully similar to one another and that made it confusing. I could never really get into the characters either, though I think there is potential with Hikari.

I received an e-galley of I See Your Face, Turned Away by Rumi Ichinohe from Kodansha Comics via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I tend to only read romance manga- ones in which you know that a happy ending will be somewhere down the line (after many, many, many volumes) but I was intrigued by I See Your Face, Turned Away precisely because it seems to be setting readers up for heartbreak as it's a story of unrequited love. I like that it's deviating from what I usually would prefer to read; though it has all the elements to set up for a romance. But told from the point of one who is watching their crush fall for someone else. One volume in, and I'm truly desperate for the next volume.

I flew through this volume wholly invested in the characters and the complicated romantic dynamics that exist in this story. I love the blossoming relationships of romance alongside the steadfast relationships of friendship we see with our 4 main characters. I found myself quickly changing the page as we uncovered more and more of Hikari's true feelings towards her classmate Ohtani and wondered how this would change the group dynamic. I felt a strong bittersweet feeling as I want everyone to be happy but I know this is a story where heartbreak is imminent but I can't look away. I need to know how this series ends.

A story of unrequited love among high school students, with compelling storytelling and outstanding psychological portrayal. The bittersweet aftertaste of youth and first love.

I didn’t get the title at first, but after reading this first volume, it makes so much sense and it’s like GAH. I get it.

Anyway. The story centers on Mori Hikari, who is quite average while her friend Mari is one of the cutest girls in class. Hikari sits behind Ohtani, who one day tells Hikari he likes her friend. Hikari decides to help him get close to Mari, but as she does, she develops feelings for Ohtani.

This was only the first volume so it was only the initial set up and development of feelings, but I see the seeds for drama planted already. The art is cute and the story is charming, and Hikari is mostly level-headed so far, kind of cool but gentle like a spring breeze, so she seems like a good heroine to follow. So far no one seems theatrically evil, so it feels realistic and like slice-of-life, the kind where you can’t truly hate anyone if things go wrong.

The only thing I’ll complain about is Ohtani and his friend Asagiri. I have so much trouble telling them apart. Also I did kind of question how fast Hikari came to the conclusion that she likes Ohtani.

Stories about unrequited love aren't ones I typically reach for but with how popular this title is and after reading the premise I decided to give it a chance. The first character we follow is Hikari, the self proclaimed average high school girl, and we see her feelings for Ohtani grow as she attempts to bring him closer to his own crush Mari - who is Hikari's best friend. What I didn't like about this storyline was the fact that Mari is so extremely shy she can barely say hello to fellow classmates yet Hikari is all too happy to thrust Ohtani at her without even seeing if Mari is interested in him romantically. Hikari doesn't seem to view Mari as a person but more a typical shojo romance heroine and puts her on a pedestal and writes her into a love story while disregarding the fact Mari has her own thoughts and feelings. Also by putting Mari on a pedestal she's putting herself down in the process - Hikari is quite self deprecating about her abilities and her looks.
Ohtani is a lovable goof archetype and while he was fun to read sometimes I got confused about the jokes he was making and they way he acts around Hikari at times would have made me assume it was her he had feelings for it if I hadn't been told otherwise. Based on the ending of volume 1, I assume Mari's unrequited love is her teacher and while that is a trope I don't love I feel as the storyline could be a good one if handled with care. I did like that the characters felt and acted like teenagers.

As to whether I'd read volume 2 I could honestly take it or leave it.

This manga was pretty cute! I could have done without the nudity as it was unnecessary, especially given these are high school students… That said, I enjoyed following the characters and am really quite interested in knowing what happens next!

Going to the store tonight to buy this one! This is the shojo that has ME written alllll over it. Girl helps guy she likes to get with her best friend. Said best friend is SEEMINGLY IN LOVE WITH A TEACHER?! GIVE ME MORE! I love the art style, I love the story and I cannot wait to read more. The main girl is endearing as is her friend so it's going to be tough to see which one gets their heartbroken but I am here for this journey! I also love that one of the main guys' last name is Ohtani and the author shouts out her own manga haha.

If you like tropey high school shoujo this ones for you!

This contemporary slice-of-life high school romcom (?) was neither boring nor interesting. I will not continue it. The two male characters looked identical to me, which was confusing. The one female character is supposed to be some great beauty, but she was constantly drawn with comedically buggy eyes. The only plot was the daily life of high school kids, going to class and participating in extracurricular activities (band, sports), and developing unrequited crushes. And MAYBE the music teacher is a pedophile? Time will tell, but this just isn't for me.

Thank you NetGalley for my free copy to review.

Oh my god the art style for this is SO cute, I fell instantly in love. Only started it today, but wolfed it down almost instantly. Some of the facial expressions were also absolutely priceless (example: giant round eyes with tiny white pupils). A bit hard to follow, at times, but will definitely be recommending. Won't be your cup of tea tho if you do not enjoy very cute manga stories.