5 stars

Rie Aruga is a well-known manga-ka in the josei space. I have read one volume of Perfect World and I absolutely loved it. It's quite intense, so I haven't worked up the mental courage to continue yet, but I own all of the volumes for when I'm ready to. I saw Sheltering Eaves on Netgalley and I decided to throw in my hat and download it. I'm so happy I did because this was spectacular.

This follows Yoru, who is in a foster home due to the parental abuse and neglect inflicted on her by her mother. She meets Tenjaku when he stands up for her and they become the best of friends. This volume follows the start of their friendship as they find solace in a world without family and grow up to be ready to leave the system. This is a heartbreaking look into the complexities and trauma that young children face in these custodial circumstances when they are in the foster care system in Japan. I was moved to tears multiple times and I found this to be an accurate portrayal of multiple perspectives inside of the Japanese foster care system. I can't recommend this one enough.

Thank you, Netgalley and Kodansha Comics, for providing me with a copy of this manga in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun story. I loved the take with the background of the main characters and how they ended up together. Would highly recommend.

I absolutely enjoyed this first volume of Sheltering Eaves. The art style of this manga was beautiful, the translation excellent and the overall story and pacing for this volume was wonderful. It was fast paced enough to keep your attention without getting too bogged down in establishing the history of the FMC and MMC. I look forward to continuing the series and have recommended it to my manga loving friends.

This was so much better than I was expecting! Definitely going to read the rest of the series once it becomes available, hopefully through netgalley! So glad I decided to request this solely because this is the author who wrote Perfect World, and that's one of the few mangas out there with good disability representation...
Can't wait to read through rest of the series!

This is a sad yet sweet story of two children who are given up by their parents to foster homes. We see the emerging protectiveness and sweetness of their relationship as childhood friends.

This story was fine and had some cute moments but it was a bit on the sadder side than what I wanted. I'm not sure if I will continue with the series. Lots of flashbacks in this one (setting up their backgrounds) and I wanted more of them together in present day.

"Why does anyone abandon their children? Are there circumstances I can't understand because I'm a kid? Is it... our own fault that we were abandoned?"

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for letting me read this ARC!

Sometimes when you read a story, you can tell it will be special. It is something so unique and beautifully written and you just know it will stick with you for a long time. This is that type of story. I have not seen a story like this told before in manga and I am glad I haven't because it makes this story even more special than it already is.

Sheltering Eaves shows us the lives of Yoru and Tenjaku, kids that were sent to a children's home due to a rough home life. As if things weren't already difficult enough, they are forced to grow up quick because they have to leave the home when they turn eighteen.

Yoru is timid and soft-spoken while Tenjaku is extremely courageous and strong. This series does a phenomenal job at showing how each child is different in terms of how they got there, how they react to their situation, and how they handle it growing up. It accurately portrays how children in these situations feel when it comes to being abandoned and how they try to come to terms with it.

The art in this manga is beautifully drawn and shows the deep emotions that the children feel. I also love how Tenjaku and Yoru's friendship develops as the story progresses. You can really tell how much they care about each other. The art during emotional scenes do a great job at making you feel what the character's are feeling and you can feel how intense certain scenes are.

I adored this volume and I couldn't stop reading. I really look forward to volume two and I am excited to see where Yoru and Tenjaku's story goes.

I loved Rie Aruga's previous manga "Perfect World" so I was really excited to read this one as well. The story follows two teens who have grown up together in a children's home and also looks at how society views them. I'm rooting for all of them to live happy and successful lives and I'm looking forward to the next volumes. Just like "Perfect World", I'm learning something new with each chapter, and the stories are not only good manga-wise but also enlightening on aspects of society and children's homes in Japan.

This is a very sad manga story, in my opinion. Main characters are somewhat abandoned or neglected by their parents. Both suffered a trauma as an aftermath.

The first volume is a solid introduction for the series. It piqued not just my interest but my most raw and fragile heart.

11/10 would recommend 👌

Thank you, Kodansha Comics, for the e-arc opportunity via Netgalley.

I am so hooked on this story and this is only volume one! Sheltering Eaves tells the story of Yoru and Tenjaku, two teenagers who met in a children's home when they were 10 years old. They both come from tragic pasts but come together to form a special bond. This story is very emotional with very heavy subjects like child abuse. That being said so far the story is beautifully written and illustrated. I can't wait to read more!

Sheltering Eaves is a captivating and deeply emotional josei manga that delivers an unforgettable blend of romance and social realism. Created by the visionary behind Perfect World, this manga explores the tender yet tumultuous lives of Yoru and Tenjaku, two teenagers navigating their final year in Japan's foster care system. It’s a story that doesn’t just pull at your heartstrings—it completely immerses you in its richly drawn world.

The manga’s greatest strength is its emotional depth. The bond between Yoru and Tenjaku is beautifully portrayed, and key moments like Tenjaku risking his life to save Yoru’s cherished Rubik’s Cube from a fire highlight the profound care they share for one another. It’s a simple, symbolic act, yet it captures the essence of their relationship—a mix of vulnerability, sacrifice, and unspoken love.

Equally heart-wrenching are Tenjaku’s struggles. His determination to save money for life after the foster home, only to be fired from his jobs after defending Yoru from a false shoplifting accusation, struck a powerful chord. These moments showcase not just his fierce loyalty but also the harsh realities faced by children aging out of the foster care system.

What sets Sheltering Eaves apart is its insightful portrayal of the Japanese foster care system, which feels very different from the Western systems many readers might be familiar with. The detailed and thoughtful translation notes provide a welcome layer of context, making the story even more accessible and impactful for international audiences.

The manga’s art style is another highlight. The expressive character designs and attention to detail perfectly complement the story’s emotional tone. Yoru and Tenjaku’s world feels alive, with each panel carefully constructed to evoke empathy and draw readers deeper into their journey.

In conclusion, Sheltering Eaves is a standout work that excels in storytelling, character development, and cultural insight. Its raw yet hopeful portrayal of love and resilience makes it a must-read for josei fans and anyone seeking a story that lingers in their heart long after they’ve turned the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC and to thank you to the publishers.

Yoru was sent to a group home at the age of ten and ends up making friends with Tenjaku who is the same age and he decides to take care of her. They go on a camping trip and one day when they come back they find the house on fire. Yoru realizes she left her rubix cube in the house and so Tenjaku who is scared of fire goes in to save it because he knows how precious it is to her.

Now they are in high school, Tenjaku has multiple jobs and is trying to do good in school so he can go to Uni. His dad messages him during the holidays because he wants him back and Tenjaku says no. It does mess with his head because it wasn’t the best growing up with his dad and that is why he ended up in a home. His dad decides to just show up one day out of the blue and the lady of the home tells them to go back to the house. Yoru feels that he wants to go back to his dad even though he is scared of the outcome but tells him that she will be there for him no matter what.

This was such a heartwarming manga that deals with real life problems. To me it kind of gave the vibes of Itasura na Kiss in the fact that she wanted to be around him all the time. I loved it. To see a friendship like that is always wonderful and I cannot wait to read volume 2.

This was cute. I would have loved this when I was 15 years old. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the free eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

I have to admit that I m struggling to get my thoughts together for this review. While I have not personally been brought up in foster care, I am a survivor of child abuse and found some of the children's experiences (memories) too relatable.

Having said this, I do feel that Rie Aruga does a great job with sharing how Yuka and Tenjaku's past of neglect, emotional, mental and physical abuse is shaping who they're becoming as people. We are also shown how precious the bonds are between not only Yuka and Tenjaku, but between all of the children and even the staff in the children's home but also how heart wrenching the reality of how navigating from the home into day-to-day society can be difficult to the point of overwhelming anxiety.

I cried throughout most of my time reading Sheltering Eaves not only because it made me think of my own trauma, but how so many are/have/will be experiencing such heartbreaking pain.

Yoru is a high schooler who has been in foster care since she was 10 after her mother abused her. Tenjaku is the same age, but he warmed up to her and has been watching her ever since they were children. As their birthday approaches, they’ll be able to leave the system and live on their own.

Sheltering Eaves is a manga that I will hold dear in my heart. Because it made a lasting impression on me. It crushed my heart. Put it back together, broke it again, slapped some tape on it, and called it a day. If you, like me, can’t see kids suffering, you’re probably going to cry while reading this!

You see, sometimes… life doesn’t grant us a loving home and family. Not everyone is so lucky and this series has a very subtle way of highlighting that. Despite not having a healthy family, sometimes, you can find that warmth elsewhere in the foster care system.

This series has this show, not tell way of showing you how deep the scars in these kids go. Not all scars are visible—there are emotional ones that never go away. It’s a realistic representation—although blended in fiction—of what children in foster care face. Prejudice in society, in school, amongst themselves.

It’s seeing parents reject their children while children long for their parents who avoid seeing them. It’s how an adult figure can harm a child and then come running back, pretending everything is forgiven and forgotten. It’s the demons these kids face when they’re still technically children. Forgive and forget? Or move on?

I loved this manga. And despite crying over it one too many times, I highly recommend it because it’s an unforgettable read. These are the kind of stories we take with us. The powerful, emotion and thought provoking story that a boy and a girl in foster care convey.

Even if shojo and josei aren’t your thing. If you’re looking for a series that’s bound to leave you thinking, this is one to read. Even if you can’t relate to the characters, but can still empathize with them.

It’s haunting.

Unforgettable.

High interest read that combines a young love story with the sometimes perilous position of vulnerable children in Japan's foster system. Looking forward to the next volume, and I already have patrons who I know will love this title.

Absolutely incredible start to a series. Sheltering Eaves is both heartwarming and sad, and I'm looking forward to continuing the series.

This is a great start to a series I look forward to continuing. I like that it starts with Yoru and Tenjaku first meeting at 10 years old and shows us a little bit of what life at the children's home was like for them at that age before jumping forward to present time when they are 16. It's a great fit for younger readers, around middle school/early high school age. It's well written and portrays the emotions and pasts of each of the main characters well. I do hope we see a bit more depth for some of the side characters as the story progresses. It's a quick read that touches on some difficult topics such as child neglect, abuse, and bullying, but I think those topics are handled well. If you like found family, this is likely a good fit.

Thank you Kodansha Comics for the DRC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Yoru and Tenjaku are just kids when they meet as members of children's home. As they grow up, they're faced with the upcoming deadline of turning 18 and having to live apart from each other. While dealing with becoming independent they're also dealing with the love they have for each other.

If you're new to manga, interested in romance, and younger than 18 you'll really enjoy this. There's not too much culture shock, I think everything translates well to an American - or English speaking - culture. Which is sometimes a big barrier for new readers of manga. The plot isn't too dense, while still being interesting and dynamic.

If I read this in middle school I think I'd absolutely eat it up. That being said, as a 29 year old it's completely out of my demographic. But that doesn't stop me from seeing the appeal it might have for a younger audience.

This was a very heartwarming story. I love tragic pasts that help build into a sweet romance. The art was pretty good. The timeline skips could have been handled a bit better though, they were sometimes hard to follow.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. It was my first time reading this author and I’m not disappointed. This book is beautifully written and full of emotions. It’s a story that needs to be told and it’s written from the point of view of the characters who are going through all the pain and hardships in their lives since they were very very young. A story that sometimes is full of hope and sometimes so heartbreaking.

The author manages to keep us interested in what’s happening to the MC as the world around her changes. That’s very important because it keeps us invested in the story.

I love the fact that at the end of the book there’s a list of organizations for us to have a clear understanding of the situation in Japan which is the main theme of the story.

I love the illustrations and the way the book is designed.

What kept this book from getting a five star rating for me is the fact that it could benefit from a slower pace for us to grasp when some of the changes occurred. Like for example, when time goes by and they grew up, or when they went into a flashback. Sometimes I got a little lost and had to re-read to make sense of it all.

I can’t wait to read the second part of the story and for it to develop and see where the author takes us. I’m hoping for a sense of belonging, for some hope and even a love interest somewhere along the way.

If you like reading contemporary stories full of emotions and realistic characters who will make your heart break when they are in need of a hug, then this one is for you.

Grab a copy!!
It’ll be released on November 12.