Thank you NetGalley and publisher for providing the eARC copy of this book!

This story is lovely! The book is about a new student (Uno) who's a bit different than what the other students are used to and the student that learns a lot more from him than he would have imagined (Kobayashi.)

I love how the characters stay relatable to the situations in the story and the art is so good. I like the themes that it covers such as discrimination, ignorance, differences between people, and ways to deal with mental health issues. I think I almost cried while reading about Uno (but I'm a sensitive person.)

I'll be waiting to read the following volume!

I just finished reading the first volume of Spacewalking with You by Inuhiko Doronoda, and I really liked it. I’d never heard of it before, but now I completely understand why it was such a success in Japan. The themes aren’t obvious or heavy-handed—they’re subtle, but they stay with you. The character development is slow, but so well done. I especially loved the introspective tone and the slice-of-life atmosphere. The story also gently touches on themes of neurodiversity and emotional resilience, portraying characters who don’t quite fit in but find ways to connect and grow. It’s the kind of story that quietly pulls you in and lingers after you turn the last page.

this was so perfect. the characters are so incredibly charming and dear I couldn't get enough of them. I love uno so much and hope to read more just for him because his relationship with Kobayashi is so heartwarming.

thank you net galley and the publisher for the arc!

i wasn't sure what to expect (other than this being something space-related), so i was pleasantly surprised to find myself loving this a lot.

uno and kobayashi (and the rest) have such a heartwarming friendship, and they mesh well together despite their different personalities. the loner x delinquent trope was built upon to create their endearing and nuanced characterizations. both of them are different flavors of, well, different, but the story showed us how there's nothing wrong with that. i loved how kobayashi realized this, and how his own experiences helped him be understanding and patient with uno. because he gets it!! they get each other so much!! they are both so adorable :(

i loved all of the conversations in this volume. they all actually COMMUNICATED with each other, not just uno and kobayashi. they were so sincere and open to talking things out, it was such a breath of fresh air from the typical misunderstanding trope that'd run for god knows how long. yes to healthy communication!!

the portrayal of neurodivergence was also rather well-done. being a manga, i liked how the illustrations conveyed the different emotions felt when you're just so overwhelmed by everything.
i thought the space metaphor used to explain uno's experience was beautiful. it really did hit a bit, i'm ngl. i also found the scritchiness and scribbliness of the scenes where uno got overwhelmed to be accurate to the feeling. i could tell a lot of care and effort went into this. the art really enhanced my reading experience that i even teared up at some parts, haha. i'm such a sucker for this sort of story.

overall, a great start to the series! i'm looking forward to the next volume :) would totally recommend this to anyone looking for great neurodivergent rep.

This manga is not what I was expecting but it was pleasant. The friendship between the two main characters is sweet and realistic. Each of them are dealing with being a little different, though not specified, one may be autistic and the other somewhat neurodivergent. They learn off of each other to grow in a more social and emotional way, making it such a sweet read.
If you’re looking for a nice story about two awkward kids opening up and making friends, this one is for you!

This was such a heartwarming read, i loved the characters & their depth. Uno and Kobayashi's friendship is so cute and relatable. They understand each other in ways neither of them felt seen before.
Really recommend picking it up if you want a great story about friendship, belonging & astronomy. I can't wait to read volume 2.

A charming story of friendship between two high school boys who seem like they couldn’t be more different, but find ways to grow thanks to each other.

Kobayashi is an apathetic slacker in high school who has trouble holding down a part time job and doesn’t really want to try. A new student, Uno Keisuke, transfers into Kobayashi’s class. He’s a little odd, carrying around a notebook where he writes instructions on how to act in various social situations, but after a few chance encounters, Uno and Kobayashi develop a friendship, helping each other to step out of their comfort zones.

It’s never explicitly stated, but it’s implied that Uno is neurodivergent, and that’s led to him having trouble making friends and used to being alone. But he tries his best to understand social situations and the people around him, and it doesn’t make him any less kind. Kobayashi looks a bit intimidating, and doesn’t want people thinking he’s stupid, but after getting to know Uno, he realizes people won’t understand when he needs help if he doesn’t say anything. Tbh the overall theme seems to be around communication and that people won’t know your intentions unless you tell them, but honestly it was refreshing to see this depicted in this manga, and with the side characters. It’s heartwarming, sweet, a bit of a tearjerker sometimes, funny, and with a fun art style, too. Really enjoyed it!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

spacewalking with you follows kobayashi who just can't seem to succeed at anything he does or stick with anything for long - until he meets uno, a cheery but awkward boy who's a little unusual.
this was a really touching and heart-warming story about two neurodivergent boys who find themselves in an unexpected friendship.
it perfectly portrays the invisible struggles and hardships that a lot of people often don’t understand, things many people consider as “normal” without realizing how difficult they can be for others.
i loved kobayashi and uno's friendship and how they start to influence and challenge one another, taking small steps into the world. the reason why it's called spacewalking with you also gets explained and i thought it was so beautiful.
i can't wait to read more of this manga!
～thank you to kodansha comics and netgalley for the arc!