
a review by isan

a review by isan
"Hana to Rakurai", or "Flower and Thunderbolt", is, as simple as it may looks, an incredible, heartful, delicate and warm story.
Firstly, I don't believe any of the sinopses around there really expresses the essence of this manga. So, I will kind of write it down here.
The manga starts with the clumsy Umiho and her even more clumsy love for a classmate. Crazy as she always is, our other main character, Yachiyo, surges, claiming to be from the promise-keeping club, and hoping to help Umiho to confess.
Since the first chapter we already have a lot of growth and beautiful scenes, with these two becaming a bit closer and closer. Umiho's conclusion, about being happy just because she loved someone great is really cute, but as I already said, what really shines here is the friendship between the two.
As the story keep going, Umiho too becomes someone who helps others, and her troubles to be able to help the transfer student, who at first looks like some shoujo jerk, but it's just someone with real social problems, while unnoticedly falls in love, it's kind of gratifying.
The second volume and "second part" of the manga follows the little left aside so far Yachiyo, her own problems and the reason why she is someone so upfront and so determined to help others. To me, this is the highlight of the manga, when it shows its real emotional charge and its value. Her backstory is the definition of bittersweetness, and the conclusion to her own love story is beautifully made, as the manga wraps all of its characters lovely and nicely.
More than a love story, Hana to Rakurai it's, yes, a love story, but it express love in so many ways! My favorite one is, without a doubt, the love between Umiho and Yachiyo, the two main girls. Nope, this is not a girls love story, their love is a friendship one, more like sisters. Their bond got really strong and so beautiful, even if there's only 8 chapters.
It's so enderly build and executed, since their meting, how they helped each other, how they became better people, and how destined to one another these two lovely girls are.
And, of course, the love-love stories! The two main couples, even if they may not have the happiest end, are, like the whole manga, sweet, fun, and a bit painful, but really well made.
So, if you really like love stories, this is for you, if you don't like them at all, try this! It's not a dumb story about first love, it's a story of slowly being a better version of yourself, learning with mistakes and with other people.
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