***Thoughts after reading***
Slowly but surely I'm collecting this manga. I really enjoyed it a few years ago and even though I wasn't planning on reading this any time soon I'm glad I did. It's really the equivalent of a hot bath.

***Read for the Manga Olympics Reading Challenge***
Runs from Friday July 23 to Sunday August 8

The person responsible for this challenge is Christy Lou on YouTube . They announced this challenge in their Manga Olympics Reading Challenge! | Announcement video. They have made a lovely bingo board which you can find on their Twitter

CHALLENGES
Complete 5 Challenges for a Bronze Medal
Complete 8 Challenges for a Silver Medal
Complete all 17 Challenges for a Gold Medal

I’ll try to read a different manga for every prompt but I don’t know how successful I’ll be. I’ve read this manga for the prompt:
13. Cycling: Read a Shojo/Josei
1. Triathlon: Read a whole Series
Love in Limbo by Haji, vol.1 and Love in Limbo by Haji, vol.2
2. Swimming: Read a Sports manga
High School Debut (3-in-1 Edition), Vol. 1 by Kawahara, Kazune
3. Track & Field: Read a Short series (4 vols or less!)
Escape Journey, Vol. 1 by Ogeretsu, Tanaka, Escape Journey, Vol. 2 by Ogeretsu, Tanaka, and Escape Journey, Vol. 3 by Ogeretsu, Tanaka
4. Sailing: A manga that gives you summer vibes
Love Hina, Vol. 01 by Akamatsu, Ken
5. Gymnastics: Read a manga with a female main character
BL Metamorphosis, Vol. 1 by Tsurutani, Kaori
6. Taekwondo: Read an Action Manga
Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition, Vol. 7 by Arakawa, Hiromu
7. Tokyo 2020: Read a manga set in Tokyo
Manga to come
8. Skateboarding: Read a new release
BL Metamorphosis, Vol. 3 by Tsurutani, Kaori. Published in December 2020 and I’m counting a half year as a ‘new release’.
9. Fencing: Read a fantasy manga
Revolutionary Girl Utena Complete Deluxe Box Set, second volume by Saitō Chiho
10. Table Tennis: Read a manga recommended by a Manga content creator
Spy x Family, Vol. 1. I needed an easy recommendation and it just so happened the moment I was looking for one the YouTuber Swiss Bohemian recommended this series in their I like 'em, those japanese comics! (manga collection video tour 4K) video. So I’ll just re-read this volume for this challenge.
11. Shooting: Read something outside your comfort zone
Chobits 20th Anniversary Edition, vol. 1 by CLAMP
12. Rugby: Read a Shonen/Seinen
Love Hina, Vol. 02 by Akamatsu, Ken
14. Volleyball: Read a manga you've been excited for
Don't Call Me Dirty by Kanbe, Gorou
15. Archery: Read an underrated Manga
BL Metamorphosis, Vol. 2 by Tsurutani, Kaori
16. Weightlifting: Read the manga that's been on your TBR the longest
Princess Ai: Ultimate Edition by Kujiradō, Misaho
17. Softball: A manga that features an ensemble cast
Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku, Vol 2 by Fujita ( )

This is definitely one of my favorite shoujo mangas. ( )

Shy and quiet loner, Sawako with her long dark hair and serious demeanor, earns herself the mistaken name of Sadako in junior high. Her new high school classmates think she can call ghosts or at least attract them. All but the exceptionally sweet character Kazehaya. He's the popular boy in school that everyone likes, including Sawako. When Kazehaya makes an effort to show Sawako kindness and help ease things in school, others begin to be a little nicer. Sawako is so grateful that she completely misses the crush that Kazehaya has on her. ( )

A very strange combination of MARS and Wallflower. The narrative is very choppy, and the girl does little to nothing while outside forces act upon her. ( )

Usually, slice-of-life school stories and modern-day teen romances are really, really not my cup of tea, so I'd expected to be bored to tears by this story. (I'm not even sure why I picked it up in the first place, back when I started reading it.) Instead I am completely charmed by Sawako and the others.

In this first volume, the "Oooh, my life got so much better because of wonderful Kazehaya!" can get a bit much, it's repeated so often. (Note that KimiTodo was initially supposed to be a one-shot, so chapter 0/the prologue is basically Sawako's character development, and the development of her and Kazehaya's relationship, in a nutshell, and it takes the rest of the story a little while to find its feet again.)

One thing that doesn't become super clear here, but which is one of the big reasons why I love the series as much as I do (so I want to mention it here anyway) is that as much as Sawako and Kazehaya's friendship/romance is at the centre of the narrative, her friendships with Yano and Yoshida is just as important and not somehow lesser because it's not ~true luv with the boy if her dreams~ or something like that. The girls' friendship is easily my favourite part of the series. Not that Kazehaya isn't a sweetheart; I certainly love seeing him with Sawako too. ( )