There is a chance this life can be a little less mundane with you in it- a quote from Palm Springs (2020), must be the best way to describe the whole course of Hinatama. The story follows the daily life of Amano Hinata who befriends the new students at his school, the new sensation called Kazama Ayato. In the eyes of his female peers, Ayato is a cool beauty from the city, but he is a clumsy boy who helps to look up after his three younger siblings. At first, Hinata does not seem to care that much about the Ayato and his family, but soonhe, as well as most of the city, became close with the Kazama kids.

The main plot revolves around the blossoming friendship between the two main leads, but there are still some side plots that give more insight into the behavior of some characters. For instance, Hinata used to be above average as a kid, but soon he realized there were always going to be people funnier or more athletic, which is why he at first seems apathetic to the world that surrounds him. Another example is Hayato, Ayato´s brother, who at first acts like a spoiled-intolerant-ill-mannered brat, who in reality is shy and has a hard time finding new friends in his new environment.

I think the main issue with this manga is its short extension. With just 18 chapters the story ended abruptly and kind of in an anticlimactic way, just like the author wanted to finish it, or like it was axed. Which honestly sucks because this could have been an amazing anime.

I can admit the story can lead to some shippable moments between Hinata and Ayato, but to those who are worried about it, there is no BL. As I said before, this is just slice-of-life manga revolving around the lives of a group of kids in the countryside.

As simple as it can be, the magic behind Hinatama lies in how nurturing and wholesome a normal day can be. Just like Pam from The Office once said – There´s a lot of beauty in ordinary things, isn´t that kind of the point?