A manga that revolves around the love story of a pair of teenagers who since infancy adored the 1980s does not sound like an interesting story, but you would be wrong. This is probably one of the most unexpectedly and delightfully charming manga I've read in years, the kind that you read to cleanse your palate and look at life as something that can be beautiful. It does not reinvent the wheel. Instead, it's just straightforward with what it is, wearing its heart on its sleeve, and I certainly cannot refuse such an honest story. Ootaki Hiroki is a high school lad who is mildly popular,but he does not really see himself in those terms. See, Hiroki is the son of a single mother household, and since they've always been poor, he was raised with all the stuff from Japan's 1980s that his mom had still had from her own childhood. He's an 80s kid born in the 00s, something he is keenly aware would make him a social pariah, as has happened in elementary school. Enter Yakushimaru Tomoyo, a painfully shy and introverted girl who sits next to him. She discovers his secret and shyly attempts to make contact. What follows is a love story in slow motion.

This manga was absolutely a work of love on the part of the author. I don't know how much she remembered from her own childhood, but her memories were supplemented with in-depth research into that era that beats most doctorates. Hell, the chapter titles are all songs from the 80s! The love of the 80s does a great deal of work in trying to get our shy, insecure protagonists together, as both struggle with what they want and what they think would best benefit the person they are falling for. Again, this is a straightforward story, but that does not mean it is bad. The story is executed well, Hiroki and Tomoyo are characters who feel like real people, who make mistakes, have regrets, and try their best. The story is a sweet breath of fresh air, a story whose stakes isn't saving the world, but helping our two teenagers find footing in the world they're in and gain the confidence to deal with that world on their own terms. Oh, and finally get together, because these two are a cute couple.

The art is lovely. The backgrounds are done well, but don't overwhelm with detail, instead, it's just a normal background in a normal town. Love is lavished on Tomoyo, who is actually quite lovely when she isn't hiding herself, and her outfits are gorgeous examples of the 1980s, particularly the idol outfits. The expressions are fantastic, getting a wide array of emotion across, soemtimes exaggerated for humor, others subdued due to the emotional moment on display. It's just absolutely lovely.

There's no innovation here in terms of romance stories, but what it does do is tell its story well. There may be a bit of a rush at the end, but frankly, it's a good conclusion and the story is worth it if only for a premise that's treated with a great deal of love. It's absolutely worth reading.