Even the smallest issues and things can be of great importance for the teenagers so they are not open about those things. It is not necessary that a person’s personality is the same in the workplace environment as in their home with the people who are closer to them. The same is the case with the smart and pretty Kyouko Hori and supposedly reserved otaku Izumi Miyamura.
The two-class fellows accidentally run into each other when Izumi get Kyoko’s younger brother home who had to get his knees injured. Kyouko gets to open the door on their arrival when she is in her casual clothes with no makeup on as she was making dinner. After answering the door, she finds a guy who looks like a delinquent with long hair and piercings. They both get acquainted and after recognizing each other become shock. Izumi is invited inside by Kyouko’s brother and request him to play with him. Since then they become good friends and show their true selves to each other.
It is a very simple but different story. The romance is not something that you would get to see in the beginning as it takes place gradually. There is n such thing as a matter of pride in love or trying to impress others. It’s just the sweet and light heart love story between two teenagers who feel comfortable around each other and open up to each other and both of them genuinely like each other the way they are.
It’s not absurd and the story is very realistic. One could actually relate to this as a real-life situation. We all have two sides. One side that we keep to ourselves and the people we are comfortable with and another side that we put on while we are out in a workplace or institution or around people who are not much close to us. This story shows the same nature of two teenagers who find themselves too comfortable around each other that they can be themselves and show their true side.
The manga is quite slow. It’s a light heart and sweet story of two people gradually falling in love with each other starting from being strangers to friends and then more than that. The panels do not change abruptly. Think of it as a light novel with the artwork. But it is not a bad thing as the slow development of the characters in this series is the best thing in this manga. There are some funny moments that will surely make you smile like the part when a guy asks for Izumi’s help to get acquainted with Kyouko.
The manga is not just for adults. It can be enjoyed by people of all ages even kids. There are not steamy and sexual scenes in this romantic manga as you would mostly see them fully covered and talking to each other.
Horimiya is a lovely story and is relatable for so many reasons. It will make you reminiscent of your teenage days and what it took to adjust in an environment. It is also relatable to those adults who found their soulmate as friends at the beginning with whom they get comfortable enough to be themselves. It is the story of two such fortunate people.
