Given

Given is a manga series that follows Uenoyama Ritsuka, a talented high school guitarist who discovers a sleeping classmate, Mafuyu Sato, holding a broken Gibson guitar. After agreeing to fix and teach Mafuyu guitar, Uenoyama brings him into his band as their new vocalist. The story traces the development of their band as they prepare for their first live performance, while navigating complex relationships within the group and the local music scene. Mafuyu's past experiences with music and loss emerge as central elements that shape both his artistic expression and connections with others. The manga explores themes of grief, artistic awakening, and the transformative power of music as a vehicle for emotional expression. Through its focus on youth, creativity, and human connection, the work examines how people process trauma and find new beginnings through art.

Readers appreciate the realistic portrayal of relationships and character development in Given. Many reviews highlight the authentic depictions of grief, trauma, and healing through music. The art style receives frequent positive mentions for its clean lines and expressive character designs. Likes: - Natural progression of romance without common BL tropes - Complex emotional storytelling - Musical performance scenes - Character backstories and growth Dislikes: - Some find the pacing slow in early chapters - Translation quality varies between editions - Limited page count leaves certain plot threads unresolved Ratings: Goodreads: 4.4/5 (7,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (450+ ratings) MyAnimeList: 8.3/10 (21,000+ ratings) Reader quote: "The characters feel like real people dealing with real emotions. Their musical journey parallels their personal growth in a way that never feels forced." - Goodreads reviewer

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🌟 "Given" was originally published as a web manga on Shinsokan's website "Cheri+" before being collected into print volumes 📚 The series inspired both an acclaimed 11-episode anime adaptation and a feature film, "Given: The Movie," which continues the story 🎸 Author Natsuki Kizu is a musician herself and draws extensively from her own experiences to create authentic musical sequences and terminology 💫 The manga addresses themes of grief and healing through music, with the main character's guitar serving as both a physical and emotional connection to his past 🏆 The series won the "Best Boy-Love Works" category at the 2019 Chil Chil BL Awards, a prestigious recognition in the Boys' Love manga genre