That Blue Sky Feeling

That Blue Sky Feeling follows high school student Noshiro after he transfers to a new school and meets Sanada, a classmate who keeps to himself due to rumors about his sexuality. Noshiro, who approaches life with directness, decides to befriend the reserved Sanada despite warnings from other students. The story tracks their growing friendship and the social dynamics at their school, addressing how gossip and assumptions affect relationships between classmates. Through Noshiro's perspective, readers see the everyday experiences of Japanese high school life while watching him learn to navigate complex social situations. The manga explores themes of acceptance, identity, and the courage to form genuine connections despite social pressure. By focusing on natural character interactions and realistic dialogue, the narrative creates space for conversations about friendship, prejudice, and personal growth.

Readers appreciate the manga's calm, realistic portrayal of a gay teen romance that avoids common BL tropes and melodrama. Many note the authentic depiction of questioning one's sexuality and the value of friendship in coming out. The art receives praise for its clean, simple style and expressive character faces. Several reviews highlight the natural pacing and believable dialogue between characters. Common criticisms include the story moving too slowly for some readers and feeling incomplete. A few mention wanting more character development and resolution. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (1,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 Example reviews: "A refreshing take on LGBT+ youth that doesn't rely on angst or tragedy" - Goodreads user "The friendship dynamics feel real but I wanted more depth to the romance" - Amazon reviewer "Simple but meaningful story about finding acceptance" - Goodreads user "Great representation but pacing drags in places" - MyAnimeList user

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🌈 The manga series explores LGBTQ+ themes through a high school friendship, making it one of the relatively few mainstream manga to feature an openly gay character in a slice-of-life setting. 📚 Author Okura based the story on their own personal experiences and observations, lending authenticity to the portrayal of coming to terms with one's identity in Japanese society. 🎨 The artistic collaboration between writer Okura and illustrator Coma Hashii marked both creators' first major published work in the manga industry. 🌏 The series was first published as a webcomic on pixiv, a popular Japanese art-sharing platform, before being picked up for traditional publication due to its growing online following. 🗾 The manga addresses Japanese cultural attitudes toward LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly in school settings, while maintaining a hopeful and gentle tone that made it accessible to a broad audience.