February 1, 2023

Contains: some abusive coaching/sports management, shown in a negative light

I'm writing this having read the first four volumes. This manga follows a talented young figure skater on her journey to the Olympics, starting when she is ten. It's a realistic depiction of the sport - the author clearly knows a lot about it - and also a generally healthy depiction as well, though not even the main 'bad guy' in the first part is portrayed as 100% evil. I'm enjoying watching the characters and their relationships develop, and I especially like Yuki's relationship with her mother. Her mother struggles with being surrounded by hardcore 'skating parents' and dealing with being the parent of a kid being picked as a rising star at a young age, but she's supportive no matter how Yuki does; Yuki adores her mom and depends on her a lot for support, yet as she grows up, like many adolescents, she begins to hold things back.

The art is quite nice. The figure skating scenes often have a dynamic quality that does a good job of conveying the movement, and some of the sound effects are really fun, like ones filled with hand-drawn hearts or seigaha.

Language-wise: There is only very occasional furigana on words, but each character's name is given furigana the first time it comes up in every volume, which is helpful. I did get a little tripped up by a couple of sentences that combined grammar in what seems to be a somewhat unusual way, but generally, the dialogue is straightforward. While there is some handwritten dialogue, I found the author's handwriting easy to read. There are lots of sport-related words used and also some food-related vocab.

Gradings:32
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Mizuki graded
on October 14, 2024
easier thanclass XL24
Mizuki graded
on March 9, 2024
similar in difficulty toアヒルのバレエL22
Mizuki graded
on February 29, 2024
easier than司書正 巻一L29??
Mizuki graded
on February 26, 2024
similar in difficulty to水の館L23
Mizuki graded
on January 14, 2024
Mizuki graded
on January 1, 2024
Mizuki graded
on October 20, 2023
Mizuki graded
on September 21, 2023
Mizuki graded
on August 30, 2023
Mizuki graded
on July 9, 2023
easier thanあめのちはれ 1L24
Mizuki graded
on February 16, 2023
Mizuki graded
on February 1, 2023
harder thanちろり 1L18
Mizuki graded
on February 1, 2023
Mizuki graded
on February 1, 2023
harder thanルックバックL20
Mizuki graded
on February 1, 2023
easier thancocoonL26
Mizuki graded
on February 1, 2023
Mizuki graded
on February 1, 2023
Mizuki graded
on February 1, 2023
Mizuki graded
on February 1, 2023
similar in difficulty to記憶の森の魔女L24
Mizuki graded
on February 1, 2023
Mizuki graded
on February 1, 2023
easier than藏 1L26
Mizuki graded
on February 1, 2023
similar in difficulty toサトコとナダ 1L24
Mizuki graded
on February 1, 2023
similar in difficulty toわたしのすきなひとL23
Mizuki graded
on February 1, 2023
similar in difficulty to蝶のように vol.1L23
Mizuki graded
on February 1, 2023
similar in difficulty to昴 1L24
Mizuki graded
on February 1, 2023
similar in difficulty to夕凪に舞え、僕のリボン 上L24
Mizuki graded
on February 1, 2023