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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
This is such a lovely and warm story about budding friendships, emotional growth, and introspection. I adored this! There were parts of this story where I just felt so seen and parts I wish I could have seen when I was their age. I loved the characters so much and it was amazing seeing them evolve throughout the story. I also thought the art was super cute and loved the facial expressions. Everyone was so silly and I really enjoyed reading this and getting to know the cast! Very excited to see what comes next!!
Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha for the ARC!
Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha for the ARC!
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I did not expect to cry.
I picked up Spacewalking With You expecting a lighthearted high school manga, and instead got something that quietly cracked me open. It’s tender, funny, and surprisingly emotional—in the best way.
The story follows Kobayashi, a quiet student who struggles to focus and is constantly being told he’s on the road to failure. Enter Uno: a strange, sunny transfer student with his head in the clouds and a habit of saying exactly what’s on his mind. When Kobayashi saves Uno from being scammed, their friendship begins—awkwardly, messily, and full of heart.
This manga hit hard. I wish I’d read it in high school. I read it now, as an adult diagnosed with ADHD, and still felt so seen. It’s the first manga I’ve come across that talks about neurodiversity in such an open, compassionate way. I saw myself in so many of the little moments—trying to keep up, not understanding why you’re not “getting it” like everyone else, and the quiet relief of someone finally meeting you where you are.
I didn’t love the art style—but honestly? I didn’t care. The story is that good. And if the style puts anyone off, I really encourage you to give it a chance anyway. It’s worth it.
Read this if you’ve ever struggled in school. Read it if you’ve felt like you’re falling behind. Read it if you want to understand someone who does. It’s full of heart, empathy, and hope. We need more stories like this.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the DARC in exchange for an honest review.
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley
~
Spacewalking With You 1, by Inuhiko Doronoda
★★★★★
Spacewalking With You is a gorgeous, lovely story about friendship and finding yourself in the most unexpected places, about finding someone you can trust and rely on, and about fitting in.
The art wasn't my favourite style, but it was simple, clean and easy to understand the actions and movements and expressions of all the characters. Each character was easily identifiable.
The story was beautiful and empowering for kids/teens, hopeful and sweet. It shows how we're all different as people, that we should support and embrace those differences and that being there for someone while they're struggling is far better and easier than laying blame.
This can easily be read as a standalone story, as it has a nice Happy-For-Now ending, but I'm really looking forward to the next volume.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this advanced copy.
This was adorable. I need more friendship stories and this hit. We are introduced to Kobayashi and Uno and Uno is new to Kobayashi's school. Kobayashi is what some would term "a delinquent." He doesn't pay attention in class, has a hard time maintaining his part-time jobs, and seems to be a general slacker. Uno, in addition to being the new kid in class, seems to be kind of..."weird," in the words of some of his classmates. We see him struggle with knowing what to do in social situations, having difficulty in expressing his emotions and needs, and also having a laser-focused interest in space and astronomy. Kobayashi has a lot more in common with Uno than he thinks at first, and Kobayashi commits to being Uno's friend, helping him navigate the high school experience, while also learning more about himself and how he wants to move through the world.
I cannot wait for more volumes of this one and I hope it maintains this trajectory of personal growth and deepening friendship.
This was adorable. I need more friendship stories and this hit. We are introduced to Kobayashi and Uno and Uno is new to Kobayashi's school. Kobayashi is what some would term "a delinquent." He doesn't pay attention in class, has a hard time maintaining his part-time jobs, and seems to be a general slacker. Uno, in addition to being the new kid in class, seems to be kind of..."weird," in the words of some of his classmates. We see him struggle with knowing what to do in social situations, having difficulty in expressing his emotions and needs, and also having a laser-focused interest in space and astronomy. Kobayashi has a lot more in common with Uno than he thinks at first, and Kobayashi commits to being Uno's friend, helping him navigate the high school experience, while also learning more about himself and how he wants to move through the world.
I cannot wait for more volumes of this one and I hope it maintains this trajectory of personal growth and deepening friendship.
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I’m stumbling my way into the graphic novel space after about ten years and this was such a delight to come across. I felt so seen as a neurodivergent person. There are a lot of painful struggles that come with the start of accepting that title. This graphic novel tackles that with warmth and acceptance that felt so comforting.
Thank you Kodansha Comics, Inuhiko Doronoda, and NetGalley for my advanced review copy!
Spacewalking With You is out now!
emotional
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For some reason, I was under the impression that this was BL, but it is not. However, that doesn't matter. Into the first chapter, I was already crying and I remained teary-eyed throughout the entire novel. There is something so raw about this story in how little care there is for people who are different. That it takes courage to work on yourself and that it is not a bad thing to use helping aids to get you through life. Kobayashi, likely ADHD coded, really struggles with keep on top of things. He figures out that manuals and notes help out, due to Uno explaining that he needs them. Uno is obviously autistic coded. Maybe a little over the top, but there are very realistic things in there. Struggling with certain noises, not able to handle crowds, hyperfixation with space, him struggling to make friends. I love the way the author drew meltdowns, that he is literally melting off the page. The art style isn't entirely up my taste, but I also appreciate how distinctive it is. I could immediatly peg which author it is. My only gripe is, right now, that Uno is written a little too... helpless. His neurodivergence is overblown and he acts a little too young, too helpless. I hope that it is mellowed out a little more in the next volume, as I hope that this could be actual good representation and not a characteriture.
fast-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
"Sometimes people just need a little something extra so they can live like everyone else."
Man, I love reading manga. I can just pick up a random volume without expecting too much from it, and then it completely blows me away. This is the story of the unlikely friendship between high schoolers Kobayashi and Uno – one with absolutely no energy, one with always all the energy. It's never specified in this first volume, but it's heavily implied that Uno is autistic. Kobayashi on the other hand usually sleeps in school and is often labeled a delinquent, but he is actually always overthinking and struggling with completing tasks. Both are realistic, layered characters who have much more going on in their heads than they can communicate to others. Unexpectedly, they turn out to be a positive influence for the other, and their friendship develops. They also start to share astronomy as a hobby, and the series will probably lean more into that theme considering the title. This first volume made me extremely emotional. It just hit. The way it showed how people may be silently struggling and how difficult it can be to ask for help was very relatable, and it was great to see how the characters started to learn how to deal with it. The art was mostly simple and nice, but it would get super intense when depicting stress or worries. It was impressive, really. 5/5, 10/10. Would recommend to every manga reader.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Man, I love reading manga. I can just pick up a random volume without expecting too much from it, and then it completely blows me away. This is the story of the unlikely friendship between high schoolers Kobayashi and Uno – one with absolutely no energy, one with always all the energy. It's never specified in this first volume, but it's heavily implied that Uno is autistic. Kobayashi on the other hand usually sleeps in school and is often labeled a delinquent, but he is actually always overthinking and struggling with completing tasks. Both are realistic, layered characters who have much more going on in their heads than they can communicate to others. Unexpectedly, they turn out to be a positive influence for the other, and their friendship develops. They also start to share astronomy as a hobby, and the series will probably lean more into that theme considering the title. This first volume made me extremely emotional. It just hit. The way it showed how people may be silently struggling and how difficult it can be to ask for help was very relatable, and it was great to see how the characters started to learn how to deal with it. The art was mostly simple and nice, but it would get super intense when depicting stress or worries. It was impressive, really. 5/5, 10/10. Would recommend to every manga reader.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.