Reviews

The Moon on a Rainy Night, Vol. 1 by Kuzushiro

dreamer626's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying

cachou's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

readingfrankly's review

4.0

I was very tempted to rate it a 5 and may change it on reread in the future, but I gave it a 4 because it's very rare for me to rate a first vol in a manga series a 5 because it takes a bit of time to get truly invested in characters and a story. That said, I loved this from the very beginning. I love the art style, the dialogue, and the characters so far. I appreciate the discussion around disabilities as a whole and as a disabled person I was able to relate even though I don't share the same one as Kanon. The fact as well that it is neither romanticized, nor made into a tragedy for the sake of additional drama is very refreshing. Saki is so sweet and caring, and it was really nice to see other girls in the class give Kanon a chance too. I can't wait to continue this series and see where it goes, but this was a very strong start.

businessmanson's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

shinypurplepants's review

4.0

Lesbian yearning! Deaf representation! Slice of life goodness! A very promising start for this series

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Content Warnings

Minor: Bullying and Ableism

gustus's review

lighthearted 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? Yes

5.0

Very respectful and thoughtful handle of a hard-hearing main character (Kanon). The story does not fetishize or romanticize deafness. Wonderful portait of the friendship developed between the two girls (and more from Saki)

doomham's review

informative lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying

leaz_life's review

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

timefliesaway's review

emotional hopeful informative lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Kanon and Saki are seat neighbors, who just have started high school.

Kanon is hearing impaired, but because she only lost her hearing at age 5, she can talk normally and afterwards focused on learning to read lips, which is why she doesn't communicate in sign language. This also leads to people not fully believing her that she's deaf, which makes high school even harder than it already is for any other average teenager. 

Saki, a relatively normal teenage girl, bumped into Kanon the day before and because Kanon was so kind to her, she developed a crush (on top of finding Kanon beautiful). It's at first a surprise to her when she learns Kanon is deaf, but that doesn't stop her from trying to befriend her. If only Kanon weren't so closed-off...

~

Wonderful portrayal of, "yes, I'm disabled but that doesn't mean I can't be independent". It's also great that it shows being deaf is a spectrum and, once again, things aren't just black & white. 

I did hope for SL representation, since there are already a ton of talking characters in Manga, and simply not many who speak in Sign Language. On top of that, it isn't depressing like "Koe no Katachi", so it would've been awesome to have that rep. 
But on the other hand, it's also cool to have a disabled character, who can totally take care of themselves and doesn't let their disability take the better of them. (Well, more or less. She is quite closed off from people due to being bullied in the past, but overall she's quite confident.)

It's nice how Saki already seems to know she's lesbian and is very okay with having a crush on Kanon. 
Kanon sadly seems to be quite heteronormative, and I hope she's not homophobic... 

Overall recommended, though.
Will go "straight" (;) to reading volume 2!

-11.02.24

gingerbread_void's review

4.0

This was adorable and I loved it. I am a total manga nerd and yuri manga is my absolute favorite. I have read so many of them and I am constantly looking for more so when new ones come out I am always so excited.
I am so excited for the rest of this series cause these two are adorable and I need to know what becomes of these two!