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A review by troetschel
Blue Flag, Vol. 8 by Kaito
I don't know how to rate this. There are two endings in this volume - the ending to Blue Flag, and an epilogue ending to a second story arc that has not been put down on paper. Up until the epilogue ending, this was five stars across the board. With it, I struggle to even try and quantitatively measure, which is why I've not included a star rating.
Blue Flag as a series is so authentically teenager-y and messy - emotional, tense, having to go through your days when it feels like the whole world is falling down around you. It explores the agony of high school relationships in the best possible way. I especially loved seeing Futaba's growth and her growing determination to prioritize her needs and desires. I was delighted by Mami's surprising depth and self-assurance in herself. Almost all the characters were interesting and felt like real individuals.
The ending to Blue Flag, sans epilogue, is messy and bittersweet. It's not a perfect ending because there really wasn't any way to have a perfect ending - not here and not usually in real life, either.
And after the ending... well, most people don't end up with their high school sweethearts. Most couples break up in college, because finding yourself isn't something that comes included with your high school diploma. Most people do so much growing and changing that we end up in wildly different situations than anyone could have ever predicted. I fully believe that the epilogue ending was a Happily Ever After for all the characters involved, but it was an ending to a saga that we didn't get to see. I desperately wish I could read that story. I want to know how Taichi and Toma reconnected. I want to know who Futaba met. I really want to see and understand Masumi's story.
Maybe Kaito will publish the second story someday - I'll hold out hope for that.
Blue Flag as a series is so authentically teenager-y and messy - emotional, tense, having to go through your days when it feels like the whole world is falling down around you. It explores the agony of high school relationships in the best possible way. I especially loved seeing Futaba's growth and her growing determination to prioritize her needs and desires. I was delighted by Mami's surprising depth and self-assurance in herself. Almost all the characters were interesting and felt like real individuals.
The ending to Blue Flag, sans epilogue, is messy and bittersweet. It's not a perfect ending because there really wasn't any way to have a perfect ending - not here and not usually in real life, either.
And after the ending... well, most people don't end up with their high school sweethearts. Most couples break up in college, because finding yourself isn't something that comes included with your high school diploma. Most people do so much growing and changing that we end up in wildly different situations than anyone could have ever predicted. I fully believe that the epilogue ending was a Happily Ever After for all the characters involved, but it was an ending to a saga that we didn't get to see. I desperately wish I could read that story. I want to know how Taichi and Toma reconnected. I want to know who Futaba met. I really want to see and understand Masumi's story.
Maybe Kaito will publish the second story someday - I'll hold out hope for that.