That Blue Sky Feeling starts out like a typical boy’s love story, but its depth of character exploration and just what it means to be gay, the friendships between straight and gay people, the effects of bullying, and how simply being a teenager complicates things even further are the bigger focus. This story is so much more than I expected…and that’s what I love about it most.
The story unfolds from Noshiro’s perspective as he’s just transferred into a new school. There, Noshiro meets Sanada who’s rumored to be gay and this rumor has ostracized Sandada from the rest of the class. However Nishiro, who has transferred multiple times, knows how hard it is to be alone so he takes it upon himself to include Sanada in daily life. The two boys become friends and Sanada confides in Noshiro that the rumors are actually true, he is indeed gay. This confirmation puts a strain on their newly formed friendship as Noshiro, who is straight, struggles to understand how he should act around his openly gay friend.
Now, there is evidence in this first volume that Nishiro just hasn’t realized he’s gay too, but even if he turns out to be I really appreciate that there’s an exploration of how awkward it can be to maintain a friendship after dropping a proverbial bombshell. Still, the two boys try to maintain a sense of normalcy because deep down their friendship is really important to them and neither wants to lose the trust of the other. Even Sanada’s childhood friend, Yamamoto, realizes that even though she’s known Sanada since elementary school she may not actually know the “real” Sanada like Nishiro does. Which makes her a bit jealous of their friendship.
That Blue Sky Feeling is an excellent person-vs-self story and I vastly appreciate the characters and the realistic inner conflicts they all face. I’d highly recommend this manga to fans of Wandering Son, A Silent Voice, or My Brother’s Husband. I can’t sing enough praises for this first volume, and I’m eagerly awaiting the next.
That Blue Sky Feeling Manga Volume 1
Outgoing high school student Noshiro finds himself drawn to Sanada, the school outcast, who is rumored to be gay. Rather than deter Noshiro, the rumor makes him even more determined to get close to Sanada, setting in motion a bittersweet tale of first love.
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