Nanami Takahashi has fallen in love with her classmate, Yano, and confessed her feelings, but he said he didn’t know whether he liked her or not. They continue on as friends, and have some sweet moments now and then, but Yano remains aloof. It seems like every time they momentarily get closer, he slips away again, occasionally saying mean things to her.
Yano is still struggling with the death of his ex-girlfriend, who died while cheating on him with another guy. He didn’t think he’d ever date anyone else, and has been pushing Nanami away because she’s able to get under his guard. It’s quite the surprise when, seemingly out of nowhere, he tells her he likes her.
All of this leads to the most shojo-y page I have ever seen. This image encapsulates the very essence of shojo, and must be shared.
I tend to like series where the lead couple gets together early on (Kare Kano, High School Debut), since the story can then focus on issues other than “Does he like me?!” In We Were There, though, things are a bit weird. Even though Yano and Nanami are together, and are shown goofing around and having fun, the overall feel is not a happy one. A cryptic comment by one of Yano’s friends adds to the feeling of foreboding. Yano has a lot of issues and, somehow, I suspect things are not going to end well.
Review copy provided by the publisher. Review originally published at Manga Recon.
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