Our Colors

4.5* CW: homophobia, depression, cheating Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for and honest review. I'd read the German translation of Tagame's first work "My Brother's Husband" about a year ago and really enjoyed that one. Definitely worth the read as well. With this one, my favourite thing was how realistic it felt. Many manga centering high school students seem over the top and romanticized, very far from what read teen life feels like. This one's different. It's very down to earth and yes, in some ways very sad (though not overly so) - but it's also how it is for many queer teenagers living in Japan. Additionally, I would categorize this as slize of life as there's isn't much happening aside from the personal journeys our protagonists go on. Our Colors is the story about Sora, a closeted gay teenager who's struggling because for him being queer equals future unhappiness. At the beginning of the story, he doesn't see himself ever coming out, finding a partner, having his own faminly or being accepted. When he meets Mr. Amamiya, an elderly gay man who runs a café near Sora's highschool. Together with Mr. Amamiya and his olderst friend Nao, he slowly learns to see hope and grow more confident about his sexuality. We also learn a few things about Amamiya who's own story hasn't ended yet and explore through Nao's eyes what it means to be a supportive friend and ally. While being on the quieter side, I read this whole omnibus in one sitting and it still stays with me. I couldn't help rooting for these characters and wanting the best for them. Its ending is quite not entirely resolved and for example, doesn't resolve the crush/romance Sora has with one of his school mates but it still felt cathartic and hopeful, so that I ended this read with a big, peaceful smile on my face. The only thing I would have liked is for this story to be a little longer - maybe two volumes more - to give it even more depth. But overall, I really loved this one.