[Februaryuri 2024 rerun] The Blue Star on That Day

18 Dec, 2024

(base post on Februaryuri here!)

(note that all that follows, unless mentioned explicitly, was written in February 2024)

The Blue Star on That Day (Ano Koro no Aoi Hoshi), by Aoikani

Publication

Self-published by the artist online, unpublished in print form as far as I can tell
Unpublished in English (fan-translation readable here or here)
Unpublished in French

Summary

High schooler Umi Koumoto meets Segawa-san, a distant, ocean-loving student from another class transferred to her dorm. Though most students consider Segawa weird, different and mostly out of sync with reality, Umi likes her. Herrrm, likes her a lot. Possibly… loves her? Soon, she discovers that Segawa wanders the beach at night, and she joins her in her usual stroll. Though she isn’t sure what to think when Segawa tells her her mother was a mermaid(?), Umi slowly slips through her friend’s armor as they talk about sea creatures, and the two grow a strong bond.

Comment

This manga is an extremely good read in the high school yuri subgenre. First, because its art captures to perfection an ocean-related ethereal atmosphere. Thinking about it, I can just picture its beach and the sound of the waves. It's evocative in beautiful ways.
Second, it also gets its details right: the way the protagonist is very relatably gay and slowly acknowledges it, and the way the two leads talk about it overall, feels much more real than the usual yuri. There is an accuracy to the pining, to the way the romance is shown in wordless panels as much as it is told; and the way the story handles elements of physical attraction while leaving basically no room for some outer gaze is kind of a feat in the genre.

There is something very realistic about Aoi Hoshi¹, overall, apart from one slightly ominous mermaid-related fantastic element that is left unclear. The manga is very touching, and it has some strong pieces both of dialogue and of wordless moments in later chapters - some panels really stay with me, be they heartwarming or tinted with sadness. All this makes for a fascinating blend with its soft vibe. I'll say it again: what a mastery, in its atmosphere. It ebbs and flows through the pages.

I also must add: the deuteragonist is autistic. It's not worded as such but it's very clear, in her specific interest for the sea and sea creatures², in her interactions and behavior, in the way she's considered weird by her classmates. There's hints of a dysfunctional family, and some (addressed) bullying there, too - and its consequences, the moments of panic, the difficulty to open up and to feel safe - that is realistic and hurts. Having a loving girlfriend helps, but it is not always enough.

I swear, this work is really strong - and it may be my favorite high school yuri, actually? It's always hard to tell when a series isn't over yet, but I keep a very fond and vivid memory of it, and it stays simple but still shines in quiet, beautiful ways.

Aside from that, it's self-published, which means it's unclear whether I'll ever get a printed translated version on my shelves, sadly; but I'm really considering making a Pixiv account to support the author. This also means chapters and translations pops up very sporadically in small batches. I have the latest chapters to catch up to, as it seems to have resumed recently; but well, I'll reread it all gladly.

I just want to meet these two girls, talk with them about sea shells and jellyfish and seagulls, and tell them it's going to be ok.

#cohost #februaryuri 2024 #yuri