The translation for Tokyopop’s LOVE x LOVE list is by Christine Dashiell who, as always, delivers a readable version that flows really well. As with Gorou Kanbe, the editorial team at Tokyopop have brought us another attractive BL mangaka, whose manga are well worth reading for the positive approach to same-sex relationships and the lively, sympathetic way the story is told. This is doubly important because Yuujirou, used to thinking of himself as the more manly figure, is already planning their post-high school domestic bliss. He's always been there for Rui, and he sees their adult lives as merely an extension of what they've done thus far – they'll move to a prefecture with common-law partnerships, fill out the paperwork, and keep going as they have before. He doesn't even consider that Rui might have other plans, and when he finds out, he's hurt that, in essence, Rui has a different goal than he does. That Rui might want to get that partnership certificate later, after they have careers, doesn't quite register with Yuujirou; he instead simply sees it as a betrayal, and in some ways that shows just how much more mature Rui is despite Yuujirou being the one thinking about their domestic future.

One thing to appreciate about the one-shot is that it’s accessible to new readers and has enough sweetness to keep its wholesome core while exploring the importance of communication and the trouble that comes with entering the adult world after high school. And: Then again, it might be impossible to afford a stand alone house right away, which, definitely combined with the wish of a cooking island and a garden seems a realistic take on things (the Tokyo housing market, am I right 😂). I was curious as to what ‘dekoboko’ means and, on further investigation, I found that it can be translated as ‘uneven’ which probably refers to the difference in height between the two protagonists and also, perhaps, their contrasting characters. However, there was also an unrelated animated TV series Deko Boko Friends of 30-second-long episodes for preschoolers that aired in Japan from 2002 to 2011. they're old enough you know they can handle themselves all on their own. They basically grew up to become such remarkable adults and you can really see how much potential the story goes as you read it. I am so in love with these characters and this story is just one of the most heartwarming and poignant ones I've read. It makes me so happy my heart feels so full right now.

Discussions

Tiny and adorable when they first met, Rui - still just as adorable - now looms over his boyfriend, Yuujirou. Though they were little more than best friends at first, the confusion over their true feelings for one another smoldered until they confessed. Now every day passes with such overwhelming sweetness it's all they can do not to ask themselves, "am I allowed to be this happy?" The final high school judo contest, the last summer of their high school careers, and beyond... the thought of his future with Rui makes Yuujirou's heart flutter. A slow-burn love story between a diminutive, athletic teen and his towering, kind-hearted best friend as they journey the slightly bitter road to adulthood towards sweeter days. Deko-Boko Bittersweet Days will be released in both physical and digital versions on March 22 nd 2022.

I absolutely loved the story from the start. It’s a very sweet story about best friends who have always known they were meant for each other. While I missed out on watching them confess their feelings and discover they feel the same way, I did get to see them in love and living their best lives. I also got to see them hit their first big struggle in their relationship, but I won’t mention if that’s resolved because that would be spoilers! With Dekoboko Bittersweet Days, Yusen makes me want to stay with Rui and Yuujirou as their romance matures and life throws curveballs. I hope we get to see these two grow with each other in the future.

Alternative Titles

COVER Corporation Announces hololive English VTuber Gawr Gura Collaboration with Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium Rui and Yuujirou have been best friends since they were kids. Now that they confessed the feelings they’ve been harboring for each other, it should be smooth sailing. They haven’t told anyone about their relationship, but life is good until they face the possibility of a long-distance relationship. Will their relationship survive this bump in the road? Yuujiro for instance says: It’s already pretty incredible to make enough to live your life without any restrictions kind of fawning over the glitter of middle class financial stability. The first half of the manga consists of some really cute scenarios, while also presenting Yuujirou and Rui’s hopes and anxieties about how their relationship will progress in the future. This is a very promising setup that I was excited to see the narrative explore, but it ended up falling rather flat. Tiny and adorable when they first met, Rui - still just as adorable - now looms over his boyfriend, Yuujirou. Though they were little more than best friends at first, the confusion over their true feelings for one another smoldered until they confessed. Now every day passes with such overwhelming sweetness it's all they can do not to ask themselves, "am I allowed to be this happy?"

I loved every character that was featured. While I love Rui and Yuujirou, Rui’s brother is my favorite character in the book. I do wish we got to know the supporting characters more, but it’s entirely possible that we got to know them well in the first volume. I’ll find out when I read that. However, as it stands, some of the supporting characters fly through while others are there often but don’t get much character growth. If this series were to continue, that’s something I’d love to see. Stop Press: I’m very grateful to Tokyopop’s Marketing Associate Kae Winter’s for this helpful clarification: Dekoboko Bittersweet Days is even better than the first part of the series! It's not common actually, so this surprised me positively. Yuujirou and Rui were childhood friends, but they actually got together already in the first part and now in this second they need to think about the future. High school is over soon and the boys need to think about where to study and it's not necessarily the same place, the same country even. I really loved the realism and how nothing is a real obstacle if you fight for what you love. The slow burn romance and real feelings get through easily and all in all, the manga is heartwarming and melancholic too. Growing up is never easy. This volume focuses all on "high-school sweethearts" and how they can sustain a relationship after high school as well as follow their own dreams. While Rui and Yuujirou have their separate dreams, they also have dreams of them carving out a life with each other. Simply put, they both have to grow up. For Rui that means speaking up, and for Yuujirou it means accepting that things won't always go the way he plans, and those are both very difficult things to do. It hits especially hard because up until Rui says something, their story has been blissfully happy: they are out to two of their friends and basically living the romance novel dream. But Yusen seems to want them to learn that a successful long-term relationship means that there'll be some bumps in the road along the way, and that the true test of their romance will be how well they manage to navigate them. Part of that, of course, is also eventually coming out to their parents, which is handled fairly well – and the revelation that Yuujirou's older brother Yuichiro has known all along and is perfectly happy for them is a very nice touch. Ultimately everyone just wants everyone else to be happy; the purpose of the book is to get them to the place where they can be.The first volume Deko-Boko Sugar Days delivered a charming, feel-good story of the blossoming love between two childhood friends, enlivened by many cute chibi panels and amusing expressions. But in this second volume, mangaka Atsuko Yusen brings her two main characters face-to-face with the reality of leaving school and taking their first steps into the adult world. ‘Bittersweet’ is an apt adjective to describe what happens. Many high-school relationships crumble and fall apart under such stresses and although readers will be rooting for this partnership to endure the extra pressures put on them by society for being in a same-sex relationship, let alone being separated by many thousands of miles for four long years, it’s by no means a foregone conclusion that they won’t drift apart. Praise, therefore to Atsuko Yusen for not shying away from depicting the feelings of abandonment that Yuujirou undergoes when his dreams for the future are so rudely shattered. He wants to wish Rui well as he embarks on his chosen career path but can’t reconcile those altruistic feelings with the pain he’s experiencing at being abandoned. With that being said, the art continues to be exceptionally cute, carrying the manga through its duller periods. It’s still an enjoyable read overall, but “Bittersweet Days” just doesn’t reach the same heights as the original.