KON NO KI KONOHA

If you're looking for a manga with a bittersweet ending, I definitely recommend this one shot. It depicts a girl that falls in love with a tree spirit that she has known since she was very young. Through the story, these two forbidden people feel what it is like to go through a first love.

Story: I've watched anime and read manga with the same story line, so this one is nothing new. Nevertheless, it still is a refreshing manga to read as these types of innocent and simple love stories are quite rare gems to find.

Art: The art is very similar to other shoujo mangas as the characters are very good looking and the detail is girly, though it is not the “flowery and glittery” type of girly. It is one that is quite wispy and seems solemn, which is a plus considering the type of tragic story this is so it compliments this one shot very well.

Character: The characters are also very simple as the author mangaka does not go into very much detail about their past experiences and how they are shaped. It's just like “BAM. There. Those are your characters and what they are like.” but I am not against this, considering that it is a one shot. Even though, I like the characters as they are not the annoying usual manga characters. The guy is not rude and selfish and the girl is not weak and dense like usual heroines.

Enjoyment: I did very much enjoy this manga, but it is one that I do not really want to enjoy once more in the future. I shed some tears at the end, but because I have cried harder from other manga and anime, I just feel like this one shot only made me cry because it reminded me of other works I have read and watched.

Overall: Is this a manga that I would recommend to others? Maybe. I would only recommend it to people that are weak-hearted to sad stories as this one is more sweet on people. Even though it sounds harsh, I still did like this manga and I feel it should be more recognized as people can learn or even reminisce of how harsh first loves can be on them.

Love is fleeting... like the seasons...

This poignant one-shot tells the tale of first love. Spanning the course of several years, the story begins with the young girl, Akino and her father traversing the mountainside. She soon trails behind and discovers, to her amazement, the mysterious appearance of a deep-blue coloured tree. From behind the tree appears an adolescent boy named Konoha, with hair the same shade of blue. This would be the first of their many meetings.

This is a beautifully portrayed one-shot that conveys more emotion to the reader than many full-length mangas. It is able to incorporate such a myriad of conflicted emotions and is able to express our reluctance to grow up. Akino reaches one hand hesitantly towards the future but is unable to let go of the past, of the memories and the love she has shared with Kunoha.

The art for this little one-shot is simplistic and clean. There is a very nostalgic feel to the art and it focuses heavily on nature, with many shots of a blue, cloudy sky. Another excellent point to this one-shot is its reliance on the realistic nature of its main character Akino. We are able to relate to her conflict of emotion and her inability to let go of her childhood innocence and in a way 'fantasy' and to approach the future. Kunoha is much less developed and remains forever as a figure of mystery and chivalry.

There is only complaint from me about this one-shot. The flow and leaps in time are sometimes very indistinct and confusing. But overall, if you enjoy reading about bittersweet romances with a light supernatural undertone then this is a must-read.

Beautiful. One of the best one-shots I've ever read.

This is a story about a little girl named Akino who went up to the mountain in the autumn with her father one day. When she went up to the mountain, Akino saw leaves from a tree that were BLUE. Even the tree itself was blue. She met a boy named Konoha, whose spirit lies within the tree. Akino continues to see him, but she can only see him in the autumn, for that is the only season he comes out.

As the story progresses, it shows Akino's growing affection towards Konoha and how she begins to hate the other seasons for she cannot she Konoha during those times.

This manga has a someone bittersweet ending, so be prepared.
But it's truly captivating and really worth a read.