God, how do I describe Shimanami Tasogare? Should I call it a masterpiece? Or should I wait until there's more chapters to say that? Well, for now, I'll summarize it in a few words: extraordinarily amazing, and a MUST READ for LGBTQ+ people.

Truthfully, I do not even know where to begin with describing this manga, much less explaining on why it's so fascinating and revolutionary. I guess I will start with talking about the basis of the plot: Shimanami Tasogare is a slice-of-life/drama manga about a group of LGBT people who find themselves all hanging out in a lounge. The story revolves around a gay teenager who struggles with his sexuality and very slowly learns how to find comfort in it. Alongside him are other queer people-- a lesbian couple who wants to marry but find social obstacles in their way, a young cross dressing boy who hasn't figured out his identity yet, a transgender man whose old classmates aren't very accepting, and others. It's a story about the struggles of LGBTQ+ people living in Japan.

Now, I'll explain exactly what makes Shimanami Tasogare stands out from all the other yaoi/yuri/LGBT manga out there. One of the biggest reasons Shimanami Tasogare needs to be praised is that it's purely a story about queer people in Japan. Personally, I feel as if the lack of glamorization and sexualization in this manga is what makes it so refreshing. There's so many anime and manga out there that uses gays/lesbians purely for sexual desires. That wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, but yaoi/yuri has become both awkwardly glamorized and fetishized, and people sometimes forget that gay couples aren't simply entertainment. There's also a lot of anime that use trans people for comedic effect/shock factor. But this manga doesn't follow these stereotypical cliches.

Another reason is that Shimanami Tasogare addresses the very real psychological, physical and financial struggles of LGBTQ+ living in Japan. Truthfully, I have seen very few manga that centers around what it is like being a gay person in Japan. And it does in such a modest manner that you cannot help but respect it. What this manga does is it creates very realistic and normal characters, but simply make them queer, and then place them in situations that any queer person in real life could find themselves in. These simple yet meaningful and eye-opening incidents can range from unaccepting family members or quitting a job due to the heavy social pressures of being gay or your classmates finding out you're gay when you haven't come out of the closet yet. This manga takes these elementary, almost mundane-like struggles of any queer person and somehow creates an entertaining, yet informational and compelling story out of it.

Though, what contributes to the overall success of a story such as Shimanami Tasogare is not only the story and characters, but also the small details and what is hidden in between its lines. Symbolism is a common trope found in this manga, yet it is never abused and adds a charming mood as the audience tries to figure out, often with not much struggle, as to what certain objects or drawings can mean. Also, something the vast majority of people can agree on is that Shimanami Tasogare is known for its beautiful, detailed and sensible art work, only assisting to its realistic atmosphere.

I can probably go own for hours, maybe even days as to all the little things I currently love about this manga. But I will wait until more chapters are released. Until then, if Shimanami Tasogare continues on its glorious path, then I can say with absolute certainty that it will become a masterpiece.

[Story]: 9
[Art]: 10
[Character]: 10
[Enjoyment]: 10
[Overall]: 10