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.