Socrates in Love - Kyōichi Katayama, Kazumi Kazui

4.5 stars out of 5.

This was a heartbreaking, gorgeous manga. Though it is only a one-shot, a one volume manga, it was perfectly executed, though I would have loved it to be longer, more stretched out, and that we found out a bit more about our two main characters.

The manga starts off with the now, and then goes back to the past with parts of the now in between. We see how they fall in love, how they love each other dearly, and how Aki gets sick and deteriorates slowly from out-spoken and happy to angry, withdrawn and sad. 

I loved both the characters, I felt so hopeless for the male character, so sad that he had to witness his love go through this, I was sad for the female character for suddenly getting sick, for having no hopes of a cure, no hopes of ever getting better. 

I didn't like their decision near the end, and while what happens after could have also happened eventually, it will still be an eventuality, I feel like maybe she could have lived longer if they didn't do what they did. But while I didn't like it, I can understand it, understand why they did it. They just needed to get out, to run away, be alone and have their own private time together, for a last time.

The ending, gosh, that broke my heart, her last words, how their worlds shattered, I cried. Even now, after a bit, I still feel the lump, still feel the pain that they had to go through, feel the sadness.

I would truly recommend this manga to everyone, read this one!

Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/