Hajimari No Niina

Niina when she was 10 years old

Konnichiwa~

Nadeshiko-chan here to review Hajimari No Niina by Minamori Koyomi, a manga I was rather skeptical about when I began and that I quickly fell in love with! This adorable and tragic manga touched my heart and made me cry as I watched the leads struggle with their past and their feelings. The art is lovely, one of the reasons I was so drawn to it in the first place. Minamori Koyomi is truly able to show the emotions of the characters, I especially love her crying and blushing faces, much more gently drawn than other mangas I’ve seen. Anyway the only thing I think some people may have an issue with is the age difference, which I didn’t mind too much, which may be weird after my Bunny Drop post. But considering the supernatural and unrealistic circumstances, it doesn’t seem very odd to me:

16 year old Niina

Niina is a 10-year old girl who has just moved into a new neighborhood. When she arrives she runs into 25-year old Atsurou, triggering her memories of her past life. In her past life, she was girl named Chitose, Atsurou’s childhood friend and girlfriend during middle school. Unfortunately, she died at 15 after she saving a pregnant woman from falling down the stairs, managing to save the woman and the baby, but leaving behind Atsurou and her unfulfilled promises to him. Niina, who falls in love with him almost immediately, decides to try and fulfill those promises and heal the wounds caused by her past self. This is why I think some people might feel uncomfortable, which is only natural considering she is a child and he is an adult. But I think many people will move past that once they see Niina’s seriousness and her love for him. She is child-like, yet very mature in certain aspects because she has these memories of her past life and is seriously in love with him; her feelings are neither immature nor shallow. Atsurou cherishes her, rejecting her first confession at 11 with seriousness and respect. His feelings don’t really become romantic until she’s 16, and by then it’s hinted that he may know about her being the reincarnation of Chitose.

Niina and Atsurou

Originally, it was supposed to be only 1 volume, but it became 4 volumes, but its only complete in Japan. It’s currently scanlated to volume 3 chapter 12 right now. The chapters in volume 2 center more around Niina meeting Chitose younger brother, who is now an adult and her teacher. Niina sees her old family and is guilt-ridden when she realizes the effect Chitose’s death has had on them. Though she accepts her old memories, she wants to live as herself, not her past self, but she feels she has to do something to comfort the family she left behind. Then the chapters in volume 3 mainly focus of Niina and Atsurou tackling problems and insecurities that natural occur in relationships, especially ones with such a large age gap.  It’s a wonderful story with lovely art and I highly recommend catching up and waiting with me for the next chapter in this heart-warming shoujo romance.

~Nadeshiko-chan