Manga Review: Orange by Takano Ichigo (2nd Review)

Title: Orange

Original Title: Orange

Author: Takano Ichigo 

Artist: Takano Ichigo 

Year of Release: 2012

Genres: Drama, Psychological, Romance, School Life, Shoujo, Slice of Life, Tragedy

Status: Completed

Chapters (Translated in English): 22

Volumes & Chapters: 5 Volumes

Volume 1 Chapters 1-4             Volume 4 Chapters 12-16
Volume 2 Chapters 5-8             Volume 5 Chapters 17-22
Volume 3 Chapters 9-11

Mangafox – Goodreads

Summary

One day, Takamiya Naho receives a letter written to herself from ten years in the future. As Naho reads on, the letter recites the exact events of the day, including the transfer of a new student into her class named Naruse Kakeru.

The Naho from ten years later repeatedly states that she has many regrets, and she wants to fix these by making sure the Naho from the past can make the right decisions—especially regarding Kakeru. What's more shocking is that she discovers that ten years later, Kakeru will no longer be with them. Future Naho asks her to watch over him closely

My Thoughts

Review covers 22 chapters 

Read the first review HERE! 

Hello, and welcome back to Katie’s Corner! Well, today is the first time I’m making a 2^nd review. And it’s for a newly finished work by Ichigo Takano – Orange. Actually it was completed back in August, but well you know how my time-frame works. If you’re interested you can read the first review HERE because today I will be mostly focusing on one aspect of the story. If you haven’t read the story yet I highly recommend you to start it right now. There are only 22 chapters, but those chapters are full of raw feelings that will make your heart beat like crazy and the ending will make you happy but at the same time sad. Yes, this is a possibility.

If you haven’t started this series yet, let me just tell you in a few sentences the idea behind it. Naho and her friends receive letters from the future telling the, that their new classmate and friend Kakeru is going to die. And they need to follow the instructions in the letter so he doesn’t. Would you have believed this? Our heroes didn’t too, but after everything in the letter come to be true they align so that they can help Kakeru live. Will they be able to? That’s up to you to find out!

What I really wanted to focus my review on today is the concept of altering the future. It has been discussed a number of times by the future characters. The question is: if their past selves will save Kakeru, will their present be changed too? Or when they sat the letters to the past did they actually send it to the alternative world? The way the story ends the future for the future characters stayed the same while the present changed. Nice idea right? It actually reminded me of an anime called Stein’s Gate. The way they changed time from a to b and then to Stein’s Gate time frame. The idea of having two stories in a one was fantastic. What do I mean? Well, I’ll be spoiling now, so apologies. The future Naho and her friends stayed in the same future when Kakeru died and Naho had a kid with Suwa. While the present Naho changed their reality by altering the future, however, what really altered the future for the present Naho was her receiving the letter from the future. Confusing, right? But as soon as you read the story you will understand what I mean. Another thing that I wanted to mention is the regret that the future characters are feeling. But it changes in the last chapter. I do not know if you will see this, but I believe Naho from the future knows that the present Naho helped Kakeru. But that part is too shady.

Another thing that is worth mentioning is the relationship between Naho and Kakeru. They love each other, but they don’t go out. That frustrated me a lot. But they do finally get together. How? That’s up to you to find out! Don’t miss this fantastic work! I cried my eyes while reading! Enjoy it to its fullest and don’t forget to share your thoughts below! Stay tuned for more reviews as well as promos. Don’t miss your next favourite book or manga! Happy reading! Oh, don’t forget to have some tissues near you!!

XOXO

Katie

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