Ane no Shinyuu, Watashi no Koibito.

Edit

What would you like to edit?

SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links  

Reading all four volumes in one seating was a wonderful surprise. This romance manga tackles delicate topics like family bonds, depression, fear of abandonment and how to handle the way feelings change over time. The tone is mature, intelligent and never goes for the overly dramatic, and both protagonists are given equal care and thoughtfullness.

One important thing that must be said right away: the pitch is a bit misleading regarding the sisters’ relationship. The manga makes it clear early on that Sena (the younger sister) isn't very good at labeling her own feelings. What she's feeling toward her older sister Yuuna is a mix of ... possessiveness and family love, peppered with a deep fear of being abandoned (both sisters were left to their own devices during adolescence by irresponsible parents). This confused feeling of love could have sorted itself out when Sena became an adult, but everything got bogged down into depression.

The linchpin between both sisters is Kiku, Yuuna's former lover and (still) best friend. As Yuuna is living far away, she asks Kiku to keep an eye on Sena, who became a writer but doesn't handle solitary life very well. While at first Kiku acts a bit like a substitute mother (much to Sena's annoyance), she makes it clear early on that she has feelings for Sena (she even asks Yuuna for permission to pursue her sister).

How is Kiku going to juggle between those feelings and pulling Sena out of the jaws of depression? What sort of dynamics did Yuuna and Kiku manage to build after they broke up? And, of course, is Sena capable of letting go of her attachment to her sister to develop affection, first for herself and then for someone else?

Without spoiling anything, the manga avoids the "she'll get better with the power of love" trope and goes for a much more realistic and grounded approach. Kiku's caring nature and patience will be stretched as she strives to resocialize Sena before there can even be any talk of love, and poor Sena does through the wringer for reasons that she doesn't really believe in at first.

The pacing is perfect, giving enough time for the characters to evolve while never dwelling too long on each step. This leads to a very satisfying and believable conclusion!

This is a very interesting and unique story. This has the most nuanced and well handled portrayal of self-hatred that I have come across. Despite that, it is not a depressing story, but is instead one of personal growth and positive, if complicated relationships.The artwork is gorgeous and fits the tone of the story very well. If you can read Japanese, I would highly recommend reading it in the original language, because the author's writing style, and word choice are also beautiful.

The main character struggles with depression and self-hatred as she tries to work through her attraction to her older sister who ... moved out of the country. Without spoiling anything, this is handled in a much more realistic way than your typical yuri-incest stories. We also follow the older sisters best friend and ex-girlfriend as she tries to help the main character, and the older sister, who is trying to navigate changing family relationships.

Although at the time of writing, only 2 volumes have been released, the story is already moving on at a good pace. Rather than simply avoiding they're problems and feeling bad about it, the characters make an effort to work through them. Character development is handled well, with neither static personalities nor sudden changes overnight. I would fully recommend this to someone who wants a serious, but not dark story about well-written charactes.

Fantastic.

This was an unexpected read from me, as I'm not into yuri. However, the premise piqued my interest. I was curious to see whether the author went for the full-on fetishization route or approached it in a more introspective, psychological way.

I got more than I bargained for!

This series is a melancholic, soothing therapy. Keep in mind we're talking about a VERY slow-burn manga here. It's gentle and nurturing, mainly through Kiku's character. Sena's progression toward her feelings (and general outlook on life) is gradual, the author has let it build up organically.

On the surface, 21 chapters (+1 bonus chapter at the end) seem insufficient ... to tackle such a premise. However, every chapter falls into place. There is nothing superfluous, no asymmetry in how the series is structured. Very few manga have achieved that for me - twice so ones that tend to be on the shorter side of things.

The art can be gorgeous at times. The mangaka seems to be heavily into fashion - the outfits throughout the series are diverse and stylish. Attention is paid to food too (especially sweets), weaving an atmosphere that's feminine in its coziness.

'My Sister's Best Friend, My Lover' is grounded, realistic, and emotional. It's mature. It's beautiful.

It's everything you'd want from a touching story - and it fully deserves a 9/10.