Our Precious Conversations - Reviews

Thoughts about Our Precious Conversations

• I really like this. No tsundere, delinquents or social outcasts characters. Just two perfectly normal high school students who are so relatable. 
• I love their conversations. It was indeed precious. It took me back to the days when I was questioning everything the opposite sex is thinking/doing. 
• The plot is so simple but it was also funny and sweet. It’s a perfect feel-good read. I just wish it’s a little longer. 

Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus, and how despite the gaps between them, we slowly want to bridge the differences and our precious conversations bring us closer together. And like John Gray's discredited pop psychology book, this story peddles in comic stereotypes. Men use "facts and logic" and women feel "emotions". Men can't help but watch pornography in class while women want a man who cares about and are invested in them. Men like anime girls with tiddies larger than their torso while younger women are afraid of threatening guys. Clearly, these are morally equivalent and two sides of the same coin.

Mostly, this series just peddles in harmful stereotypes and passes these as gender differences they're learning to bridge, but even worse is just how low the bar is for the men portrayed. Although the depiction of women is reductionist and unflattering, the depiction of men is downright insulting. Although subtle social cues and interactions can be difficult to decipher and it can be tricky to understand others when they imply, rather than state what they want, Our Previous Conversations seems to find it natural that men would have no understanding of human emotions whatsoever. A man is shocked that if his girlfriend texts him about her day, he should try to talk with her. Our male lead can't believe a girl would run away in anxiety from the guy she likes, because "how would they hold a productive conversation". All men are perverts and can't help but watch porn in public spaces.

It would be normal to have characters struggle with finer nuances of social cues and learning emotional empathy. It would be normal to find healthy outlets (like pornography outside of public spaces) for sexual needs, and a gap between partners in their desire for physical intimacy. But this does none of that. In general, this series contrasts toxic masculinity with basic emotional empathy and then says both sides need to bridge the gap. There's a good story to be told with the same characters, the same personalities, and the same dynamics. There's an excellent story to be told of people with different emotional needs learning to understand each other. This is not it. The 1950s called, they want their stereotypes back.

Our Precious Conversations is a realistic high school romance manga about a girl who approaches her crush and asks him a question “Why is it that boys like to fight so much?” and thus begins interactions involving debates and rants on various topics.

Aizawa likes to keep to herself. She's oblivious to he beauty and her popularity at school. She is very confident in what she likes and she doesn't follow the tendencies of others. She spends her days admiring her crush Azuma. Azuma is a glasses-wearing bookworm and contrary to his appearance he isn't a very good learner. Azuma is cynical and has very strong opinions.

The side characters aren't developed much but they're all likeable. There is a bit of a hindrance to the story due to Azuma's obliviousness to Aizawa's feeling. But I enjoyed reading this manga it felt very original and realistic. I would definitely reread it.

I recommend the manga if you want to read a realistic story about two high schoolers falling in love.

Our Precious Conversations is a good manga. One could even argue it's a great one, and very easily deserving of an anime adaptation. The premise was very interesting, and the execution was even more impressive than what'd you'd expect it to be. The highlights of the book were not brought down by it's flaws, mainly the lack of a good supporting cast. While the story itself was good, though a bit sluggish due to the slice of life pacing, not a single time were the supporting characters really important to the overall story other than a few instances. That's not to say they aren't good characters. but there's nothing to write home about them either. The main stars of the show are the main protagonists, and rightfully so. They were wonderfully cheesy, and while the male protagonist's obliviousness did hinder the progression of the story, it never made the story much less enjoyable. The most relatable character was Aizawa, the female protagaonist, and easily the best part of the manga. She was just a pleasant character, and perfect for a shoujo. Overall, Our Precious Conversations is a pleasant read. With a good story, likeable characters, and some beautiful art, it's hard not to recommend.

Great relationship development, I really enjoyed reading it