flyingmongoose

In this refreshing spin-off series, Nagato is very different from how I've encountered her before. Nagato Yuki is a normal girl that goes to a normal school and has normal friends; no aliens, espers or time travellers. With the focus on Nagato, we follow her as she learns to overcome her timid nature. Enough for synopsis. What I really enjoyed about this series was two things: the theme and the familiarity. What I mean by familiarity is the use of characters I knew from the anime "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya". Seeing the same group of friends in a new light gave endless room for personally change and growth for the individuals without the constraints of continuity. The second aspect that appeals to me is the genre of the series, a slice of life romance. I enjoy safe shoujo (girls) manga, no sexualality, fan service, vulgarity; simple tales in a pure environment. Combining reinvented characters and settings with my standards for shoujo manga was a great way for me to enjoy reading again.