Manga Review - 'The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All, Vol. 1' by Sumiko Arai

It's a new YA yuri manga, and a love letter to both classic and modern European and American rock bands.

Its art really pops and stands out with its use of the colour green, as well as black and white. As it tells the story of two high school girls who are polar opposites on the social and class pole, who share a secret love of rock music which they are both so used to listening to alone, and their "unlikely" "friendship" (read: romance) - their bond - forms from that shared love. To hell with social divides and differences (and there's more than one way to be a girl, you know! It's not all "flashy" and skirts). There is a case of mistaken identity in there as well, which thankfully doesn't last long - until nearly halfway through the manga, and at the end of the first chapter.

It's a tale as old as time.

Heartwarming and poignant.

'The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All, Vol. 1' has girl love and yuri elements - with what looks like accepting classmates and adults so far, which is groundbreaking and a relief - and music love for bands that your dad likes. And what you granddad likes. It's all very retro and cool.

I love the boss outfits the girls wear, too. Black nail polish FTW.

Do CD shops still exist in Japan? Is any shop that exclusively sells CDS (and albums, and maybe vinyl) still standing?

This manga made me miss the nineties.

And I'll just end my yuri manga review right there, before I end up revealing my age by waxing lyrically (and rhythmically) about how nostalgic 'The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All, Vol. 1' makes me feel, by its music references, and CDs, speakers, guitars, and rock concerts.

Overall, it is a fun, funny, wacky, and elegant yet chaotic, loud, crowded, and sort-of grungy manga. It also manages to feel very real and lived-in. The characters are realistic, messy, complex, self-indulgent and impulsive; basically they're walking disasters, and they are all the more relatable because of it. No wonder it has become a top-of-the-charts hit, with rave reviews.

It's like if Ai Yazawa's 'Nana' series was allowed to be gay.

Recommended if you like yuri titles, and are looking for something new, fresh and different in the genre.

Generation Y, Z, X, whatever. Whenever. Anyone of any age, of any musical generation, can enjoy 'The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All, Vol. 1'. Hopefully none of them will have any biases, prejudices and ingrained generational bigotry, and won't be put off by the yuri of it all. If so, then here's my universal song message:

Get over yourself, and listen, and go with the flow. For the world is forever changing, with or without you.

Love of all kinds is all around us. It has always been around us.

Love freely, and love your interests, no matter how "niche" they are. Stay true to yourself. You will be loved in return for it.

Final Score: 4/5