Thank you to NetGalley, Kodansha Comics, and MAKIHIROCHI for the opportunity to read this manga in exchange for an honest review.

Artwork: 3.5/5
Story: 4/5
Message: 4.5/5

Ako works at a video rental store. When a girl with a skateboard comes in, looking for a movie about skateboarding (that hasn't been returned in months), Ako finds interest in the fact that it is a female skater. Ako later encounters the skater and her friends doing tricks on city structures, and she finds the skater awe-inspiring. Ako signs up for skating lessons, ready to roll!

This manga also follows some other characters, deviating from Ako's story, but showing how they will all come together at some point. I have a feeling...maybe they'll make skating skits, a movie, or become a female skate influencing team! The only way to find out is to keep reading on!

I love the message being delivered with this manga. It emphasizes that women can be just as sporty as men (in this case, skateboarding), and it doesn't stop there. It also highlights that age doesn't matter. Anyone can find a new passion, even if they are in their 30's (or older). I also appreciate the real women skater articles offered as interludes. It gives a larger sense of purpose to the writing in its text-to-world connection.

Overall a really great first volume for readers who love skating and older readers looking for something with a fresh, inspiring feel.

This was such a good first volume! I'm not entirely sure how deep the storyline intends to go (are they hobbyists or will they compete) but seeing three different storylines of women finding their way to skateboarding was heartwarming. I can't wait to see what's in the next issue. As someone who always wanted to learn but was told only boys could do it, it felt badass to see living examples of female skateboarders who started at various ages. I guess it's never too late to learn!

A skateboarding manga about young women who are having a hard time meeting societal expectations to be ‘normal’.

Being a middle-aged woman, I can relate to the different to the different characters, even though we don’t share anything similar, other than being female.

First up a big thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this one, sadly I didn't click with this one. The art was pretty, but the MC was dull (plus, I found it weird how she just went in her hoodie to a friends party, hello, whut?) and the story was boring. I got to around 60 pages and while the skateboarding that we got some glimpses of was fun it just wasn't enough for me to keep my attention.

I loved the pace and feel of this story laid out in word and picture. Ako is in her twenties, life is on repeat, she seems a little awkward and almost hidden. By chance her life starts to change when she glimpses a female skate-board artist being filmed tricking on a street. The girl intrigues her. And she finds herself trying to learn a new skill, amongst youngsters, as she starts taking skateboard lessons. Will girl and skateboarding bring new vitality to her life. I want to read the next volume to find out! Thank you to Kodansha Comics and NetGalley for the comic ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

Really promising beginning of a series about finding yourself young and uninspired in your 30s, and finding a new passion. The art work is pretty simple, the cover could be more imaginative. But I really enjoyed the care taken to highlight the vibrant world of women in skateboarding, especially in Japan, and demystifying the skill with a beginner's lesson from the POV of the protagonist. Will pick up future volumes probably. Curious about the journey of the two secondary characters.

I've never read Manga before but I really enjoyed this! I've always been very interested in skateboarding so I think this was a great entry point. One thing that was kinda tricky is that I forgot for the first few pages that you read it right to left.

The artwork in this book is so beautiful! I also loved that it encouraged that you can learn to do something new at any age!

I think I'll check out Sketchy Vol. 2 this summer!

Thank you to NetGalley for the copy of this!

TW: Misogyny

Adulthood is tough, Ako Kiwasumi, 26 years old, learns it the hard way. Part timer in a DVD rental store, in relationship with a middle age man who don't want to live with her, she just looks her life slide away....

I liike the story. I love stories with adults struggling with expectations in ordre to find their way. Ako is young, but everything and everyone makes her feel out of place. Meeting Momo and her skateboard gives her that push to change something, anything to get a grip on her life.

I was caught by surprise when I discovered Ako is not the only female caracter how will fall for skateboarding. Two other women, as lost as the protag take the chance to try something new and maybe rewarding.

The drawing is amazing, full of details. I also love the intervews of the skater girls, it was cool !

Thanks for the opportunity to read it, it was a blast.