I can't wait to read the continuation to this volume!! That's how good this was!!

We get introduced to the main characters in this volume, and follow closely two of them.

I really like the subtleties in Hikari's characterisation. And I'm curious to know more about Mari! Also Asagiri. I'm curious to know if the unrequited love will play how I first imagined, or if the plot will involve other people.

Hikari Mori, the main character of the story, is a teen girl who feels so insecure that she will always try to step aside and let someone else take an opportunity at happiness, even when she hasn't even checked in with that person if they even want what Hikari feels she doesn't deserve. At times, the boys try to include her only for her to politely refuse, suggesting any feelings of being trapped on the sidelines are mostly her own doing. She thinks of herself as just average and with no talent or passion to speak of, despite being a committed and skilled musician and always making her friends laugh.

Hikari treats herself as a side character in the life of her best friend, Mari, who is more conventionally beautiful than Hikari, but this misconception is not only sad but almost comically ridiculous. Mari is so painfully socially anxious that she can only speak to Hikari at school and would probably be a true loner without her, and from the Studio Ghibli comparisons she makes, it's clear that Mari thinks of her best friend as a real protagonist heroine type, someone so strong and brave and kind. I'm sure Mari would be sad to know what Hikari thinks of herself, and I feel bad for that Mari may wind up resented by Hikari as she selflessly tries to set Mari up with the boy she likes.

Ohtani, the male lead, is given his own personality: he is a class clown who does impressions of teachers and makes jokes that more often than not fall flat. He is more than just kind, though he is kind, too. His best friend is the most popular boy in the grade, Asagiri, which acts as a mirror to the dynamic Hikari believes she has with Mari. His infatuation with Mari is so adoring. The author can pull double duty by making the obstacle to Hikari's happy ending clear while also showing just how he'll shower her with affection if he were to start crushing on her.

While the plot of the story is Hikari wingmaning for Ohtani, the boy she likes who likes her best friend, the real central conflict in this story will be seeing her admit her own desires and finally go after them. The potential for character growth and the takeaway theme of the story is clearly established in this first volume.

However, I am rating it three stars because, although it was successful in executing this set up, it was overall pretty dull. It's possible the stakes of a high school romance on its own just doesn't move me, and if that's the problem, it's my fault for picking this book to review rather than anything wrong with the book. But the whole time, I felt like nothing is really happening. Nothing ever really happens. Now slow starts are normal in a lot of serial stories, I get that, but usually it's because the audience is still being introduced to the world, characters, and set up. The world has no hook to it; it's just a high school slice of life. The romantic rivalry and Hikari's self doubts are sufficiently explained by the halfway mark. Everything that happens after that is just kind of there, in my opinion. One would think the book would take that extra time, if it weren't going to progress with the plot, to further develop the other characters, and to an extent, it does, but I don't feel like I got enough out of Mari, Ohtani, or Asagiri to really justify all this space. And other small speaking roles aren’t even named, so the cast in this nondescript school feels even more economical and barren.

I'll give it this, though: the ambiguity of that ending…

The translation notes were a delightful addition. It was nice to have the pop culture references I didn’t get explained, and they are laid out with side-by-side visuals of the panels in question, so you don’t even have to refer back and try to figure out what a note is talking about. Since of Hikari’s main insecurities, her monolids, is such a repeated concern, it’s all the better that there is a note contextualizing the beauty standard for a foreign audience.

I did enjoy this manga. It was slow but I enjoyed the everyday lives of these people and the daydreams that came from it. What I found most interesting was how Mari was the center of most daydreams but no one every took her into account. I found the idea interesting-- is it okay to daydream about someone or is it not?

I See Your Face, Turned Away 1 by Remi Ichinohe
Rating: 3/5
Release Date: 7 May 2024

Hikari and her painfully shy best friend, Mari, navigate the complexities of love, with Hikari taking it upon herself to meddle in Mari's romantic affairs, particularly with Ohtani, a classmate who harbours feelings for her. However, emotions seldom adhere to the expected script.

While the series kicks off strongly, there are occasional instances of awkward dialogue and humour that miss the mark. Additionally, while the art demonstrates improvement, occasional panels exhibit oddly proportioned clothing.

Hikari perceives herself as entirely average, a notion humorously reinforced by her unremarkable stature. Despite her talents, like her prowess with the French horn, she struggles to break free from her self-imposed constraints. Cultural nuances, such as her monolid, are addressed in the translation notes, though some aspects may not resonate universally.

In contrast, Mari embodies the archetype of a high school beauty, yet grapples with crippling shyness. While she blossoms once she opens up, coaxing her out of her shell requires concerted effort from those around her.

Hikari's comically earnest efforts to navigate Mari's romantic prospects mirror the creation of her imagined shojo series. However, orchestrating romance proves more challenging in reality, especially as Ohtani's genuine chemistry with Mari becomes apparent.

It's hard to predict whether this will have a happy ending or not. What I enjoyed was the shift in narration from Hikari to Ohtani towards the end of the volume. It's fascinating to witness the story unfold from various perspectives!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Kodansha Comics, and the author, RemiIchinohe, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

This has potential, but I am not fully committed yet. The art is nice, and I like the main character, but I am not really on board with the ship yet. Also, the gratuitous bathtub and naked coming out of the tub scenes don't add to the story or go with the tone. Oh, and thank goodness for the translation notes at the back. I hadn't come across this eyelid obsession/quirk before.

Cautiously recommended, because I do want to read more.