Future Lovers Vol 2 by Saika Kunieda Manga Review
Title: Future Lovers Vol 2
Author: Saika Kunieda
Publisher: Deux
ISBN: 9781934496626
May Contain Spoilers
Nobody ever said that love was easy, and Kento and Akira are proof of that. Total opposites, they have to deal with very different outlooks on life and love. Kento plays by the rules, always trying to do what’s expected of him and trying not to make waves. Akira is flamboyant, and he lives life to the fullest, but his outrageous behavior is just a way for him to hide the pain that he’s suffering. Can these two men find a way to make their relationship last?
I love this series. It’s all about compromise and learning to accept each other. Both Kento and Akira have a lot of work to do to be emotionally supportive of each other. It isn’t easy for either one of them, either. Akira had a messed up childhood that lingers into his present, and Kento has the pressure of doing what’s best for his family. His grandparents aren’t thrilled that he’s dating another guy, and all they want for him is to start a family and be happy. Never mind that he’s happy with Akira, well, most of the time, anyway.
When Kento and Akira bicker, it’s an ugly thing. Neither of them is confident with their feelings, and so they overreact, lashing out at each other instead of finding a compromise to their problems. With all of the baggage they’re lugging around, this was a believable escalation of their disagreements. Kento is so earnest and wants so badly to think of a way to have Akira accepted into his family, but Akira doesn’t like his solution. I felt bad for both of them, because both of them are so afraid of being left alone. Kento is especially vulnerable, and he desperately wants a way to make Akira a legal part of his family. Without the blessing of his grandfather, though, there isn’t much he can do to ensure that Akira will always be there for him.
The pull of this romance are the realistic, moving situations that the characters find themselves in. What happens outside of their relationship has such an overwhelming effect on them, and sometimes, that’s just not fair. Akira is burdened by a mother who is more a child than he is, and having endured a very unstable childhood, he doesn’t trust anyone. Kento is the go to man for his elderly grandparents, and he feels an enormous obligation to them because they raised him after the death of his parents. Both Kento and Akira have to juggle their expectations, and sometimes that proves to be a little tricky. It is touching that they are willing to give up on some of their dreams to make the other happy.
The last chapter was a special treat, and the book ended on very satisfying note. This was a great series, and I want to read more of Saika Kunieda’s works.
Grade: A-
Originally published at Manga Maniac Cafe. Please leave any comments there.