About:
Warning:
This review will contain spoilers for the manga and anime series Kiss Me like You Did that Day. While the manga may vary slightly from all other forms of media, it may have similar story elements and could be considered spoilers.
Content Warning: There may be references to mentions of divorce (not between the main couple), self-deprecation, mentions of cheating (not between the main couple), and excessive drinking, as it appears in the manga.
Synopsis:
Miho still remembers Hiroya. Miho is a working adult, a writer who works from home, and he's already gone through a divorce. Yet, Miho can still remember, as clearly as if it were yesterday, the day his only friend from high school, Hiroya, kissed him. Unfortunately, after their kiss, Hiroya's immediate response was to apologize. As a result, Miho assumed that Hiroya didn't mean it and regretted it. Heartbroken, Miho ran away, deleted Hiroya's number, and never looked back. Yet, Miho constantly thinks of Hiroya and what life might have been like if they had never kissed.
Because of his curiosity and despite his introverted personality, when Miho receives a notice about a high school reunion, he goes, hoping Hiroya will show up. When he arrives, his former classmates are surprised, as Miho was known in high school for being a loner and having no friends other than Hiroya, who hasn't shown up. Miho is just about to give up when Hiroya shows up. The two instantly recognize each other, even after all of this time, but before they can catch up, Hiroya is swarmed. This is just one more reminder to Miho why they could never work out. Hiroya is a social butterfly, while Miho could never even make a friend that wasn't Hiroya. Then, he hears that Hiroya is going through a divorce. Feeling like there was no point in coming, Miho leaves, intending to return to his life without Hiroya.
But Hiroya chases after him. He begs to have dinner, which Miho concedes to. Over food, the two share stories about their lives and apologize for the pain they caused each other. Throughout their conversation, Hiroya mentions needing to move out of his ex-wife's home. When Miho mentions having an empty room because of his divorce, Hiroya asks Miho if he can move in. Though Miho knows this might be a bad idea, the prospect of rebuilding his relationship with Hiroya is too tempting, so he agrees to let Hiroya move in. What will living in close quarters mean for these two? Will they be able to get along, or will their relationship fall into shambles like before?
Review:
What drew me into this was the art style on the cover. It seems very clean and wholesome, and I'm happy to say that is also the case within the series itself. It's very clean and has a very down-to-earth, wholesome quality to it. Surprisingly, it gives me old-school manga vibes. Not necessarily old-school yaoi, but old-school manga in general, like from the 90s and early aughts. I typically don't care for that style, as evidenced by my general dislike for Sayonara Game art (I know, that's wild since it is so clean, I'm sorry. It gives me nostalgia, and it's not necessarily good nostalgia). But because this brings back feelings in the more general manga realm rather than yaoi realm, I actually really like it. It has a roundness and openness that calls back to that older art style, and I enjoy it a ton. It's all of the fun of the old but with the cleanliness of the new, and it's the best.
As for the story, it is based entirely on misunderstandings due to poor communication. Usually, this might be a bad thing. However, I think the way it's done in this series is compelling. The focus is certainly on the romance, but for each character individually, the focus is more on their ability to honestly express themselves. Miho is quick to respond without a social filter, which is part of the reason he feels compelled to isolate himself from strangers. Still, he doesn't express his true feelings of love for Hiroya, fearing his honesty might put him in a painfully vulnerable situation. On the other hand, Hiroya is perfectly capable of communicating what he believes other people want to hear, which is why he is so popular. But when his wants and feelings don't align with what might be acceptable, he's unable to communicate. This leads to the first major rift in their relationship, as Hiroya says he's sorry after kissing Miho in high school. Hiroya assumes an apology is the best response to the situation. Meanwhile, Miho assumes the ‘sorry' indicates that Hiroya didn't mean to kiss him.
Hiroya's filter and need for social acceptance push him into silence despite the reason he liked Miho in the first place, which was his refreshing tendency to say exactly what he felt. Miho is willing to say what he wants, needs, and feels, but he assumes what others say is the absolute truth at face value, leading him to run away or jump to conclusions. Their communication methods are entirely counter to one another but result in them saying nothing when it matters the most, which is what causes their issues time and time again. It isn't until the roles are flipped that Hiroya is going to run away that Miho decides to put his expressive nature to good use. They finally learn that Miho, though willing to express himself, isn't good at listening, and while Hiroya is better at listening, he needs to learn to express himself more. By the end, they've learned that their communication styles are completely different, but they are willing to learn to listen or to speak to be with one another. I love it.
If I had to complain about one thing, there are no sex scenes. There is an implication of sex, but that's as far as it goes. However, even considering that, this didn't need sex. The purpose was to explore how two people communicate with one another verbally, not physically, so sex really had no place here. Something that made me very sad, though, was the introduction of the very minimal side character, Kirigaya. He helps Hiroya realize that he can't just hope that Miho comes to him and that he has to make a move himself, but that's the extent of his role. He is so hot. I desperately want a story about his character finding love because I adore his design so much. All of these are super minor things, just excuses to have something even minutely negative to discuss. I love this title so much as it is, and I'm not sure there is anything I would change (except more Kirigaya cause I have a problem).
Results:
This is very sweet. I can imagine some people being annoyed with their inability to properly communicate with one another, but I think it's a very reasonable and sound use of that trope. I wasn't bothered by it at all, and I really enjoyed the message that resulted from it. This has excellent character growth, lots of internal study, and mutual pining. Plus, it has adorable art. This is a huge win for me. The only things that could maybe, possibly make it better are sex and more Kirigaya, but those are just my preferences. You should definitely give this one a go.
Have you read Kiss Me like You Did that Day? If so, what do you think? Do you agree with my assessment? Do you not? Let me know, and comment below!