Dont let the cat and lizard on the cover fool you this is a standard high school romance that just happens to involve anthropomorphic animals in a homosexual relationship. The entire story is standard. The main character Hachi the cat is going through life with zero interest in anything around him until the unusual and unique transfer student Aoi the lizard arrives and catches his interest. Drama cuddling and feelings ensue and a plot is formed. While the story does qualify as good it doesnt do anything in its short span that does anything special or meaningful with the BL genre or story. The typical tropes are there that you would find in any high school drama you see on TV. The only thing that really makes this story stand out is that the characters are anthropomorphic animals. The series does take a few brief moments to delve into the world and its inhabitants which is a welcome edition to break up the monotony that is two dudes struggling with their feelings towards each other. The worldbuilding is limited and brief unsurprising considering again this is a single volume manga. The short length of the series is what probably inhibits it the most. The manga has all the energy of a side project the author made on a whim. There is simply not enough pages or space to delve that deep in the world characters or their complicated personalities. We only are given mentions of Aois home life and Hachis is never mentioned. The secondary characters are cute funny and welcomed but their appearances only are tools for forced drama and high school tropes. There are also moments that touch on bullying speciesism and insecurity about ones body that naturally enhance the story. due to the anthropomorphic nature of the characters. The real essence of the story is in the small moments of anthropomorphization where the natural biology of the characters comes into play. This adds some originality to the standard relationship between the two characters. Between Hachi warming Aois body when it gets too cold to the opposite of Aois body acting as a cooling pillow for Hachi when its hot outside its the differences between the two species that enhances their relationship and progresses it that one doesnt find in a story about two humans. The comedic moments are good the relationship between the two boys is as meaningful as it is touching and the overall story is an appreciated edition to the small pool of anthropomorphic literature. This is a heartwarming story but one that has been told many times before. The only thing that makes this one stand out is the fact that the characters are animals which isnt a bad thing but could have used a lot more chapters.
70 /100
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