After hearing a lot of positive opinions on this manga, I was delighted to have been granted an eARC - thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley!

Chika is a school student who feels like an alien. Whenever anyone surrounding her starts talking about love and relationships, she feels entirely disconnected from the topic. And after she revealed how she cannot relate at all, she is being pressured into relationships she doesn’t want. It isn’t until she attends university where she meet a lot of different people that she discovers she might not be abnormal after all. There, she finds many more perspectives on the question that’s been haunting her: Is Love the Answer?

The manga uses its limited space as a stand-alone very well. Starting with Chika’s school life, the narration progresses steadily forward and we can witness her journey step by step, without it getting boring or rushing anything. There are never any clear answers and Chika is always questioning her experience. This is how the suspense of whether or not she can find a satisfactory answer for herself is maintained without the story losing its calm touch.

The way the manga deals with the topics around LBGTQ+ issues is quite impressive. Both Chika and the reader are encouraged to research for themselves and the manga even adds little quotes with reference material. It also stresses that no two people of the same label feel or act exactly the same. This creates many nuances, especially when it comes to asexuality, which is of course the focus. Chika and her surrounding characters show just how diverse those identities can become, without anyone falling into a mere stereotype.

This manga is a wonderful introduction to the topic of asexuality, but it is also excellent for anyone who wants to see more points of view regarding this specific orientation. It is filled with vibrant characters, a cute drawing style and carries a beautiful message. I can only recommend it!

To be honest, I'm struggling to find words to describe how much I adored this story. ♡

I found Chika to be very endearing. At times I found her journey of self-discovery heartwarming and at times, especially in the beginning of the story, heart wrenching. Through it all, she was able to also channel her quest to discover who she is to help others who were also struggling with sexual identity and relationship issues which is truly beautiful.

I won't spoil the ending for those who have yet to read this beautiful manga, but I cried happy tears for Chika, Ume and everyone else who came to grow together.


I would like to also thank Uta Isaki for, through this manga, sharing a part of their own journey in such a loving way. I feel that I was able to learn a lot through both the story and the informative pages at the end of the book. For that, I am truly grateful.

This is a coming of age story about Chika. Chika doesn't feel she belongs anywhere. She feels as if she's a alien among "normal" people. Chika tries her best do fit in but isn't true to herself. She decides to study psychology in university. In university Chika gets to know and learn more about her identity and herself.

This manga is very informative because we learn alongside Chika about Ace identity's. I absolutely loved how much I got to learn.

i liked this a lot as i connected with her character. Funny and i love the artstyle.
I also think that this is important for girls or boys who are exploring themselves. know that you are not obligated to do anything.

This manga is one of the best I have read so far this year. Isaki manages to get us to love the main characters from the first page and from then forward our relationship with them just keeps on growing. The story is beautiful and shines a light on a sexuality that isn't talked about much in the media in a way that everyone can understand. The metaphor of the main character being an "alien" helps us relate to the character even if we are not asexual and have not experienced these doubts. Finaly, the art is exeptional as well, it is the usual manga black and white style with some funny drawings here and there which works perfectly in this narrative.

A poignant coming-of-age contemporary drama that is a celebration and affirmation of asexual and aromantic identities.

Is Love the Answer? is a coming-of-age contemporary drama about a young woman named Chika who after some disastrous experiences dating in high school - including sexual assault - decides to go to university in Tokyo to study psychology to understand "normal" humans. As an Autistic Ace Chika very much gives off Autistic Ace vibes - the author only confirms that Chika is Ace and X-Gender - because it is not just that Chika doesn't experience sexual and romantic attraction it is that she does not fundamentally understand the "normative" human experience even in comparison to other Asexuals depicted in the work. Social "rules" like "if a guy invites you over to his house of course he wants sex" - it goes without saying that this is wrong - which her peers seem to intrinsically understand Chika doesn't understand. Which leads to her feeling alienated from her peers.


In her desperation to understand what "Everyone says is 'Normal'" Chika decides to study psychology in Tokyo where she meets Professor Shinobu Ishii the author of her favourite book "The Dawn of Modern Psychology." Eventually moving in with her and her roommate Mitsuru Umezaki (Ume-chan) as she begins to explore and learn about her own Ace identity in a safe and affirming environment.

The work depicts multiple Aspec characters who are confirmed, questioning or ambiguous in the text. Professor Ishii is ace married to another Aspec professor Miya - this queerplatonic relationship is mutually beneficial even though they hold no romantic or sexual feelings for each other because of the legal protection it provides them to make decisions on each other’s behalf in case of emergencies. There is a die-hard Fujoshi who wants romance someday but not now who could be read as Fictosexual. And finally, Ume-chan whose ace identity isn't revealed later in the book gives Chika guidance as navigates her difficult emotions surrounding all this new information she is learning. Through Chika's interactions with aspec/arospec and allonormative characters, Chika begins to grow and understand her own Aspec identity better. Including a wonderful exploration of the fluidity of sexuality when Chika begins to feel confined by the label of Asexual feeling as though she doesn't meet all the checkboxes.


However, I will note that while I overall found the book a wonderful exploration of the Asexual and Aromantic spectrum it does at times feel like a book that is very much Ace/Aro Identities 101 for both Allosexual/Alloromantic people and those just discovering their own Ace or Aro identities. It is a perfect distils that information in a way that doesn't detract from the fictional story it is telling and is greatly affirming to new Aspec/Arospec people. However, if you are an Aspec/Arospec person with a very mature sense of their identity you might find this work a bit lacking.

Is Love the Answer? is a work that celebrates, explores, and affirms Aspec and Arospec identities with a heavy focus on discovering and understanding one's own identity. Beautifully written it is a work perfect for those wanting to learn about these identities. I highly recommend you pick up this work if you haven't already.

Is Love The Answer? by Uta Isaki is the first manga that I have read and while I liked the story I did find the format to be quite difficult to get into but that isn't a fault on the author's part.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys manga and would difintely like to try another manga in the future.

ARC provided by NetGalley.
This was a sweet book that gave an introduction about asexuality but I found that it was just a great commentary on letting people just be who they are. Our MC is possibly asexual, she states that the term fits for now but maybe in a year she might not want to use that term anymore. You also have characters who are all for romance and sex but are also defining those two things as completely different from each other. The mangaka did a great job in creating dynamic characters and I love the silliness of it as well. Super sweet manga that I think many of our questioning students would enjoy!

This was such a wonderful and heart-warming asexual/aromatic coming of age story. The characters and relationships were really well done and interesting. There was exploration of what being in a relationship meant, what love meant, and that platonic relationships can be just as valid as romantic and sexual ones.

The art style was great and I really enjoyed reading it.

This was really great representation and explanation of asexuality. I hope it does well in the States, because I think it will resonate with a lot of people, or at least remind them of someone in their lives.

Although the subject of this visually gorgeous manga is important and relevant, the execution lost me a little. It was very informative, but almost too much so.

I've been seeing this title on my mutals' manga recommendation posts and wanted to give it a go for quite some time, and I'm so glad I finally caved and read it.
Is Love the Answer? is a beautiful story about self-discovery, about being confused and coming to terms with your sexual, romantic and gender identity and becoming comfortable with yourself the way you are. I loved watching Chika find the answers she was looking for while also making a group of friends she feels happy with and comfortable around.
Author very thoughtfully made the story both informative and sweet at the same time, with well rounded, unique characters and plot. The art is absolutely beautiful as well, I especially loved the outer space x Chika moments. Though my favorite part was probably how manga challenges the term "normal" and how our characters come to understand how much insisting on "normal" makes our world smaller and unhappier when we take it as a reference for what we should be, or how our life should look like.
I really can't recommend this enough if you'd like to know more about aroace identities or if you're looking for a coming of age story that is absolutely heart-warming and has a diverse cast of characters.

Thank you Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Love can save people and destroy them


Beautiful. A truly emotional and very significant story.
There are very few asexual representations in manga, I really appreciated this one.
It feels like being in the protagonist's place and experiencing with her the anxiety of being "normal" and not knowing how to move forward.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely adored my time reading this manga! I myself identify as asexual, and Chika's feelings regarding feeling alienated from other people because of her disinterest in relationships and romance really hit home. Since there was no romance, it really gave the author the opportunity to create strong platonic bonds between Chika and her new friends, and they did such an incredible job of it! Chika's bonds with Ishii, Moto, Ito and Ume were developed beautifully, and their encouragement and support of Chika really carried this book.

I also really loved how everyone's identites were never 'perfect'. Even Chika's relationship with her sexual, romantic and gender identity isnt exactly answered by the end of the book, but it's because it's something so personal to her and something she can explore and find an answer to at any time, and everyone around her will support her along the way. This book is only the beginning of Chika discovering herself, and it's handled beautifully. The manga also did a great job at educating the reader in an organic way that never felt forced into the story, and instead helped along Chika understand different identities as well.

I do think the queer-platonic(?) relationship with Ume felt a little rushed, but it could be due to the fact that the author spent all 256 pages fleshing out everyone that it felt very sudden to me, but I appreciate that it's something the two are still working towards and it's very early days for them.

Overall, i really enjoyed this manga, and strongly recommend it to anyone looking to learn about asexuality, or even other identities, whilst also watching the main character learn and grow with them along the way.

Good book, good story, good representation but a little too short in my opinion. The art style is nice and the characters are unique but could’ve been a bit more fleshed out.

Chika wants to be 'normal', experiencing pressure to justify who they are to others. Through relationships and experience, Chika develops a deeper understanding of who they are and the liberation from conforming to social norms. The freedom to be oneself.

A nice, easy read for those wanting to gain insight into various gender and sexual identities with a focus on ACE. The artwork, especially the chapter pages, are out of this world.

Heartstopper but the MC is Ace. This deserves more hype. Loved, loved, loved it. Chika didn't have good experiences in school and she hopes for a fresh start while constantly struggling with the 'idea' of normal i.e., being a girl she should kiss a boy, like them and be attracted to them.

I adore this book. I love how she figured out what feels right in the moment while also accepting the fact that it can change anytime.

i loved everything about this. The art style was adorable. I am obsessed with our main characters, she was great to follow. I wanted to hug her and tell her she was okay. I really appreciate the conversation around asexual and queer identities. As someone who is ace, this felt like the kind of book i wish i had picked up earlier in my life, a book that would’ve help my younger self SO MUCH.

Chika has often been called an alien for not having any interest in romantic and sexual relationships. When she comes to college, she hopes to build friendships that don't center around romance talk much but she quickly finds out that college isn't really different from high school on that front.

However, she meets a very intriguing professor who helps her find tools to understand herself more. Begins a journey of finding out if love and romance are really as important as everyone makes them out to be, or if there are other answers out there.

This manga was quite cute and I appreciate the fact that it shows that sexual identity doesn't have to be limited by labels, rather they are tools to help is understand ourselves more and to help us talk about it.

It's very straight to the point in its approach in a way that almost makes it feel like an Asexuality 101 course, which isn't bad but I prefer books to have more substance.

That aspect kind of improved toward the end but then, some wording around the topic of boundaries and consent rubbed me the wrong way. I felt like that aspect of the story was too ambiguous, because it was treated in a somewhat silly way that doesn't fit the seriousness of the topic, in my opinion.

Still, it was a very sweet book, the art is good and I loved seeing Chika finally having friends who she could be comfortable with.

I'm not too sure if I would recommend this unfortunately because I feel like a lot could've been better about this story.

Rating: 1.5 ⭐

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Okay so. This. I loved it. In case y'all didn't know, for the most part sexuality isn't discussed in Japan. There's not really the homophobia that we see in America, but a lot of people refuse to discuss it, and don't really have a clue about different kinds of identities. The culture is starting to change, and I don't know everything happening over there, so definitely do your own research. I can say though that most manga doesn't have any queer sort of aspect, and if it does, it's either boys love (which I find is mostly written for straight women) or it's somewhat obscure and hard to find. So when I saw this manga on NetGalley, I absolutely jumped at the chance to read this. It follows a young woman discovering her identity as asexual and aromantic, or not experiencing any sexual or romantic feelings. Throughout the story, multiple identities and sexualities are discovered. I will say there are some content warnings that go with this book, so be aware of those.

Definitely worth the read, and I highly recommend for anybody who loves manga and is looking for queer reads.