This is such a wonderfully sweet manga. I'm so glad stories like these are getting published so they can make it into needed hands.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for the review.

When I saw that the story was about asexuality I wanted to read it. It is not common to find a manga that deals with this topic. Well, it's actually not normal to find readings with asexual CHARACTERS.

We are not a majority group and I think there is also a lot of ignorance on the subject, on how a person really feels... is it normal? Don't you have something you're missing? Well, there are thousands of questions that arise from ignorance that this manga solves very well.

I found it entertaining, rich in content and also that it reflected a part of my reality very well.

I celebrate that there are stories like these that show that there is no single way to experience relationships with people.

Thanks Kodansha Comics for the ARC I read through NetGalley.

Adorable and nuanced and exceeded my expectations in practically every way. I love how Chika was dissatisfied with the "normal" label and is now dissatisfied with the asexual label, but it's the best she has for the moment. I wasn't expecting it to challenge comphet so intensely, which is awesome. The celebration of friendship and platonic relationships FTW. So refreshing to see ace and LGBTQ subjects handled this well, Love it.

"Is Love The Answer?" by Uta Isaki is a poignant exploration of aspec identity and the varied experiences across the spectrum.

Isaki gradually builds the narrative of Chika, our protagonist, who goes from feeling alienated & isolated amongst her peers to finding her community where is understood, meanwhile understanding & figuring out her own identity.

This book is like a balm to an aromantic, asexual, aroace soul & the importance it lays on people accepting you for who you are instead of being judgemental for being 'not normal' as per their standards.

Is Love The Answer? is a healing book & one that I would be coming back to more in the future.

Highly recommended reading for anyone exploring the 'A' of LGBTQIA+ identities.

Thank you NetGalley for the review copy in exchange for honest reviews.

As someone who falls under the asexual umbrella, this manga hit on so many things I've experienced myself. The alienation, the wanting to understand humans better, the attempts at trying to communicate what is going on inside without the words for it and later with the words for it but still dealing with being "other." It was beautifully done and so touching. I love it.

4.5 Stars

I am impressed with Is Love the Answer and would heartily recommend this. Our main character Chika navigates learning about her sexuality. She feels that “normal” and “romance” are alien to her and struggles. As she begins collage, she discovers the word asexual and what that means to her.

What I really loved about this story is that the author is very clear about how words like asexual, gay, bi, etc aren’t meant to be a box to fit in. That there are endless ways for being asexual for example and that just because your way isn’t the same as others doesn’t mean it’s not valid. Also choosing a definition doesn’t mean it summarises you or that that is what you’ll identify as forever.

A very poignant look into a young adult discovering her aroace identity and finding community. The art is gorgeous and I really appreciated the space metaphors. I'm sad that I didn't know about this book earlier, but will definitely try to grab it as a backlist for my teen room.

A good manga for teens who are also going through periods of self discovery in terms of their sexuality. The first chapter felt more intense than the rest of the book with bullying and sexual assault depictions. The story quickly lightens as the protagonist makes friends and discovers more about sexual minorities. Learning about the other characters' experiences and watching them all connect is very sweet. They even redeem a few characters who are cruel to our protagonist initially. The definitions are a bit over the top if you are already familiar with LGBT terminology, but could be helpful for a younger reader. I found the experiences of each character more valuable than the definitions.

4.5 Stars

this manga was very heartwarming for me. It follows Chika, a girl who desperately tries to fit in and to be “normal.” But, she struggles to fit into the normal box and finds herself in a journey of self discovery.

As someone who finds themselves on the aroace spectrum, it was really refreshing to see a wonderful representation of the variations with the label. It explores the fact that not every person that identifies as Ace is completely barred from anything more than romantic and that it’s ok to not be repulsed by it if you are Ace.

It’s a wonderful coming of age story for anyone that feels like that could be them or someone who wants to understand more. Plus the artwork is beautiful!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for giving me a copy in exchange for a review!

As an asexual person myself, I really enjoyed this manga. Seeing my flag on the cover was so incredibly exciting, I had to pick it up right away.

I see so much of myself in Chika. I don't identify as aromantic, but I do id as asexual, and so much of her journey to finding herself feels like my own. She experiences all the same emotions I remember when I hit college and learned more about myself.

The supporting cast was also great. I enjoyed how diverse the representation was when it comes to relationships, especially the addition of what reads as queerplatonic relationships, as someone who is in one myself. Seeing Chika find friends that actually support her and learn all these new types of relationships, it was great to see.

I also really appreciate the inclusion of definitions and references. I think it's a great book for someone who may be exploring their own sexuality.

The art is also fantastic. I love the panels, especially the one with all the stars when she realizes she's the not the only one with these experiences.

This was such a cute and beautiful read. I finished it one sitting only and absolutely love it. The tropes were my favourite ones this it added more interest while I was reading this one.

Is Love the Answer? is a very sweet story about a young woman exploring her sexuality during her first year of college. I really enjoyed the cast and the message that gender, sexuality, and romantic attraction can be fluid and change as someone's understanding grows, which I think is very important and was really happy to see. I think the art was also nice and I enjoyed Chika and Ume's growing bond over the course of the story.

This was such a lovely story to read! So much of it hit close to home (I'm pretty sure half of Chika's lines I've said myself). It really does an amazing job at capturing what it feels like to learn about and discover community around asexuality!

Thank you NetGalley for providing this review copy

Is Love the Answer? by Uta Isaki
3/5 stars

This is a fairly short manga that explores the ideas behind what is considered "normal" in society. Chika, our protagonist, has struggled with her identity. She believes something is wrong with her because she doesn't have crushes on boys or feel sexual urges. Her classmates in high school and even the beginning of college make fun of her and basically tell her she doesn't know anything. That is until one day, she meets a professor of psychology who help Chika discover that she may be asexual. The rest of the book goes through Chika learning about LGBTQIA+ and trying to figure out who she is.

I think this book was a great representation for asexual people, as well as other people struggling with their identity. It gave me things to think about and consider. On the other hand, it almost felt like it was trying to be more of an informative book rather than a story. That's fine, really, but not necessarily what I personally want to read. I liked it, I felt for the characters, it wasn't bad, by any means, it just wasn't a book for me. I enjoyed reading about the representation, but it was just so-so for me. It's an important book, but the story was lacking to me.

Fantastic representation for several different identities within the ace-spec community and a great gateway to those wanting to learn more about asexuality. This manga has beauty both in its story of self discovery as in its art. The manga has become an instant favourite, possibly even one of my favourite books of all time.

The book starts with content warning for a brief scene (attempted sexual assault) in the beginning of the book that kicks off our main character's journey. It feels a bit textbooky at times but after the traumatic event in the beginning it pretty much reads like an ideal coming of age for an asexual young person who finds friends and mentors. She discovers that "normal" and being just like everyone else is not for everyone and that's okay. The author's notes at the end of the book also loop back on the topic of consent.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Being Ace and Aro I was super excited to see this manga up for request!

The story is great in showing a variety of journeys to find/understand your identity better, as well as the acknowledgement as when you get older the words you use to describe yourself may change as you get to know yourself better.

This was a great story and I highly recommend checking it out upon release!

This may be my new favorite manga. Is Love the Answer? is a gorgeous exploration of sexuality, gender, friendship, love, and societal expectations. I adored the characters, especially the MC, Chika. The vulnerability and curiosity that Chika experiences in her quest to understand her asexuality was so beautifully written. China's emotions and struggles felt genuine and you can't help but like her and root for her to find some solace within herself. Stunning artwork and brilliant characters. I love everything about this.

I'm crying like damn baby over here

It had very thorough explanations, and showed different shades of aspec identities. The found family was also extremely adorable!

'is love the answer?' is a great book. it's about a girl named chika, who struggles to understand why she struggles to feel any romantic or sexual attraction like the people she knows, her peers. she goes to college determined to find out more about herself and to understand love.

i love the asexual representation given in this book, chika herself has a great personality, the way she's portrayed makes her character more relatable. her finding out more about her sexuality and understanding it and wanting to know more about it when she knows nothing about it is just so good.

i genuinely adore this book and would love for everyone to read it