I love fluffy ghosty stories, and 23:45 was a super cute one.
A simple art style and a predictable storyline, but still very sweet and heart-warming.
Would’ve loved to see more of the romance or more of why Iku sees ghosts, but it was still a fun read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC.

Iku moves to Tokyo when he starts seeing ghosts. He becomes close with a ghost named Mimori. I liked the concept of this manga and I loved the art, but I felt like the pacing was kinda off. I also had a hard time getting invested in any of the characters.

The storyline was really great and catched my attention from the start. The art style was beautiful. Sometimes there were a few too many speech and thought bubbles on one page.

3.25
This was quite sweet and the art was gorgeous but I found it difficult to connect with the characters.
I think this manga might have attempted to deal with too much since it only had six chapters (spoiler ahead), Iku's strained relationship with his mother, the mystery around Mimori's death, Mimori's childhood, ghost stories popping up all over the place, questions about what it means to live and die...really it was a lot. I think it was handled well, it was poetic and graceful, but simply too much in one go unfortunately.
I also had some minor issues with the translation at times but that was not too distracting.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC.

This is a complete story at one volume, halfway a Sasaki to Miyano type thing, halfway a standard supernatural romance with a ghost of a hot dude in a coma (and if that sounds familiar as a concept, you can tell exactly how every beat of the story will go). It managed to be a mix of predictable and chaotic, the bits that felt sincere had no relation to the main romance (this would be the relationship between the MC and his mother) and the supernatural element resolved in a pretty anticlimactic manner.

I loved it!!! I'd love to read more about these characters, their relationship was so cute!! The artwork was amazing and the story was very fast to read even though I would consider their relationship slow burn.

Loved, loved, loved!!! I'm gonna be reading more books by this author.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the arc!!!

I quite enjoyed this one and it even brought a few tears to my eyes.

This is the story of two lonely souls— one of whom’s a ghost, and how they strip away each other’s facade, break down their insecurities and grow more into who they ought to be.

There’s a bit of angst and I do pray that there’s a book 2, but if not, I was quite satisfied by the end!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an egalley in exchange for an honest review!

This was good, but I didn't love that the ending was open. I would've liked to see more of a mystery around Mimori's death and finding out what really happened. I also think it would've been cooler to see him reunite with his mom more in depth rather than just in a few panels.

*I received this book for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

1.5 stars

Not very flavorful.

The entire thing was just okay. The illustrations weren't very detailed. The story lacked flow. The romance was insta-love. Characters were just there. Nothing groundbreaking. Not a must-read. Just a time-filler.

AAAAAAAAAAAAUGH I need a better conclusion. Still rather cute and sad all at once. I know there's a sequel, so I'm getting my hands on it asap.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for the eARC!

⭐✨
Rep : Achillean MCs

💕BL Manga
👻Falls in love with a ghost
🗼Set in Tokyo
🪦Mystery of what caused the ghost to die

What I Disliked
1) The art style was ok but nothing too special

2) The storytelling was so disjointed and confusing that it was difficult to know what's going on

3) I didn't believe in the romance at all as we didn't really get to see them falling in love. It was just a few scenes of hanging out then an 'I love you' which I find very unbelievable

4) The mystery element of this was interesting but the way everything was revealed ultimately made it lackluster

5) There were a lot of insensitive comments. A few examples are 'Don't body shame me! That's sexual harassment' and 'it's like spooky terrorism'. They feel like a teenage boy trying to be edgy.

Thank you to Netgalley, Kodansha Comics and Ohana for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

“I won’t ever let you die again.” This striking opening line sets the tone for 23:45, a manga that blends supernatural elements with an emotional depth rarely seen in typical BL narratives. At its core, this story follows Iku, who can see ghosts. When he encounters Mimori, a spirit trapped in an endless loop of tragedy, Iku becomes determined to break the cycle and save him from an eternity of reliving his final moments.

While 23:45 initially presents itself as a familiar supernatural romance, it takes an unexpected turn that elevates it beyond the usual "ghostly love story" formula. I think the reveal surrounding Mimori’s existence midway through the manga is its most striking narrative choice. One that redefines everything I assume about his character. This twist breathes fresh life into the common trope of spirits bound to their final moments, making it a standout element in the story’s execution. The manga’s pacing unfolds at a steady, engaging rhythm, allowing me to sink into Iku and Mimori’s relationship at a good pace albeit there are times when I felt like it was too convenient for the pace.

Let's talk about the illustrations. Visually, 23:45 delivers a compelling reading experience. The character designs captured both the lighthearted and tragic moments beautifully. The use of shadows and atmospheric panels enhances the story’s melancholic tone, reinforcing the weight of Mimori’s predicament (I specifically like how the mangaka presented Mimori's final moment by the bridge without showing the fall. That's a good one.) The balance between soft, emotional close-ups and haunting imagery effectively conveys the tension between love and loss.

For BL enthusiasts and supernatural fans alike, 23:45 offers a heartfelt, engaging experience. While it doesn’t stray too far from familiar tropes, its unique take on the ghostly afterlife and its emotional depth make it a worthy read. For me, the solid pacing, striking visuals, and unexpected plot twist earn this manga a well-deserved 4-star rating.

Thank you netGalley and Kodnasha for the eARC!

23:45 is a one shot manga written about a boy who can “see ghosts”. And one keeps reappearing each night. The overall story is well paced, and the twists as the story goes on are heartbreaking and make more sense upon re-reading.

Overall it was a story about the two main characters, with the side characters filling us in where they could not. I really enjoyed the plot and the author’s ability to pace it well despite a small page count.

The premise of this manga, sound Spooky fun and romantic. However the execution felt rushed and lackluster. We don't get any feel for who the character are and the main guy came across as the bad sort of creepy.
The art is lovely but not ground breaking- this could have been better

This was both sweet and a little sad, and I appreciate the complexity of a range of emotions in a story. That's life, after all.

I found the paranormal/fantastical aspect mixed into a love story to be really fun and to hold a depth of captivation that can sometimes be missing from a romance plot.

I fully enjoyed watching these to grow to care about each other.

Great story and art. I really enjoyed the depth and the themes portrayed, not that common in BL stories.

This was an interesting concept. Iku can see ghosts and after encountering one on a bridge, it follows him home. Mimori, the ghost, basically moves into Iku's apartment and they grow closer. Iku, hoping to stop Mimori from reliving his death every night, decides to figure out what exactly happened to Mimori in the hopes of helping him move on. But surprise, he falls in love with Mimori. There is a twist about Mimori that I didn't see coming and I honestly cried a little towards the end, I won't give away why but there was definitely a part that made me feel really sad for Iku. I don't think anything about this was particularly ground breaking but I enjoyed it enough to look forward to the sequel.

A cute story that leaves no loose ends. The main character is forced to confront his past and reflect upon why he has isolated himself from the world. A beautiful story with matching artwork.

This was really adorable and also a little sad!

Mimori and Iku are really sweet MCs, pretty typical of the genre.

The art is gorgeous and the plot is really easy to follow.

it was cute and a little mysterious. i was happy that they found each other again at the end. The ghost aspect was kinda interesting.