Such a sweet story!

Spacewalking With You is a coming-of-age story, with beautiful friendship, neurodivergent representation, and a bit of humor.

Love the art!

A beautiful graphic novel that was almost perfect. The ending because it is a volume 1 left some to be desired, but the relationship is so sweet and perfect. I have very few complaints. Can't wait to read more.

Spacewalking With You is an interesting manga as both of the main characters are neurodivergent. That's rare in manga. Kobayashi has hard time concentrating and because of that he kind of just stops caring and is on his way to become a dropout. His class gets a new student, Uno. The guy is weird and no one seems to know how to act around him and people try to scam him. Kobayashi helps Uno and eventually they become friends and they start to understand each other better and thus help each other to navigate in life. The manga is quite realistic and handles well the situations without undermining anything or trying to teach the reader. In a way Spacewalking With You feels very wonderful and explains things in an imaginative way. Like the floating in space part.

The art looks a bit childish though and the lack of practice can be seen in Doronoda's style. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but I hope the line art gets steadier along the way. Uno feels really childish compared to Kobayashi, which eats some of the credibility and makes you wonder whether he can even make it in a normal school. This hinders the series a little. Still, awesome that we finally have neurodivergent characters! Wohoo!

This read was so cute and fast paced! The background each character has makes their actions and reasoning to act the way they act so understandable and each and every one of them extremely likable. The immediate impact Uno has on Kobayashi is so well done and shows that sometimes you just need the right person to discover who you truly are. Their friendship is wholesome. If I had to say something bad it would be that it seems like Kobayashi has to take care of Uno but since Uno helps Kobayashi so much just by helping him discovering himself, the relationship between the two of them is still balanced.

Thank you to Kodansha for the e-arc of this manga! This is a sweet story of a friendship between a “delinquent” student and the new kid in his class. It seems to tackle topics of neurodiversity too as Uno presents to be on the spectrum. I liked how Kobayashi is very open-minded and kind regarding any differences between him and Uno. One thing that I didn’t love was that Uno seemed a bit infantilized through the writing and the art, but I could be reading more into it than I need to be. I like how he’s so passionate about space and Kobayashi is trying to learn about his interests. Overall, a 3.5 🌟 read

It's super refreshing to read a manga where the characters are neurodivergent coded. I am neurodivergent myself and could very much relate to the characters. The story is heartwarming and funny and I love how awkwardly loveable the characters are. The art style is not one I typically gravitate towards, but I ended up enjoying it by the end of the novel. I'm very interested to see where the story goes.

So glad I was able to read this, thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha!

I found myself immediately endeared to the two leads, which usually doesn't happen when I read new manga series. The art style is distinct and right up my alley, and the facial expressions especially were a standout. I will be following along with future volumes -- looking forward to seeing how Uno and Kobayashi develop!

5/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for an arc. All opinions are my own.

It took me a little while to really get into the story, but I ended up loving it! The facial expressions are very over the top which makes the style feel a bit old school (which is fine, but not my personal preference!). However, I loved how all the characters learned to ask for help, and I love the way that manuals and guides are treated as accessibility tools. I also really appreciated how part of Kobayashi’s struggles come from the fact that his friends have a pretty poor opinion of him, even though they do genuinely care.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for the opportunity to read and review this manga. This reminds me of a few Western movies and TV shows that involve someone who is a seemingly ordinary person who is impacted by someone who isn't due to their mental health, etc. It also involves space travel like Insomniacs After School, which is awesome. One of the best things about this is that there's some exposition involving how friendships work and how to learn how to ask for help. Also, just as fyi, this is NOT a BL. it's a friendship story. Overall, I am curious to continue on. Because of these points, I have to give this 4 out of 5 stars

"Sometimes people just need a little something extra so they can live like everyone else."

Man, I love reading manga. I can just pick up a random volume without expecting too much from it, and then it completely blows me away. This is the story of the unlikely friendship between high schoolers Kobayashi and Uno – one with absolutely no energy, one with always all the energy. It's never specified in this first volume, but it's heavily implied that Uno is autistic. Kobayashi on the other hand usually sleeps in school and is often labeled a delinquent, but he is actually always overthinking and struggling with completing tasks. Both are realistic, layered characters who have much more going on in their heads than they can communicate to others. Unexpectedly, they turn out to be a positive influence for the other, and their friendship develops. They also start to share astronomy as a hobby, and the series will probably lean more into that theme considering the title. This first volume made me extremely emotional. It just hit. The way it showed how people may be silently struggling and how difficult it can be to ask for help was very relatable, and it was great to see how the characters started to learn how to deal with it. The art was mostly simple and nice, but it would get super intense when depicting stress or worries. It was impressive, really. 5/5, 10/10. Would recommend to every manga reader.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

"When I don't understand something, it feels like I'm floating in space."

Spacewalking With You follows Kobayashi and Uno, two very different personalities that sparks an unexpected friendship.

This is a wholesome and seamless representation of neurodivergence and mental health. It makes me as a reader feel completely seen.

At its heart this is a coming of age story about finding your place in a world not very friendly to neurodivergence people as our two protagonists learn to tackle life. Had me tearing up on more than one occasion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

"When I don't understand something, it feels like I'm floating in space."

Spacewalking with you was always been on my radar when I was surfing the internet. Then, I found this arc and immediately downloaded it.
What did I expect? A slice of life, school setting, friendship. BUT it was better than my expectation! It was so touching and heartwarming.
Kobayashi has difficulties on focus -not on studying, not on work- and the adults thinks he's not trusthworthy and not eager. Then, Uno transferred in Kobayashi's class and, after Kobayashi saved Uno from some bullies, started their friendship.
The manga focusing on neurodivergent characters (though in different ways) and how they can cope with everyday life. I really loved how they help each other overcome obstacles and how they already made some progress with their anxiety or fear of being judged. Thanks to Uno, Kobayashi discovered that maybe he needs a different way than most people to function.

Can't wait to see where this story goes!

The characters pull you in to the story as they meet and quickly help each other become more comfortable existing in the world. Keisuke seems to be an autistic character, which is the first time I've seen representation, especially accurate representation, in manga! I say seems because he doesn't use that word to describe himself, but the traits he displays seem to be very similar to the autistic experience. I found myself wrapped up in how the two main characters began to bond and improvements caused by their friendship immediately occurred. It's a very engaging story, and I'm excited to see where the story goes, particularly with Astronomy Club and the development of the "Spacewalking" theme!

"Can a dot really turn out to be more than just a dot?"

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for the opportunity to read this ARC. This was a very sweet first entry in a manga series about growing into yourself and making friends in high school following Kobayashi, a 2nd year delinquent who has begun to think of himself as a failure, and new transfer student Uno, a neurodivergent 2nd year that Kobayashi befriends. The art style was not entirely my fave and could be hit or miss in some panels but overall I really enjoyed this story. It deals with neurodivergency in a way manga (at least in English translation) doesn't often touch on which was refreshing to see portrayed. Seeing Kobayashi come out of his shell after getting to know Uno and grow in his own ways outside of their friendship was really nice character growth. I look forward to reading future volumes to find out how Kobayashi and Uno's friendship develops over time.

I absolutely loved this story. It’s a cute and moving tale about two high school boys who seem like they couldn’t be any more different, becoming friends and growing up.

Uno seems odd at first but you quickly find out he’s a quirky and good hearted boy. Kobayashi looks like a delinquent but he is a kind and good person.

Goodreads
11 May 2025
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7560441550

A cute story of friendship between a cool guy and a cast off. They’re both seemingly very different, but underneath the facades they are very similar. They learn to trust each other and help one another grow. The drama is not high; it’s a rather relaxing story that shows the growth of a friendship. It can be boring for some, but it’s a good manga for when you want a break from the action and drama.

Would I recommend: yes.
Four stars because it’s above average but not the best manga ever

Thank you, Kodansha Comics and NetGalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this manga!

Kobayashi (Koba) seems to be a typical cool high school student who doesn’t care about anything. Koba is a part-timer at Second House that sells used DVDs, CDs, Comics and other stuff. He’s struggling to keep a job, and it looks like he tried it all by now. One day, his classmate and childhood friend, Saku, announced they were to have a new transfer student. Little did they know this boy will change their lives forever.

Keisuke Uno who’s born on June 20, definitely made an appearance on his first day in the new school. Soon we discover that he has a struggle of his own.

One of the scenes put a big smile on my face. My friends and I also used to hide headphones in the sleeve to be able to listen to the music in the classroom. It was such a cute detail.

“Sometimes people just need a little something extra, so they can live like everyone else”

As someone who always struggled with pretty much every subject except world literature and history, I always thought of myself as someone lesser, because I couldn’t keep up with the rest of the class. “Spacewalking With You” definitely stroke a nerve. I remembered skipping university classes, because I didn’t want to feel stupid and hated seeing professors’ disappointed faces. Everything seems to be so fast, while I was so slow and was falling behind. I just needed more time to get there.

To sum this all up, it was a pleasant surprise, and although the art style was not really my cup of tea, but the underlying message is beautiful and I loved it. Will be looking forward to Chapter 2. I want to learn more about Mikawa-senpai, about their soon-to-be retired sensei and, of course, the main characters.

P.S.
There’s a playlist in the end!

A really sweet (beginning to) story! I absolutely loved the different neurodiversity/mental health rep and how those things can affect teenagers in really powerful ways. Such a wonderful story of friendship as well. I'm looking forward to reading more and watching the characters grow and gain confidence.

Being understood is truly a wonder on its own, and the blooming friendship between Kobayashi and Uno made me tear up in how dear they became to each other within moments. The series covers heavy topics like depression, anxiety, and social anxiety alongisde how it is to be neurodivergent and how it feels to discover that you might be neurodivergent yourself.

As an autistic person myself, I was pretty scared as for how the depiction of neurodivergence would be as it can easily go very wrong. The first few pages kept me on edge for that very reason but made me really happy and teary for the rest of the volume.

While it is not outwardly said, it reads as though we are seeing the story of two friends who are on the spectrum going through life as they learn things from each other. We see Kobayashi, who is a "delinquent" that is seen to be "careless" and "useless in jobs." Even his friends bet on the time he will spend in a part-time before getting fired. He wants to know what's "wrong" with him and what exactly he is cut for. On the other end, we see Uno, a transfer student who is seemingly different from the other kids.

Kobayashi becomes the first person to see Uno as a friend and bring his "safety net" notebook back to him. Uno becomes the first person to look at Kobayashi without thinking of him as a failure and just talk to him.

Needless to say, I cried a little by the end of the volume. I saw myself in Kobayashi a little more than I thought I would.

There is a feeling of not understanding what's going on with himself that drags him down. Why can't he function like other people? Why doesn't he get things the way others do? Is he stupid? Is there something wrong with him? Uno becomes an answer to these questions, reminds him that maybe he needs a different way than most people to function. Kobayashi has the struggles of many undiagnosed neurodivergent people who don't have the words to describe themselves, and it felt pretty calming to read. He has issues asking for help but doesn't want to just so he doesn't seem "dumb," he can't grasp some stuff when it is told the way most people understand but gives up once he gets bad comments about his skills cause he doesn't want to feel bad like that anymore... It all hit close to home.

The artist did a pretty great job depicting these things that used to feel like alienating experiences. I am very glad to have picked this up and will surely be picking the rest of the series up soon!

It's really such a joy to see complex and diverse neurodivergent representation like this. Two unlikely kids become friends and learn new ways to comfortably be themselves from each other. There's a vulnerability and openness between the two that's definitely not been a defining feature in either of their lives prior to now. Can't wait to see where this story goes! Definitely a very unique and expressive art style.