Manga Review | A Sign of Affection Volume 1

A Sign of Affection by suu Morishita is a sweet and heart-warming shojo about overcoming language barriers and communication as a means for human connection.

It centers around 2 main characters: Yuki, a deaf college student who’s into fashion and Itsuomi, a globetrotter who knows a lot of languages … except for sign language.

Yuki is used to communicating through sign language and texts, so one day, when a foreigner asks her for directions, she panics. Luckily, Itsuomi notices and swoops in to her rescue. Yuki thanks him afterwards and the two of them realize that they both go to the same college and share a mutual friend!

Their relationship starts to blossom from there, but can they learn how to communicate their growing feelings for another?

First off, rarely do I see a manga series feature a deaf protagonist (asides from A Silent Voice and Gangsta), so this feels like a really refreshing and important perspective to explore. I think it’s neat the mangaka includes facts about Japanese sign language as well.

On top of that, the art style is absolutely dreamy and lovely! Plus, the winter backdrop not only ties into the theme of Yuki’s name, but it creates a cozy vibe and makes reading this manga feel like drinking a sweet cup of hot cocoa with marshmallows.

I do have to give one disclaimer though. Yuki falls head over heels for Itsuomi REALLY fast. This might put some people off. However, I don’t necessarily mind if this seems like a case of insta-love since:

1) Yuki herself is questioning whether what she feels for Itsuomi is a crush or something more serious.

2) Itsuomi himself seems like a spontaneous person, so jumping into a relationship doesn’t seem out of character for him.

3) The primary conflict isn’t how they start dating, but rather how they learn to communicate.

Overall though, if you’re looking for a wholesome romance and a serotonin boost, this series really hits the spot. I can’t wait to see where the relationship goes and to find out more about Yuki, Itsuomi, and their friends.

Thank you, NetGalley and Kodansha, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Read the first chapter of A Sign of Affection Volume 1 here!

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