Our Dreams at Dusk: Shimanami Tasogare Vol. 1

I'd heard a lot about this manga and was so pleased when it was announced that it was actually going to be localised. Having read the first volume, I'm so glad that it's lived up to the tremendous praise that has been showered upon it. Shimanami Tesogari does a fantastic job of telling the stories of various LGBT people who are trying to live their lives to the fullest despite discrimination and marginalisation. Tasuku Kaname, the main character, is a gay teenager trying his best to not only come to terms with his sexuality but also dealing with being forcibly outed to his classmates. Through his struggles he is introduced to a host of other characters who have been through similar challenges and we hear their stories. It is a solid premise and we as the reader get to see how Tasuku empathises with these stories and uses his newfound knowledge of their experiences to gain a greater understanding of who he really is. The artwork in this manga is also beautiful. The characters are expressive and the backgrounds are incredibly detailed. Yuhki Kamatani does a fantastic job of creating emotive compositions; my favourites were the snowy dreamscape page spread, and the pages where he goes back to his classroom where fish-eye lens effects, extreme close-ups and Dutch angles are used to great effect to illustrate Tasuku's growing stress and unease. The print version of the manga is of a good quality. The title on the cover is embossed and slightly shiny against the matte artwork which makes it pop nicely, and there are a couple of glossy full colour art pages in the front. There were no typos that I could find and the dialogue feels natural, which is good because there are some manga where the translations are too literal and they feel clunky as a result. The series is only four volumes in total, so it's not a huge commitment. I know I will definitely be collecting the whole set and would urge anybody who's reading this to do the same!

Honestly one of the best (and most honest) works covering LGBT topics I've ever come across. Our Dreams at Dusk is the work of a queer author and it really shows; it is moving, poetic and brutally, brutally honest. It is also visually stunning; this work boasts some of the most incredible use of visual metaphors you are ever likely to come across in graphic novels. Please do yourself a favour and check it out.

I read the description of this manga and it hit me hard, as being apart of the LGBTQ+ community myself as a pansexual I thought it might help me understand myself more. The art style is a little different than what I'm used too but the story, damn, it's just so good. I'm looking to buy volume 2 soon to continue the story on but there are so many other manga to buy... Give it a shot if you want to understand the LGBTQ+ community a little more.

This manga is really relatable and it described the experience of finding a community in such a magical way. The physical copy is 100% worth getting! Kamatani-sensei, thank you so much for this experience!

My teenage son borrowed this book from his school library and really enjoyed it. I ordered him the second one, then got him this one so that he could have the beginnings of the whole set.

A gorgeous story with amazing art that really conveys the emotional state of LGBTA+ youth.

I loved this manga and after reading the scans, I needed to buy physical copies. The pacing is quick but not rushed, the characters realistic, as far as manga goes, and the art is no short of stunning. The art style really drew me in and the plot kept me for all 4 volumes.

Very good so far. Very true to life. Wonderful, yet eccentric characters. Just shows that no one is perfect. I really enjoyed the interactions between the lesbian couple. One fully out, one still in the closet. It causes some disagreements, but nothing they can't work out with a little effort. I feel for the protagonist. He reminds me of my bff of 32 years who came out in the 7th grade in 1987 in a very conservative city. He had his ups & downs. He fought some battles, & walked away from others. He learned to come to terms with who he really is, & I was there to support him the whole way. Coming from a blue blood family, my parents, as well as siblings, were mortified when they found out my little buddy is gay. Caused quite an uproar in certain social circles. The biggest concern was that my bff being gay would "rub off" on me & turn me gay (seriously? How would that even work?). I fought a lot of family & social battles on behalf of my bff, because I refused to let people discriminate against him, & I refused to let him live a sheltered life. I wanted my little buddy to be open, honest, happy, & accepted. I can tell you, here in America, a LOT has changed between 1987 & 2020. My pal is able to live his life being the person he was meant to be, and no one really gets offended these days. People accept him for who he is. That is how it should be. And my bff, he has a lunch meet up every couple months with all the old queens from back in the day - the 90's/early 2000's. They all love me & always insist I come too. We all used to joke that I was the token straight guy lol. I love them all dearly. And frankly, my little buddy looks better in a dress than most women! Stories like this manga are desperately needed. There are a lot of young men & women who have questions, who have feelings & desires they don't understand, & many of them feel all alone. They need to know that they are loved, they are important, & they MATTER!

Esse mangá é bem mais que um BL ou Shojo Ai! A temática é bem realista e os personagens são um melhor que o outro. Fora a história brilhante, o traço também é incrível (principalmente os cenários).

The manga's pace was pretty good for 5 chapters. The chapters are a monthly manga length, so ~40 pages, and feature great artwork, and a compelling story. The art work is phenomenal and has great style. The book itself has a really nice feel to it too, as the covers are not high gloss, and instead a more matte or satin finish with some embossed text for the logo. (I had read a fan translation of the first 2 vol ~2 years ago, and this translation seems to be overall better, although I did prefer the name Anonymous over Somebody, they both work fine, and the name Somebody grew on me as I read more)

this is such a fantastic book, don't even think just buy it. It's absolutely beautiful

It's a wonderful manga series with good LGBT character depictions. The art is really pretty and I like it alot and story is good. My only complaint is how short it is (4 volumes only) and you can knock them out in a few hours. The characters go through struggles LGBT in real life would face like acceptance of loved ones, bulllying and shaming, and discrimination but it also shows how these characters form their own community called the Lounge where they can be themselves. Good ending I'll say but good doesn't mean it's a happy or sad ending so I'm just telling you it's good