春待つ僕ら

HARU MATSU BOKURA

MANGA

STATUS
COMPLETE
VOLUMES
14
RELEASE
March 24, 2020
CHAPTERS
61

DESCRIPTION

Mizuki is a shy girl who’s about to enter high school, and vows to open herself up to new friendships. Of course, the four stars of the boys’ basketball team weren’t exactly the friends she had in mind! Yet, when they drop by the café where she works, the five quickly hit it off. Soon she’s been accidentally thrust into the spotlight, targeted by jealous girls. And will she expand her mission to include … love?

(Source: Kodansha USA)

CAST

Towa Asakura
Aya Kamiyama
Mitsuki Haruno
Ryuuji Tada
Kyousuke Wakamiya
Rui Miyamoto

CHAPTERS

REVIEWS

shojoseireader
85/100
Love the characters, humor and themes. Hate the love triangle.
Waiting for Spring is a fun read. Mitsuki, the shy, quiet girl, finds herself surrounded by a group of popular guys who each bring something unique to the table. I like the popular guy x shy loner trope, so ate this up, and the side characters are also amazing.

Towa Asakura is my favorite here. Quiet and emotionally oblivious, he had to grow up quickly after the death of his parents and promised his dad he would always be strong. But what he learns over time is that being strong doesn’t mean shutting out his feelings—it means being able to rely on his friends and loved ones. This contrasts sharply with Aya, who believes that being strong is the most important thing and tries to make Mitsuki rely on him. Towa, on the other hand, helps Mitsuki grow into a more confident person, showing her that strength is also about vulnerability and supporting each other. I also love how quiet and thoughtful Towa is—he’s not one for flashy gestures but speaks volumes through his actions and quiet presence.

Ryuji and Nana’s relationship was another highlight for me. Ryuji is so pathetically in love with Nana, and it’s honestly endearing. The way he expresses and shows his feelings is both funny and touching, and the payoff when they finally get together is incredibly satisfying. It was so cute, with Ryuji being both goofy and earnest in his love for her. It feels like a slow burn with him yearning one sidedly but the end is totally worth the wait.

Kyosuke, though, is my favorite friend of Towa. He’s genuine, caring, and always has Towa’s back. He’s just a solid, reliable guy who cares about his friends. Rui and Ryuji, on the other hand, are the silly ones of the group. They add a fun, lighthearted energy to the story, and I love how they balance each other out.

The way the guys treat Mitsuki is another reason I adore this manga. They treat her like a little sister they often tease. There’s this protective, almost sibling-like vibe that adds warmth to the story, and it’s clear they all value her in different ways. Mitsuki’s growth, both emotionally and socially, is truly inspiring, and the guys’ support plays a huge role in that.

Aside from the characters and their dynamic, I also really enjoyed the whole basketball team rivalry storyline. It was intense, and the personal stakes with Mitsuki caught in the middle made it even better. Every game had me on the edge of my seat, rooting for the Seiryo boys as they worked so hard to win. Watching them give it their all was so exciting! It made each arc so entertaining and fun to follow. Team Seiryo for life!!

Now what I disliked about it...

While Waiting for Spring has plenty of great moments, the love triangle was definitely a major turnoff for me. In the early chapters, I was absolutely loving every second of it—the rivalry was so entertaining, and the dynamic between Mitsuki, Towa, and Aya kept me hooked. It was clear that Mitsuki liked Towa, but the jealousy and tension between him and Aya pushed Towa to finally act on his feelings, and it was delicious to watch.

But by around chapter 35 or so (I can’t remember), I started to get frustrated. When Aya confessed his feelings, Mitsuki started to waver, and it felt like she was stringing both of them along. I get that she didn’t want to hurt Aya because of their history, but by not being honest with herself and choosing between them, she ended up hurting both guys—especially Towa. At first, I really liked Aya because he was smooth, refreshing, and totally different from the typical goody two shoes second male lead. He brought something new to the table, and I appreciated that. But by the end, his pushiness started to wear thin. He became too arrogant for my liking, and I lost interest in him.

The worst part for me was that the romance felt cheapened by Mitsuki’s indecision. It didn’t feel like Towa was her choice—he felt more like an option, and that made the whole love triangle drag. I just needed more reassurance and more time with Towa and Mitsuki as a couple. The romance could’ve been so much more fulfilling if we had seen them grow together without the constant back and forth. It really took away from the otherwise sweet and heartfelt romance that Towa and Mitsuki had building up.
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