I was really excited today because Volume 3 of Yugami finally released today! ヾ(≧▽≦*)o

Without further ado, let's get into my review.

Volume 3 covers Chapters 11–16. I think this volume does a great job of highlighting Yugami's good qualities while also showing how many of the other characters focus almost exclusively on his flaws.

First, the conclusion of the Amagi vs. Kamihoshi game.

Everyone assumes Yugami is upset because Iwaki stole the spotlight after the game. Personally, I think Kadota and Kuzumi were a little insensitive here. Instead of trying to understand what was going on with the team's ace, they simply let the situation slide.

That decision came back to haunt them. Yugami's injury wasn't discovered until he suddenly underperformed during the final. Once he was substituted out, the entire team collapsed.

While I understand why Yugami wanted to hide his injury to avoid worrying everyone, I think the coach should have informed the team. They relied almost entirely on Yugami, yet they had no real backup plan. When he couldn't continue, they had to throw in an unprepared player instead of developing a proper second option beforehand. From a sports perspective, that's a huge coaching mistake.

Outside of baseball, I loved the conversation between Rio and Yugami. Yugami is genuinely trying to tell Rio that none of what happened was her fault and that she doesn't need to apologize, but he somehow explains it in the worst way imaginable. His communication skills really are on par with someone who's never had a friend.

Next, the summer festival.

This arc gives the supporting cast more time to shine.

Momose reminded me of several girls I knew in high school. She clearly has a personal grudge against Yugami, and because Chihiro seems close to him, she subtly tries to isolate Chihiro from the group. It's the kind of quiet social exclusion that actually happens in school. People can act perfectly nice on the surface while secretly trying to push someone away. Unlike Kuzumi, who genuinely looks out for others, Momose seems to want everyone's attention focused on herself.

Yugami, meanwhile, acts exactly as you'd expect. He goes to the festival alone, enjoys the hot spring by himself, and couldn't care less if people think he's weird for attending alone. Instead of worrying about appearances, he focuses on getting the most enjoyment out of every game and activity.

It was also surprisingly sweet to see him stand up for his little sister when the turtle-scooping stall owner tried to cheat her. (Although part of me suspects he was also getting revenge for being scammed himself) He ends up getting beaten up over it, and by the time he tries to get even, the stall owner has already turned over a new leaf, leaving Yugami with no one to take revenge on.

The abandoned dog storyline was also hilarious. Even though Yugami initially hates the idea of keeping a dog, he still takes caring for and training it very seriously. Watching him go from disliking the dog, to becoming attached to it, and finally missing it after giving it away felt incredibly relatable. I also have to agree with Yugami that turtles are amazing pets because they live so long. Some of them might even outlive their owners.

Finally, the captain discussion.

Although I understand why Kadota and Kuzumi object to Yugami becoming captain, I actually think Shigehara makes the stronger argument. Yugami is clearly the team's best player, and if they truly want to improve, they have to be willing to follow his example.

Shigehara is also one of the few characters who consistently acknowledges Yugami's strengths instead of focusing only on his flaws. He recognizes Yugami's discipline, dedication, and ability to lead by example, while everyone else tends to dismiss those qualities because of his personality.

Overall, I think this volume does an excellent job of showing Yugami's good side. Yes, he's terrible at communicating and can be incredibly difficult to approach, but underneath that, he's a genuinely kind and dependable person who helps others when he can.

There are still a few points I missed and a lot more I'd love to talk about, but I've already written a complete wall of yapping at this point.

So that's it for my review! Thanks for reading. (。・ω・。)

I read a Yugami kun a while back, and really enjoyed how unique it's cadence was, and how understated everything was portrayed. It made for a very interesting read and a very satisfying conclusion as well.

Recently, I have just finished "Cross game", and while I don't have any source to back it up, I firmly believe Yuugami kun was very much inspired by this wonderful title. I can't speak highly enough of how amazing this manga is, for very similar reasons to Yugami. Its understated nature, the atmosphere, the comedy, and the incredible romance.

I genuinely believe any fans of Yugami kun should give this 1 a chance, you will not regret it.

The second volume just released today in Vietnam, and I picked up a copy right away. Since I'm rereading the series in physical form, I thought it'd be fun to write a short review every two weeks for each volume I finish. (´･ω･`)

Volume 2 covers Chapters 6-10.

If the first volume established Yugami as someone who is capable, diligent, intelligent, and decisive, then these chapters show that even someone as efficient and calculating as Yugami has absolutely no idea how to handle a love confession. Since he's never had any friends, it's only natural that he doesn't know what to do. To be fair, even most teenagers with friends would struggle with figuring out how to respond to someone's confession.

One of my favorite panels in this volume is Yugami constantly tapping his foot during his "date" with Rio. It was surprisingly relatable because I also bounce my leg whenever I'm sitting down and feeling nervous. I got a serious case of secondhand embarrassment from that scene. (⊙x⊙;)

What I found interesting is that, despite being someone who insists on handling everything by himself, Yugami first tries to get Kadota involved and later lets Chihiro deal with the situation. He doesn't want to hurt Rio's feelings, but he also doesn't know how to respond to her. It's definitely irresponsible to leave other people to sort out your relationship problems, but at the same time, it feels believable for a boy his age who has zero experience with this kind of thing.

This volume also marks the beginning of Chihiro's first genuine friendship. Even though the circumstances are pretty awkward, she doesn't realize that she's become friends with Rio. The fact that Rio still chooses to come back and spend time with her after that disastrous date shows that Chihiro has found someone who genuinely wants to be her friend.

Finally, I really enjoyed the Amagi vs. Kamihoshi game because it highlights an important part of Yugami's personality. At first glance, it seems like Yugami doesn't trust his teammates at all. In Chapters 9 and 10, he keeps throwing fastballs and tries to strike out every batter himself. Kadota complains that Yugami should trust the team's defense more, but Yugami isn't wrong. His frustration may come across as selfish, but it's a mindset that's common in competitive sports. Trust has to be earned, and so far, most of his teammates haven't shown that they can reliably support him.

The interesting part is that Yugami does trust Kadota. Even if he rarely acts like he's listening, he ultimately follows Kadota's advice and even sacrifices his own turn at bat because he believes Kadota gives the team the best chance to win. Yugami isn't someone who trusts people easily but he's logical enough to recognize who has earned that trust.

That's enough of my rambling and overanalyzing for this volume. Feel free to correct me if I got anything wrong or if you interpreted these chapters differently!

Thank you for reading. o(*￣▽￣*)ブ

Owning physical copies of Yugami has always been on my bucket list. I never really wanted to buy the Japanese edition since I can't read Japanese, and I couldn't find an English release anywhere.

Then, out of nowhere, Kim Dong, a Vietnamese manga publisher, licensed the series and started releasing it in Vietnam, with a new volume coming out every two weeks. I picked up my copy today, and I can't even describe how happy I am right now!

o(￣▽￣)ブ

I guess this is one of the perks of being Vietnamese. Lucky me! ( •̀ ω •́ )y

new yuchihi fic on ao3 aftertwo years

damn this really seems like a great addition to the manga itself, its like seeing new scenes that did not make the cut.

here's the X post link from the author: https://x.com/mr_ms_maker/status/1977156965886574971?t=GZX8Qng0h8LiCgb2wIQ7SA&s=19

I inclued some of my favorite panels for fun lol. I understand that this manga has no official english release, which is a bummer but I would still like to own it in Japanese. Any advice on where/how to buy it?I've never bought manga directly from Japan before, so this will be the first time. So far the only option I found is paying around $90 for an ebay listing. Is that a good price/way to go about it? I appreciate any input!