**CW: Child abuse, neglect, and trauma.
First published in March 2023, Sheltering Eaves follows Yoru and Tenjaku, who meet at a children’s home and grow up together. After Yoru is bullied, Tenjaku defends her and vows to look after her, which, okay, ~melts~. Naturally, she becomes attached to him, as well as the home, since it’s the stability she never had. As they get older, however, Yoru is scared of what will happen when they graduate and Tenjaku, who’s been itching to get out, leaves her.
Going in and reading Yoru’s first line, I could tell that this is different from the usual manga I pick up. We’re dealing with some heavy topics in a sad setting with sad characters, so there’s little room for the wacky humor I’m used to in shoujo and josei romances. I thought I would miss that component, but it actually makes sense for the story being told. And to make up for any missing humor, there’s plenty of heart.
It’s pretty early on and, already, I wanna wrap the characters in warm blankets and protect them forever and ever. They’re quite mature for their age, but at the end of the day, they’re still children carrying tremendous pain. With that, they have a lot of conflicted feelings toward their parents — wanting to hate them while simultaneously craving their love. It’s just, agh. It’s a complicated emotion, and one I’m glad is being explored.
The understanding between the characters is beautiful, and I can see it blossoming into something special. I liked seeing not just the OTP, but all the kids coming together and being a family. I hope to see more of that, especially with Yoru. Her attachment to Tenjaku is sweet, but it’d be nice for her to broaden her horizons. (To eventually feel some of that love toward herself too. 🫂) I can’t wait to find out how things play out in future volumes.
**Much thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The English translation of Sheltering Eaves vol. 1 will be released on November 12.
Sara Bechtol 