"Flip Flip Slowly" gives off the impression of being a manga about books and library, but that's only the surface pretext concealing deeper layers of personal story. While the first chapter fulfills what is promised to readers from the synopsis, the next few chapters go on to show the masterful pacing with one thing naturally leading to another, never giving readers the chance to slack off or get bored.

Quite the contrary, really - 'cause once readers get their one foot deep into the story, they'll find themselves falling for not only the development in the protagonists' relationship but also the emotional complexity of the characters themselves - which is deceptively straightforward, yet so familiar and true-to-life that the conversations in this manga almost resemble those dialogues found in award-wining slice-of-life novels.

The most impressive feat where this manga really got me is how it portrays grief and the contradicting emotions a child has for a parent who lashed out on their whole identity when part of that identity isn't widely accepted within the small-minded community. It manages to be so personal and ubiquitous at the same time that I never cease to amaze at how much there is for us to resonate with another human being.

I have so many things to sing praises to this manga that I almost forgot to mention the gorgeous art! The facial expressions throughout the ups and downs of the story are spot on! This is possibly my second favorite thing about the manga.

To sum up, everything in this manga is incorporated with careful consideration - each choice the characters made before and during the main story consistently reflects their personality traits so well, thereby highlighting the beauty of human connection - how we slowly come to know a person, explore their trauma and provide them consolation while receiving on our part the warmth of companionship and solace for our own wounds.

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Consensual and romantic~

When it was said that Yabumi is “an old man”, I expected him to be around 50, not 34. They only have an 11 years difference, too.
Not that important anyways, but I kinda hoped to see a gay older (40+) man, as those are rare in BLs (especially as a main character).

Still, I was quite surprised. I went in with the expectation of yet another countryside BL, perhaps similar to “Umibe no Étranger (Seaside stranger)”, where it’s basically just porn without or with minimal plot.
Yes, it does play in a countryside and it is BL, however, it has actual consent. And romance. It doesn’t start with sex between them, they also take a while until they kiss. Going on dates first, getting to know one another and communicating. Communicating that they’re both gay (yes, they actually said “gay” and “homosexual”, not just “swing that way” and “into men”), for example. Albeit closeted from the rest of the world.
The sex scene too wasn’t the typical penetration type; more like mutual masturbation and fingering. Haven’t seen that before in a BL! At least not as their first time. And there was consent throughout the whole time!!

It had funny bits, too.
And I could relate to him having no driver’s license cause of living in a big city! X’D

Reminded me a lot more of GL romance Mangas, which is a good thing. I’d love to see more of that slow-pace, consensual and dating-first romance in BLs!

In that regards, i find the book cover a little misleading. They totally look like gangsters, sort of, on the cover; perhaps also the reason why I expected what I expected. They’re neither gangsters nor any of that personality type; actually sweet guys and rather introverted, too. Although driving is part of the plot and they spend quite some time in the car, i feel like them in the library or so would’ve been a better location/background for the cover.

Side note: I always read the translation notes at the end, and learned something new here! Didn’t know that about business cards or handing things over with two hands in Japan.

~

Thank you to Kodansha on Netgalley for a digital review copy.
-Ayxan Solongo, 24.01.26

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