A review by gluvsbooks
Ao Haru Ride, Vol. 8 by Io Sakisaka

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Futaba confesses her feelings, then Kou ‘rejects’ her. She feels as if that’s the closure she needs in order to move on… I guess we’ll see. 

Futaba decided to change her appearance. But then realises that maybe that’s not who she is. She feels as if she’s lost and questions is everyone else knows who they really are too. 

Ok… Toma is actually a sweet guy. He may be trying to shoot his shot in the wake of Futaba being rejected but he still tried to uplift her even when she expresses her true intention of wanting to change. If Kou doesn’t get his act together soon I’ll be rooting for Toma instead. 

While Futaba is trying to figure out who she is, Kou is struggling with what he should do. In the process he’s loosing weight and not eating—I think this is a clear sign of his struggle: how it’s weighing down on him, causing him stress and adding ti his grief. 

Futaba tries to distance herself from Kou so she can move on. Toma asks Futaba out and while she initially said she’d think about it, in the end she then takes him up on his offer to hang out.