3.5 Stars

In Love’s Key, Reprised is a heartfelt BL manga about grief, healing, and unexpected romance. Kiri, a stubborn conductor worn down by loss, returns home and meets Osamu, a bubbly superfan determined to melt his icy walls. Their bond can feel a little uneven, but watching Kiri open up is rewarding. The cozy winter setting and soft artwork perfectly capture the emotional tension and warmth. A tender, low-stakes story that lingers after the last page.

This was so cute!! The writing and art style really made it easy to read and I was hooked on this characters!

It's such a cute romance, definitely a palate cleanser. The pace is pretty quick since it's only a volumen but the romance feels developed.

In Love’s Key Reprised is a story about loss, insecurity, and connection. Kiri is a symphony conductor who is forced to return home and rest after being diagnosed with health issues, much to his disdain.

When we first meet Kiri he is an unlikable curmudgeon. Beyond his having a sour attitude, he also comes off very arrogant and rude at first. However, through the story we learn Kiri is carrying a lot of trauma with him. He hasn’t fully recovered from his mother's passing, and that grief has bled out into other aspects of his life, leading to a lot of insecurity in him.

Shortly after returning to his hometown, Kiri meets the strange and brazen Osamu. Osamu has trauma of his own, and through their shared traumas the two bond.

Except, not really. The bond between Osamu and Kiri is shallow, and I would pin the reason on Osamu. While we are given a few key details about Osamu—such as his relationship with his family—we don’t know much about him other than that he is a huge fan of Kiri’s and that he is interested in Kiri. So it feels like we’re watching a hyper-fixated fan get with their celebrity crush and not reading a romance between two fully fleshed out human beings.

It can make the arguments between the two of them feel weird. Because Osamu will be in tears talking about how he had such high hopes for their future together, meanwhile, he and Kiri will not have even discussed if they are dating. It comes off like a pushy and parasocial fan, and not someone who genuinely knows and cares for Kiri.

Romance aside, I enjoyed the story. It kept me engaged, and I was rooting for Kiri. I wanted to see him regain his confidence and excel at his passion once again, which is what I got.

I also enjoyed the art style. I like the use of sloppy lines for eyebrows, hair, and clothing to really create some beautiful textures and shapes. It’s so good.

Thank you, Netgalley, for an advanced reader copy of this manga.

Rating 3.5/5 stars.

It was a sweet story. I liked the light humor woven in as well. I didn't quite feel the chemistry between the couple, nor did I feel impacted by the story. But the translation was very well done!

This was such a sweet manga! I loved all the characters and could have easily read 4 or 5 more volumes of them. There was little drama and what there was, was cleared up quickly. Which is how I prefer my reading material.

Eeeeek! This was such a cute BL romance, I've been on such a binge with them lately and this one has given me even more sweetness to continue reading more.

The story follows burnt out and tired conductor Kiri, who's forced to go back to his small hometown to recover and find his spark again. Kiri is bossy, stubborn and a little harsh, but he means well and is secretly harbouring grief from losing his mother a few years ago. When he makes it home, he meets cheerful superfan Osamu, who's determined to heal this moody maestro!

Their romance was lovely, it had the typical opposites attract, and a little bit of spice too. I loved watching Kiri warm to Osamu, and learn to lower his walls and allow himself to be vulnerable. In return, Osamu slowly grew and learnt that his bubbly personality and hard working efforts didn't have to be contained to the small town he feels stuck in, and that the past can be left behind. Together they were a good match, they had so many sweet moments, and the cosy, snowy setting made it even more adorable!

The plot is fairly straightforward, with not a huge amount of angst. I enjoyed that the hurdles weren't trivial or silly, the problems the characters faced were genuine and understandable, plus the resolutions felt perfect.

Overall, this is yet another BL manga I'd recommend to anyone who's seeking out a low stakes, cosy and heartwarming romance!

4/5 🌟

I got this as an arc on Netgalley and it will come out in a few days. I was prepared for the smut this time but what I wasn't prepared for was how terribly funny this one was. I enjoyed it immensely. Loved it.

Grumpy closed off Kiri is forced to take a leave of absence so he goes back to his hometown where he meets longtime fan, Osamu.
This book was such a lovely read. The way the relationship develops between Kiri and Osamu is wonderful to witness., you can really feel the intimacy between them as it develops.
The illustrations are gorgeous and the expressions convey exactly what is needed, I can sense Kiri’s hesitancy and aloofness. The sheer determination of Osamu is wonderful to see and is a perfect tool to crack Kiri’s shell.
I can’t wait to read more from this author.

this was such a sweet and cozy read. the characters were loveable and we love a classic grumpy x sunshine trope. the plot happens fast, but that's to be expected for a one shot manga. this would make a great addition to a bl manga collection.

thanks netgalley and kodansha for the arc

In Love’s Key, Reprised by Guri Nojiro
⭐️ 4.5/5

This story caught me off guard in the best way. Honestly, I was kinda confused through parts of it, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the ride. The pacing felt unusual at first, almost like pieces of a puzzle being scattered in front of me—but then slowly, everything started to come together. And when it did, it was absolutely worth it.

I loved the way the relationship between Kiri and Osamu unfolded. A cold, stubborn conductor finding warmth (literally and emotionally) in the arms of someone so different from him—it gave the story a quiet charm. There were twists sprinkled in along the way that I didn’t expect, which kept me hooked even when I wasn’t entirely sure where it was leading.

And the artwork—just wonderful. The drawings had this softness that perfectly matched the snowy, rural Hokkaido setting, while also capturing the tension and emotions between the characters. It elevated the whole reading experience.

Final thought: A heartfelt, slightly confusing, but ultimately rewarding story with beautiful art. It’s the kind of manga that sneaks up on you and leaves a mark once everything clicks into place.

A seemingly light romance with darker undertones, while the story is very straight forward and some parts may feel dubious. It was done better than other BL manga I have read with dubious consent that was much, much worse.

Overall, the art and story was easy to read and I thoroughly enjoyed

5/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha comics for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely adore Osamu and Kiri! Admittedly Osamu kind of reminds me of Sam from Stardew Valley who I am also obsessed with, and Kiri kind of reminded me of a mashup between two of my favorite Fire Emblem characters, so I am incredibly biased; however, I still liked their character lines in general.

The story is pretty straightforward, but I think it was executed well. I will note that some of the consent was pretty dubious, though unfortunately that’s kind of par for the course in BL manga.

I also loved the art style, especially the way Guri Nujiro draws hair. I think it gives a lot of depth to the art.

Another seemingly light and superficial romance with some darker undertones. Kiri, due to health concerns and his harsh treatment of orchestras is retreating to his childhood home. Vulnerable due to loneliness, feelings of failure and inability, memories of his dead mother and a house with no electricity, he is rescued by Osamu who takes him home and to bed. In a purely platonic sense! Though it’s clear Osamu lands somewhere between fan and super fan, all bright eyes and eager wanting for Kiri.

He gets close to Kiri, inserts himself into Kiri’s life, and makes it clear he wants Kiri. Kiri, isolated and hurting doesn’t have the strength to say no, leading to a physical relationship which quickly becomes a full partnership, with Kiri even introducing Osamu as his boyfriend. There’s a lot of buildup between the two men, but at the beginning it is very heavily one-sided and almost predatory. But that’s just my take on it; other people may find this to be a sweet romance.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC!