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Nagisa Furuya has by now become one of the established Boys’ Love manga artists on the US market, with an extensive portfolio, particularly at Seven Seas and Kodansha. With Long Period, Furuya’s next title is now being released. The series will consist of two volumes in total and was originally serialized in Japan in the magazine .
The US license is held by Seven Seas, who are publishing the series in a large-format edition.
How was it?
Furuya remains true to her style: she tells stories that live less in grand gestures and more in unspoken glances, small pauses, and the uncertainty of growing up.
At the center are Yusei and Itsuki, two childhood friends. Outwardly, they seem inseparable, yet an almost intangible distance has developed between them. Yusei tries to avoid Itsuki without really knowing why-or perhaps precisely because he does. For some time, he has felt something for his best friend that he shouldn’t. His attempts to suppress these feelings fail, causing him to withdraw further into himself.
Furuya tells Long Period mainly from Yusei’s perspective, interspersed with short flashbacks to their shared childhood. These scenes give the story depth and show how natural their closeness once was. From an adult perspective, Yusei’s retreat-his attempt to create distance to rid himself of his feelings-seems immature. Yet Furuya makes it understandable. The intensity of adolescent emotion, the uncertainty, the struggle for control-all of it is captured here in a way that feels both realistic and deeply empathetic.
Itsuki, on the other hand, initially remains elusive. He’s popular, confident, athletic, and yet there’s something inexplicable about him, too. He notices Yusei’s withdrawal but refuses to accept it. Time and again, he seeks Yusei’s closeness, perhaps even provokes it, and in doing so only heightens the tension between them. Behind his open, cheerful demeanor, a shadow seems to linger-a quiet vulnerability that Furuya only hints at. Hints of a strained relationship with his older brother suggest that Itsuki, too, wrestles with unspoken conflicts.
Long Period is not a story of major twists or dramatic confessions. The first volume primarily focuses on building the characters and their relationship. Furuya lets the story flow at a slow rhythm, almost like a melody that only unfolds at the end. The dialogue is sparse but precise. Much of the narrative takes place in the characters’ gazes, in brief gestures and unspoken thoughts.
Visually, Long Period is typical Furuya: clean lines, soft shading, minimal background detail. The focus rests entirely on the characters and their faces. The expressions carry the story-every hesitation, every look speaks more than pages of text could. This reduction gives the manga an almost intimate atmosphere that perfectly suits its theme.
The panel composition, too, feels intentionally restrained. There are few dynamic perspectives or large movements. Instead, Furuya works with rhythm: small, recurring scenes that create a sense of closeness and routine, interrupted by moments of tension or silence.
Long Period convinces through its emotional precision and the subtle way Furuya reveals her characters’ inner lives. Still, the first volume isn’t without its weaknesses. At times, the story feels too much like a prologue; the larger conflicts are only hinted at and remain unresolved for now. The dynamic between Yusei and Itsuki could also feel a bit more balanced. Additionally, Furuya once again relies on familiar character pairings-the serious, introverted boy and his open, lively counterpart-a pattern she has explored in previous works.
Is Long Period worth reading?
With Long Period, Nagisa Furuya once again demonstrates her sensitivity for nuance. Her manga is gentle, melancholic, and realistic in its portrayal of adolescent emotions. Those who appreciate quiet, introspective coming-of-age stories and have already fallen for Furuya through Blue Summer or The Two Lions will find much to love here as well. What’s missing, especially for readers familiar with her earlier titles, is a fresh idea that breaks away from her usual patterns.
Long Period Vol. 1
€12,79
€14,99
Two childhood friends struggle through their feelings for each other and the pressures of growing up. Can their relationship withstand the emotional whiplash of adolescence? From the creator of The Two Lions and Only the Stars Know—also available from Seven… read more
