I liked volume 2 better than volume 1. There is a more in depth look at the characters in this manga and what they are going through. They become much more real. (These are mainly college students in art school.) Some love triangles going on and a lot of sadness.

I'm still disturbed by the drawing of Hagu. She's 19 and is drawn to look and act like she's 9. She apparently does look like she's 9. Is she seriously immature? Is something wrong with her? Mentally, physically? Why are these guys crazy about her? ( )

The series was very bittersweet, and perhaps if you don't want a lingering unfinished romance set during college years, among artists, it's probably not for you. But I really enjoyed the soul-searching of a young architect who finds solace in temple restoration, and a petite sculptor who wants nothing more than to paint gigantic landscapes and flowers instead. There are others, and they all have their own journeys. It's slice-of-life, and there are some meandering romances, but I don't think any of them is ever really resolved. There's also a fairly bizarre parody of Peter Jackson/George Lucas that transported the series into Sci-Fi territory just to give a breath of air... I think. ( )

Real life setting. ( )