Sakura, Saku

Sakura, Saku is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Io Sakisaka. It was serialized in Shueisha's Bessatsu Margaret magazine from February 2021 to October 2023.

Plot

The series follows protagonist Saku Fujigaya during her first year of high school. Saku has pledged herself to being of help to others after being aided by a mysterious stranger, who only left a note signed by the name "Ryosuke Sakura". When she meets fellow student Haruki Sakura, she becomes determined to find out if he is connected to her unknown rescuer. The story continues to follow Saku's journey, as well as the lives of the students around her, as they go through high school life.

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Io Sakisaka, Sakura, Saku began serialization in Shueisha's Bessatsu Margaret magazine on February 13, 2021. The series entered its climax on September 13, 2023, and ended the following month. Its chapters were compiled into nine tankōbon volumes from May 2021 to December 2023.
The series is licensed in North America by Viz Media, who began publishing it in English from November 2023.

Other

In May 2022, singer-songwriter Miwa released the song "Bloom". The song was described as having been inspired directly by the manga itself. When asked about the writing process, Miwa commented: "When you fall in love with someone... your heart beats like a flower blooming, and you can't stop it. I put that feeling into the song." A special interview with Sakisaka and Miwa was released in Bessatsu Margaret to commemorate the collaboration.

Reception

Reviews of the first volume were positive. Comics Beat gave it a score of four stars, complimenting the pacing of its "slow burn romance" and its "refreshing take on shōjo tropes". Josh Piedra of The ''OuterHaven'', while critical of the initial characterization of the main cast, reviewed the story as being "done well, with an interesting twist".