Bloom Into You
Bloom Into You (Japanese: やがて君になる, Hepburn: Yagate Kimi ni Naru) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Nio Nakatani in the yuri romance genre.[1] It was serialized in Kadokawa Corporation's monthly shōnen magazine Dengeki Daioh from April 2015 to September 2019. The series' chapters were collected into eight tankōbon volumes, with the final volume released in November 2019.[2] The narrative follows high school freshman Yuu Koito, who experiences disillusionment with romantic ideals after a classmate's confession fails to evoke the emotions depicted in shōjo manga, leading her to question her capacity for love.[3] Recruited into the student council, Yuu encounters president Touko Nanami, whose confession prompts Yuu to explore her own feelings amid Touko's personal struggles with self-image and expectations.[3] The work examines themes of self-acceptance and emotional authenticity through the evolving relationship between the protagonists.[3] An anime adaptation produced by Troyca aired for 13 episodes from October to December 2018, covering the early volumes and receiving acclaim for its animation and faithful portrayal of interpersonal dynamics.[4] By late 2019, the manga had exceeded one million copies in circulation in Japan, marking a commercial milestone for the yuri genre.[2] Licensed in English by Seven Seas Entertainment, it contributed to broader international recognition of nuanced yuri storytelling.[1]Synopsis
Plot
Yuu Koito, a first-year high school student in Japan, idolizes the romantic ideals portrayed in shōjo manga and love songs, anticipating a confession that would evoke profound emotional excitement. When a male junior confesses to her shortly after entering high school, however, she experiences no such feelings, leading her to question her own ability to fall in love or understand romantic attraction. Disillusioned, Yuu encounters Touko Nanami, a second-year student renowned for her elegance, academic excellence, and role as student council president. Touko confesses her romantic feelings to Yuu and invites her to join the student council, where Yuu becomes an assistant to observe and support Touko's efforts to embody an idealized version of her late brother's image. Initially motivated by intellectual curiosity rather than affection, Yuu agrees to a faux relationship with Touko, but their shared experiences in council duties—such as event planning and interactions with members like the vice president Sayaka Saeki and others—prompt Yuu to confront her emotional detachment and gradually develop genuine interest in Touko's vulnerabilities.[5] The story unfolds across Yuu's high school tenure, examining the evolving dynamics between the protagonists amid interpersonal relationships, family influences, and personal growth challenges, including Touko's internal conflicts over authenticity and Yuu's exploration of reciprocal emotions. Supporting characters, including Yuu's friends Maki Natsuki and the council's Hajime Sugimoto, contribute subplots that highlight contrasting approaches to romance and self-expression.[6][7]Characters
Yuu Koito (小糸 侑, Koito Yū) serves as the protagonist, a first-year student at Tōe Higashi High School who enters high school without having experienced romantic feelings despite her familiarity with shōjo manga tropes.[8] When a male classmate confesses to her at middle school graduation, she rejects him due to her inability to reciprocate emotions she does not comprehend.[9] Later, after Touko Nanami confesses to her, Yuu joins the student council to observe and assist, gradually questioning her own capacity for love.[10] Touko Nanami (七海 燈子, Nanami Tōko) is the student council president, recognized for her beauty, intelligence, and leadership, which earn her widespread admiration among peers. She confesses her romantic feelings to Yuu early in the story, prompting Yuu to join the council under the pretense of helping Touko uphold her idealized public persona.[10] Touko grapples with internal pressures to embody an inauthentic version of herself, influenced by familial expectations tied to her late sister's traits.[11] Sayaka Saeki (佐伯 沙耶香, Saeki Sayaka) acts as Touko's childhood friend and the student council vice president, harboring unspoken romantic sentiments toward Touko while supporting her decisions.[12] Her role involves administrative duties and subtle emotional undercurrents within the council dynamics. Koyomi Kanou (鹿野 こよみ, Kanou Koyomi) is Yuu's classmate and close friend, characterized by her energetic personality and involvement in school activities, providing comic relief and social contrast to Yuu's introspection.[12] Seiji Maki (牧 誠二, Maki Seiji) functions as a student council member with a calm demeanor, previously confessed to Sayaka, adding layers to interpersonal relationships among the group.[12] Supporting figures include Suguru Doujima (堂島 卓, Dōjima Suguru), the student council treasurer, and family members such as Yuu's older sister Rei Koito (小糸 怜, Koito Rei), who offer glimpses into personal backgrounds influencing character motivations.[13]Creation and Production
Manga Development
Nio Nakatani, a manga artist based in Saitama Prefecture after originating from Shiga, had previously self-published yuri-themed doujinshi featuring pairings from the Touhou Project series before professional serialization.[14] Her professional debut came with the one-shot Farewell to My Alter (Sayonara, Oruta), followed by contributions to anthologies such as Éclair and assistance on the series Riddle Story of Devil.[15] An editor from Dengeki Daioh approached Nakatani to develop a yuri manga for serialization, building on her doujinshi experience; the concept evolved from initial ideas into a narrative centered on secret love, where the secrecy derives from the protagonists' internal identities rather than external societal pressures, as suggested by the editor.[14] The manga, titled Yagate Kimi ni Naru (translated as Bloom Into You), began serialization in the May 2015 issue of Dengeki Daioh—a monthly shōnen magazine published by ASCII Media Works, a Kadokawa imprint—on April 27, 2015.[16] Nakatani prepared prototypes early, including Touko Nanami's character design, which predated the finalized plot structure; she prioritized yuri dynamics while incorporating editorial feedback to refine the story's emotional core.[14] Touko was crafted as a "troublesome heroine" who conceals her authentic self, drawing from a character archetype Nakatani favored, while Yuu Koito was inspired by an real-life acquaintance unaccustomed to romantic feelings, positioning her as a foil to facilitate Touko's growth.[14] Supporting characters like Sayaka Saeki, whose unrequited affection and confession were plotted post a key student council play arc (Chapter 38, Volume 7), and Maki, serving as Yuu's counterpart to illustrate acceptance of non-romantic paths, were integrated to deepen relational tensions.[14] Serialization challenges included ensuring Yuu's detached perspective on love did not alienate readers; Nakatani mitigated this by emphasizing her kindness and relatability.[14] The series ran for 45 chapters across eight volumes, concluding on September 27, 2019, in the November 2019 issue of Dengeki Daioh.[16] The finale underscores Yuu and Touko's mutual selection over fatalistic inevitability, with peripheral couples like Riko and Miyako foreshadowing relational continuity, reflecting Nakatani's intent to portray deliberate emotional agency.[14]Anime Adaptation
The television anime adaptation of Yagate Kimi ni Naru (Bloom Into You) was produced by the studio Troyca.[3][4] Directed by Makoto Katō, the series features series composition and scripting by Jukki Hanada, character designs by Hiroaki Gōda, and music composition by Michiru Ōshima.[3][4] The adaptation was announced in April 2018, with a planned premiere in the October broadcast season.[17] The 13-episode series aired in Japan from October 5, 2018, to December 28, 2018, broadcast weekly on networks including AT-X.[4][3] It was licensed for international distribution by Sentai Filmworks, which released an English-dubbed version on HIDIVE starting October 26, 2018.[4][18] The production retained the manga's focus on the psychological development of protagonists Yuu Koito and Touko Nanami, emphasizing subtle relational dynamics over overt action.[3]Media Adaptations
Manga and Spin-offs
Yagate Kimi ni Naru, known in English as Bloom Into You, is a Japanese yuri manga written and illustrated by Nio Nakatani.[1] The series was serialized in Kadokawa's Monthly Comic Dengeki Daioh magazine from April 2015 to July 2019.[19] It was collected into eight tankōbon volumes published by ASCII Media Works between October 27, 2015, and November 23, 2019.[2] Seven Seas Entertainment licensed the manga for English release, with all volumes published by 2019.[1] Spin-offs in manga format include official comic anthologies featuring short stories by various yuri artists centered on the series' characters.[20] Kadokawa released the first anthology volume on December 25, 2019, as part of "curtain call" projects following the main series' conclusion.[21] Additional anthology volumes, such as those compiling tales of character relationships including Yuu, Touko, and Sayaka, have been published, with English editions by Seven Seas Entertainment.[22] These anthologies expand on side stories and alternate perspectives without advancing the primary narrative.[23]Light Novels
The Bloom Into You light novels comprise a three-volume spin-off series titled Yagate Kimi ni Naru: Saeki Sayaka ni Tsuite (translated as Bloom Into You: Regarding Saeki Sayaka), written by Hitoma Iruma and illustrated by original manga creator Nio Nakatani.[24][25] Published by Kadokawa's Dengeki Bunko imprint, the series expands on the backstory and personal development of supporting character Saeki Sayaka, exploring her experiences with first love, self-identity, and interpersonal relationships prior to and beyond the main manga's timeline.[24] The first volume, released on November 10, 2018, centers on Sayaka's childhood and middle school years, detailing formative events that shape her reserved personality and initial encounters with romantic feelings toward other girls.[25] The second volume, published May 10, 2019, shifts to her high school entry alongside Touko Nanami, examining early dynamics and emotional challenges during their first year. The third and final volume, issued March 10, 2020, follows Sayaka into university life, addressing her ongoing reflections on past relationships and personal growth.[6] Iruma's narrative employs a introspective style, drawing from his prior works like Adachi and Shimamura, to portray Sayaka's internal struggles with attraction and detachment.[26]| Volume | Japanese Release Date | English Release Date (Seven Seas) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 10, 2018 | February 11, 2020 (print); December 19, 2019 (digital)[27] |
| 2 | May 10, 2019 | August 11, 2020[26] |
| 3 | March 10, 2020 | December 22, 2020[28] |