Manga: 19 Days
Author: Old Xian
Artist: Old Xian
Status: Ongoing
Subgenres: Comedy, Drama, School Life, Shounen Ai, Slice of Life
If you’ve been following my Instagram then you would know I am in looove with this manga!
I’ve read many Shounen Ai manga’s in my time, I mean what fangirl hasn’t? Once you’ve read a lot you get the same basic story each time; boy falls in love with long time friend, student falls in love with teacher, reunited with an old friend etc etc and after a while, you crave something new, something that you can really enjoy and is nothing like the rest, this, ladies and gentlemen, 19 Days is that manga!
The manga focuses on a cute and funny bromance between a boy and his best friend with many returning sub characters. Each new chapter is 8-10 pages long and in full colour.
At first I found the art work to be slightly lazy as there is not much detail in comparison to other manga’s out there but that doesn’t matter since the story and the content makes up for it (for the record I now find the artwork to be refreshing as it’s completely different to other forms out there). With the early chapters there is little to no dialogue so you as a reader have no idea what the plot is about but it isn’t necessary. You also have no idea where the story begins and again it isn’t necessary. You will be thrown in to a collection of shorts and some lighthearted, sweet situations and from that itself you’ll know exactly what the story is about!
For a Shounen Ai both characters as well as the other male characters are masculine – in other words they are boyish boys. There isn’t a cute shy Uke or a over-dominating Seme, their just two best friends but with completely different personas, sort of an opposites attract situation.
It’s refreshing how this manga can be so touching without the cheese or the corny aspect. The characters (Zhan Xixi being the brunette and Jian Yi being the blonde) work well with each other as already mentioned and there is a clear strong bond from the beginning. Zhan Xixi reactions to Jian Yi are priceless yet needed. It provides a comic relief element to what is slowly becoming a very serious plot. The fact we have no clue as to Zhan Xixi feelings leaves the reader wanting more and something for us fangirls to hope for.
And finally what I also love about this manga is that you know, even in it’s early stages there is not going to be a horrible ending. Whether they get together or not doesn’t matter because the story is satisfying enough as it is and the relationship is already beyond perfect.
A diamond among pebbles, this is a must read for anyone. The comic timing is perfect, the art is beautiful and the storyline has you gripped from the beginning, and the best thing? A new chapter comes out every other week so you don’t have to wait a whole half a year for an update!! But it also means every other day you check for an update.
Update: I wrote this review a while ago and now it’s been updated so much that this article itself also requires an update!! The plot if officially thickening and I think I speak on behalf of all the 19 Days fangirls is now we are just waiting. It has since taken a very more serious tone and art style has also changed significantly too! It’s looks stronger, bold and it seems the artist seems more confident and relaxed in her style. I, again do not want to give too much away so here is a 8 second video on my feelings on this manga (at the moment):
