Things I love about-’Is Love The Answer’ by Uta Isaki

This is my first ‘book club’ challenge. I know it might be odd for some viewers. It’s a graphic or an illustrated novel, like a comic book, but not a literary novel. It's one of the best coming-of-age stories that I highly recommend for Aromantic/Asexual Pride. I know it's not a hundred percent transformation. But, it's one of the best books to know that I'm not alone.

I felt inspired by this novel along with other books that include a character who was Aromantic asexual as well. Why? I felt this similar issue since my younger age and have less or no experience with dating, intimacy, and romantic moments. I don't know if it's because of my character flaws, my gender, my personality, or if I was ‘too much’ for them. I felt that I wasn't normal enough for having relationships. I thought I could share some things I love in this graphic novel. It's called ‘Is Love the Answer’ by Uta Isaki. Now, this might be some content warning for some viewers that contains trauma and abusive relationships. This is a story about a student named Chika.

In the beginning, she had a date with a high school guy. She thought it was just fiction. She likes him. Unfortunately, the date turned abusive to her. He treated her like an alien, like being controlled. Until then, a violent moment crushed her heart and soul. The gossip and rumor in school really turned her down because of the rejection from her date. After the date went to disaster, Chika doesn't feel ready for another person. She felt like ‘an alien’ because of less experience with intimacy like no experience with falling in love or having a crush, etc. I have those similar issues in school like ‘Why are the boys treating me like dirt?”,etc.

Then, at college, Chika met some new friends who have something in common. After that, she began to research and took a test of what her actual sexual identity is. The result is that she is Aromantic Asexual, mostly asexual. She realized what asexual means. Asexuality is a sexual orientation and it's part of the LGBTQIA+. It also refers to a person who has a bit less or no experience with attraction to others. Aromantic means a person who has a bit less or no experience with romance with others. However, it's complicated. I get that too. It's also very confusing for Chika because of her struggles, personality, interests, hobbies, and even her feelings/emotions. I felt the same thing too. Her emotions have something in common with her male roommate who has the deepest experiences of difficulty with connections, and loss of social life, especially for anyone who is close to him. I felt exactly like him about making too many mistakes in dark life and isolation. At the end of the book, I felt that I still wanted to be with someone who understands me better instead of being alone for the rest of my life.

I definitely recommend reading this!