Photo by Nicole. Morishita, Volume 1 and 2 Cover Art, Like a Butterfly, Viz Media.
Like a Butterfly – Information
Author of Story: Suu Morishita
Chapter Count: 12 volumes, around 83 chapters with extras/side stories.
Status: Completed
Content Warnings
These content warnings do not reflect the contents of the review below; only the literary work itself.
- Harassment
- Bullying
Spoiler Disclaimer
This recommendation post may contain small plot spoilers for review purposes. Any major spoilers are hidden by default and are able to be revealed via click or tap.
Like a Butterfly – Plot Summary
Like a Butterfly (also known as Hibi Chouchou in Japanese) is a lighthearted, fluffy romance manga about two quiet, shy characters (a lovely “twice shy” trope). It an extremely sweet shoujo manga, and overall is an enjoyable, cozy, and wholesome read!
It is a very easy and laid-back read with minimal drama or conflict, great for readers who want a simple and more relaxed manga. With Like a Butterfly, you can expect the usual sweet shoujo clichés and a happy story.
The plot for Like a Butterfly starts when the beautiful Suiren Shibazeki starts her high school life by entering her first year. She is adored by both boys and girls for her beauty, but she has more trouble around boys.
So much so that she went to an all-girls middle school to avoid them. This didn’t stop the attention, however; and because she is always the center of attention, she has become a quiet and almost stoic person.
It may also be important to note that characters in this manga often refer to Suiren as “Flower” in the English translation. This is because in the original Japanese version, they call her “Takane.”
This nickname is derived from the saying “takane no hana” or “flower on a high peak,” which is understood to be something out of your reach. In other words, Suiren is a beautiful, unobtainable flower.
While getting harassed by some boys who are interested in her, she is helped by someone who can’t seem to meet her eyes. That person is Kawasumi, a cute and quiet boy with a passion for karate. Despite his good nature, he seems to not be very skilled at socializing with girls.
This meeting begins the slow and sweet development between these two quiet cuties, as Suiren becomes immediately interested in this new person!
Why I Enjoyed Like a Butterfly
This was the first manga I read by Suu Morishita and I loved the sweet, fluffy romance wholeheartedly. It’s a fantastic cozy shoujo to binge in one go!
These characters were so cute, and it’s a very easy read to enjoy. This talented author also wrote one of my absolute favorite mangas, A Sign of Affection, so check that one out, too!
Like a Butterfly feels almost like a fairy tale style story. It’s based in a realistic setting in a high school, but the fluffiness and plot feel very bubbly and romanticized. The characters are not very complicated, and simply learn how to be in a relationship while discovering their feelings.
Morishita, Volume 1 Cover Art, Like a Butterfly, Viz Media.
However, there are some more realistic aspects of this story; especially for young students. I like that Suiren is shy, but wants to talk to others and try new things. It also feels normal that Kawasumi would be teased by his friends for talking to a cute girl, and be annoyed by it.
Their shyness and the idolization of Suiren by her classmates is the main conflict in Like a Butterfly, but it doesn’t necessarily prevent love from blooming!
The art in this manga is also lovely. It’s not super complex or detailed; but feels very clean, flowy, and cute. Suiren is made out to be a mysterious beauty, whereas Kawasumi is a cute and nerdy type. Their designs reflect this well, as do their personalities. This pretty art style fits the manga’s aesthetic and sweetness very well!
I also like how some of the story in Like a Butterfly is portrayed even while our main two characters don’t speak much. It feels calm, and lets the vibe and art speak in terms of emotion. It allows you to bask in the sweet moments, as well as laugh at the painfully awkward moments, too.
These more quiet interactions also help give more weight to words when they are spoken, especially by Suiren!
Not that there is a total lack of words in this manga. The side characters talk enough to keep things going and push the story like normal. Suiren and Kawasumi both have talkative friends that are great supporting characters.
I love Suiren’s friends, they are really funny and have fun facial expressions and actions throughout this manga. Aya Shimizu, Suiren’s close friend, was an especially comedic addition to this youthful, soft romance.
Morishita, Volume 2 Cover Art, Like a Butterfly, Viz Media.
However, because of the quiet and shy characters, the romance in Like a Butterfly is a very slow burn! I love slow burns in manga and actually prefer them since characters get to know each other more first, and it builds suspense!
We get to see both of the shy characters learn about each other’s personalities and build courage, and it’s just so cute and sweet. Also, Suiren will surprise you with how brave she can be!
This sweet story does a nice job at portraying all sorts of innocent, romantic emotions from having your first love. We see these characters experience excitement, shyness, hesitation, uncertainty, bravery, etc. while pursuing love! They learn how to better understand each other and grow closer slowly.
It’s all so sweet and will give you a cuteness overload, since the romance is super fluffy and innocent. If you enjoyed the shoujo Takane no Ran San, you’ll love Like a Butterfly too!
Any Cons?
Personally, I like slow burns that really focus on the main characters primarily. Like a Butterfly does give the side characters some spotlight a bit, but one character especially got some focus that felt a bit unnecessary.
This was also a character that had little relevance to the main romance, and so it feels as though they just sort of show up and interrupt things. Not to say that I dislike this character or anything, but I was impatient to see the end-game of the main duo rather than this side character’s story.
Like a Butterfly also doesn’t really delve into our characters too deeply other than the fact that they are shy or quiet. Their main growth is building up courage as well as discovering what love is like. This can be great for readers looking for a simple, cozy, and classic shoujo love story; but it also sort of leaves more to be wanted.
This is the main reason why I didn’t really like the side characters’ stories as much, since the manga doesn’t really have much character depth in the first place.
Lastly, this manga is very calm and slow-paced. It’s suited well to readers wanting a cozy and heartwarming read. However, readers who are a little impatient with romantic development may become a little frustrated while reading the Like a Butterfly manga series. Just know this romance manga is more of a slow burn!
Final Thoughts
Like a Butterfly is a fluffy, innocent romance depicting the sweet first love between two young students as they explore dating for the first time. I really enjoyed the story of these two adorable and lovable characters!
It is a great manga and a favorite of many shoujo enjoyers. How will love bloom between these two shy and hesitant students? Read Like a Butterfly and find out! ♡
Disclaimer: Any images used for this blog are for illustrative purposes only, are not owned by me, and are under ownership of the artist or publisher.
Images Credit: Morishita, Suu. Like a Butterfly, Viz Media, 2023.
