Photo by Nicole. Makoto Ojiro, Volume 2 Cover Art, Insomniacs After School, Viz Media.
Insomniacs After School – Information
Author of Story: Makoto Ojiro
Chapter Count: 13 Volumes, 125 chapters
Content Warnings
These content warnings do not reflect the contents of the review below; only the literary work itself.
- SI, SH
- Death, illness
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.
Insomniacs After School – Plot Summary
Insomniacs After School is a story about two students, Isaki Magari and Ganta Nakam, who both struggle with insomnia.
After discovering their shared sleeping problems, these two begin to regularly escape from their classes to nap in a secret clubroom; eventually forming a small astrology club by circumstance. In this club they begin to observe and take photos of the beautiful night sky.
The story occasionally feels sort of wistful and melancholy. Even so, I really liked this manga and it’s definitely within my top favorite recommendations! There is also one season of an anime adaptation for the series, which was also very lovely.
Why I Enjoyed Insomniacs After School
Plot:
The plot of this manga begins quickly, but continues as a slice of life story with a slow romance! This isn’t your typical fast-paced, plot-packed romance manga. It’s a relaxing and cozy story with interesting photography elements and bit of romance here and there.
My overall impression of Insomniacs After School was very good—the characters are very lovable and relatable, the art is beautiful (especially in the environments), and the story just has an air to it that is so lovely, heartwarming, and relaxing.
The vibe of the story feels youthful, endearing, meaningful, and relaxing. There are a lot of cozy themes throughout the manga—sleep, stars, rain, first love, and even cute cats. It’s a feel-good story that pulls you in even without any crazy dramatic conflicts.
Makoto Ojiro, Volume 1 Cover Art, Insomniacs After School, Viz Media.
I like that the romance in this manga builds naturally on its own. The main relationship in Insomniacs After School doesn’t need the intervention of annoying second leads or drama. They learn about each other slowly through their own efforts and connection through sleeplessness.
Their meeting might feel a little cliché, but in the best way. It’s not like the typical, overused clichés you often see in romances—its more unique, or at least not something I’ve ever seen before, so it feels more meaningful.
It will warm your heart so much, and will also make you want to take a comfy nap. At other times, it feels whimsical, rebellious, and wonderfully youthful.
The relationship and plot never feel as though they are on hold; instead, both are always moving at a comfortable pace. This manga brilliantly captures the struggles experienced by the youth, and without this underlying theme of struggle, Insomniacs After School just wouldn’t feel the same.
I also like that this story focuses primarily on the main two characters, and although there are supporting characters in this story, we don’t have to also learn about additional side relationships. Sometimes it’s nice to just focus on fewer characters now and then, rather than a large cast.
Although Insomniacs After School has a very chill vibe a lot of the time, it can be a bit silly here and there; especially since the story primarily consists of shy, clumsy students.
There are also some sad scenes or plot-points occasionally in this story, but it really matches the emotion and vibe of the plot in my opinion. Maybe it’s the sweetness and cliché feeling of the story, but I was definitely a crybaby for some parts of this manga.
Despite the calm vibe and heartwarming romance, the plot is actually deeper than it seems at first look—and reminds you to enjoy life to the fullest as you live it.
There are also some “silent scenes” throughout this story. I’ve mentioned before in my Hibi Chou Chou manga review that I really like these types of scenes, and I just think they add some nice depth to a story and help readers better appreciate the mangaka’s art.
Especially in the way that they are used in Insomniacs After School, allowing readers to interpret the characters’ feelings without dialogue and feel as though they are actually in the moment.
It lets you feel the emotions, if that makes sense. I think the silent scenes work especially well for the photography-like elements in this story.
I like that it also isn’t made to be a “perfect” story where all things just work out coincidentally. There are unexpected negatives in the plot, but it feels appropriate for normal everyday life. The plot of the manga feels like a lovely, nostalgic summer experience with both exciting ups and unfortunate downs.
The ending of this series was very satisfactory; it was practically everything I could have asked for.
I feel like ending is really important for any story and is often not executed perfectly in romances, but Insomniacs After School had a creative ending that also gave me the closure I wanted for this beautiful story. Highly, highly recommend!
Characters:
The characters in this series all feel very honest, vulnerable, and relatable. Their realness amplifies the wholesome feel of this story and just makes the overall reading experience so easygoing and heartwarming.
They each have their own sort of struggles, but learn to overcome them and grow with support from each other. I really loved seeing their different personalities join and create a really unexpectedly good dynamic!
They sort of feel like they often just go with the flow. They have this air about them that makes you want to take life one step at a time, too. The characters are also so youthful and advneturous—despite their own internal struggles, they still find a way to have fun and enjoy themselves.
I don’t have much to say about the two main characters individually, as it feels like a lot of the story focuses on their interactions and adventures, rather than diving too deep into the characters themselves. It kind of leaves an air of mystery about them, or perhaps just a more matter-of-fact sort of feel.
Art:
Insomniacs After School is beautiful in a very unique way; the gorgeous art and heartfelt story leaves you wanting more and more.
I adore the character designs and how they are so cute and natural. I loved all the small details like bushy eyebrows, realistic body types, and goofy facial expressions. These aspects make this series feel much more realistic and beautiful in a unique, sort of “human” way.
Makoto Ojiro, Volume 3 Cover Art, Insomniacs After School, Viz Media.
In addition to the character design, the vibe and art style also give a different feel than what I’m used to. The backgrounds and environmental art are always gorgeous, detailed, and strangely nostalgic. It helps provide an absolutely stunning and endearing feeling in many different parts of the story.
The style of environmental design in this series is so detailed, immersive, and awe-inspiring. Very appropriate for a manga involving photography!
It makes me wonder if perhaps the author really likes photography, and if that interest inspired the plot throughout Insomniacs After School. Or maybe they just wanted to create a very visually appealing manga. Either way, it adds a lot to the story’s vibe!
Any Cons?
I have absolutely no cons for Insomniacs After School. Other than the fact that it’s hard to read manga with tears in your eyes, haha (joking but not joking).
Final Thoughts
Insomniacs After School is such a wonderful read. If you’d like a meaningful story with lovely romance elements, a beautiful plot, and stunning art, definitely give it a read!
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: Makoto Ojiro, Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia (Insomniacs After School), Viz Media, https://www.viz.com/vizmanga/chapters/insomniacs-after-school.
