Painfully raw and heartbreaking… “Even on a Rusted Night, Love Whispers” by Ogeretsu Tanaka (おげれつたなか)

Shinshokan Dear+ Comics “Even on a Rusted Night, Love Whispers” is the title I’ll be introducing! (This work contains depictions of violence, bloodshed, nosebleeds, and bruises. Please use your own discretion when reading, and do not push yourself if it feels too much.)

The following is quoted from the back cover. This review does touch on the story’s content! If you just want a brief idea of what it’s about!!! I’d be happy if you read only the red text and highlighted sections.

“Sweet romance alone just isn’t enough…” ———

I got hit again today. By my lover, “Kanchan.” But somehow, I don’t really mind. My love is already rusted over, soaked in the bodily fluids of two people. Then, standing before someone as rusted as me, my middle school classmate, “Mayama,” suddenly appears—and all at once, I start to notice things. The bruises on my body, the scars. Because you’re exactly the same as you were back then. On that rainy day when you rendered me unable to move with just a kiss———.

From Shinshokan Dear+ Comics “Even on a Rusted Night, Love Whispers”

It hurts right from the start…　

This is the work through which I first discovered Ogeretsu Tanaka, and it left an overwhelming impact on me. To be honest, I never expected it to contain this level of pain, bloodshed, and violence, and for those who are sensitive to such depictions, it can be very difficult to continue reading. I’m not great with these kinds of themes myself, so I hesitated for a long time about whether to buy it even after reading the back cover. Still, I decided that opening a new door and stepping into unfamiliar territory was something I needed, and I gathered my resolve to read on. The protagonist, Yumi, tries to accept even the pain inflicted on him, and the way he never turns away from violence completely shattered my composure—I was on the verge of tears the entire time… If this kind of content isn’t for you, please don’t push yourself under any circumstances…!!

There are events from his middle school past that continue to weigh heavily on Yumi. He wants to go on believing that he isn’t weak, to hold on to that feeling as he lives his life—yet Mayama is the only one who sees right through him. It’s heartbreaking, and Yumi wants to run away from those feelings. He doesn’t want them to be known, and he doesn’t want to be seen like that either. And yet, hidden within him are those unspoken, true feelings.

As Yumi struggles with his conflicted true feelings and how to face his relationship with his current partner, “Kanchan,” and as Mayama decides what kind of action he will take toward Yumi, the story continues with scene after scene that feels so intense it’s like your heart is being gripped tight. It’s emotionally exhausting—but when you reach the climax, the tears just won’t stop… you’ll need an entire box of tissues. Those heavy feelings that linger after finishing the book become even more compelling when read together with the subsequent sequel series, offering a new and interesting perspective. That said, please don’t push yourself if it’s too much…!!

There are also emotionally powerful, intimate scenes that are so moving it would be a shame to dismiss this work without reading it! If you’re not uncomfortable with depictions of violence, I truly hope you’ll give it a read!!