Review: Flip Flip Slowly

While some manga can feel the pressure of rushing out its story, especially for a single volume series, Flip Flip Slowly does the opposite and takes a leisurely stroll with how it feels to get to know someone over time.

Official Summary

In a rural country town where nothing exciting ever happens, a new face suddenly appears at the library: a former city man who starts to show up every week without fail. With each visit, the librarian, Hagiwara, can’t help but notice little things about this new regular, Yabumi—his punctuality, his demeanor, his strangely methodical approach to reading every single book by a single author… Slowly, without realizing it, that simple observation blooms into a deeper interest that draws Hagiwara in, until he can’t help it! He wants to get to know Yabumi better. But how will he bridge the distance, when there’s no talking in the library?

Quick Information

Story and Art: Mame Ootako
Publisher: Kodansha
Published: December 16, 2025
Genre: Romance
Rating: 18+
Series Status: Complete

Review

The story is about a librarian named Hagiwara who meets an interesting man one day who walks into his library. The two slowly grow close after Hagiwara offers Yabumi a ride home one evening.

Like the title says, the two characters get to know one another at a slower, more realistic pace, after meeting at a library. They start to notice things about each other the more they meet. Whether that's talking over books in the library or long car rides by the sea, Hagiwara and Yabumi aren’t afraid to say what’s on their mind. In a way, this also makes reading the volume refreshing because the characters say what they want to say instead of leaving so much left unsaid. Stories can become frustrating when a miscommunication could be solved with a straightforward conversation.

One of my favorite things about this story are the car rides and the romanticized descriptions about driving in the books Yabumi reads. The peacefulness of exploring the passing scenery, people watching, or simply reading a book with the windows down. The emotions one can feel between the roar of the car’s engine and the echoes of life outside the window. The places a vehicle can take you for a new experience. Flip Flip Slowly really captures this relaxing feeling perfectly. 

The art is lovely and soft, creating an almost fragile feel in certain scenes. While not overly complex with its backgrounds, I found the artwork complimentary to the overall narrative. 

If you want to experience a slow burn romance of two people getting to know one another through books and long car rides, then take a drive with Flip Flip Slowly.

Rating: ★★★★☆

A copy of this manga was provided for an ARC Reader Review.