Manga Review: Snow Angel Volume 1
Don’t let the cute cover of this manga fool you, there is more to this story than a childhood best friends to lovers romance. Not in a negative way, but buckle up because this manga is an emotional journey.
Official Summary
Muku Shiroshika’s happy and carefree childhood comes to an abrupt end after her father’s tragic death. In the ten years since, she’s worked a thankless job as a caregiver for her dementia-suffering grandfather. Between taking care of her family, searching for a job, and enduring her grandmother’s constant criticism, Muku finds herself drowning. She’s desperate to escape, but with nowhere to go, Muku loses hope. That is, until her childhood friend Yuto appears on her doorstep one snowy day and inspires her to live for herself.
Quick Information
Story and Art: Haruka Chizu
Publisher: Viz Media
Published: May 13, 2025
Genre: Drama
Rating: Teen
Series Status: Ongoing
Review
The story is about children from two neighborhood families who play closely together until one moves away after tragedy strikes. After a brief flashback of cheerful children playing, we are then fast-forwarded to see an older Muku in her twenties that is struggling to find a job while at the same time being a caregiver to her family. She then meets her childhood best friend, Yuto, again just as she's at her wits end. This struggle is the central theme of this first volume as Muku is torn between the love for her family, “doing what is right” to take care of them, and looking after herself and her own needs.
Trigger warning, it may be tough for some people to read this manga as it covers several serious topics, especially emotional manipulation and abuse.
While most villains are usually easily identifiable, the villain of this story isn’t so black and white. Muku’s grandmother is downright evil all the while wearing a smile on her face. The things she says to Muku are awful. It’s clear that the mangaka put some time into researching this type of story.
It may be hard to find your voice in difficult times, even more so in front of your family. You may not even know how to give words to the feelings you are experiencing. Sometimes it takes someone else defining what’s going on for you to understand what you are feeling. An outside perspective which proves what you’re going through isn’t a unique experience, but instead something that someone else has gone through and seen the other side of. Snow Angels does a great job showing this.
The art style is beautiful with some really stellar pages, my favorite being the underwater line sections where Muku experiences the numbness taking over and her indecision. Through this symbolism, the art shows the fragility of Muku and how close she is to actually drowning. Her only lifeline is reading books to escape, but soon even this comes under fire. This depiction of depression feels real and relatable for anyone who has undergone similar experiences.
If you are picking up this story for a romance read, I suggest you really read the summary to know what you are getting into, because this first volume is certainly not a romance. While it does lay some groundwork of a childhood friends to lovers romance, this manga is primarily a drama. That said, fans of romance who appreciate a slowburn with a heavy story will most likely enjoy this series.
Snow Angels is a well written and thoroughly researched story which feels more tangible than most manga. Muku’s struggles make it seem as though she is on the brink of disaster, and the manga’s beautiful artwork complements the severity of her crisis. I didn’t expect to connect with this story as much as I did on a personal level. I highly recommend reading this series, whether you’re seeking your own emotional catharsis or just want to see how Muku’s story evolves. Sometimes we could all use a reminder that no matter how bleak it may seem, there is always hope of a better tomorrow.
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