青い花 [Aoi Hana / Sweet Blue Flowers]

Sweet Blue Flowers (青い花) is a gently resonant 8-issue manga series from Ohta Publishing, running from 2005 to 2013. Written and illustrated by the acclaimed creator Takako Shimura, it follows the tender, evolving relationship between two childhood friends as they navigate high school in Kamakura. The series is a quiet, emotionally precise exploration of first love, identity, and the bittersweet ache of growing up, earning a devoted following for its sensitive portrayal of queer adolescence in Japan. Its understated beauty and honest character work make it a touchstone of the yuri genre.