It's always refreshing to see romances that explore uncommon perspectives and relationships, telling love stories that don't often get told. It's even more refreshing when they do it with as much kindness and empathy as Love and the Highly Sensitive Person does.

This one-shot, PG-rated BL follows the hairstylist Yoh as he navigates his love life, career, and self-worth as a highly sensitive person (HSP). For Yoh, high sensitivity means he experiences sights and sounds more intensely than the average person. He notices and cares about little details most people overlook, making him empathetic and attentive but also a big ball of social anxiety who struggles to open up to others.

The author mentions in the afterword that she researched and spoke to people with sensory processing sensitivities, and it shows—sometimes to a fault, as a few moments read like an awkward “HSP 101” Very Special Episode instead of casual conversation. Despite these didactic hiccups, the research does help her create a balanced depiction of Yoh instead of falling into stereotypes. His sensitive nature is neither blessing nor curse, but a neutral trait with unique strengths and weaknesses.

It's those strengths—particularly his ability to relate to others—that allow Yoh to succeed in his career and grow closer to Chiyo. Our love interest is a bit of a cuddly grouch, brusque but never cruel, and quick to take responsibility for his mistakes. Like Yoh, he has layers, and is more thoughtful than he seems at first blush. (Bonus: he likes cats. Swoon.)

As a couple, Yoh helps Chiyo pay closer attention to others' feelings, and Chiyo encourages Yoh to speak his mind. “Opposites attract” romances can sometimes struggle to create believable chemistry (or, worse, veer into abuse territory), but Love and the Highly Sensitive Person takes care to show how Yoh and Chiyo balance each other out and make the other better. I was not only rooting for them to get together, I may have teared up from time to time.

Don't let my weepy eyes mislead you, though: this is not a woe-is-me melodrama. There's a lot of levity and humor mined from Yoh's Big Feelings, whether he's overthinking a benign social interaction or getting super stoked about petting a cat. The narrative is sympathetic to Yoh, but it doesn't shy away from pointing out (and poking fun at) his quirks and flaws, either.

All of these elements combine to create a sincere but not-too-sappy tale of love and acceptance, both for oneself and others. In addition to being just as gosh-darn sweet as apple pie, Yoh and Chiyo's slow romance pushes them to understanding, respect, and communication. It's a valuable narrative for anyone, but it's especially heartening if you've ever struggled with self-worth, anxiety, or worried about fitting a narrow definition of “normal."

The art pairs well with this overall theme. The linework is simple but graceful, with a sketchy softness that suits the story's tone. A recurring underwater visual metaphor helps depict Yoh's mood, but this is mostly a manga where you look at handsome men interacting with each other. This includes some excellent comedic Anxious Faces as well as more understated glances and touches to convey the growing attraction between our leads. Sex is implied but never shown, so those little moments of intimacy go a long way to building physical as well as emotional closeness.

One-shot manga often feel rushed or overstuffed with panels and narration, but Love and the Highly Sensitive Person understands the value of a quiet, lingering scene. It knows when to take a beat and let the art tell the tale, such as when Yoh spends an entire page wordlessly, joyfully receiving one of Chiyo's letters. It's not flashy, but it is quite lovely, and makes me curious to read more of Saruwaka Chimi's work.

(Also, the way she draws cats? 10/10, would bury my face in Kurotake's belly.)

Adaptation-wise, the translation is smooth and natural-sounding, and the letterer does a creative job matching the English sound effect fonts to the Japanese furigana. However, there's a lot of narrative text that blends into the background and is difficult to read (or at least it was in my review copy). Thicker outlines would really help with legibility, especially since this title is, as of this writing, digital-only and may be read on smartphones.

Other than having to squint at the words from time to time, this was a rewarding and easy read, albeit an unexpectedly emotional one. Love and the Highly Sensitive Person is as interested in its protagonist's personal growth as it is the central love story, which helps it stand out as both a BL romance and a character-driven dramedy. Thoughtful and warm, this one-shot has a lot of crossover appeal and would make an excellent addition to many digital bookshelves.