I Hear the Sunspot: Limit Volume 1: Limit

I was scrolling through a queer disabled reading list on Insta, when I discovered this gem. I wanted a simple, light read to be paired with the heavier read of Jasbir K. Puar’s THE RIGHT TO MAIM, which also discussed disability, debility, and capacitation in race and queerness.

Thankfully, HIDAMARI GA KIKOERU (I Hear the Sunspot) by Fumino Yuki, was nowhere near simple and wasn’t completely entrenched in light. Not what I wanted, rather what I needed. It dealt with complex emotions of grief, loss, envy, helplessness, empathy, pain, and love so well. We are first introduced to two of the main characters: 1) Sugihara Kouhei, a college student who lost some of his hearing after a particularly terrible illness when he was a child, whose pretty face establishes a reputation among girls everywhere he goes, and 2) Sagawa Taichi, coincidentally his classmate who is known for his stubbornness, honesty, unwavering compassion, and most of all for his love of food (honestly same). I would say it was love at first food, because that was how they found each other, and how they established their exchange of currencies: Kouhei’s food in return for Taichi taking notes for Kouhei during lectures.

I loved that this manga is not your average yaoi. The creator obviously wrote and showed that they both have lives outside of each other and vulnerabilities that they were hesitant to bare. Though they are often apart and overcome their insecurities with their own terms, they have never stopped influencing each other, keeping the other going at life, at the graze of their memories of each other. The memory of the other’s smile is acceptance and understanding enough. And we all know understanding is healing.

The manga explores the pluralistic identities, perspectives and experiences of disabled people. They are not your pity pools. I loved all the characters in it; they are beautifully-written, shining on the pages with their own stories, their different opinions on disability and choices for their body, which they love and want to keep, or to change, or with which they maintain a love-hate, torn pride relationship.

The disabled characters, though mostly relating to the hearing sense, are on various spectrums of hearing disability: one was hearing impaired and another was totally deaf. Their struggles, frustrations, trauma and pains affect their lives, which have diverse backgrounds as well, differently yet similarly at the same time; despite all of that, they are valid in the presence of the other, no one mocked for having experienced “less trauma” than the other. I really appreciated and drew comfort from that.

I found it rather interesting as well that demisexuality was demonstrated in Taichi, and how that grew into a minor problem to the evolvement of his and Kouhei’s romance. A thought struck me: identifying, being anything on the aspectrum is subtly regarded as strange… Someone might ask, “I mean if you both have confessed mutual love for each other, why don’t you two just kiss and act lovey-dovey now??” But it isn’t as simple as that. However, to say “it isn’t simple” in a world constructed of allosexual values is to gain confused stares and pitying gazes at non-aspec partners. Not operating in the usual spectrum of ability is considered weird, inhuman. I remembered a conversation I had with Dr. Khairani Barokka about how colonial culture depends on disciplines and binaries, how it has disabled us to think in interdisciplinary ways. Basically, disability is not the quality of having one’s physical feature rendered incapable of performing what capitalist and colonial cultures have established as “working/capable”. Disability is not confined to just one pidgeonhole; it consists of spectrums, as there are mental disabilities, but also — though not to diminish medical disabilities — there are disabilities related to class, race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. That led me to think, what if demisexuality was part of the disability spectrum explored in this manga series? (Unfortunately the subject was not deepened on :<)

Last but not least of this long-ass review/musings: One aspect that has stitched itself into my heart is the bonds they have with their loved ones and communities send a powerful message that some might consider idealistic, but somehow not impossible: the idea of a world where the disabled is not treated as the outcasts who must conform and assimilate within the able majority, as the monster who necessitates, in order to live, a sacrifice in the shape of a loved one who would dedicate their whole life to staying by their side. The world that has been built for the singular vision of an able world, will be one that normalises the facilities, services, support, and language systems that disabled people need, that integrates them into the every day. It’s a future I strive for.

This is a really good slow burn/build up for the series. I’m glad it doesn’t feel rushed, and I love seeing their friendship/feelings blooming. Excited to continue this series!

I’m not a fan of plots that are based on miscommunication – and I Hear the Sunspot is full of miscommunications. I also didn't really like Taichi in this one as much as I loved his character in the first book. Ended up being a 3.5 ⭐️.

Oh my god, I wasn't expecting this AT ALL! I didn't know what the story was about prior to starting it, I just picked it up because of recommendations from a few friends. I'm going to read this many, many times over. It is something special for sure.

cute but a lil all over the place

need them to be happy RN......

So, like a fool I have already read this first volume when I have no idea how long it will be before the second volume arrives. Good work, me. To quote Taylor Swift: 'In my defence I have none'. As many have said before me, this is a cute (in terms of both story and art style), gentle, queer teen romance. What I really liked was how the author tackled the issue of experiencing hearing loss at a fairly young age - the frustrations of everyday life, the fear of losing your hearing completely, the many inappropriate ways other people can respond to your disability. It felt very true to life.

2.5 stars. I at times felt the art style was a bit simple (though it should be mentioned I'm making my way through Fullmetal Alchemist at this time, so my expectations may be high). I thought the story was sweet, but don't feel an overwhelming need to continue. I may depending on if I'm in a slump and need something quick, it seems my library has the next one :)

⭐️ 3 Stars ⭐️ This was really cute and I loved the representation in this manga, but overall I didn’t really feel connected to the story. I think it’s great and I got emotional in some parts, but something felt to me just on a surface level and not really deep. Maybe it felt a little bit young minded? I’m not sure what is the age of the characters but it’s felt young. I do want to give a chance to the next books and it is a cute and fun love story.

3.5*