In hindsight, like many people, I initially avoided this manga due to "dry" plot line that felt cliché to the T. Also, I didn't like the art style.
A lot of time has passed since then, and only now, do I realise that there are only a handful of yaoi manga that top this one on my list. Before I re-read YNA, I'd already fallen in love with the art style without knowing from reading her other works.
The characters are beautifully crafted to subtly develop unexpected traits that flourish with the help of each other.
The story follows Akihito, who's characterisation is punctiliously romantic. His intentions are incredibly deliberate and very obviously subsists on love and affection as he's grown up absent from such tenderness. At times, it pushes him to do terrible things, but we all learn from our mistakes, and it shapes him into a benevolent, selfless protagonist.
I don't know if this is specific to me, but I've realised that when starting out with yaoi, you tend to indulge in popular manga like Sekaiichi, Love Stage, Junjou etc, straying away from realistic art and slower plot lines.
Only when you've read mangas like YNA, or other rich, slower progressing realistic manga, do you realise that you've developed this magical acquired taste to mature sentimentalism, and that can never really go back to generic yaoi. YNA has something extremely special about it. Something that can keep you reading it non stop for hours on end, a force keeping you at the very edge of your seat. Something heart wrenching that is ever so tenderly felt when taking your sweet time to squint at the meticulously crafted images and read between the lines.
I admit that there's a lot of complicated social structure/politics dialogue (which I congratulate the scanlators for translating so well) and I know many people tend to tune out to this… For me, it adds stratified depth into the story, and creates wonderful textual integrity.
Not only is YNA an absolute masterpiece in itself, but personally, I've discovered that each time I read it, I never fail to find that it encompasses new treasures that were hidden before, making it an absolute pleasure to read. Yes, YNA is painfully slow to some, but time and time again I find myself scrolling to the end of my manga list, to satiate myself with this deliciously alluring gem. Needless to say, I highly recommend!!!