Run Away With Me, Girl (GL Manga Review, spoiler free)

This is a manga I picked up on a whim, borne from a desire for something sapphic in between the violent mobster sausage parties I’ve been reading lately (check out Shutline and Wet Sand—impeccable BL webtoons), and whilst I had reservations about its dark themes and morose tone, it turns out Run Away With Me, Girl, is a worthwhile and touching read, with beautiful artwork and engaging characters.

Written by Battan, the story follows Maki, a somewhat lonely twenty-something who still has memories of her childhood sweetheart—the boistrous and outgoing Midori, who abruptly ended their relationship on their graduation day as a means to move on from an apparent queer phase. As she’s on her way home from work, Maki bumps into Midori by chance, and her world is upended as all her old feelings overwhelm her. Midori is only too happy to return Maki’s kindness, and what starts as easy flirting becomes something much more suggestive, but just as Maki is lulled into a sense of ease and relief, Midori drops the double bombshell that she is engaged and pregnant.

I almost dropped the manga at this point, because it’s the kind of lesbian mess that usually gives me a headache, and I already have my hands full with The Ultimatum: Queer Love, but I persevered because of Maki and Midori, and the thoughtful way they navigate a complex and worrisome situation. In addition, the extended cast of characters is toxic, but not in a pantomime, over the top way. When Midori’s fiancé is first introduced, I worried Battan would overplay his villainy to encourage us to support the main couple, but his motives and behaviour are realistic, if not upsetting, and his backstory is horrifying.

Equally disturbing is Midori’s co-worker, whose jealousy creates ridiculous scenarios, but she adds a sinister tension that I admire. In one scene towards the end of the manga, after acknowledging that Midori has gone though a difficult time, the co-worker considers whether or not to buy flowers. Her colleague rightly asks if these flowers are for Midori and her upcoming labour, but she only admits that she was thinking about the wilting plants in the shop they all work at. She says this with a neutral expression, regarding Midori and her situation with benign indifference. I had to laugh at the sheer brazenness of it.

I won’t give away spoilers, but I think it’s sensible to warn that this manga explores domestic violence, homophobia, and bullying. Also, for those who dislike tragic queer stories, whilst Run Away With Me, Girl, is a painful read at times, there is no sad, sudden deaths of either love interest, and the final chapter is satisfying.

At three volumes/sixteen chapters, this is a short read, but by no means easy. I totally recommend, but just be wary of typical frustrating decisions that are made by almost all the characters at least once during the story.

7/10