just found the thread.
I really like this story. As Nielyngrace said, it gives you a so warmth feeling about teen age : love, friendship... Oh I really adore how the manga, the anime and the movie are able to conveys such feelings. each time I'm dealing with this story, it makes me want to be young again.
I discovered the story with the anime version. I really adore it, so much that I searched (and found) for the following story on the internet, cause the manga was not published here yet. I eagerly wait for each new translated chapter. I am happy cause that warmth feeling doesn't disappear.
I was first sceptic about watching the film version, I was afraid it could break that incredible feeling (plus I've read some not very good critics about it). Finally, last summer, I failed to the temptation (and to Miura Haruma, I confess). And watched it. I cannot remember a film that makes me cry at about every scene between those two protagonists. Well, maybe was i really tired at that moment, but, to me, this story, and this love, is just the perfect image of how you can feel while falling in love at that time of life, and how love should be (at any time of life, imo).
I really adore the two main characters, and though they can be found a little too ingenuous , I love the purity of their feelings (is it too much, talking about purity???). But my favorite character is certainly Ryuu. minor spoiler : I like the way he loves that girl in silence.