Philosophia

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Japanese: philosophia

Information

Type: Manga

Volumes: 1

Chapters: 6

Status: Finished

Published: Dec 30, 2010 to Dec 30, 2012

Genres: Girls Love, Slice of Life

Serialization: None

Authors: Amano, Shuninta (Story & Art)

Statistics

Score: 6.94¹ (scored by 2,264 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #10292²

² based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #4797

Members: 5,057

Favorites: 50

6.94

Ranked #10292Popularity #4797Members 5,057

MangaAmano, Shuninta (Story & Art)

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Volumes: /1

Chapters: /6

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Synopsis

Ai-chan, a pretty student in her first year in a university, meets Tomo after she asks for a cigarette light from Ai. An apathetic, budding friendship ensues as they try and survive everyday university life together with the help of their daily does of caffeine and nicotine.

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Background

Philosophia was published in Brazilian Portuguese by NewPOP Editora on February 2, 2018.

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Tomo

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Reviews

Jul 16, 2017

Linnywoo

Recommended

This story is very well-written, the characters are deep and it doesn't contain any of the standard manga clishes. If you're looking for a happy love story then you might be disappointed (I was), but if you're more interested in character development I'm sure you'll be pleased with it.

The art style is very nice, I think it was nice to see more grown up looking characters. Also, the university setting helped a lot, it was truly refreshing to read something that takes place outside of highschool (except one chapter).

The main downer for me was the ending. Apart from that I really liked it!

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Jun 16, 2015

blue_bee29

Recommended

In a world where everything can get repetitive, there would be just one random day when you will meet someone very odd and obscure who will surprisingly and astoundingly change your life and thinking as a person. Basically, this is the premise of Amano Shuninta’s “Philosophia.”

Having previously read Shuninta-sensei’s sexy titles namely “Sweet Guilty Love Bites” and “Watashi no Sekai wo Kousei suru Chiri no You na Nani ka,” I was settled to give this manga a try with a preconceived notion of delicious playfulness as content. However, reading “Philosophia” has caught me off-guard. I should have known better with such a sober-sounding title! “Philosophia” ... is serious in theme, mature in story, cryptic in characterization, dark in twists, depressing in secrets, while bitter-sweet in the end.

The story is nothing new, Girl A meets Girl B. Girl A is diligent and Girl B is unreliable. Like in most stories, the question of “What will happen to them?” is what will drive one to continue reading. I must say the pacing is firm and steady. And to think this is only 6 chapters! Furthermore, the great thing about this, which is common in Shuninta-sensei’s work, is that she doesn’t use the common tropes. However, for yuri fans looking for deviant and sexy stories: Alas, there are no sexy encounters, nor amusing squabbles here. In fact, this manga is very dialogue-driven and full of Ai-chan’s inner thoughts. There is barely anything that is service-y, save for one scene. Nonetheless, I must say that despite all this, I have found this astonishingly novel and fresh.

The art is, well, very Shuninta. As a mangaka, she has established a very distinct art style and thus her lovely sketchy art is recognizable to many of her readers. However, this was one of her earlier works and was originally a doujinshi, thus it’s not that polished in details like backgrounds and seasons. There were even two or three pages that have empty panels; however, some empty spaces are there for dramatization. Perhaps the art may seem lacking for first time readers of Shuninta-sensei’s work, the story and pace will compensate such inadequacy.

The driving factor to read this work is the characters. There are two protagonists are university students: Ai (Love=Sophia), the stubborn and studious beauty, and Tomo (Wisdom=Philo), the coffee-loving apathetic bookworm. Ai-chan, who grew nonchalant to people’s compliments of her beauty, decided to dedicate in her studies so she can be independent. To tell the truth, she was a bit boring to me at first, but later on turned out to be the character that underwent the most and drastic change in a very satisfying pace. Her growing affection for Tomo-san was nothing fluffy, but steady, genuine, and realistic.

On the other hand, Tomo-san is a mystery; she is emancipated at best, self-destructive at worst. A self-proclaimed seeker of knowledge, she holds dark secrets. These secrets, a sudden twist in the story, are the reasons of her actions and demeanour. Tomo-san is a riddle and naturally focused my attention to her, but I was disappointed; there is not enough depth into her character although she was presented as such. I have felt that her secrets, while apprehensible, are insufficient reasons for her outlook and indifferent and bored temperament; I expected more. Or perhaps the author wanted her to be that—an enigma. Nevertheless, she is a realistic character that reminds readers that we can never know someone fully.

Overall, “Philosophia” is a pleasant read: a sober-yet-memorable gem of a story. Traditional yuri fans of lovey-dovey or fluffy stories may be sorely disappointed or even back away, but those who tire from the predictable path of GL stories, or even those from the non-yuri genre, then this manga might offer one a balanced indulgence of drama, maturity and mystery.

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Sep 10, 2025

curekiss

Mixed Feelings

Spoiler

I came across this one-shot during a recent Yuri kick while searching for quick reads, and since most of the existing reviews are 4–5 years old, I wanted to give a fresh perspective. This is just my personal take, so please don’t let it overly influence your own judgment if you’re considering reading this story.

Initially, I really enjoyed the first three chapters. Despite its short length, the story felt tasteful and impactful at first. However, it lost me when Tomo-san slept with her stepmother. I understand the trope of loneliness and complicated relationships, but in this case it felt unnecessary and undermined the strength of ...

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Poll: Philosophia Chapter 6 Discussion deactivated20325 - Aug 25, 2016	9 replies	by Cjohn2619 »» Nov 29, 8:15 AM
Where can I read this online? whereswisteria - Feb 1, 2024	1 replies	by Alexioos95 »» Feb 1, 2024 11:25 PM
Poll: Philosophia Chapter 5 Discussion joe_g7 - Sep 12, 2018	0 replies	by joe_g7 »» Sep 12, 2018 2:00 PM
Poll: Philosophia Chapter 3 Discussion KingYoshi - May 25, 2015	1 replies	by joe_g7 »» Sep 12, 2018 1:53 PM
Poll: Philosophia Chapter 2 Discussion KingYoshi - May 25, 2015	1 replies	by joe_g7 »» Sep 12, 2018 1:43 PM

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