Given by Natsuki Kizu is a BL Manga and Anime based on the life story of Mafuyu Sato and his self-discovery through music. As far as the anime (TV anime and movie-wise) is concerned, the story does have a happy ending for all of the main characters.
Given is a BL Television anime that started on July 2019. It features the story of Mafuyu Sato, a high school student with a rather dark past. He meets Ritsuka Uenoyama, a music prodigy who is the lead guitarist of a three-man band with their bassist, Haruki Nakayama, and drummer, Akihiko Kaji.
Mafuyu and Uenoyama go to the same school. Upon seeing Uenoyama’s skill in playing the guitar, Mafuyu asks (more like pleads) Uenoyama to teach him how to play the guitar, and their love blossoms when they find themselves bonding over music and random everyday interactions. Mafuyu joins Uenoyama’s band as a guitarist and main vocalist, and they join competitions and gigs. However, before they give into their budding romance, Mafuyu has to learn to let go of a past that binds him first, and he does it through a self-composed song, Fuyu no Hanashi.
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The television anime series currently released 12 episodes and one movie (OVA). The manga is currently ongoing and has been for quite a while now.
While the anime revolved around Mafuyu and Uenoyama’s romance, the movie’s plot circles around the two other members, Akihiko and Haruki. Akihiko Kaji and Haruki Nakayama have a story of their own. Coming from a manipulative relationship, Akihiko has scars that won’t heal even if he spent his entire life mending it. Haruki, on the other hand, has had a crush on Akihiko for the longest time, and he knows how suffocated Akihiko has been this whole time, but he doesn’t have the courage to confess to him. Because of a one-night mistake, their relationship as friends is scarred, and the whole movie is just them trying to mend it, but we see a happy ending towards the end of the movie as Akihiko tries to let go of his wounds.
Given is available on Crunchyroll in both English sub and dub.
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