History YMMV / WithTheLight

* ValuesResonance: With subject matter like this, you'd think it was made just recently. But nope! The manga was first published in 2000, just 20 years after autism finally got to be recognized as a neurological disorder and only six years after the APA first started recognizing how broad the autism spectrum actually ran. Not only does it treat its subject well, it also addresses (and berates) common Japanese stereotypes related to autism, such as the Japanese's words' meaning.[[note]]They literally mean "self-closure syndrome", giving the false impression that it's the victim's fault, or the mother's fault that someone has autism.[[/note]] This manga's messages become more and more relevant with each passing year, especially now that the majority of people on the autistic spectrum are becoming adults who may very well need support in a world that feels they either need to be fixed or that they're incapable of anything.

* {{Anvilicious}}: ''With the Light'' is by no means subtle about its message of accepting and accomodating autistic people, almost to the point where it makes characters unsympathetic towards Hikaru's plight int mustache-twirling villains (at least [[HeelFaceTurn until they come around]]). Even so, the heavy-handed approach is understandable: ignorance and misinformation concerning Autism remains rampant, and it's very hard to secure proper accomodations for autistic people in many places.

* ValuesResonance: With subject matter like this, you'd think it was made just recently. But nope! This was written in '''1999''', just 19 years after autism finally got to be recognized as a neurological disorder and only five years after the APA first started recognizing how broad the autism spectrum actually ran. Not only does it treat its subject well, it also addresses (and berates) common Japanese stereotypes related to autism, such as the Japanese's words' meaning.[[note]]They literally mean "self-closure syndrome", giving the false impression that it's the victim's fault, or the mother's fault that someone has autism.[[/note]] This manga's messages become more and more relevant with each passing year, especially now that the majority of people on the autistic spectrum are becoming adults who may very well need support in a world that feels they either need to be fixed or that they're incapable of anything.

* {{Anvilicious}}: ''With the Light'' is by no means subtle about its message of accepting and accomodating autistic people, almost to the point where it makes characters unsympathetic towards Hikaru's plight int mustache-twirling villains (at least [[HeelFaceTurn until they come around]]. Even so, the heavy-handed approach is understandable: ignorance and misinformation concerning Autism remains rampant, and it's very hard to secure proper accomodations for autistic people in many places.

* {{Anvilicious}}: ''With the Light'' is by no means subtle about its message of accepting and accomodating autistic people, almost to the point where it makes characters unsympathetic towards Hikaru's plight int mustache-twirling villains (at least [[HeelFaceTurn]] until they come around]]. Even so, the heavy-handed approach is understandable: ignorance and misinformation concerning Autism remains rampant, and it's very hard to secure proper accomodations for autistic people in many places.

* {{Anvilicious}}: With works of this didactic nature, [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped it's hard not to be.]] Especially when the story revisits some concepts explored in previous chapters. It's difficult to ignore when the English publication [[DoorStopper jams two volumes into one]].

* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: Even in this day and age, the amount of ignorance and misinformation concerning Autism is surprising. It's very hard for autistics to be properly accommodated in many places, and their treatment in Japan (Asia in general, actually) is even worse.

* {{Anvilicious}}: With works of this didactic nature, it's hard not to be. Especially when the story revisits some concepts explored in previous chapters. It's difficult to ignore when the English publication [[DoorStopper jams two volumes into one]].

* ValuesResonance: With subject matter like this, you'd think it was made just recently. But nope! This was written in '''1999''', years after autism finally got to be recognized as a neurological disorder. Not only does it treat its subject well, it also addresses (and berates) common Japanese stereotypes related to autism, such as the Japanese's words' meaning.[[note]]They literally mean "self-closure syndrome", giving the false impression that it's the victim's fault, or the mother's fault that someone has autism.[[/note]] This manga's messages become more and more relevant with each passing year, especially now that the majority of people on the autistic spectrum are becoming adults who may very well need support in a world that feels they either need to be fixed or that they're incapable of anything.

* ValuesDissonance: A [[DeliberateValuesDissonance deliberate]] example. Similarly to the manga ''Manga/ASilentVoice'', In early volumes, when Hikaru's autism manifests and he occasionally causes trouble, many people are quick to blame the parents for his misbehavior, claiming that they don't discipline him properly or say to their faces that they should lock him up. Sometimes people have claimed Hikaru is a straight-up bad kid. Plus, at one point, late in the series, Hikaru's grandmother tries to keep Hikaru in the house in an attempt to hide him from others, thinking him to be a burden and an inconvenience, and as such, she and Sachiko clash over their ways of treating Hikaru. This is because the Japanese still have a rather skewed view of mental illness, under the belief that the mentally ill person isn't actually ill, but that their problems are personality/character flaws or just plain being an asshole, and that their problems can be fixed if they [[QuitYourWhining stop whining]] [[NoSympathy and change themselves so they can better meet society's standards]]. With Japan being a rather conformist society, any deviance from their rigid social norms is considered unacceptable, with many not being very understanding of how autism, or mental illnesses in general, really works. To be fair, the manga does expect the audience to side with Sachiko and her family, and many people who at first dislike Hikaru and don't understand autism do become a bit more understanding--with some exceptions--but it's a good look into a side of Japan that people rarely get to see.

* ValuesDissonance: A [[DeliberateValuesDissonance deliberate]] example. Similarly to the manga ''Manga/ASilentVoice'', In early volumes, when Hikaru's autism manifests and he occasionally causes trouble, many people are quick to blame the parents for his misbehavior, claiming that they don't discipline him properly or say to their faces that they should lock him up. Sometimes people have claimed Hikaru is a straight-up bad kid. Plus, at one point, late in the series, Hikaru's grandmother tries to keep Hikaru in the house in an attempt to hide him from others, thinking him to be a burden and an inconvenience, and as such, she and Sachiko clash over their ways of treating Hikaru. This is because the Japanese still have a rather skewed view of mental illness, under the belief that the mentally ill person isn't actually ill, but that their problems are personality/character flaws or just plain being an asshole, and that their problems can be fixed if they [[QuitYourWhining stop whining]] [[NoSympathy and change themselves for the better]]. With Japan being a rather conformist society, any deviance from their rigid social norms is considered unacceptable, with many not being very understanding of how autism really works. To be fair, the manga does expect the audience to side with Sachiko and her family, and many people who at first dislike Hikaru and don't understand autism do become a bit more understanding--with some exceptions--but it's a good look into a side of Japan that people rarely get to see.

* ValuesDissonance: A [[DeliberateValuesDissonance deliberate]] example. Similarly to the manga ''Manga/ASilentVoice'', In early volumes, when Hikaru's autism manifests and he occasionally causes trouble, many people are quick to blame the parents for his misbehavior, claiming that they don't discipline him properly or say to their faces that they should lock him up. Sometimes people have claimed Hikaru is a straight-up bad kid. This is because the Japanese still have a rather skewed view of mental illness, under the belief that the mentally ill person isn't actually ill, but that their problems are personality/character flaws or just plain being an asshole, and that their problems can be fixed if they [[QuitYourWhining stop whining]] [[NoSympathy and change themselves for the better]]. With Japan being a rather conformist society, any deviance from their rigid social norms is considered unacceptable, with many not being very understanding of how autism really works. To be fair, the manga does expect the audience to side with Sachiko and her family, and many people who at first dislike Hikaru and don't understand autism do become a bit more understanding--with some exceptions--but it's a good look into a side of Japan that people rarely get to see.

* ValuesDissonance: A [[DeliberateValuesDissonance deliberate]] example. Similarly to the manga [[''Manga/ASilentVoice'']], In early volumes, when Hikaru's autism manifests and he occasionally causes trouble, many people are quick to blame the parents for his misbehavior, claiming that they don't discipline him properly or say to their faces that they should lock him up. Sometimes people have claimed Hikaru is a straight-up bad kid. This is because the Japanese still have a rather skewed view of mental illness, under the belief that the mentally ill person isn't actually ill, but that their problems are personality/character flaws or just plain being an asshole. With Japan being a rather conformist society, any deviance from their rigid social norms is considered unacceptable, with many not being very understanding of how autism really works. To be fair, the manga does expect the audience to side with Sachiko and her family, and many people who at first dislike Hikaru and don't understand autism do become a bit more understanding--with some exceptions--but it's a good look into a side of Japan that people rarely get to see.

* CrowningMomentOfFunny: For such a melodramatic series, there are a few moments that stand out, but the Kaleidoscope Incident (where Sachiko finds herself scrambling to keep Hikaru from hurting himself or Kanon with the glass bits inside of the toy, while everyone keeps giving Hikaru more kaleidoscopes) tops them all.

* SweetDreamsFuel: For all of the struggles that Sachiko and her family go through, you can't help but just feel as happy as they do when things go ''right'' for them. Hikaru and Kanon are just adorable, too.

* HoYay: Happens a lot in Volume 3 (Volumes 5 & 6 in Japan). Nobuaki blushes when he leans on Hikaru's desk, saying "I hope he can stay forever!" Kanata lays on a P.E mat next to Hikaru, and they just kinda nudge each other. And for a class play, Kanata plays a female role. ''Very'' well. See also ToyShip.

** This may be a bit of a stretch here, but Sachiko's mother definitely qualifies. Even though she frequently berates Sachiko and Hikaru on a regular basis and favors Kanon, even she had her own problems (like not being congratulated when she gave birth to a girl, as her family really wanted a son).

** This may be a bit of a stretch here, but Masato's mother definitely qualifies. Even though she frequently berates Sachiko and Hikaru on a regular basis and favors Kanon, even she had her own problems (like not being congratulated when she gave birth to a girl, as her family really wanted a son).

** This may be a bit of a stretch here, but Masato's mother definitely qualifies. Even though she frequently berates Sachiko and Hikaru on a regular basis and favors Kanon, even she had her own problems (like not being congratulated when she gave birth to a girl, as her family really wanted a son). Oki and the kid who bullied him in the orphanage also apply.

** The bullies robbing Hikaru on his way home, taking away his GPS while Hikaru panics. Not for victims of bullies, especially autistic victims.

* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: Even in this day and age, the amount of ignorance and misinformation concerning Autism is surprising. It's very hard for autistics to be properly accommodated in many places, and their treatment in Japan is even worse.

* {{Anvilicious}}: With works of this didactic nature, it's hard not to be. Especially when the story revisits some concepts explored in previous chapters. It's difficult to ignore when the English publication [[{{Doorstopper}} jams two volumes into one]].

* {{Anvilicious}}: With works of this didactic nature, it's hard not to be. Especially when the story revisits some concepts explored in previous chapters. It's difficult to ignore when the English publication jams two volumes into one.

* ValuesResonance: With subject matter like this, you'd think it was made just recently. But nope! This was written in 1999, years after autism finally got to be recognized as a neurological disorder. Not only does it treat its subject well, it also addresses (and berates) common Japanese stereotypes related to autism, such as the Japanese's words' meaning.[[note]]They literally mean "self-closure syndrome", giving the false impression that it's the victim's fault, or the mother's fault that someone has autism.[[/note]] This manga's messages become more and more relevant with each passing year, especially now that the majority of people on the autistic spectrum are becoming adults who may very well need support in a world that feels they either need to be fixed or that they're incapable of anything.

* NeedsMoreLove: With The Light is a very underrated manga that is so hard to find online sadly.