My first experience with Mizuiro Jidai was through a fansubbed copy of the anime series (it's often called by it's English names, The Aqua-Age (the name Yabuuchi uses for it), and the Blue Green Years (the name that the fansubbers thought was most appropriate)). The TV series was cute, and seemed rather refreshing to me. Unlike many other anime series, Mizuiro Jidai gives an accurate reflection of what it is like to be a girl and to be 12, a confusing time if ever there was one. The manga is also like this, with some interesting side stories and details not added, and some stories taken out.

Yuuko is a girl starting in the 6th grade, just about to enter Junior High. She's got a best friend named Takako, who seems bossy and obnoxious, but isn't, and another best friend named Hiroshi. Yuuko is at the age where she begins to mature, and so she's basically experiencing many new things and the sort. That's basically the story; there's more to it, of course, but it isn't a highly dramatic series.

As someone older than the main audience, I find that it's sometimes rather odd to be reading it -- it's obviously aimed towards girls the age of the main characters, who go through typical girly things, like first periods/kisses/boyfriends. You know the deal. But I find that over all, it has a very nostalgic feel to older readers, which is somewhat pleasant.

The artwork is fairly simplistic, so I wouldn't recommend it for people who mostly buy manga based on it's looks, but I honestly say it's not to be passed up on.