the manga "an extraordinary portrayal." She added that "it reads a bit old fashioned now, as society moves towards greater awareness and understanding of transgender people, but it’s not stale in the least." However, Publishers Weekly and Silverman of ANN both cautioned that there are "some outdated terms and unfortunate attitudes" portrayed throughout the story. Most notably, characters often misgender Claude by referring to him with feminine pronouns. McNulty of ANN acknowledged that this "can be difficult to view ... through a modern lens", but argued that the misgendering "makes the manga feel more realistic, especially considering the historical setting", and that, as a result, the rejected love interest Rosemarie's casual and determined references to Claude as a man feel more powerful. Conversely, Price of Otaku USA thought the manga didn't go far enough in depicting the prejudices of the era. He noted that Claude's family and friends are exceptionally understanding of his gender identity for members of the aristocracy in the early 20th century and that Claude himself is largely undaunted by the bigotry he does encounter, "freeing the story from either external or internal conflict." Price opined that Claude's unique circumstances often "seem entirely beside the point." The ending—in which Claude takes his own life after his relationship with Sirène falls apart—has also been criticized as "too wantonly dark." Loveridge of ANN complained that "Claudine indulges in many of the same tragic gay-panic tropes as yuri manga from that time period" where "the only possible ending to a queer romance is one of utmost tragedy." In her review for Okazu, a website dedicated to news and reviews of yuri manga and anime, Friedman similarly acknowledged a "Well of Loneliness feel about the conclusion". However, she noted that "the end of [Claude's] life is presented not as an inevitability, but a crime committed upon [Claude] by society." Additionally, McNulty and Silverman of ANN thought the story "feels rushed confined to a single volume" and that "it doesn't have the impact of Ikeda's longer works." Price of Otaku USA agreed, stating that "there's no time for Ikeda to delve into the premise" or to "develop the historical setting and the ways it might affect the characters", given the manga's short page count. He added that "the book reads like the Cliff Notes to a more fully fleshed graphic novel that was never made." Other critics said that the manga, which