Given follows a band called The Seasons, looking for their shot at fame. Guitarist Ritsuka one day stumbles into his shy classmate Mafuyu who is often seen clutching a guitar. After being convinced to teach him to actually play that guitar, Ritsuka finds a lot of hidden talent within Mafuyu, along with a certain bubbly feeling that he himself can’t seem to explain.
After bassist Haruki and drummer Akihiko give their OK to let the shy kid join their band, Mafuyu slowly begins to open up about his feelings and emotions, even when his past catches up to him.
Unlike most boys love series, Given doesn’t put the focus on the queer aspects of the characters. If anything, the framing of the characters’ romance interests is presented as completely normal which is a refreshing approach.
Instead, the real focus of the series is entirely on the friends and the music they attempt to create. This helps to convey a better and more coherent story, to the point where it pretty much grounds itself in reality rather than something that people might consider fan service.
You can watch Given for free on Crunchyroll (regional restrictions may apply).