Someone to fall back on

The anime is definitely more focused on the Tezuka-Ryoma relationship, but the manga is readable in a Tezuryo light too. Also, the art becomes really very good. Re: Tezuka, more open doesn't mean he's actually open at all! And again, it's a matter of perspective. Because I read the manga first, I think I may actually see more in Tezuka in the anime than I might have otherwise. Similarly, because your Tezuka so far is the anime version, you may not think he's more open in the manga.