Ranked #7107

Renai Shijou Shugi (Manga)

As a guy, I rarely read shoujo mangas. The only time I read them is when it has become really popular to the point that I would have either read/heard about it, or stumble upon it. But nevertheless, due to extreme boredom, I started on this manga. At first, I thought it would be an exciting, light-hearted story of childhood friends unexpectedly meeting up for a gokon with a "slice-of-life" touch. However, I expected way too much.

I'll begin with the negative aspects of the story. Firstly, there is a lack of character development. It never explained how the two fell in love, why there's a ridiculous amount of people against their relationship, and why the main female lead allows herself to be manipulated. Frankly, I think it's retarded that the main female character has some knowledge of self-defense and fails at protecting herself from being harassed. In fact, not just harassed, we're taking about boundaries of rape here, which is probably what makes this manga so engrossing. The description listed by Shoujomagic was spot-on: sex, make-up sex, sex outside, sex inside, sex is everywhere here. Aside from the typical stupid and useless female lead and her jealous, overbearing boyfriend, cheesy storyline, add in a supernatural occurrence at the beach with some hot sex to fix that drama, you got yourself Ren'ai Shijou Shugi.

This manga is extremely smutty so if you're into that and harassment-type drama, feel free to pick this manga up. But if you don't have anything better to read and you're looking for a more realistic storyline with romance, I suggest something else. read more

Minami Kanan delivers what she does best! Smut which takes your breath away with the mere beauty of the characters and settings involved! While the artwork isn't as magnificent as that of Kyousou Heaven, in fact Seri looks a bit unbecoming a lot of the time, the storyline is longer, though not complex or linear, more repetetive and predictable (and honestly, annoyingly maudlin) at points.

So Seri is excited about entering high school and wishes to do so with a boytoy at her side. Enter childhood karate partner and pain in the ass Tamaki with his raging hormones and undeniable sex appeal! How is Seri to blame if she ends up his "toy" because she lost a match she shouldn't have taken up in the first place?! Regardless, so starts their torrid little affair which steams up the entire 8 volume saga. And yes, it is a saga, and no, the drama is not going to keep you on the edge of your seat, but the smutty moments in between make up for it!

As the mangaka herself mentions in the author talk often, she wanted to push shoujo boundary with this story. In that, she wanted to introduce realism in some aspect into the love between Seri and Tamaki. So while tons of absurd things have to be accepted for the sake of the plot, like a drug which simply on coming in contact with your body immobilises you and how another drug turns you on so much, you will attack the helpless girl next to you, even though you're noble enough to tell her to make a run for it; she does introduce one element which I think hasn't been dealt with too much. The heroine's wily hormones! Of course this is just one subplot which deals with how Seri is a victim of her own body as well as a tawdry villian, but it was a little disturbing to read. Another even more disturbing villian is introduced later with a Norman Bates like fetish which is even more unsettling considering this IS a romance after all!

But yes, villians seem limited in their malicious intent almost upto the end, "must separate lovebirds". But each villian is dealt with sympathetically once they've done their dirty deeds, how there is a reason to why they are vicious now, but were gentle once upon a time. It gets annoying after a point. It's OK! Not everyone NEEDS to be a good human being! Another odd aspect that attracts attention to itself is how rushed the ending feels. After volume 7, when the author feels she's put two 17 year olds in as much jeopardy as is humanly possible, she rushes through the last volume trying to incorporate a whole year's worth of drama into 5 chapters with a conflict which doesn't sit well with the feel of the manga.

Feminism... Hmm, well, Seri should technically be able to protect herself against the repeated assaults she's exposed to panel after panel, but we'll surmise she's just delicate and in shock when the situation arises. Once or twice, she does try to put all that Karate training to use, but she fails miserably. Maybe THAT's why she doesnt bother defending herself other times, why embaress herself?! She doesn't appear too pathetic as she's not in love with an abusive fellow, so she doesn't need to be on her toes all the time. As for the love scenes between her and Tamaki... STEEEE-AMY! They are one naughty constantly-hot-for-each-other couple! Well, he more than her! He gets it going on in so many unexpectedly public places, that you'll think twice about occupying the ice cream parlour booth next time! But he is so loving and fixated, that you forgive his rabbit like ways.

Character development is weak. The hero is apparently flawless his only weakness being his possessive love, while the heroine is perhaps the most medioce girl ever. She's not a good cook, is clumsy, easily lead, and a victim of her own desires more often than not. But he loves that part of her! Villianous characters on the other hand have, as mentioned, tons of grey shades in themselves. Overall, it's not a great thinker's manga. The smut is delicous as is its delivery. The couple is forever ready to entertain the voyeuristic reader and Kanan never denied that this is her forte in the first place. read more