Aug 13, 2020
Lesbian erotica is the core appeal for this manga. The central characters are all unabashedly horny and gay. The artwork is beautiful and expressive during the intimacy scenes and the girls have model-esque hour glass proportions. That said, there are several details that may sour enjoyment of the erotica depending on your tolerance level for angsty drama.
Said problematic details include:
NTR! Everyone's favorite category. Both lead girls have potential romantic interests outside of their relationship. Sei explicitly uses Aya as a replacement for an ex lover, calling out their name during sex with her current lover. Yeah.
Forbidden love fetishization! Not simply girl girl, but teacher student.
...
Aya is sixteen, Sei in her mid 20s. Sei is not at all concerned about losing her position should her relations with an underaged students be uncovered.
Insufferable characters who make bad choices one after the other with no end in sight and an avalanche of drama that builds with each concurrent chapter! There is nothing happy nor heartwarming about this story. It's about seeking a temporary distraction for deep seated insecurities, only to fall deeper into depression. About allowing yourself to be manipulated because of low self esteem. About finding short term solutions that carry long term consequences.
Much of this is in common with Kuzu no Honkai, in which you may recall the nymphomaniac sensei Akane and the lesbian relationship between Eba/Hanabi that was steeped in controversy. It stands to reason that if you like KnH you will find some value in this manga, but there are some differences that are worth noting - KnH put forth greater effort to giving the characters introspection and growth through their experiences, focusing less on the sex scenes and more on how the characters felt. This manga does the reverse in focusing on the sex first and foremost, only using the drama as a way to enhance the tension between the characters and perhaps even excite the readers preference in erotica. Similar wavelengths, different approaches and execution.
There is an attempt at character development here involving Sei and Aya - as their relationship progresses, so does the change in their attitudes. But this is more so done to amplify the erotica than to speak on any broader story themes or appeal to realism. Again - this is a sex story.
Personally, I am able to separate the art from the angst here and enjoy the work just as a piece of lesbian erotica. I understand the story as being controversial without purpose aside from triggering the reader and do my best to avoid investment into the characters. However, if you prefer the art to be in harmony with the story and do want to find attachment to characters then issues will probably arise with how contrived the drama appears to be in this manga. I think so highly of the artwork and sex scenes that it still gets a 6/10 in spite of that.
At the time of writing, there are only fifteen released chapters. I can't imagine much changing from now to the conclusion to affect this score in either direction. Feel free to pick it up if the above words have piqued your interest, or avoid it like the plague if it doesn't sound like your cup of tea.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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