May 5, 2024
This is Shoujo. Straight up following the formula to a T. But it is so perfect in its formulaic attempt that it oddly enough ends up the most generic shoujo manga I possibly have ever read. There is no substance, no depth, no unusual dynamics, no story, nothing. It just is Shoujo.
The manga starts with a bang, you're in the midst of the rocket taking off. It felt fresh the first 2 chapters and it was quite enjoyable getting to know already established characters and relationships this quickly. You know what you're getting into and what you're gonna get.. until you don't. It doesn't deliver.
That
...
is where the freshness ends. I will make this short. The manga is solved instantly, that is how heavy the 2 introduction chapters were. What was established leaves no room for interpretation and angst isn't really possible. Any character introduced from now on will only have so much impact and further character development (mainly FL) is pretty much locked into one certain direction.
This is a huge problem in this type of manga, it straight up can ruin certain characters and whole dynamics in a singular chapter if handled poorly.
This also is where most fun and enjoyment is lost. You know. Everything. And whenever something weird/uncomfortable/angsty happens it mostly feels out of character with just how heavily the FL was established.
The manga has all the classic tropes and clichés but they don't flow properly and make the FL look even more stupid than usual because of the aforementioned.
Their dynamic actually regresses from time to time and it feels like watching benjamin button but in feelings. Pair that with her actively losing her spine as the manga progresses and going damsel^2 with some questionable panels even for Shoujo standards and it just lost everything the first 2 chapters had going for it.
They turn into different characters but not because of progress/growth/development but because of shoujo elements. She HAS to neglect him, get uncomfortable close to other guys and get swayed but not due to events/happenings but Shoujo.
It seems like the usual and it isn't that different to most other average Shoujos but it is oh so different due to its initial approach. What was promised was not followed up on.
It tried to be too perfect right from the first panel and it ended up feeling pretentious, even if the overall setting and manga as a whole could've been enjoyable. It just fell so deep into that "I NEED TO SHOUJO" pit that it wasn't up to task.
The negatives just hit so much harder with that attempt at perfection, glaring issues e.g. regarding MCs are amplified x100. Same with other stuff like events not playing out properly. Or emotional connections. Or relationships being forced. Everything just ends up so much more obvious and, if bad, overall worse.
And still, even if the manga in a sense failed, it gained the right to call itself perfect in regards to being so generic at being Shoujo to a scary degree.
Absolutely read this if that is your cup of tea.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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