I haven’t seen a character like Akane in a really long time— someone who’s unafraid of failure and mistakes and shows the humility necessary to learn from them in order to reach her goals. I know very little about rakugo, and this series entrances me into the world of its medium and helps me see the beauty in it. Also, as an art form that is so deeply rooted in history, I greatly appreciate the mangaka’s overall theme of respecting traditionalism without the need to undermine progressiveness that seeks to uplift and rejuvenate its roots

Chp 65 just dropped, yuri has suddenly appeared for an enemies to lovers trope and I am excited to eat that shit up

I’m not deaf so I can’t comment on how deafness is portrayed, though I would love to have a conversation with someone who is to give their take on this series so I can both understand their point of views better and for them to attest to the accuracy of how deafness is presented in this series. Speaking on Saki though, her introspection when it comes to her sexuality are bittersweet to witness. A bit too on the nose, honestly. Sometimes I wish the drama and “shitty” people were portrayed a little bit more sophisticatedly (I mean this in a way where I wish the author wasn’t entirely villainizing these characters to the point that they’re so obnoxiously bad and one-dimensional that it makes it so obvious that they’re supposed to be hated on). Though I guess having the bad people in the manga be so blatantly heinous does make the hateful behaviour directed towards our main characters much more jarring to see. I like how the author displays human flaws and how they showcase the normalcy of making mistakes, which leads to the fact that I also appreciate how they highlight the need for mutual understanding (moreso the willingness to listen) for equity

In my opinion, I think Itagaki Paru’s biggest strengths are her self-contained, short stories. In fact, I found myself thoroughly enjoying each story in Beast Complex moreso than a lot of the over-arching arcs in Beastars itself. The theming in this one-shot anthology is top-notch and each story has its own set of ideas and perspectives that is so neatly presented it felt reminiscent of why I found fables so enticing when I was a child.

Head empty, only Bachira Meguru

While I find the short stories pertaining to the title to be decent at best and pretty bad at worst, what I’m most interested in is the overlying story behind the narrator. The slow unraveling of his situation every chapter truly grips me and leaves me waiting for more

Holy shit this manga is literally vigilantism porn.

The MC’s victims are pure evil scum that you’re hard-pressed to find any sense of empathy in yourself for. Honestly, if I could find that empathy (not that I would want to) , I probably wouldn’t find myself rooting for the brutalist nature the MC strives for in his killings anyways. The MC himself has his own can of unhinged, unchecked psychopathic tendencies but having him on the side of perceived moral justice in society makes his version of unadulterated killings a little bit more justifiable (still weird for me, personally, but at least he’s killing actual evil of the world and not the innocent lives his victims snuffed on a regular basis)

Sometimes I have to reread the last three chapters every time it updates because so much time would’ve passed and I wouldn’t remember anything. Still really engaging regardless, but the current arc is a bit confusing

Ogata is a fucking goalie in this one. Of course I’ll read it

The orange kinda gets grating sometimes (just not a big fan of orange in general to be honest) but the story is so wanton (in a good way), serene, and cute! Just adults adulting and living life together with their little arrangement of convenience!

My current favourite shounen series! The art and world-setting are so captivating and the characters are very likeable with memorable designs. So fun to read and keep up with

We need more elder/older life WLW stories. This series makes me feel a little bit less fearful about my own mortality and “missed experiences”.

I love how comfortable this story is. It’s just a wlw high school couple navigating life, change, and growth. Probably one of the best to do this in the genre

Love the art! The horror aspect feels subtle so it’s more on the unsettling side, which is something I’ve been hard-pressed to find so this is a treat. Will read more

I wanna be as free and eccentric as Yamada but without the being inconsiderate part LOL

It's so funny for no reason- like absolutely no reason. They even introduced random ass scenarios and I just ate it up

The art is really cute, and I also like the style of gyaru the mangaka went with for their character designs!!!

GOD I WANT A CUTE GYARU GF.

I really want to see where this one goes. Can you even consider this an established relationship? Technically speaking it's FMC's brother that the other main character is dating and the FMC is pretending to be her brother. But, she's not her brother. Could you still consider that established?

So painstakingly sweet, and I’ll be damned if these aren’t some of the most communicative yet so immature bunch of teenagers I’ve seen in manga. Seriously refreshing just watching kids be kids and going through the steps of adolescence without causing mindless toxicity. Along with the bakery theme going on, this shit is seriously tooth-rotting cute and sugary sweet. Wholesome as hell and restores the goodness in humanity for sure

The premise feels quite weird and morally… grey? dubious? Technically speaking I think their dynamic is unconventional enough to seem questionable yet it has the right amount of ambiguity to not seem egregious. Personally the presence of Mimei-san (best character in the series btw, I can’t tell if I want to be her or be with her LOL) makes this manga feel a little less worrisome to read because her role in the story as the “straight-man” to the MC’s behaviour grounds the story a lot better and doesn’t fully enable the more contentious side of their actions as she’s not afraid to call anything out and see things for what they are but smart enough to not overstep boundaries or get in the way. Also, the art is very pretty but I expect no less from Hijiki at this point

Honestly don’t know where to start with this one. I’ve always found it tricky when stories tackle the “we use kids as war weapons” trope, mainly due to the fact that a lot of them want to shed these kids’ humanity and inevitably turn them into mass-killing machines in accordance to action story laws— which I do understand if the action comes first (and also accurate given the circumstances of how the war setting is set up— see: Violet Evergarden and her rigid personality becoming malleable when taken out of her duties as a soldier), but it feels a bit hollow if they don’t give a chance for the kids to go through any semblance of mental anguish given by their situation. I don’t have that type of problem with this series, in fact majority of my praises for this manga is how the characters deal with their own personal goals and philosophies while being forced to partake in their environment. The growth so many of the characters go through (especially Mimi, I find her complex character growth to be the most interesting to read) is tantalizingly clear and is given the chance to be exposed and understood by the reader through its high life-or-death stakes in what they’re doing. It’s also not afraid to tackle a lot of complex issues and ethical practices that come with war and you know, employing literal children to fight for it; which I find to be brave in a literary sense, since it’s quite easy to fuck up— to which this story does not, thank god

I find the world-building interesting, feels very reminiscent of that one Porter Robinson song "Shelter", but much more fleshed out (and imo, better executed- but what can you really do with a 4-minute song?). Would love to see more

I remember finding this on Arai Sumiko's twitter and SHOCKED she started releasing content for this particular couple from her older art, nevertheless it becoming a huge hit! If anyone is wondering what I'm like in person, I'm basically Koga Mitsuki from this series. The art is amazing as expected from Arai Sumiko, and the story is fairly straightforward and easy to follow, but it does tend to drag at certain points, which I think is mainly because of the VERY limited four-page format the mangaka decided to go with, making the pacing a little awkward sometimes. This feels like such a love-letter for all the gay rock kids out there

I don’t really expect much from this one with the whole “I still live with my cheating ex-bf and look after him because I see myself as his mother and him my child” setup. Very offputting

Maybe because I’m a fresh psychology major, but rereading the series and recognizing topics and inherent character motives the mangaka decided to integrate makes me feel giddy in a way a kid would go “oh my god I know what that is!”

They’re literally an idiot couple but without the dating aspect (yet)

God they’re so mature and communicate well— reverse u-haul lesbians

Another seeking-revenge type of story. Of course, all the kids are jerks who are involved in shady business and practices. Nothing more to it aside from the art being quite nice.

Though this one’s female-centric and centers around grief that plagues a mom after the death of her son. That’s mainly the only thing separating it from the others in this type of revenge manga. Not that it makes it any different from the rest to be honest

PLEASE TALK TO HER. I AM BEGGING YOU.

This series is so unabashedly hard-boiled and shameless it's both jarring yet enjoyable at the same time. The fight scenes are top-notch and the characters are just so goofy and silly. Sometimes, I hate the decisions some characters make, but I also feel as if that's part of the charm for this series. This manga is by no means perfect and there's some aspects that I'm quite bothered by, but hot damn I would be lying to myself if I said this series wasn't fun

As someone who tried (key word: tried) to devote a lot of my time and passion into something like visual arts, the main character's introspection about talent, "average-ness", societal expectations, and passions feel close to home and is eerily in-depth that I can't help but wonder the author probably feels/felt quite a bit like how the main character does. I love that the series is focusing on the clumsy MC's journey to strive to do what she loves and is passionate about regardless of perceived mediocrity or societal pressures. Hoping another group picks this up!

I’ve been trying to gatekeep this story (jokingly) because this is so good and suspenseful in all the right places— but since it’s getting an anime soon I’ll have to brace myself lol. Great thriller read but I’m scared of where the story will go when it continues past the point where they figure out the truth

No matter what Eunyoung went through I still won’t forgive him! (maybe)

I don’t know what else to say aside from this mangaka knows how to draw boobs and facial expressions

Hoping someone picks this series up and scanlates more!!! Wayama Yama is becoming one of my favourite upcoming mangakas! Her art is very reminiscent of older josei and seinen works (ie. taniguchi jiro, fujisawa kaoru, junji ito, and that litchi series) with a touch of modernness in facial expressions and sharpness. Not only that, but she knows how to captivate readers by turning seemingly mundane scenarios into comedy gold by integrating what she knows best— realistic depictions of eccentric, socially-awkward characters who have a lot of charm! That sounds a little cringe but trust me it’s a lot of fun

AAAA I'm so happy someone picked it back up!

Parasocial but not exactly parasocial??? The line-teetering of that boundary is pretty interesting especially since it's not exactly unwarranted nor rejected by the idols

There’s so many Yuri with cooking nowadays, maybe i’ll make a stack for them ahahaha. Really cute series but in the cooking yuri genre probably more in the middle in terms of my enjoyment so far

I’ll be honest, Pieta is a bit insufferable, although it seems like she’s turning a new leaf after what happened so I’ll probably stick it out for her development. I like how enigmatic Transi is, but I hope we get to understand her seemingly impeccable deduction skills and exactly how she comes to her conclusions because goddamn they're so convenient for the story it sort of feels like plot armour

Maybe controversial opinion, but I actually like Shiho— yea she’s a bitch but how many people in high school were actually as unabashedly kind as the majority of the cast? Shiho just needs to learn how to cope and grow as a person but that’s nobody else’s fault but herself (despite how the author wants to frame it)

SPOILERS AHEAD FOR CHAPTER 43 AND SHIHO ARC!

I don’t know about this one chief. I’m glad we’re kind of over the whole melodramatic-ness of Shiho and Aki’s relationship, but at the same time, I was hoping with all the build up the author did for Shiho’s characterization (to which, I can confidently say I did like for the most part due to my reasons above), she would’ve been given a chance to self-reflect on her own feelings and accept her vulnerabilities and insecurities both by herself and with her band as a whole as she learns to cope and detach herself from her romantic feelings for Aki. And that if given proper time and development, her and Aki could’ve gotten a much more fulfilling and worthwhile experience if the author decided to keep them as friends learning to reconnect or future love interests for each other.

Instead, Shiho did not have that chance to actually develop these skills of coping and less-bitchiness on her own after confrontation and we did not get to see her change as a person through the consequences of her actions.

What we got was Aki’s insistence on accepting these feelings right away (implied that they might have started dating, unclear tbh) as an instantaneous reward for how Shiho has been acting all this time, with the author insisting that THIS is what Shiho needed. I understand that others might see the outcome as deserved and warranted for Shiho, especially given how much Shiho FEELS for her, but I feel as though this sudden change of events and melodramatic whiplash just gratifies Shiho’s behaviour throughout the manga. And it also gives me the impression that Aki as well, for what it’s worth, is extremely impulsive at best and somewhat manipulative at worst for her little stint.

It’s not a bad ending to the arc, in actuality I do think it was quite cute and heartwarming to some extent as it gave me those really cheesy Adam Sandler/80s movie vibes where the MC gets the girl by singing on stage, but I do feel like it’s a shame to go this route given all the development and characterization the author decided to give to such a polarizing character like Shiho

-

ANYWAYS SHIHO ACTUALLY APOLOGIZED FOR HER ACTIONS??? AND IT WAS GOOD??? IM SUDDENLY NOT BITTER ABOUT THE ENDING FOR THE LAST ARC

CHAPTER 18. THAT IS ALL.

I didn’t think I’d be so invested in a high school romance slow-burn from our current wave of romance manga but I’m obsessed with this one!!! Nao is the type of guardian I want to be like if I’m ever in her situation, and Mitsumi is so refreshingly straightforward and kind— I love her to bits. The characters’ introspection really speaks to different aspects of growing up and social connections and I think it connects with a lot of readers because of how relatable and well-executed they are. Also, I need Yuzuki and Makoto to become the ultimate friends to lovers trope, god I love their never-ending support for each other… please make it happen Takamatsu Misaki!!!

Mixes my favourite aspects of Kino no Tabi and Mushishi and feels boring in a really good way (that sounds like an oxymoron, but I just like how easy it is to get sucked into the story even when it’s just exposition dumps). One of my favourites of all time.

Very reminiscent of what people call the "Madoka-fication" of magical girls, but I also feel like this takes it at a much edgier turn with its harsher, angled artstyle as well as having its "magical girl" powers and abilities aimed towards suicide and death. I honestly like the direction the MC, Kirara, is heading towards as her happy-go-lucky nature consistently becomes questioned yet she finds more reasons to stay true to herself while also acknowledging the real horrors and tragedies of her job

I LOVE THE ART SO MUCH!! I also love sukeban themes so this is just right up my alley. Desperately need more

As someone who loves to keep up with a lot of 2D fighting games like blazblue, guilty gear and SF (I’m not very good but I understand the theory and watch a lot of tournaments), god fuck is this manga so accurate in even the smallest detail! And they have cute girls doing cute things style of yuri! Best of both worlds!

The manga is for sure living up to the webnovel

I already know I’m going to enjoy what this series has to offer. Just have to find the time and energy to sit down and finish it.

Also, the fake Satou siblings are just badass. Can’t get enough of them

God why can’t anyone just talk to each other instead of hiding and running away all the time?

I aspire to be like Kasuga one day— strong, kind, cool, and helpful! Nomoto and Kasuga are honestly so domestic even though they aren’t in an established relationship (yet)

its messages about mortality and relationships between nature and living beings are simple, but they are beautifully portrayed in its story. Each chapter has a definite point of view it wants to convey and is quite touching and multi-faceted. Love where this manga is going and I can’t wait to read more

I too, also want to start a pet family with my best friend™ and play out a yearning friends to lovers trope LOL

Not as good as the light novel tbh, but I appreciate seeing all the characters in this artstyle

SO CUTE! MC’s journey and acceptance of her feelings is so heartwarming to see

Delulu yuritopia personified. This reminds me of when I used to imagine fake life stories for random people I would see at a restaurant or something ahahaha. Need main characters to please, please, PLEASE, communicate

Man I love yuritopias but I can’t get invested in any of the ones here— literally have to rely on the scanlators’ character chart at the end to understand what’s going on

The characters are so one-dimensional it hurts

The MC and her love interest are flawed but believable. It’s also nice to see that they acknowledge each other’s shortcomings yet they still love each other regardless. I think some of the narrative plots (ie. the bisexual comment in the bar) are products of their time you’d rarely see used so openly in works today. This oneshot feels very “femgaze” and grounded in reality, especially in regards to the MC’s introspection about how she feels and accepts her emotions as a lesbian who lives in a predominantly unaccepting environment.

I only fucking finished this awful garbage because I needed to know if the characters got karma’d to hell and back. They’re all shit people. Please never read this

Another victim of average shounen stories suddenly getting axed with a rushed resolution. The character designs were cool but nothing else to it, can see why it got axed.

GABE ITCHES.

Interesting take on a God figure who help lead characters accept their own mortality. Not all the stories hit but the ones that do leave a lasting impression

The characters got a bit grating and the pacing also felt like a whole lot of nothing sometimes, but god I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy reading this. Just witnessing someone indulge themselves into a new passion and learning to love themselves and their environment through it is so euphoric I ended up enjoying every single chapter I read no matter how criminally boring it got

A short read, but something that I really appreciate for its portrayal of transness and the people who are directly involved in a trans person’s life. I find myself particularly gravitating to the main character Rika and how he perceives himself and his stance on how others see him. Very steadfast and self-assured, which are very important characteristics to have when trying to survive in a world where being trans is seen as a heavily-debated topic rather than what it simply is: living your truth.

I also love the housemate’s learned growth in how to handle his own emotions alongside the respect he holds for Rika as a person. He’s by far my favourite character in this series because of his complexities and for a specific character arc I’d rather not spoil.

A really nice slice of life story presented in a delicate perspective that I’d love to see more often in the genre. I’m glad Rika and Satsuki found their peace at the end

I want to say it's the typical josei/seinen storyline that focuses on the intricacies of unconventional love and sexual identities along with the usual sensual energy that is ever-present in these types of stories. In many cases, it very much fits that typical.

But god, the disgusting depiction of SA and the inevitable choices these characters made loses any sense of that mature sensuality that I've come to love in these types of works. Which is honestly a shame, since it did pose an interesting perspective in regards to exploring one's sexual identity

Love stories to soothe or kill the soul. Pick your poison

The last story was my favourite by far, but I’m not gonna lie “ Ecchan to Mai-chan no Koi Moyou” spoiled the experience for me a tad bit— could’ve gone without that story in the anthology

I don't remember anything from this series at all. The only thing I got out of it is that if they could, they would

Art looks a bit wonky sometimes, but interesting enough to see character’s development

The emphasis on communication was nice! But goddamn that ending felt like queerbait. It didn’t have to be flat out shown but the lack of romantic development at the end when the series was leading up to it feels like a massive cockblock LOL

Lots of what you would expect in a boxing seinen manga that aims to show the underbelly of the sport: sex, corruption, business dealings, drugs, etc.

The art was a feast for the eyes, but it really didn’t do much to hide the more mundane aspects of the manga like its story; which felt more like a superficial, melodramatic take on American nightlife and business. Was still an enjoyable, short read though

A cute, heartwarming short story. I feel as though it could’ve shown more, but as a debut work from the author, this was incredibly impressive especially with the subject matter it tackles. I love the aspects of inexperience that the oneshot portrays, with the dad’s inability to care for the baby effectively as well as his tendencies to look for short-term gratification when the going gets tough, the child’s temperament (as expected of a child) possibly as a result from the lack of support in her life during a pivotal moment in her childhood (I wish the oneshot shed a bit more light into this aspect of the child’s character), and finally to a lesser extent, the mother’s inexperience with communication. This oneshot highlights inexperience and what’s necessary for someone to learn and grow from it, to which I think it did well

Iwaki Teppei is literally the first original holder of a Blue Lock meta-vision LOL. I guess it’s time to read all of the OG Area no Kishi

Pleasant read— I really liked the very first chapter and the one about the little boy with the tanuki and big dog

This series has a very particular story it tries to portray that I don't think read well to a lot of readers who were initially interested in the original premise of a stone-cold OL dressing up to gain the attention of her boss.

Personally, I quite like the direction it went with. While it was tonally different to the narrative introduced in the first few chapters, the shift into a slight commentary on generational differences in the queer community and workplace hierarchy was a pleasant surprise to see. To delve deeper, it was the commentary on adult life, separation of personal interests and work, and the toxic and obvious mysogynistic airs perpetuated in a competitive workplace through a sapphic woman's perspective was what made this manga enticing to read through to the end. Obviously, it's not for everyone and I can see from the reception this work has received that not everyone was appreciative of the jarring tonal shift (to which, I disagree with save for some pacing issues I have with the story), but as someone who lives through many of the experiences presented in the series, I'm actually very astonished with how accurately it depicts the lasting trauma and deep-rooted hurt a marginalized person can undergo because of an identity they need to hide for the sake of appeasing societal norms for survival.

For those reasons alone I appreciate what this work tries to convey. While the miscommunication between characters were bluntly put, infuriating to witness, what the story aims to achieve outside of the typical romance shtick made it a bit worthwhile to stick it through.

Also, Rika and Ayaka are literally gigachads. I cannot stress enough how much these two characters alone improved the series by tenfold just for their existence and character philosophies

I gotta say, the characters were heartwarming and the highlight of the story. Everything else just felt really flat. From the story, to the development, to even the pacing, the manga lacked in a lot of ways.

I don’t regret reading it though, it was a short but sweet story that I wish could’ve been expanded on more in some capacity

See, I wish I could say I ended up loving this until the end. I really looked forward to how the anthropomorphic story about human society and its systematic issues would end, but by the time I was halfway through the last arc, I just couldn’t muster up the courage to enjoy it as much as I did before.

Though overall, I quite liked this story for what it was worth. The fights were amazing, the social commentary— while sometimes a little too on the nose— was still something to ponder on and an interesting device for how the author wanted to pivot the story in the directions she wanted it to go. But man, it was because of that that I was so sorely disappointed about the ending.

Legoshi and Louis’ foil characteristics and worldviews were exactly what I adored about this series. Having two strong, opposing forces that sought to uplift each other in their own regards and actions was so homoerotic in nature that I could not stop reading. Their chemistry was seriously unmatched. But the role reversal in the last arc reinforced their flaws further (Legoshi’s hotheaded-ness and lack of critical thinking skills tbh, and Louis’ gradual descent into his spoiled, impulsive side) which made me more annoyed by each chapter I read. Not that I find the highlighting of their flaws unforgivable, but because that arc’s conflict and situation couldn’t really give these nuanced sides of Legoshi and Louis the growth potential it deserved.

Also, Haru being so stupid through that last arc soured the experience for me.

I loved the art for this manga and the overarching rivalry between the two main boxers. Their development was intense to read

I have no words, to be honest. This manga encapsulated the pains that come with self-hatred and internalized homophobia so well that I had to take a quick five-minute break to just take it all in and breathe. Wow, those feelings took me back.

The story imparts LGBTQ+ readers with a lot of needed reassurance especially for people who are in similar societal and cultural standings as the main character. I think that’s what i appreciate so much about this work. It doesn’t sugarcoat anything, but it doesn’t forget to highlight the happiness and good that can come out from hoping and believing despite seemingly constricting circumstances.

I’m glad Nanasaki had the opportunity to flourish and find his happiness and I hope his story grants other LGBTQ+ people the hope and confidence they deserve to live their life how they see fit

This was a slog to read. Not because it was bad, but the pacing made it hard for me to binge it all in one sitting. Let’s just say that there was both nothing and so much going on at the same time that I felt too uncomfortable continuing.

I think that’s the best word for me to use in regards to this series. It was uncomfortable.

The circumstances each kid had to go through and survive in felt so eerily realistic yet so disconnected in its presentation, like I was watching a book that made it its mission to make every character as miserable as possible. Lots of codependency, lots of self-introspection that fully encapsulated just how hard their adolescence is hitting them. But that’s what made the growth of each character all the more note-worthy and relieving.

One of the series’ best traits is its ability to make even the more unlikeable and polarizing characters someone that we can empathize with to some degree. It doesn’t justify these characters actions, but rather, it gives us the free choice to decide whether or not their backstory and life are aspects of themselves we can be understanding of alongside their more reprehensible actions.

I liked reading this story, and this story’s LGBTQ+ and diverse adolescence representation felt very authentic, if that makes sense

I only read this because the girl I like told me how she found this really shitty "what the fuck" manga and we ended up reading through this whole slog of a story in one sitting. I remember just looking at each other with confusion and disgust in our eyes after finishing the last chapter. Because, honest to god, what the fuck was that?

What I said in Kyochuu Retou can be said here. Since they're honestly the same exact story but with a gigantic chicken instead

It's okay for what it is I guess. Extremely trope-y and superficial, and I'll probably forget about it after a few minutes. Really wished there were more enemies to lovers type of dynamic in yuri because there's so little I can find that's actually fun to read

TW; SA, Rape, Abuse

It’s hard to really conceptualize a lot of what I thought about and how I felt with this manga. On one hand, I adore the emotional commentary, but there’s also some minute choices in presentation that made me extremely uncomfortable in an unnecessary way. Not to say that being uncomfortable is bad— being uncomfortable is an emotion that can really be a testament to a work’s quality. But, I’ll touch on those unnecessary aspects later.

There’s a lot I can comment on that left quite a huge impression on me. The main characters, for example, are such perfect foils for each other. This is not only in personal beliefs and outlook, but also in how they view a specific person in particular that I think perfectly encapsulates the idea of how complex human perception is and the many facets a person can hold. I don’t want to say specifically who that person is in hopes whoever’s reading this decides to pick the tankobon up, but the fact that for one character, this person is essentially the root of their escapism and what they don’t aspire to be as for their image of a “hero”, and for the other this person is what even gives them the idea of a “hero” in the first place is such a small detail that I feel like a lot of people overlooked in place of the overlying theme of self-discovery and perseverance in trauma.

Can’t say I blame them though, because this manga did a stellar job in really enveloping the reader into the characters’ inner turmoil. Taiga’s earnest, yet self-centered and delusional stance of reality being morphed by Arima’s independence, reluctancy and lack of trust in the world around him (and vice versa) was such an emotional rollercoaster to read through.

In speaking about Arima’s relationship with his gender identity, as wholly complex and heart-wrenching as it was, it was so liberating finally seeing him get ahold of and take back the power he rightfully has in defining himself without the pressures and manipulation of the adults that failed him and society itself. While by the end of this manga us as readers still don’t have a clear and definitive label or explanation for how he identifies as aside from his chosen pronouns, I think that deliberate literary aspect of his identity was such a powerful choice to make. Because who are we to say, define, and explain his existence when he himself is the only person who experiences it deep down? Identity is fluid and a concept hard to grasp for anyone who doesn’t have such a deep and innate relationship with it and it’s so refreshing having a character like Arima who chooses to live for himself without feeling the need to explain away his existence or provide an explanation for who he is just to cater to society.

With all that being said, I also have to address the elephant in the room— the trigger warnings. This manga probably has one of the most graphic depictions of rape I’ve ever seen in a regular release. I understand the importance of portraying the uncomfortable and outright disgusting nature of rape and how much it affects those who live through it, and the sudden tonal shift in the story to this aspect really does amplify exactly how jarring and life changing an event like that can affect someone. But there’s also a saying a lot of literary and media consumers would point to— “was showing that really necessary?”. Personally, for me, it’s a case by case basis, but usually more on the side of “no, it’s not”. So it irks me that in some shape or form, the stark depiction of it with SFX bubbles of all things for… really felt unnecessary. All in all, it helped the reader understand the true pain of what this particular character went through, but some of the presentation choices made to “enhance” the despair was wholly unnecessary.

I’d also like to point at a particular climactic event in the manga that was outright depicting the cycle of abuse and sexual assault. An attempt of a victim trying to victimize another. It hurt, it sucked, and it was painful reading this in such a blunt manner. I don’t see a lot of people talking about this, and even now I still don’t know how to feel about this situation in particular given where the story went. I’d like to just, believe it was something that never actually followed through and it was an event both parties have had long, fruitful and genuine conversations over in order to move forward.

This story was powerful in so many aspects, and I don’t think I’ll ever get this particular manga out of my head. It really showed just how much raw talent Peyo had as a storyteller and artist, and it’s really a shame we’ve lost someone so young

TL;DR text boxes personified. Could’ve been more but decent for what it is.

Never really been fond of sports-centered manga up until recently (kinda embarrassing to admit why) but I don’t regret getting into them because a series like daiya is so special because of its sports-centric nature and how much a game can entice such huge emotions of passion from its players. The characters and overall presentation (like panelling— god I love how the mangaka paces their panels and action) are what makes this series so awesome.

Honami I hope you find someone that will treat you well, sucks childhood friend is always stuck yearning. Aside from that I felt like I gained nothing reading this. I’ll probably forget about it after an hour or so

I’d say that comparing this to CSM, Fujimoto’s ideas were more daring and very “idgaf-ism” in this series. It was clear he wasn’t afraid of pushing the boundaries in storytelling and I think that’s what made this series so intriguing to begin with.

To put it bluntly, this series is so what the fuck. Every single turn in the story made me feel very confused but interested at the same time. In saying that though, the narrative still made a lot of sense and even the seemingly non-sensical aspects of the story contributed heavily to the atmosphere and overall feel of the series. Hell, it even enhanced the more serious themes present and gave it a platform to hit harder in its execution because of our own “goofy” perceptions of the characters.

I see a lot of similarities between Agni and Denji, and I think it’s very clear that Fujimoto’s favourite pastime is drawing and writing very socially awkward boys who have very tunnel-vision views for their singular passions. Not that I have a problem with it, but I just thought it was something interesting to think about a little bit.

Also, I don’t know what it is about Fujimoto and LGBTQ+ themes, but this man loves queer people and incorporates them in some way shape or form in his stories and it’s always such a pleasant surprise and a pleasure to read. You go king!

I know a lot of people would be put off by the initial themes presented in the series, but good god if you can stomach it or if you can find yourself understanding the nuances of why it exists, this story will hit like an emotional B-movie viewing while you’re extremely high or drunk

The “straight girl” thing felt a bit disingenuous, but I guess that’s a staple for certain yuri manga conflicts— especially with older authors like Takemiya Jin. It was nice seeing Yamanaka’s growth as a person though without completely disregarding her original philosophy and demeanour. Also love the “still good friends with my exes” trope it feels so real LOL

the art is so nice! God when is it my turn?

Awkward teenagers back at it again with their blunt showcasing of love! This anthology is so damn cute, even the characters can't stop calling each other cute! The characters feel so clumsy and gawky it's like I'm actually reliving the cringe moments of my all-girls high school all over again LOL

Also, this anthology literally encapsulates my "Black-haired with Blonde Trope" yuri stack to a T it's insane. Each of the characters either have black or blonde hair and they follow an "opposites attract" trope to some degree

Wow. My favourite part about this series is probably its foreshadowing and symbolism. The mangaka KNOWS how to portray subtle hints and meanings through their illustrations, perspective shots, paneling, and even with something as simple as stares or a fucking COUGH. The twists were always gut-wrenching and emotionally draining. The ending felt a bit rushed and underwhelming though, but not as much as let’s say, the extremely baffling Tokyo Revengers ending— though it still felt like it wrapped up this manga’s overall theme of “living to carry their hopes and the hopes of everyone who made it possible” nicely, and I dare say, even perfectly.

Mega-nee, I made it!