Jul 4, 2022
7.2/10
...
(Light Seven)
Fujimoto's latest work although not sketched by himself still lives up to the billing of the same unorthodox meta storytelling he has clung onto for years now and usually it works to near perfection whether it be with a crazy movie-enthusiast who is hell-bent on making a meta movie on the dreary post-apocalyptic steammpunk Fire Punch or with his last OS Goodbye Eri where he's literally blurring the line between fact & faction, told with very solid social commentary on media perception or with his more personal OS Look Back where he's re-living or reminiscing on some of his career highs & lows through these very real & relatable characters but with this particular one shot, it felt a wee bit underwhelming mainly because the core theme of the story could've been expanded upon tremendously and the end result just felt a bit brash, unrefined and unpolished. Todo's art generally felt reminiscent of Fujimoto's own but there's no outstanding or jaw-breaking panels to drool over either
Fujimoto is definitely cheeky tho, this bastard !! He's now concocted a meta story where the protagonist, who is a highschooler, goes through this spiraling rabbit-hole of dealing with sudden fame & popularity but for all the wrong reasons. While trying to ask out a girl, he posts a love confession video(as he put it) on YouTube with a song, ends up getting mocked by his peers , as one does in today's social climate but then it suddenly starts to get popular, turning our protagonist to an unlikely sensation overnight not because of his own music content but the general perception from viewers regarding his video. Conspiracies, Supernatural, Subliminalism, Politics ...literally anything and everything is to be found & perceived in his video, supposedly anything but his true motive. All this is showcased further when he makes another similar video but it does not garner any significant conversation thereafter. He is then confronted by his crush at the very end where his real motive for the video is revealed and it ends abruptly leaving us viewers craving for more answers in classic Fujimoto fashion.
Now, it's definitely not a secret that everything portrayed in this story is a direct parallel to Fujimoto and his polarizing projects which have garnered many conversations/controversies alike with endless theory-crafting over the years throughout his tenure. He has gained quite a following in the manga sphere and is quickly climbing the ranks but with that comes a heap of expectations that needs to be exolved. He's basically asking his fanbase to maybe temper their high expectations for his upcoming projects but at the same time dreading that he, himself, might not be able to deliver. It's a very genuine humane fear to have and he does not shy away from showcasing his actual thoughts & feelings in his stories which i very much respect & admire but this motif didn't particularly hit home for me as some of his other instances. It's natural to dread failure, yes but you can't manage every expectations and indulgence from your own viewers at any capacity. There will always be criticisms, harsh takes but there will also be grave reviews & insane theory-crafting for every minor detail. That is what any creator's work should entail tbh and Fujimoto bringing this up, as he does with his usual demeanor, at hindsight may seem a tad going overboard or cocky or even overdone at this point but it still remains as a nasty gruelling conundrum between creators and followers alike. Although, I still might've fallen right into Fujimoto's hand by wasting my time with unnecessary theory-crafting & writing review on this OS😂 but hey, the consumers won't ever change man. We'll always be diggin'
To put it bluntly, definitely not the best material Fujimoto has ever penned. Lacked the usual nuanced approach we usually see from him. The whole thing felt like it was revolving around just this one plot-detail and that was it. Plus, the fact that it is only an average manga chapter length hampers any character development whatsoever. I know it's supposed to be short but it really failed to fulfill it's full potential in just 19 pages. The story was just beggin' for more. He says here more & enough in 19 pages than literally any other average mangaka or writer could ever conjure up with but it's unfortunately a glaring miss and a bit cut-throat dry than a clear hit for me. Still, a must read if you're into Fujimoto's work but i’m fairly certain that everything & anything within punching range when talking about Fujimoto's work is covered in jizz from oh so ever enthusiastic fans so....
P.S don't fall into the trap that has been set, like i did 🤡
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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