Back to Azure_Hinko's Profile Azure_Hinko's Profile

This manga opens with a simple "body swap" premise, and slowly evolves into a psychological venture about identity and the connection (or lack of it) between body and mind.

A hikikomori with a miserable life (Isao Komori) wakes up one day in the body of a school girl that he saw at a convenience store (Mari), and motivated by his attraction to her, decides that he will pretend to be the real Mari as to not ruin her life, while wondering what happened to the real Mari. Instead of focusing on the lewd of this situation, this story centers on the awfully "bodily" consequences of ... this, and the dysphoria of Isao as he lives his days as Mari while feeling an absolute disconnection with his physical body. He purposefully avoids feeling comfortable or looking at Mari's genitals, in what he feels will bring shame to a body that isn't his.

This manga excels are showcasing the daily life of a female teen. In beautiful artwork we see Isao in Mari's body getting dressed, wearing make-up and following the routine of a young woman with no sexualization. While there are panels where we see Mari's naked body, it's never meant to be sexy or appealing. It's just her body with the normal proportions of a human. Not only is this physical portrayal of a woman a breath of fresh air in this industry, but it also made me felt a strong relatability and connection with Isao's experiences. Him learning how to sit properly as to not show his underwear, or realizing the way adult men started looking at him in the street were not only painfully accurate but also... Scary.

This story manages to delve into what I'd like to describe as the daily and casual horror of being a woman. All the experiences we live through, and the constant fear of someone hurting us because they didn't saw a person in us, only a body that's desirable. I believe every girl growing up can, in a way, relate to Isao's experiences: realizing people sometimes don't look at *you*, but at your body. The old man catcalling at you certainly didn't, nor did your parent saying clothes like those are not appropriate for a lady. Whether it be with ill intentions or not, many instances in our lives are not about us but about the flesh suit we happen to wear. A heartbreaking scene in the manga shows Isao having a breakdown and asking Mari's family: "Why does no one ever look at *me*?"

It's uncomfortable and crude, which is what it sometimes feels when you have a body and the author nailed that feeling to perfection.

There's even a scene where Isao gets his first period, where we are slowly shown the horror of him being unable to stop it and crying from the pain while crouching in the middle of a street, all by his own. Reminding myself that every single girl in the world experiences this exact same thing at puberty was surreal. It's natural, of course but that doesn't mean it can't be scary. It's such a well-crafted sequence, and certainly one of the best of the entire manga. Shuzo Oshimi managed to create one of the best portrayals I have ever seen of femininity.

As the story nears it's end, we learn more and more about Isao's and Mari's identity, but I'd rather not describe it as to avoid spoilers. It does, however, delve even beyond gender and more in what makes you a person. I totally recommend checking it out on your own.

General consensus:

Art – Shuzo Oshimi's delicate line work shows precise emotions while retaining a semi realistic style. The way he draws Mari is delicate and crude the same, depending on the situation. His paneling is also excellent. 10/10

Characters – They are dynamic, not a single one of them being completely likable or unlikable. The story focuses of Isao so naturally he is the most complex of all. 8/10

Story – It has good pacing, not rushing or dragging any scenes. 9/10

Conclusion: Boku wa Mari no Naka is a psychological story with a surprisinly accurate portrayal of femininity, and the human experience of having a body and a mind that sometimes doesn't feel like they match. It goes into almost gross detail of these differences, where we learn about the complex identity of our MC and his struggle to be in peace with himself. It's also a short read (80 chapters) that can be easily binged, and leaves a bittersweet feeling in your gut. 9/10, I highly recommend this manga.

Note: I'll keep this review mostly spoiler free for those interested in checking it out.

This series has a very unusual premise that's honestly a bit silly: the leader of a company has died after being betrayed by a co-worker, but just as he is about to pass out, a mysterious being offers him a second chance at life. If he succeeds, he will be granted a wish of his choice (return to his old life). He desperately accepts, of course. When he wakes up, he is now a little bass in a lake, and the only way to return to his old life is by ... completing a series of quests like the ones in a RPG game, and stand as the sole "survivor" of this twisted test by leveling up. After this bizarre premise, we could expect a comedy, but this manhwa goes in a more interesting route. There are silly moments, of course, but this story mainly focuses on the regrets of our protagonist as he reflects the mistakes he has made and attempts to survive as one of the weakest creatures in the lake, just as he did when he was working on the company and had to push other people away to stand at the top, or at least that's what he initially thinks. He uses his knowledge to outsmart his enemies, but he is constantly pushed back by his initially terrible abilities. As the story progress, we are shown his desire to fix his mistakes and return to his family, and we can't help but empathize with his purpose despite the many mistakes he made as a human, and how unlikable he was.

The author themselves is a fishing enthusiast, and the protagonist (a former fisherman) uses his knowledge about marine life to survive against human fishers as well as other creatures, so the story is also kind of accurate to the ecosystem our protagonist faces (there are still some fantasy elements, of course). We are shown many fish species, and the threat of some fishing techniques and pollution. It's far from trying to tell a ecologist tale, but it still teaches the reader about some issues that fishing brings to marine life.

We also learn that by becoming stronger, his human memories slowly fade, as such is the price of "getting used" to his new life. I personally adore this topic and it's executed in a way kind of similar to that of Parasyte by Hitoshi Iwaaki, for those faimilar with it. Like Shinichi, he starts to wonder if by being closer to his goal he will lose his humanity. But what other choice does he has?

Surving as a Fish shows itself as the usual "leveling-up and become strong isekai", but pushes it further to encapsulate topics not all manhwa of the same genre do (the value of a life, regret, memories and desire to improve) and subvert your expectations, which can be a nice surprise to its reader. The execution may fall a bit short at times, but it still accomplishes this purpose in a way the reader may not be expecting and that will surely please them.

Am I trying to talk about the depth of a story of a man that turns into a bass? I sure am. Am I remotely correct, or just trying to push my philosophy and interests into a dumb isekai that's surely not complex? Maybe, you decide.

Some final ratings:
Characters: 8/10
Artstyle: 6/10
Writing: 7/10

Conclusion: Surving as a Fish is an interesting isekai that makes use of its premise to surprise the reader with a compelling story and characters. Despite it's RPG elements, it tries to stay true to the lake ecosystem it takes place in, makes an attempt to tackle the philosophy of being a human and shows our protagonist slowly improve as a person as his journey goes on. It's far from a masterpiece, but it will surely be a nice surprise for those familiar with the genre and those interested with marine life. 7/10