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- BirthdayApr 2004
- LocationVietnam
- JoinedJun 28, 2022
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Feb 28, 2024
When approaching a Manhwa, I always brace myself for the long run because I feel like Manhwa has the tendency to drag out the plot with incessant sex scenes without the plot budging any inches forward.
Nevertheless, I more or less become infatuated with "Haunted by Desire", the reasons for which I will briefly elaborate to summon more readership:
The story sets in the historical Joseon era, and the soft watercolor art works well to accentuate the nostalgic mood. At first glance, the art doesn't seem to stand out but at closer examination, I realized the strong technicality behind little details in the hands, eyes, lips,
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sceneries. The fact that those details feel almost hidden yet elicit such distinct emotions within a change of brush angle is what amazes me. I mostly adore the facial expressions for the same reasons - each character has their own demeanor that isn't too in-your-face stereotypes like bulky, arrogant, violent, power-hungry tops and foul-mouthed, wretched bottoms (if you get what I mean). I love how most of the time, the characters are mild-mannered, especially Dohwi, and how the supernatural theme is not abused for showing-off purposes.
There are more than one couple in the story, and each has their own expression of love, all with its own allure which really puts me into those damned romantic musing - the "oh, to be pined for and embraced like that" sort of thought.
The first 40 chapters has the strongest execution, with meandering, poetic dialogues and cinematic transitions between the frames. After the revelation, the plot offers nothing new and you basically just stick around to show support for your favorite couples.
So in short, the plot is sufficient for the story to stand on (but not for long), and the artistic execution is absolutely endearing. Overall, "Haunted by Desire" is a sugarcoated story with a vibe similar to those Kdrama that involves mythological elements.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Feb 13, 2024
The first few panels completely stole my heart and swept me off my feet, for they were so beautifully drawn with sparks of chemistry sent off flying everywhere. And the magic persisted until the very last chapters.
Set in the 20s America, Elliot and Lin Che were two gay men who got into such a passionate relationship but their narrative was haunted by a tragic backstory amidst a turbulent society. I would say this is one of the story that highlights that magnificence of fiction capable of moving hearts with hard-hitting but awfully realistic tragedy while embracing human perseverance. Seeing Elliot and Lin Che strived
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to overcome the obstacles life threw at them just to stay with each other fills me with inexplicable awe. Almost makes me wish for a love like that - but then again, I guess, as a human being in today's desensitized, egocentric society, it's better to live a harm-free, loveless life alone than suffer so much like Elliot and Lin Che did in the name of love.
The ending is somewhat a happy one - but I especially adore how the author took the depth of their love to another level by depriving them of what was originally their pride and forte - for Elliot, it's his wealth, for Lin Che, it's his beauty. What is left is just pure love between two ragged men who have lost it all, who will continue to persevere through a life full of nothing but hardship ahead for the sake of each other. Talking about tragic romance... The author really asks their characters to be God's strongest and most romantic soldiers...
Overall, a heart-rending story that elevates the multitude of escapism.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jan 11, 2024
It is true that the violent tendency of Masaki is inexcusable, and the "BDSM" tag is super wrong. But I'd like to write a review in favor of the story, since the romanticized aspects of it quite struck a chord with me, mostly due to its resonance with my personal life.
The story is about Tsubasa - a pianist living under the pressure of his father. He also has a kink of getting hit, and latches himself onto Masaki who obviously has issues with anger management and violence due to childhood abandonment. If it's real life, Masaki will mean bad news, no doubt. But seeing
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Masaki and Tsubasa make efforts to move on from past trauma and reciprocate each other's affection just warms my heart. I wish misunderstood people, and "bad" people in real life can have a chance in life like that, to receive genuine love, to be forgiven and to change for the better because of that.
I like the characterization of Masaki. It may be my own subjective perception but although he is portrayed as your typical abusive character, he is surprisingly "human" and "real" to me, rather throwing fists around for the sake of effect. Like how he's actually a man of few words. He doesn't talk all that much, and only uses violence as far as his line of logical reasoning allows. Ofc the author would go through the motion of giving Masaki some redeeming actions so readers won't hate him all the way through, so I'm pretty indifferent about that. I just like how he isn't the noisy, hysterical type of violent man, but the taciturn, cold type - it shows broiling vulnerability within the guy.
Small gestures and the use of subtext in certain parts provide unexpected depth to the character. Like how Tsubasa asked if Masaki liked Chiaki (the ex-bf he used to abuse) and Masaki just straight out said "Yes… but it was a failure." You get to fill in the blanks with his unspoken sense of regret. Or how Masaki asked if Tsubasa got a lift from his colleague to get home. In this scene, the author didn't make Masaki act fussy or possessive, or make Tsubasa pose cliche questions like: "Is that you being jealous?" Instead, the next panel, we just saw Tsubasa the next day, rejecting the colleague's offer, thinking Masaki looked a bit angry the other day. And BAM. Masaki had already waited outside Tsubasa's workplace to pick him up. ig lovers who think of each other without having to declare so is just my type of romance.
The story is not perfect, and certainly has flawed characters, but for me, it has some sentimental values and faint signs of human complexity that, in my opinion, are worth appreciating.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 11, 2024
The manga delves into such a special topic and does it beautifully, and I was captivated by the wide-eyed gaze of Uno (quite literally).
I love the stars and have always wondered how some people can look in the sky and point out what kind of stars and planet that tiny dot is. It's somekind of witchcraft I don't quite get. And I tend to talk excitedly about things to my friends only to realize "Oh, they don't really care about it. I must sound lame." That's basically what this manga is also about. So I have a "that's so me" moment and get emotional while
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reading about how neurodivergent characters in this manga deal with their problems of interacting with other people.
Overall, it's a heart-warming story about school life with kind-hearted high school kids so if you're in a reading slump and want to take things slow, this can be a nice stop for you!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jan 11, 2024
I was tempted by the aesthetic cover and decided to give this a try. The art is a strong point, and the progression is well done, not too rushed, considering this is just a one shot. The steamy scenes are okay-ish, but not quite brimming with chemistry I'd say. The younger brother might not have a flair for spicing up his fantasies, and the older brother is quite a cardboard character with little personality of his own in either way.
But somehow, I guess this is one of the most realistic way to portray one-sided incest, and the one-shot form works well to accompany this
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development choice, since the black-haired younger brother only imagines tormenting his older brother in his mind, rather than enact his fantasies in real life. And the older brother is oblivious to it, so there is nothing to suggest that things can progress further between them - which is mostly realistic, but not necessarily satisfying. But it's a less common execution, at least to me, so I find it quite interesting.
While we get clear insights into the psychology of the younger brother (through his monologue, which I like), I would argue that the charm of the fair-haired older brother pales in comparison - like his characteristics are just a guy with a new chick every time he appears. Even as a good-for-nothing older brother, he kinda lacks depth and charisma, so I can't fully appreciate the yearning aspect of the story.
But overall, it's nice to see an author that refuses to use predictable cliche in a one-shot of this type.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Nov 29, 2023
I have seen that the series have received unfavorable comments due to the graphic intercourse between a woman and a snake deity so I'm here to balance out the view. That is to say, I love the story. It's a great read for me! (don't know what this says about me tho...)
I think the intimate depiction really adds to the charm of the story which already has intriguing plot, dark but alluring art and a diverse set of characters. And I feel like the intercourse is built upon trust and love between the characters so I'm surprised that people can feel put off by that,
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just because he's a snake :'( He is snake with a rich personality and he's also a doting husband duh :'( And it's not like the scene is depicted with an oversexualized, degrading tone or anything. Miyo completely stole my heart!! I can totally understand why Daija is enamoured with her.
Each to their own ofc, but I feel an obligation to defend this story - its originality is worth an experience so I don't want it to get omitted. So if you can handle a quirky story with a reasonable amount of bestiality, then don't miss out!!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Nov 18, 2023
wow the premise looks as if the story will turn into a roundabout with spineless characters but it is actually quite a heartwarming journey.
The characters are obviously good people in a slice-of-life so the story probably won't reflect what actually happens in reality, but it does help the readers to address their own double standards about the definition of a freeloader and how we let finance affect our love life.
And to be honest, who doesn't fall in love with genuinely kind, it's just the society telling us to prioritize financial gains over sentimental values, and it's not completely wrong about that.
But that reality is
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frustrating so taking a detour from that and immersing in this manga where you can let the charm of a so-called useless guy with a big heart might be a good idea. (But to be fair I don't think most freeloaders in real life are like Koji so it's probably best to cut off from them. Nothing good will come out of the relationship, really...)
That being said, the story definitely has this feel-good quality and seeing how Koji slowly wins readers' hearts is amusing.
It's a good read that leaves you fulfilled with only 20 chapters, which is another charm worth mentioning.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Oct 31, 2023
I had a go at this manga without much expectation but WOW! The story is really a meticulous work about career and marriage life, child vs childless lifestyle and human communication.
The main protagonists are the Sumisu - a married couple approaching their late 30s who are childless. Jun worked as a housewife while her husband Takeyori was the breadwinner who was overworked and therefore claimed not to be ready for kids. This is when life comparison kicks in, Jun decides to restart her career and problems arise.
It's a very mature, serious work about good-natured people who found themselves caught up in the complexity of interpersonal
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relationships in life.
I love how their emotions and insecurities are all valid. Although I'm just starting my 20s, their problems about making life decisions really get into my head and push me to think about resolving my own. Therefore, it's thrilling and moving at the same time to witness how the couple work their way to heal their relationship with love and responsbility.
But then again, the author let the story make a roundabout when it comes to having affairs - when things could have ended neatly, the characters started to have second thoughts. Honestly, it's not a fatal choice, although it might potentially ruin character development for some readers. While this choice certainly makes the story more suffocating, it's not more boring - I find it amusing that I can get to see more affectionate sides to the characters.
I hope the story can end well for everyone, but after all, life is full of painful dilemma. It can't be helped.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Oct 17, 2023
Realistically speaking, a teacher - student relationship can be problematic for many reasons like power imbalance and predatory intetions. That's what happens in real life. But such relationship has its own charm, not in spite of, but because of the secretive state and sense of higher connection (since it takes a greater urge from both sides to initiate such a "dangerous liaison"). A work of fiction with a student-teacher theme allows the reader to indulge in its charm while saving themselves from moral skepticism and guilt - me. I'm the reader.
"Shiota-sensei to Amai-chan" is a warm-hearted story about a literature teacher called Shiota (literal meaning:
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salt crop) and a model student called Amai (literal meaning: sweetness). The story only takes a first few chapters to explain how Amai pursued her teacher, Shiota, who declined at first but, as the main storyline infers, eventually agreed into the relationship. So theirs is an established relationship that doesn't shy away from moderate skinship and chemistry - which I like haha. I also like the smooth and plumpy edges of Amai's fingertips and Shiota's aloof demeanour. It's a slice-of-life so life in the story flows pleasantly, which is another plus.
But obviously my favorite part is the chemistry and little details that add substance to the story. Amai-chan is straightforward in her affection while Shiota keeps an appropriate limit (not at all times tho, haha) but still reciprocates her feelings in his own way rather than pushes her away. The things they did in the story are relevant for the plot and other elements of school life are more than mere excuses to act lovey-dovey or to create unnecessary drama. It's almost as if Amai really is a competent student and Shiota really is a teacher with job responsibilities in real life.
Overall, I love it and really hope that more chapters can be released (the last time it updated was 2020, standing at chapter 43 - what a sad thing)
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Oct 8, 2023
I'd say it's a good read. Onto the good points, it has nice art (I love the sceneries - very atmospheric), characters with clear line of reasoning and the pacing is just right, not dragging on with repetitive course of action. The plot just progresses forward from one scene to another.
One thing definitely kinda bugs me (which might be personal opinion) is that the attitude and resolution towards the teacher incident feel a bit unnatural. The characters (high school students) talk and have thoughts and resolve problems like an example straight out of the civics coursebook. It feels like the author is trying to
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sound a bit too moralistic and righteous. Like as if the characters (especially the side character) are claiming the moral high ground all at once without an intermediary space. It's not necessarily a downside. Nor I'm downplaying the deed. Just something that sticks out to me.
While the chemistry between the two main characters are okay-ish for most of the story, that is, boyish bantering to show their emotions, the last few chapters are crazily moving. What's with the bomb-ass ending chapters? I can't grasp why the monologue and the inner turmoil and emotional torment suddenly get so spine-chillingly good nearing the end, haha, almost poetic without trying too hard.
Overall, a very considerate manhwa that is worth considering for a change of pace.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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