Mangonificent's manga / #atmospheric/immersive(12)

I love this so much. It has this really serene, calming atmosphere. It's taking its' time, not rushing the development, not afraid of being subtle, and it all just feels sensual and mature. Really unique and charming artwork as well.

After I picked this up, I soon formed a habit of reading a couple of chapters every night before bed. Good choice for that since the artstyle and slow build convey this serene, calming atmosphere despite all the drama going on in the story. Does such a good job developing the plot and its’ characters, even made me cry at one point (Merry’s mom ಥ﹏ಥ). The relationship between Sooho and Merry was so endearing and wholesome. Was actually surprised how affectionate and even playful Sooho was because at the beginning I expected him to be this aloof type of character. One criticism I have is that the ending felt a bit rushed. Poor Anemone really deserved some more resolution IMO. Such a wonderful lady but her involvement kind of just stopped without us even getting her reaction to a tragedy involving her. I'd have loved to hear how she moved on. And what about Merry's childhood friend? Seemed like she was developing a crush for Anemone but that element was completely dropped. Was a bit off-putting since the story otherwise took its' time with all the development but here in the end, not so much.

Didn’t expect this to be so sweet. Such a good read which finely addresses issues that might be present in an age-gap romance while not forgetting the wholesome moments. I also find the art charming, it’s refreshingly unique, and the visual storytelling is just beautifully done. Definitely recommend to check it out. However... I have a significant aversion towards misunderstanding tropes and here the whole story is built around one(s). At times this could make the experience extremely frustrating, even reached a point in which I was screaming: “MOTHERFUCKER, USE YOUR WOOOOORDS!!!!” I do realize the relationship is intentionally messy and that’s fine. These are flawed people. Mistakes are made and later acknowledged. But dear lord, when the main misunderstanding is something that could be solved with just ONE sentence but it drags on and on because the uke completely refuses to communicate his thoughts, EVEN when the seme directly asks “Let’s talk so I can do something about it.” …that's just irritating on a stupid level. IMO this could have been cut shorter while putting some more attention to the ending which, in contrast, felt rather abrupt. For above (and other) reasons the MC increasingly pissed me off but, to his credit, he later does spell out EXACTLY what I thought of his behaviour. Not that the seme is perfect, nor does he have to be, but I still found him relatable and charming, less immature and erratic. (Well, I guess he has age on his side. No wonder I tend to prefer older men). Thankfully, my annoyance with the MC didn’t stop me from enjoying the romance because the chemistry and sexual tension between the two worked great. Even the sex scenes kept me highly invested (yes, I easily get bored of those if proper context or sensuality is missing). Really loved how sweet and responsible the seme was, taking some time to actually educate the overeager uke. All in all, I must commend the quality of this work because it has tropes I dislike but still managed to keep me heavily invested.

Fucking impeccable. An actual gem among the sea of banal stuff.

A prequel with some very dark and disturbing material but, like in Itou-san, none of it is the romanticizing type. Ties very well into the main story, explaining Itou-san's past and how he ultimately started his transformation from a robotic killer to a man capable of love. Really liked how it also gave light to some of his quirks like the constant smiling and his quite unique taste in neckties.

This really immersed me. Such a beautiful, perfectly paced ride with great characters. Loved how they used train as a metaphor for life and the people you meet in it, how some stay for your journey while the others leave. Conveys really well the feelings of loneliness, how the MC graves for human warmth but at the same time is afraid of it. Managed to make me relate on such a level that the moment he shared his first kiss with the boss I was simultaneously feeling happy and nervous. Happy he was getting that warmth from this seemingly good man but nervous in case he'd end up hurt again. I also must commend the refreshing way the story used the high schooler. In most BL mangas it’s like a rule that the first (attractive) person the MC sets their eyes on is the destined love interest. Here instead the character plays a different but still an important role, making it so that it’s not only the love interest who is instrumental in the MC’s healing process. Both his boss and the high schooler provided him with something precious. I liked that a lot.

(Gotta write a better review later but for now I'm just gonna gush) Masterpiece. I love how unique it is, I love the art, I love the plot, I love the characters. And I must also say: SO damn refreshing to see bi- and pansexuality acknowledged! That like never happens! And the way Kuroiwa mentioned this too, this complete carefree attitude about his sexual orientation, it's so damn lovely. None of the stupid denial shit you usually see.

There's just something extremely comforting about this. It's so calm, has this mature subtle tone, and the characters are so gentle and understanding with each other. No forced drama. I also really enjoy the unique style of this artist. Such a breath of fresh air.