madd's manga / #gorgeous art(188)

9.5 out of 10 This mangaka never misses I swear- This is so perfect. I like that they act like highschool boys, LOOK and ACT like highschool boys. Sad that I have to be excited about that but thank goodness it's here lol. A really nice strangers to lovers story. The premise is so simple but very amusing. Thanks to the translator for making it accessible for people who don't read or understand Japanese. I got so attached to them both, I wanna know what happens after they graduate TT TT. I just took half a point off because it's so short.

Honestly, I don't know how to feel about this manhwa. I really love some parts of it. Eunhyung's storyline, while so tragic, was such a good reflection of how serious rape is and the effects it has on women nearly every day. May she rest in peace. It took a while, but I got really attached to some of the characters; most are absolutely unbearable (*cough* Dai *cough*). However, I at least came out remembering their names. Even with some comics I like, with characters I may adore, I never bother remembering their names. I kept hoping that further into the story, they would get better, but there wasn't that much development, especially with Dai's storyline. He stayed one note. Even if he would change a little, he returned to being insufferable a chapter later. I don't know why Jaehee liked him enough to abandon some of his friends and family for him. I get it if he is the finest, kindest man on the planet and loves you more than anything. You should fight for that person, but Dai abandoned him more times than I can count. And what he did to Eunhyung is absolutely unforgivable. Someone who just sits there and lets it happen when they have the power to stop the situation is worse than the people actually doing it. He constantly resorts to violence, even toward Jaehee, who he supposedly loves. The story literally starts because he gets his gang to beat him up. What a wonderful meet-cute. (If you can't tell, I'm being sarcastic) This is abusive shit. Like how is that even a good relationship? He's just going to be stuck wondering whether his partner is in a good mood today or if he will get beaten up the next. Seeing Jaehee act like a doormat just because he "loves" him quickly gets old. And his blatant misogyny is just appalling. We never get an explanation for this either; he's just an asshole for the whole manhwa. I want to dislike this, but there are so many saving graces. This is just a very flawed story. Most definitely outdated by today's standards, probably even when it was published. I'm still salty about the fact that comics like these, with toxic love stories or ones that are borderline illegal, are the ones that get long serializations. While beautiful masterpieces with healthy storylines and wonderful characters only get 6 chapters, one volume and nobody talks about them. Do I feel like I wasted my time? No. I think I was able to learn some things, not only about some certain perspectives but even myself. One thing's for sure, this was definitely memorable, but would hardly call it masterpiece. And I would encourage my fellow readers to think before you give this a 10 out of 10.

9 out of 10 Phew this was a wild ride, and it quite a blast. The art is absolutely gorgeous. I love the monochrome style with pops of colors. I like that it wasn't completely drama, doom and gloom throughout I got a good laugh in some parts. I never felt bored and both stories were enjoyable to go through. I fell in love with almost all the characters, even the evil ones. This is definitely something I'll reread in the future.

8.5 out of 10 That lie Sunohara told Shinomiya was so weird I was so confused I thought this was gonna be a darker story, but it turned out to be pretty wholesome. I'm not a big fan of when they refer to male gay characters with female terms (e.g. mom, wife, bride, etc.), but the way they described it I thought he was trans lmao. Thank goodness they clarified in the parents' story. Sunohara's f*g comment was unnecessary and left a really bad taste in my mouth, especially since we do end up finding out that his parents are gay too. Those are just minor things, but other than that the story was really beautiful, especially the parents' story. I like that we got to see the epilogue for both of their relationships as well. The art was very beautiful. I'm always a fan of artists who use a sketchy style. And through the generations stories are one of my favorite tropes, even though they're surprisingly very rare. This was a really nice gem to find.

1. 9.5 out of 10 Had to take half a point off for noncon kissing while someone is unconscious, but the rest of their story is so sweet. I noticed that as we get closer to the end of the story, the panels show less of the environment and it is wholly consumed by the two. I thought that was an interesting detail. I'm happy they were able to get their apartment together and the scene where he tricks the other into answering the math question for him was hilarious. 2. 10 out of 10 Stories like these are perfect for oneshots, no reason to drag it out just get straight to the twist. It's sad he only found him after he died, but I'm happy the ghost was able to get his last wish fulfilled. I would like to know if he would disappear or the other guy would be the only one able to see him forever. 3. 10 out of 10 I love that we got to learn the story for both characters, and this part of the manga just felt so poetic. This is one that I wish was longer, but what we got is also fine with. The design of his wings just looked so unique and beautiful. And I'm so glad they met when they were both kids and not with him as an adult waiting for the longhaired guy to grow up. 4. 3 out of 10 I only give this a 3 because I love the cellular line and the art is gorgeous. But why couldn't he be older, a 5 year age gap isn't bad, but it is when the younger one is in high school and the older one is preparing to graduate college -_-. Then the boy complains about being treated like a child and THAT'S CUZ YOU ARE SWEETIE. I said it once and I'll say it again, I don't care about Japan's consent laws, he's a minor and the other is an adult. Overall 8 out of 10. Would've been a perfect score without the last story or if they aged up the characters but it is what it is. :D

8.5 out of 10 I would give this a higher score had it been just easier to follow and I mixed up some of the characters a lot. But I love each couple and the things that they went through. I got so attached I wish all the couples just had their own stories dedicated to them with the other characters making a minor cameo. The cat couple seriously had less appearances and they happened to be my favourite so it was a little disappointing. Their first chapter together was so confusing I had to reread a couple times to get what happened . I love stories where all the lives are connected it goes to show little things can affect someone else’s life. We even got an age gap that’s under 10 years f*cking finally. The art and overall story. None of the characters feel one note they all feel living and breathing, feels like a masterclass on character work lol. Very fantastic would totally reread.

SPOILER ALERT 8 out of 10 I think this manga was able to accomplish a lot in 6 chapters, which is good because sometimes this stuff can feel super rushed but this one was nicely paced out. I was definitely caught off guard by the twist. I expected him to just be a classmate that was in the background or was around the former love interest a lot. But when I really think about it, him being the brother made sense. The writing was definitely beautiful, I think that's something that's underrated when it comes to comics. I mean the art is front and center so we forget about the actual writing and dialogue. But everything read perfectly and I love the little monologue at the end. Also it's such a subtle thing but I love the aesthetic the blue outlines gave everything. This one was personally a bit too cheesy for my taste, but it was enjoyable and I had a good laugh at the end. It's great that everyone was able to get their happy ending.

SPOILER ALERT (Would've given this a full rating had it just been the fish and the fox story ;-;) 2 out of 10 for Story 1 I know they're both adults but... 17 year age gap? Seriously? And he's his boss? The mc is probably in his early or mid twenties dating this 40 yo. Just no. Power imbalance is clear here. My limit is 10 year gap, they just went ahead and doubled that. But the visuals were absolutely beautiful, learning about all the fungi was fun (see what I did there). Especially the dream or daydream sequences were absolutely gorgeous. 10 out of 10 for Story 2 OMG I WANT THIS POWER. Again, beautiful visuals. I love the idea of us each having a soul in the form of a fish that comes out when we sleep that is such an interesting concept. I'm a little curious about the two girls lmao, something going on there? I wish we could fleshed out the romance between the characters a bit, but that's what happens when you're working with a two-shot. Again, I would have been just fine had this been what the manga was about However, it's so cathartic when finally see the love interest begin to see what the mc sees, that must've been a pleasant experience for the both of them. And the epilogue is so sweet, when we see them as adults. After all the start of the relationship isn't the end, it's the beginning of a new chapter and it's nice to see that their story is still going. Also, it seems pretty accurate that the mc would turn out to be a writer. 8 out of 10 for Story 3 This story is beautiful as well, another great concept. I had to take a point off though, because they didn't make the age gap clear and the fox obviously looks a tad younger, but he's like a fox spirit so he could a thousand years old for all we know, and with a university student so either this is pedo vibes or this fox spirit is gonna be great x15 grandfather. But it was nice to see them connect over his grandfather and not make a big deal about him being a fox. I hate liar reveal stuff so it was nice to see him be chill about. A pretty straightforward story, again, it is what it is when it comes to oneshots. All together I give it a 6.5 out of 10 Beautiful visuals but I wish that the good stories were standalone so they could be longer and have more time to flesh out their stories. TAKE OUT THE FIRST ONE PLEASE.

I think 7.5 out of 10 It had an interesting story and art. But honestly I'm not too fond of the fated pair trope. I'm glad they were able to find each other again, but that biased opinion will affect my score. The time travel thing was super weird but interesting I guess...? Honestly I think they could've saved a lot of time for themself had the raven guy just not told him everything lmao. If I had dreams of my partner in the future I wouldn't go telling them, cuz they would do everything in their power not to, which is what happened. It worked out in the end, but realistically anyone else would've called the police or filed a restraining order. I do like that even though he came back it wasn't HIM. The original died permanently, along with all the memories and experiences he had. And I like that the mc had to learn how to love the new one, even though it wasn't the original.