shokiyo's manga / #yaoi(11)

☆ 3 very nice art. delves mostly into hayakawa’s past concerning music and friendship, which may be relatable. konno doesn’t receive as much focus besides present-life characterization. story follows them through parts of their lives in high school, then time jump to adulthood in the present. the ending is happy but not necessarily a solid conclusion, more of a slice-of-life romance (vol2 ch5). assuming vol2 ch5.5 is an extra. ☆ 4.5 for art the art is clean and beautiful, although it doesn’t stand out in particular. ☆ 3.5 for characters hayakawa has an understandable history and mindset, though his behaviour isn’t relatable in some parts, like being quite s*xual. konno feels very static (although dependable), very forgettable. side characters aren’t very memorable besides the ones from hayakawa’s past. ☆ 3 for story the story makes sense. it could have been ended on early volume two. remaining story-line becomes slice of life with some development, showcasing character relationship. ☆ 3.5 stars overall enjoyment the story is short and sweet but doesn’t go into enough depth to have lasting impact or lovable characters. lots of smut scenes (which i don’t particularly read). most of the rating is for the art and hayakawa’s past.

☆ 3.25 cute. pretty short, very fluffy. ml didn’t get much background characterization. problems seem easily solved by only their love. wish there was more but the story was well made for its length and the characters are likable.

☆ 2.7 love the premise. the plot is pretty predictable but it’s meaningful to me. very short. skipped over nsfw as usual. the one thing that bothered me was the p*do s/a scene (and the p*do in general). it was very disgusting to read. i’m not 100% sure if it was s/a because i skipped the scene; however, it was definitely nsfw and noncon. i think they glossed over what happened to mc way too much because a day or so after, he tells the ml and neither really react. they don’t attempt to report the p*do. his existence and actions are used as a plot device to get the mc to confess to the ml and i’m not okay with that. i find it hard to believe mc’s thought focus would shift from “this is uncomfortable; i’m being violated,” to solely “i ONLY love the ml and want him to do that to me ONLY.” i don’t know if i’m being oversensitive but it’s gross. other than that, i adore the manga’s theme and how thoughtful the ml is. it was unclear-ish to me about how ml could become so enraptured and devoted to watching mc from afar to the point of following schools for him. the explanation scene is too brief. back to the positives, it made me really happy seeing ml subtly help mc build his confidence in cross dressing. the misunderstandings were minor in this short work. i wish he could have been more straightforward from the beginning about his love but i’m just nitpicking. ml comes off a bit as being very horny. some parts where he is commanding are uncomfortable, just the tiniest bit though. wonderful story without the diminished dark aspect. it would have been better if it wasn’t included. would not reread because the characters are also a bit shallow (high school students after all) but the ml’s kindness, his genuine expressions, and mc’s character development brought me many joyful emotions.

☆ 3 a little boring for my taste but i appreciate the mature relationship. the mc and ml clearly communicate and respect each other’s differences. they inadvertently challenge each other to grow into better people. mc becomes more secure in his identity while ml learns to push beyond his strongly defined boundaries.

☆ 3.7 super cute! the fantasy and nature concept is something i really enjoy. the mc is very kind and the ml loyal. sometimes the plot explanations get a little messy, which i feel detracts from the story impact. i wish they elaborated more on mc’s background besides repeating how he got bullied for liking “feminine” things.

☆ 2.5 kissing the love interest to stop him turning into a jellyfish is an obvious plot tool for offering fanservice. it might appeal to others but to me it causes the relationship to feel forced. the pacing on this story isn’t great and neither is what little story is told. the mc hasn’t much of his personality, defined mostly by his inability to love because of the past. his perspective is understandable; it just shouldn’t be his only personality trait. apparently it took an ever-loyal and somewhat clueless jellyfish to change him. but that quickly? jellyfish boy is bright and adorable, retaining animalistic characteristics. he isn’t portrayed much outside of that bubble. it’s cute and believable given his identity but there’s not much else. the mc himself isn’t that likable. this manga’s characters are as lacking as the plot. the art itself is exquisite with the lighting, clean text boxes, and pretty characters. i’d go into the manga solely to enjoy the art and ignore the story. edit: the end is disturbing to think about. mitsuki cycles through childhood to adulthood because he is an immortal jellyfish, correct? and mc must kiss him to retain the human form. so is mc not kissing a child?

☆ 3 i did enjoy this manga and i suspect it isn’t meant to be a masterpiece. it’s a wholesome concept about an ultra - shy boy who has learned to avoid interaction by isolating himself behind a cold exterior. the metal loving mc is the only one who gets much backstory and character development. the university student has little depth besides being a person here to inadvertently help metal enthusiast to grow, and show him love. the story isn’t deep and the pacing is very unpredictable, with large time gaps without warning. it is easy to feel lost but the story ultimately makes sense. any nsfw is in the extras and that is but a mere few panels. very cute story with a moderately relatable, shy mc. it is hard to get close or attached to either character. if it were not for the metal loving mc, the manga would be completely forgettable, even if sweet. i must give the give the story some points, for i like the dark, cute character, which is a little more rare to find in manga. everything else falls a bit flat and grey. edit: i loved the little 'easter eggs' alluding to real world bands and how passionate author seems about the subject. i enjoy the subtlety, yet upfront teaching. cannot speak to the accuracy of facts!

☆ 2.7 the plot is basically nonexistent, as well as character development or backstory. it’s a fun and humorous way to pass time. there’s a lot of sex scenes. i mostly like it for the art, as the situations themselves are over the top in a comedic way (likely on purpose). gardener mc is a cute gap moe, nothing new though. drama isn’t painful or deep. this manga is likely made for shallow enjoyment, if you don’t mind that. i love the concept of a hardworking gardener but it barely gets touched upon past setting up the mcs' meeting, a comedic moment, and explanations of why gardener mc has a nice body. they used it more like an easy tool to base an entire character upon, rather than make it a part of who he is. that is really disappointing to me. i didn't have high expectations going into this, on the other hand.

☆ 2.7 the dialogue and translation were a bit unclear at times. the first half of the manga isn’t so good; however, the art is pretty. at times the ml is uncomfortable or a red flag. it isn’t so bad until one scene caused by his jealousy. on the other hand, the characters’ weaknesses and toxic traits are worked through with the help of each other and friends. the latter half of the manga shows a lot of character development and is very sweet. the angst is always caused by their miscommunication or inability to communicate. thankfully, the author chooses to address this instead of making the manga 2d. i feel proud of the characters at the end.

✰ 3.8 wholesome with more nsfw than i expected (skipped it). both characters are pretty cute and stand out, even the two friends have slightly noticeable personalities. there is some lack of depth but it is as expected with a short romance manga. a few parts became a little hard to follow because of the dialogue. i do love the magical setting and creatures. the art is very clean and nice, especially the coloured panels. it would be wonderful if the author made an extended manga of similar theme. the story as it is is very sweet and feels complete enough for its length.