buttcruncher's manga / #plottyotty(5)

from what i understand zhenya has no redemption arc and is a crazy bastard that eventually mellows out the slightest tad. the first time i found out i was devastated lol bc one person basically strong-arms the other into an arrangement where he could indulge in his dark obsessions and the other basically is mind broken (sucking it up bc he's tired of trying, isn't that basically what it is?). it was already looking bad but the cliche part of me wanted them to somehow develop romantic feelings for each other and be an actual legit couple but it was really never gonna work out.

this is so good. the author did a really good job at giving the readers a glimpse into heeseo so even if his actions are unhinged they're not coming from a de facto psychopath stance like so many other stories. it also has an actual plot. it's a mystery!

zany and surreal, with an element of horror added for good measure. the author did an incredible job surprising me as a reader, from the title of the story to the bright and colorful palette of the paneling to how the world and characters are introduced. i really thought this was gonna be straight up crack but it's actually pretty dark and depressing. it's got action, plot, and world building, and while following along with the story felt like a wild ride, it was fitting bc that really felt like the intention.

accidentally started rereading it and i like it more than i did before so far

pretty enjoyable for the most part! sehyeok has a bit of an unhinged yandere thing going on that is actually creepy, but he's playful and that changes the tone of the story enough to make it fun to see his interactions with hamin. hamin has a strong sense of agency and it was great to see someone with the lesser power dynamic make things work on his own terms without becoming feminized. a lot of ppl discussed their disappointment with the side stories and after thinking for a bit i think i'm disappointed too bc sehyeok gave a pretty good effort in the main story to be respectful of boundaries just to throw it out the window here. i wonder if they'll talk about it.