May 30, 2022
EDIT: Finished the manga, and my thoughts are pretty much exactly the same.
Ok, look, hear me out.
I don't really usually review stuff like this but as I read, I really couldn't help thinking just how different this thing is from all the others of this type I've tried to read. It's supposedly a 'boys' love' genre but frankly it goes just enough beyond that, that I'm hesitant to put in in that category; firstly because it involves no typical 'boys' one would encounter in manga like this, and additionally, why not simply call it a romance, since it fits that category so much better?
...
But I'm getting subjective, so let's move on.
To put it simply and without spoilers, Monster and the Beast is about an actual monstrous creature with a heart of gold, and a charming man who is very openly not the best kind of person, traveling together, and growing romantically involved with each other. It's a cute setting with contrast of 'looks VS personality' sort of theme that doesn't magically go away, and is slowly explored throughout the story.
Funny thing is that I expected the plot and characters to get poorly executed and explored in favor of fanservice and the typical kind of bullshit I find in most romantic, shoujo-ish, boys/girls love schlock but lucky for us all, someone here knew how to write this thing well - so we got both the plot and the cute/hot stuff!
The human is an openly lecherous asshole, and it is an actual pleasure to see his initially rather cold demeanor that dangerously verges on crossing the 'red flag' territory, cross into a warmer disposition, influenced by the presence of the kindness of the monster's character; whereas the monster is a shy, cute bean, and it's just as nice to see him profess his love, as it is him getting increasingly open and brave about exploration of the physical relationship which, let's be frank, we're all partially here for. Wrap that up in an increasingly wholesome romance, and you got yourself a real good soup.
Now to be level with you perfectly: in the 17 chapters I've read, you will probably not find a masterpiece of storytelling nor painstakingly created visuals - though both of these hold up well on their own, the real charm lies in the romantic / smutty aspect of this very digestible read; and if you're in fact into these types of romantic scenarios, you will likely not be able to stop reading until you're through.
In conclusion, if you're into man-on-man love, and love to spice it up with actual monsters dating humans, it is likely this will be the read you can come back to again and again, knowing that it's actually a fun, memorable, kind of sexy, and wholesome experience, and not just another disappointing romp in the sheets.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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