Bingo!

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This manga is an absoute riot. You're looking for the silliest tropes, absolutely improbable turns of events, a nostalgic artstyle and a huge cast of stupidly likeable characters? This is the right place for you. Bingo! is 16 volumes of humourous whiplash, a breath of fresh air if you're looking for a manga that is not serious at all.

The story is quite simple: two high school boys with unlucky dispositions get into loads of trouble together, and because their luck is just THAT bad, they get into the corniest situations you can think of. Get ready for several kidnapping arcs, some crossdressing here and there, ... royal romance, and obviously a crushing debt looming over them. And more! Loads of tropes in this manga. (One of the reasons I gave this a 9 instead of a 10: there is an amnesia arc, which is one of my least favourite tropes, but was still very fun to read here!)

The overarching theme of fashion and modeling is gorgeously woven into the manga. Sure, the artstyle is outdated by today's standards, but it is still hugely enjoyable. Plus, the huge hands and shoulders add to the fun of the manga, if you ask me. However, the character designs are nice, the backgrounds are detailed and the shoujo flowery backdrops are fun. There was a lot of love put into this project, however silly it is.

And speaking of love – the BL tag is mostly inferred. Anyone looking for true romance is lost here, sadly, but the tension and relationship between the two main characters is very fun nonetheless and flawlessly carries the entire manga. It is definitely meant to be read as a story with romantic subtext, but none of that is overt. If you're fine with that, I can't reccommend this series enough!

Overall, this manga is not meant to be taken seriously. And yet, it is absolutely fun in the most uncomplicated way, free of any icky humour and without toeing the line of "problemacy" – no jokes on behalf of gay or trans charaters are ever made, rather they are fully accepted and celebrated, and the relationships created within the cast are hugely enjoyable.

My verdict: a 9 for Bingo! because I'm not a fan of the Amnesia trope and it would have been fun if the romance wasn't just hinted at. Otherwise – a treasure trove of fun!