Nov 26, 2024
Seven Sleeping Beauties is not that bad. Yes, the start is a little annoying: the reactions of the princesses – at least initially – make no sense. However, I feel like the story makes up for it by giving each princess a chance to interact with Alec 1 on 1. We also discover that not all of them feel the same way about how they were woken up. However, I wouldn’t come in expecting this to be anything different than what you’ve seen before.
This series is tropey – you’re going to get a lot of what “works” in the harem/romance genre. Alec, the lead,
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is the type to overreact when dealing with physical contact, flirting, and teasing. He usually shirks off advances instead of addressing them. That being said, there are instances when he buckles down and accepts them because it works toward his objective. Alec delivers the generic “smooth” lines when the story calls for it. He also sacrifices himself for these girls because he is a “good guy.” As expected, this niceness drives the princesses to like him.
The designs for each girl are distinct, and there is effort by the author to give each of them their own personality, which I like. However, these personalities aren’t unique and this attempt does not suggest there will be depth to each character. Harem stories tend to struggle with characterization because so many characters are involved, and the conventions of the genre demand surface level interactions lest the story get too complicated for readers to self-insert into.
The art perfectly matches what the story is about and what it intends to do. The soft edges and light shading pairs well with the tone and setting. The framing of the female characters and shot composition sells their beauty and personalities when applicable. The backgrounds are well drawn, though I wouldn’t say they are drawn in abundance. Still, they help to place the characters within their environment. There is also attention to detail regarding what the girls wear. When the girls are doing specific tasks/actions, their outfits change to match what they are doing. The only thing that takes me out of the story is how the people that work in/around the castle aren’t present. I’ve only seen one person (a knight) presented.
One of the good things about this manga (which may change depending on how it continues) is that it cuts to the chase. The setup is fable-esque, which forces things to happen quickly between the lead and the girls. Some of the princesses lean into supporting Alec and acknowledging what he did for them, rather than shunning him or being overly dramatic. Some outright make moves on him, which I am happy to see. Too often in the romance genre we get female characters that ruminate about their interest in the lead but never test the waters. Flora and Chiara are refreshing in this sense.
Seven Sleeping Beauties is worth reading if you like the harem and romance genres. If you don’t mind dealing with the conventions of these genres it is enjoyable because it hasn’t played them up unnecessarily. That considered, if you don’t enjoy these tropes I recommend avoiding this manga. It’s also important to understand that there is no guarantee it won’t get annoying or convoluted in the future.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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