Kasane

Edit

What would you like to edit?

SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links  

I first thought that this manga would be a trashy, edgy, romantic tragedy. Well, I was right about it being edgy. Let's begin the review.

Kasane is a very strange and twisted manga. There are a lot of disturbing themes in this, mostly involving women. It's no Goblin Slayer, but since apparently no work of art is allowed to make anyone feel even mildly disturbed these days, I still must warn you in advance.

The story was a lot better than I expected. It's a bit slow in the first volume, leading you to believe that it's going to be a repetitive 'steal this girl's face ... for a while, steal a different girl's face for a while, rinse and repeat' for all fourteen volumes of the manga. However, once you get into the second volume and onward, things start becoming a real rollercoaster ride.

There's also plenty of twists and turns. I'd be surprised if I found out that story was improvised, because it holds up pretty well. Well, not to say there aren't flaws at all. Of course, there's the tiny flaw that a lot of bystanders wouldn't realize something when Kasane would switch faces with a blonde woman, and from their perspectives, that person would show up with black hair. That alone would probably be enough for a hypercritical person to tear this manga apart (since it's unheard of for an actor to possibly dye their hair), but to me, it's a small bump on a very well-paved road.

The characters are all as deranged as one would expect. With this being a psychological thriller, we naturally get to see deep into the way that the various people in this manga think. The various plays that are performed also complement one character or another at any given point in the story. Warning, though, this is one of those types of stories where everyone is morally incorrect in some way. If you don't like that kind of stuff, a la Rising of the Shield Hero, then I recommend you shy away from this manga now.

However, I think the art is where the manga is sufficiently brought to life. It doesn't look too impressive at first glance. But when actually reading the manga itself, I was glued to it. Somehow, the mangaka is able to skillfully portray humankind's stereotypical form of beauty, and at the same time twist that beauty into some demonic expressions (not to say that the ugly people don't have some of those moments as well). The panel work is also really well done to invoke as much emotion as possible.

Overall, Kasane ended up being a very, very good read. Although it's no Urasawa Naoki manga, it's still a solid thriller. I kind of hope it might get a TV anime someday; it would be an EASY two-cour adaptation. But at the same time, maybe letting the anime community see this with how GS and Shield Hero have been doing might not be a good idea... Well, regardless as to if that ever happens, this manga will still be a moving performance!

STORY (7)

The plot itself was interesting and original, well, I never read anything like that before. At first, I thought the whole thing would be just the same thing over and over again (Her looking for a beauty to kiss with her magical lipstick to faceswap with that person). But it finally got interesting after 6 chapters.

ART (7)

Kasane is really gloomy and ugly. She is SO ugly that her face is almost caricatural and always shadowed. She even wears medic mask to hide her face. I really wished to see her 'normal' face, maybe by curiosity. The art in general was okay. The pretty people ... were really well designed and the face swaps weren't too confusing.

CHARACTERS (6)

Being ugly really is difficult for Kasane and she is so tired of it that she turns a bit insane sometimes. It's a part of her that really made me feel uncomfortable while reading. You never know when she is going to back off or if she will just go full insane. Her personality is really complexed and I think I like her.

I really wish the other characters would appear more than just few chapters. They don't have much development and I feel like they are just there to be there and make Kasane feel rejected even more. But I guess it's just the beginning.

ENJOYMENT (6)

At first I was really curious about this manga, the cover is stunning. The first chapters really surprised me. I really have compassion for Kasane but I'm also very troubled by her, it's really hard to explain...The first chapters are really unstable. I feel like the author didn't exactly know where to go with the plot. But later, it finally gets interesting, going in a way I didn't expect it to go. So, I will read the next chapters.

OVERALL (7)

If you are looking for a manga psychological and you feel like you want to pity someone, well, just read this manga. The whole story wants to make you believe that beauty is the only thing that can make people like you, or make you achieve something. Which i strongly disagree. But somehow, I like to see this point of view about the beauty. In a world where beauty is a pre-required, what can you do to reach the stars? (*puts magical lipstick and kisses Angelina Jolie to face swap*)

After reading the other reviews I have to throw my two cents in; Kasane is amazing. If anyone's dealt with low confidence and lack of good relationships they know how hard life is and how hard it is to build yourself up. So if you got the chance to easily make your dreams come true, would you take it?

Kasane dives really deep into both taboo topics, and topics that are rarely talked about. These are for example "Is changing your looks to fit the standard society has set a good way of living? A worthy way of living?"
Also, the topic that is never talked ... about; changing looks won't change what you feel on the inside. If you've felt hideous your whole life, a make-over won't make the pain from all those years of suffering go away.

Although grotesque, the manga really portrays realistic human relations and coping mechanisms of a person who suffered many years of abuse, namely Kasane.

Personally I think the manga is extremely entertaining, and a good walk through memory lane of high-school trauma. Because although Kasane is exaggerated
to get the point accross, it is still relatable if you have ever been bullied for your looks.

If there was a way to simply describe Kasane, it would be that it is hauntingly beautiful.

At first, I was interested in its uniqueness from other manga. It was cruel, twisted and honestly unbearable to read sometimes but it reflects most of what life is. You find yourself sympathising and, perhaps, seeing yourself in Kasane. As a reader, you are first repulsed by her, as are most of the characters in this manga but as the story blossoms, I found myself loving her and supporting her.

As the manga drew to a close, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, ... it was quite literally breathtaking. Kasane holds such a precious message in that beauty is often a privilege that many do not have but that doesn't make them any less of a person or a "monster" as Kasane was described.

I'm genuinely glad I took the time out of my life to read this manga. It was an absolute blessing.

When I read the first chapter, I wasn't expecting much.
A character who is as dark as she is dangerous, who I sympathize with, but actions can't condone, with amazing art and maybe one or two interesting plot points.
Instead I read about characters who are different and layered, all beautifully drawn with a macabre tone. The main character really is dark, yet you cheer her on, as her view of things makes you wonder about your own life, and what could be with another face.
The Art is amazing, a bit dark and unconventional maybe, fitting the story.
Although some moments in the story make you go "Huh?" ... they get solved, or aren't solved intentionally, in order to make you think a bit more. I really enjoyed this manga, as its theme fits the question:"What if I had a prettier face? What if I am held back by my face?"
The manga ended on a great note too.

Kasane is a dark story.

It is essentially the struggle of an unlikable grotesque female and the opposition of beauty with her own inherent ugliness. Kasane is a sad character full of bitterness and an abyss of ugliness. Maybe you have lusted after the Beaty of others, or felt the burden of self criticism and obsession. This story is about that.

I like the art it’s clean and smooth, but that’s pretty subjective.
I also personally like unlikable characters who are simply just complex and interesting. Our main female is awful in a very interesting way, she cowards, averts her eyes, and covers her face and body ... from the eyes of the world. It is only when she is masked in a charade of someone else’s beauty that her personality flips to this beacon of grace and beauty or whatever. In order to protect that charade she is willing manipulate others and kill those who find out her secret.
Most of the side characters are quite forgettable, but there are those that stand out particularly Kasane’s sister. It kind of escalates into this psychological war with contradicting desires between the two. Sure this has its melodrama, but it’s still kind of beautiful at least right now. It’s like some reverse where the prince kisses the princess and wakes her from death or the princess kisses the prince and turns Him from a toad or something idk


It originally sounded unappealing to me, but if you have the interest for stories about inner hatred and abuse this will be quite interesting and it takes a lot of turns. This does have incest and rape, but it feels almost theatrical.

Just personal scratch.
Advised, possible spoilers.
Opinion & Informal

Art: 8/10
Anatomy and proportions checked out when they were supposed to look real. I liked how Kasane's proportions would get wild during moments of despair or deep self-loathing. Nature wasn't really showcased at all. Backgrounds looked fine. Supporting details were here and there; they looked fine too. Impact shots were used sparingly which I feel was a slight letdown. I feel this manga could have gained a lot of mileage if it used more impact shots especially during resounding moments of self-pity, regret, and resolve. Facial expressions were nice; they were strong and were able to convey a sense ... of what the characters were most likely feeling. Kasane's sad face made me pity her. Her resolute face made me really get behind her decisions. Her emptiness also felt apparent during miserable moments too. Overall, I thought the art was good because of the above average supporting details, the believable expressions, and interesting presentation. The representation of beautiful suffered from same-face though. "Beautiful" characters all looked the same.

Panel Progression: 7/10
The panel layout was thought-out and kept the narrative interesting by its use of panel-cutting, asides through stage-play elements, and choice of how certain ideas were presented. The overall panel progression was clear enough and I didn't have to double-take on anything. There wasn't too much or too little dialogue...well maybe the sections where segments of the play were being done...yeah those felt a bit drawn out. Maybe those could have been executed differently. The pacing was alright. I felt that this manga started getting drawn out at some point.

Characters: 6/10
Regardless of whether or not the intention of the narrative was to get the audience to like, dislike, pity, etc. any of the characters, I did not like any of them. However, if I were to chose, I can sympathize (not emphasize) with Kasane's plight. I'll go into more detail on why I never really took a liking to any of the characters later. The character designs were fine. Habuta looked scruffy and the consistency of the manga to stick to that vibe no matter his outfit was able to say a lot about his character. Likewise, the differences of how thickly drawn the eyes were for certain characters and certain moods was a nice touch. Overall, character designs were realistic style and didn't leave much to remember.

Plot: 7/10
The first few chapters were really good at hooking me and the initial plot setup was unique that I ended up binging quite a lot of chapters in the first day. The plot and its setup set the stage for the slog that would come.

Development: 6/10
Character development wise, Kasane was probably the only one with any decent development (well, the manga's title is her name). Habuta's development was basically 15 or so pages out of the 120+ chapter manga. Nina never got enough screen time to make her downfall more impactful, sure, the whole vegetable state and "kill me" bit with Kasane's sister (Nogiku) definitely made me a bit sad, but it would have really been moving if we got a bigger foundation for her ultimate fall. I would have liked more development into her character prior or during her involvement with Kasane. Nogiku was lame, just lame. Her only redeeming moment in the whole manga was her decision to do something about her situation with her father. If she has the resolve (regardless if it's an act of desperation, it's still a decision to act...she seemed pretty resolute to me with those expressions and all) to go that far, why does she go down the self-pity, I hate the world because everyone takes advantage of me route. If she hates selling her body so much, I'm sure she could find a manual labor job or a part time job at a shipping yard or convenience store considering how easy it apparently is for highschoolers to get part-time jobs...Maybe she could go back to the huge mansion she just up and left and flip some things for cash? Heck, she could have used her father's bank book. I understand it's a place of terrible stress for her, but I don't see why anything but selling her body never crossed her mind. Furthermore, Nogiku never really develops out of this phase for the entirety of the manga. She more or less remains the same static person up until the end of the manga. The avenues which could have been used to develop her redemption or growth were shunted for more edgy Kasane plot. I was really disappointed, not by the tendency to fall back to the same line of plot development such as Kasane reaching for the light, by how it was done. Time and time again the plot always fell back to step 1 because of the "so and so isn't going my way because I'm ugly" or "I can't develop as a person and neither can the people around me because that's just what ugliness entails." Overall, I felt that this manga became way too drawn out because the "ugly plot" was used too much as a device for progressing the story; it ended up doing the opposite and made the story feel stagnant. Instead of losing Nina as a partner, going through the Iku V2 phase, and the Nogiku phase, why not focus the manga around Nina and develop the execution more around the identity and self-worth elements that were vaguely introduced then dropped around that time.

Conclusion: 5/10
The conclusion was obviously rushed. Or, I'm pretty sure it was. What was up with that out-of-nowhere and abrupt ending? What was up with the decision to have Kasane suffer that kind of punishment? I mean, it's an appropriate punishment for reasons that I don't have to spell out, but why was that whole segment done in the span of two pages? Disappointing conclusion to a way too drawn out manga.

Overall: 6/10
An excellent exercise in self-pity, depressing vibes, and how much the world sucks when you're ugly. This is NOT something you should recommend to a pubescent teenage girl. Disappointing execution of self-identity concepts and character growth.

Kasane is an unobserved masterwork, lightning in a bottle, one of the most hauntingly beautiful and devastatingly horrifying character dramas ever put to pen and paper, in literary work or manga all the same. Both beautifully composed through the dark depths and radiant highs of the characters and their dialogue and paced so desperately that a cold sweat forms in the reader, begging "Just one more chapter. Just one more volume" till its sudden spectacularly dire conclusion, Kasane is apologetically, ruthlessly, stunningly haunting. This manga will make your heart race, your brow sweat, your soul ache, and your blood boil. The sheer gravity of the ... tragedy, a train wreck in slow motion, all beautifully exposed on the page as it is on the stage, will leave you hollow, gasping for more as if it was the air that you breathe.
There is nothing I could recommend more than that you read Kasane, all at once, because once you start, you won't stop till you crash headlong into the ending.

If you have ever studied literature, then you must know that Aristotle believed that tragedies elicit both fear and pity.

Kasane is a tragedy. A horrific looking girl, Kasane Fuchi, has always been bullied for being ugly, but is then gifted—or cursed—with the power to be able to swap faces by her (deceased) beautiful actress mother. Throughout the story, you see that all of the characters constantly face adversity. You pity them, but the fear of what will happen and what IS happening will constantly be prevalent. The juxtaposition of these feelings will continue to fester up with more and more devastating events happening one after ... another with the author forcibly pushing you to the edge until you’ve had enough and then finally—there will be an act of catharsis.

Or at least that’s what I think. I haven’t read the last volume yet, but after the author has repeatedly referenced tragic plays like Macbeth, this will probably play out like how a tragedy does.

The art is pleasing and you actually get to see the characters wearing different clothes rather than just one outfit every single chapter. You don’t see the same characters for long so there isn’t MAJOR character development other than the mains like Kasane, but that does not mean the characters are not unique. The story is well thought out and the back stories of the other characters are actually not bad, but the progression of the manga is mostly just Kasane trying to find herself while falling deeper into chaos and having to live up to standards while dealing with guilt and sadness.

Overall: 8
I would recommend it. It’s pretty different and it’s good enough to get a live action movie.

I wasnt really expecting much when getting into this manga completely blind to anything about it. As I read I felt like it was a bland manga like many I've read, something I'd forget in a month or so. But, really - I never expected it to be this good.


Kasane is a manga with extremely great relatable characters who have amazing personality changes and all work through a struggle and change (that includes slide characters who only showed up for 4 pages). It also had an amazing story with many twists and turns which made it well WORTH all the time I spent on ... it. I love the art style and everything about it and I wished more people knew about this manga as it's unlike anything I've read before.

I am only writing this review because the only reviews who actually completed the series so far are rating it as high as 9 and 10 which may lead you into a false belief of it actually being a hidden gem as I thought, so I am here to unveil the curtain and mention hidden icebergs you should brace yourself for.

I will start with stating the fact that it's more Josei than Seinen and Psychological... the only seinen element is a few rape scenes.. and psychological... I guess one dimensional characters having trouble with sorting their feelings could be psychology for someone.. but I expected ... something more mature. So be aware, as this wrong 'genre' fact is a very important part, as I actually wanted a seinen personally, but got a Josei which I am not heavily into to say the least, despite reading a few good ones.

Now let's get on with the actually good part and talk about the manga itself:

Story - story is actually good or could have been good... more than the story itself, the concept is interesting... you get an ugly girl who can temporarily 'steal faces' with a certain tool she got as memento from her dead mother. She uses other persons beautiful face to play in theater since she thinks that despite her having talent for it - it's useless without beauty. It's more complicated than that, but it would be spoiling elements of the story telling more. Just trust me that the actual premise is pretty good. It's nothing groundbreaking but it's both unique and decent quality.
Be aware though story has a lot of elements that wouldn't make sense to pragmatic thinking, so don't expect much logic out of it, just embrace it like a touchy story with flawed logic.
Story gets an 8/10 overall.

Now for the second good element:
Art - art is done nicely enough, beautiful characters are brilliantly done, they are depicted in a breathtaking way emphasizing their beauty. What I didn't like were characters who were supposed to be ugly... considering how 'disgusted' every single character is towards those 'ugly' characters they should have either actually got a hideous look or emphasized this less overall. 'Ugly' characters didn't really look all that bad, I mean certainly not worth everyone on the street gazing at them like an alien.
So art gets an 8/10.

Now let's talk about characters:
Kasane - protagonist of the series, the girl with the 'ugly' face who gets bullied(aka your usual tragic heroine)... she could have been an interesting character, the build up for it was well done... but in the end she never changes from being a egoistic girl who thinks she is special in this world just because she is ugly. She remains like that from the start to the very end with only minor feeling outbursts here and there which most of the time don't make much sense to an adult person.
Honestly speaking, the other major characters appear quite late into the series, so it would be spoilerish to describe them, but I will summ them up overall: personality wise, they are all the same... some of them also get interesting premise.. but they all end up one dimensional, fixated on just one goal and never really developing in any meaningful way.
Characters are 6/10

Enjoyment:
Despite a lot of negatives I wrote down, the story itself goes smoothly and is enjoyable enough... If you enjoy josei or are a woman - you will certainly enjoy it, but if you were looking for 'psychology x seinen' then it will be just 'good'.

Overall: 7/10 - I wouldn't hold my hopes up too high, but it's a rather good 'touching' Josei manga, if that's what you are looking for - you will enjoy it.

First time writing a review so have mercy on my grammar and such
Story 9 = Kasane from the word itself googling it up (source: wordhippo.com) means : layer, pile, suit since our character is just wearing another persons face. I really like the development of the story showing the early chapters of what her school life have been then leading to her maturity. I gave it a nine because there are chapters that are a bit cliche but overall it was done well.

Art 10 = I dont judge much mangas about art aslong as it doesn't confuse me still the art was beautiful for ... me especially the volume covers.

Character 7 =good but nothing much was very worth praising here. mc just being amazing, struggles, etc.

Enjoyment 10 = I did enjoy reading this even if there are questions that are boggling me, like: "Why doesn't she just take plastic surgery?", "Does N***'s parent's no longer bother visiting her even after that incident?", "Where are the police". Still I enjoy this manga has brought me suspense and surprises .

Overall 9= It was refreshing manga to read amidst in a pool of isekai I've been reading lately, I would recommend this to readers who like suspense/thriller mangas.

I like Kasane, I couldn't love it.


I don't have much to discuss with Kasane because it is good. It's strange because while I really enjoy Kasane and have re-read it, it's very apparent to me that I like it, conventionally. That's to, I like it, but I wouldn't be gushing about it. The issue with it, might have lied in the overall story.

What's Kasane is about then. Well, Kasane is about a talented actress that couldn't quite go where she wants because she's ugly. The central conflict and the drama never quite blend well, in my opinion. On the surface, the emotions are very understandable: ... desire, ambition, envy, jealously, lust, love and so on. They all blend together in a soup, and while each component are delicious by itself, together they all belong yet don't shine as great as they should. It really reminds me of stews. Meats, vegetables, bouquet garni are all very good by themselves, but put together in a stew and cook too long, they all sort of blend together into something nice, familiar, warm but ultimately, well, ordinary.

That's not to say the characters are bad, I think individually they are all quite well done, if not, a little forgettable because of precisely how ordinary they are. They have desire, ambition, pattern of behaviour. However, none of them stand out that much, even the titular character. If anything, I feel like they are serving the story rather than the story being about them. There's the usual formula of "having extra-ordinary people in an ordinary setting or ordinary people in extra-ordinary setting". This falls to the latter, but the setting itself is not that out-of-the-box, which led to the entire package not being quite amazing as it should have been.

However, if there's one thing that it got right and stand out, is the art. It's not one of those "ordinarily pretty art". There's this tendency in the comic community to set the art standard around ease on the eye. Things that are out of ordinary are laughed at, such as that time Aku no Hana did the rotoscope thing. Yes, it looked weird, but that's not why it didn't work. It didn't work because it missed the note on everything that makes animation, animation, and the story of course. Aku no Hana central conflict was about the "conventional" vs the "rebellious". Two distinct characters on opposite spectrum are presented as "love interest". The "rebellious one" is depicted essentially as the "femme fatale" archetype. Mysteriously beautiful with an irresistible charm that's broken inside. The rotoscope completely failed to communicate that. It essentially turns the show into a beautifully directed teen drama. Some of the shots were nice, but that's about it because rotoscoping. But I digressed.

The point I was trying to make is that Kasane’s art is beautiful not in the way that it’s technically well done, although it can be argued so. It is beautiful in that it tries its best to communicate the emotions, feelings in the thoughts of the characters. That’s not something that’s easily done, and not with such frequencies. The drama of Kasane that makes me not dropping it and able to re-read it, is not in the plot, but in the emotion. We don’t often remember events directly but rather the emotion and the functional outcome associated with them. Kasane’s emotions like torments, anguish, grief, longing, fear, despair and so on are featured very prominently and the art tried its best to impart them. The use of shadow, long frames, the distinct facial expression, and body gesture, all combined to create a memorable experience. I also like how they are quite theatrical, connecting directly to the setting.

Unfortunately, this is also one of the parts that makes Kasane not quite standout. Kasane is fun and interesting for a modern work. However, if you had read girls and ladies comics since the 80s, like me, then this is essentially Shoujo comic 101. No, Shoujo comics are not “ordinary girls dating hot boys”. That’s the result of the genre being distilled to sell. Really, Shoujo is all about people giving soliloquy about how they feel. Feelings are not just kneejerk emotions, but also the emotions about thoughts. You think about someone’s wellbeing, that’s a thought. The emotion towards that thoughts can be longing, worry, frustration etc… Shoujo is all about communicating that. It’s a womanly pursuit to understand one’s own emotion, and there’s nothing wrong, strange nor weak about it. Now, the trouble is Kasane is just another great Shoujo, added to the pile. It doesn’t do anything quite out of the ordinary. Everything is well done, well packaged, but that’s about it.

I didn’t write this review to shit on Kasane. As I have iterated, I like to read Kasane, to experience the emotions again. In reality, I was sent an email about recommending comics to some sort of awards for MAL, and it occurred to me that I have not written anything for Kasane. Of course, if I am to review something, I need to be honest, even if it’s about something that I like. Kasane is just not within the rank of the great, the extra-ordinary, the innovators, but it is another good work, added to the pile.

Incidentally, the TV adaption is horrible as always. Not only did they not bother to make Kasane looks hideous, completely subverted the main conflict in the story, they didn’t hire people who can act in a show about acting! I was merely jesting of course. As usual, the directing is sloppy and conservative, but more importantly, they are often completely missing the point of the original work. Comics are not mere storyboard, directors better inserting their own creative mark on them if they want to produce something watchable.

Kasane is a manga series that's about acting and theatre, and most of the chapters involve that. But more than that, it's about Kasane's development as a character, the things that she realizes about herself, and what ends up happening in the end that really matters about the story.
Most of the plays and side characters come and go because Kasane, Nogiku, Iku, and Habuta end up being the focus of the entire story, and it does a good job of doing that.
The problem is that it's 126 chapters long, and to be honest, this series could have been shortened down to about 30-40. There's ... really not a lot of reason for the story to drag on that much, considering how the characters end up mattering a lot more than the plays themselves. You could say that they dominate everything else, and the stage and plays are much more akin to a metaphor or imagery than anything else, accentuating Kasane's highs and her lows.
Kasane's clearly a character that is well explored and you get to know enough about her that it's sickening. However, did I really enjoy the entirety of the manga? Not really. It's missing something: the flair, the suspense, the horror. There's not enough of any of those, and I'm left with unsatisfaction. Perhaps it was just the predictability of it all. Perhaps there were just too many tropes and archetypes employed. It's hard to pinpoint, but Kasane was not a super interesting character, and nor was the story.

Kasane… (And the power of lipstick)

(As I write this I’m 14 Volumes in and have decided to start writing now as I don’t want to accidentally write spoilers without noticing, though before posting I will fix anything out of place so please consider this a complete review)

Kasane (the character) is a complicated character with much too her, I’m not going to dive into specifics and if that’s what you're looking for your robbing yourself from the experience of this Manga. When we first see her she is young but we watch her grow up through a few faces, she is not a static character but ... one who learns and grows with us. Where some of her actions may feel malicious I never wanted her to lose.

The story is based on a folk tale and was actually popular enough to spawn a live-action movie (though I’ve not watched it yet and still suggest reading this first, there's actually a short review from the writer in the books which is really sweet). The story contains so many different aspects from multiple characters and their lives to dealing with different emotions which honestly remain realistic outside their setting, the growth and way new characters are introduced feels natural and honestly the author has really hit the ball out of the park especially considering this is their first serialisation.

The art is fantastic and really suits the story, and the text is well maintained since I’ve seen sometimes translation can place text in bad spots making it hard to read.

(Final Thoughts)
Just finished reading the book. I feel like this book hits every beat, I never felt bored or suffocated by the contents. I know that stories are about the journey, not the ending but ever since I started I couldn’t stop wondering how could this end? How can I be satisfied with the only endings I can conceive? Good thing I’m not a writer and good thing I’m contempt with our author's decisions. I haven't changed my mind that this book is worth your time so please do read and support it.

Very beautifully written and orchestrated.

Even though the characters are one dimensional, you can not help but relate to each and every one of them on a realistic level. The nonsense of other reviews that say the pacing of the final volume should not be taken seriously. Kasane went through a complicated and dark journey only to finally accept that she is not her mother's mistakes.

The ending is thought provoking as in the final shot of everyone standing on stage. Could this manga have just been a play all along? If you found the ending to be too bitter then this thought will put you ... at ease.

As for Kanase, she ends up atoning for her sins in a state of acceptance rather than dissatisfaction. Obsession is a central theme in this manga and the author does a very brilliant job of displaying such.

Story: this has no pay off, as simple as that, not building, no mystery no nothing ... is void, is a souless attemp as to portray greek tragedies in manga but without impact

Why this has so many good reviews ???? I keep reading cuz i thouth that i would get a huge plot twist at the end that would make this soup opera worth

Characters: oh men here is the biggest issue, they are so 1D that hurts, not even the main character is worth wasting the time i spend reading

Art: mediocre, same face for all the "beautiful woman" and over the top ugly ... faces for the rest, so you could tell who was beautiful and who was not , they didnt even show the whole fsce of the monster ... lame.

Overall:this manga is like bad fanfiction, they dont show they tell you HOW TO FEEL
Example : they dont show the whole acting yet you see characters saying "this is intense, this is the best adting i even feel" .... nah it doesnt WORK THAT WAY, yoh have to show us why is impactfull, but sisnce mangaka can not show us thorth her lame art she has to write it

I seen shonens with better delivery of emotions , and that says a lot !!!!

Overall; dont waste your time, this is not a tragedy, this is not a good drama and finally this has barely any psychological aspect besides bullying someone looks, this story could be told in 50 chapters maximum, the way this story was unncesary streatch is annoying.

I end it and not drop it cuz of the good reviews, i still believed this would give me a great plot twist at tye end or good motives , nah .. all plain and boring.

Avoid this

The story is great, but the characters in this series are what I like the most. I keep asking myself "Why?" while reading the manga. I was trying to explain the actions and justify them.

What would I have done if I were them, in their positions?
How would I view this?
Was it reasonable enough?
Should I feel sympathized with it?...

The final play was a truly art. And the ending was fantastic. I always keep asking myself if it were me the author, then how I would end this story, and it was a surprised, and the best ending I could ever think about.

Some ... would think it was over-dramatic sometimes, or uncomfortable. But I'm sure you can have a good read for this manga and I highly recommend it.

Like the story itself, Kasane strikes at the unsettling aspects of our own character as human beings. The psychological warfare influenced by the power of identity and what we attach to said identity is almost palpable. What better way to emphasize this point than through a world where eyes scrutinize every part of you—theatre. We see two different sides of Kasane: when she is herself with her own face, she is timid, reserved, unsettling, and visibly uncomfortable and inferior. But when she takes on the face of another, she exudes confidence, not only in how she walks and carries herself but also in how she ... speaks. She is like a flame, capable of being warm but also of burning everything in its path. It's a different face but the same person and the mangaka did a wonderful job of capturing this aspect.

It's not about what is just or who is deserving of this or that—life is never that fair. Whether Kasane was wrong or not is irrelevant. What is relevant is her fervent hunger to be more, her talent, her capabilities, and the anguish that eats her alive from the inside. On the surface, it appears that this manga is a shallow depiction of pretty privilege in a world where beauty and talent intertwine. But truly, it’s a harrowing tale of how we as humans are and can be. How putrid we are and how we hardly ever look at ourselves; we see ourselves through everyone else, thus determining much of what we do and how we act based on how we are received.

Then, are you really you? Or are you an idea of what you think others want you to be, or what is more digestible and acceptable within your world? It’s tough and uncomfortable, but this story is moving and captivating—riveting, like the scenes portrayed in each act. The art is bold and sharp - drawings that depict the sickly feeling that comes up in the story. It's gut-wrenching but somberly beautiful. A truly wonderful and painfully sad experience.

The ending did not come together neatly. It felt rushed, perhaps because we had gotten too comfortable. Oh, Kasane—of course, of course this manga had to be a name for in the end that is usually all that is left of us. A name. Not what we looked like but the memories attached to the name. The things that were felt and stained with our being is what remains and this manga is a harsh reminder of that.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW



I went into Kasane already knowing the basic outline of it, a woman has the power to switch faces through a lipstick. But that does not prepare you for the rollercoaster of a story Kasane is.

THE STORY
A woman has the ability to change faces with anyone through a kiss, using a lipstick. The origins of the lipstick are explained later on in the story. It's an odd premise, but not the most unique. Still, it is an amazing story that manages to pace itself beautifully.

THE ART
... Not much to say, the art is good, but the cover art is amazing.

CHARACTERS
Amazingly written characters that pull you into the story, the morals of the characters are always questioned, making them feel like real people.

OVERALL
I definitely would recommend this, especially if you are into psychological themes and the questioning of ones judgement and morality.