Dounika Naru Hibi

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(1st review!) WARNING: NSFW (GRAPHIC SEX)
This is such a great read. The story revolves around small novellas following different couples in Japan. The story is striped back, and there aren't always happy ending, but they feel very real, and is a great addition to your Josei list.

Story: There are many short stories, however I could only find a dozen or so translated on various manga scanalation reading websites. Although, you'll want to read more. The stories themselves, as stated before, seems so real. These things may have happened to a friend, or even yourself. It's hard not to implant yourself into the situations- and ... I think that makes for a great story!

Art: the style is clean, stark black and white with little to no tones. I think this fits the story very well. The phrase 'no frills' comes to mind. However, this is exactly the kind of art I gravitate toward- as it is very similar to American graphic art styles.

Character: there is no character development as these are only short stories, however I feel like I know these woman- I've gone to coffee with them! The characters are so close to real life, it's scary and they make for a great emotional draw.

Overall: I liked this series and have read it a few times over. If you love Josei- Read this next!

A collection of unhealthy relationships.

Broadly each story focuses on outcomes of dealing with clashes in desired relationships, often in its most messed up and uncomfortable misdeeds. Sex out of frustration, exploitative relationships, rape, teacher-student abuse, awkward and messy coming-of-age, pornography, ghosts, homosexuality, divorce, insufficiently requited love, loneliness, and so on. Though not always downers, these are heavy stories.

It's a love-it-or-hate-it kind of dramatic writing.
Stories start somewhere in the middle and taper off rather than climax.
Impactful plot-points are glazed over or skipped.
Scenes are short and tend to move on abruptly, to the point that it's hard to tell how much time passed.
Most things aren't ... told.
Its almost mumblecore-ish dialogue is either mundane or, if dramatic, direct and subdued.
Characters tend to talk over the other with plenty of abrupt declarations or dismissals from awkwardness.
It all gives the pacing a very jumpy feeling, which works great with tiny shifts in drama and humor under a heavy blanket of damage.
Rather than telling a story, the focus is on characters' actions and reactions, either silently emotive or in their contemplative monologue. You have to read between the lines. The pay-off is satisfying and subtly emotive experience, perfect for dealing with trauma.

The art-style is more on the realistic side and usually stiff and flat (not to say it isn't nice in its Josei appeal). It makes up for it with emotive framing and by going well with the tone of the stories.

If you like your romance uncomfortable and drama sexual and depressing, but without too much intense and over-blown emotions, and with some points of relief, it's fine and consistent.

I did like this manga
But I just couldn't feel any emotion reading it, it sounds so... robotic.
I don't know how to explain, but when I was reading it I just felt the characters to "robotics".

I am a crybaby, I even get red when a character confess to the one they love, I even scream sometimes while reading, I get out of breath, and so on
However with this manga I did enjoy the story while not feeling anything while reading most of the stories, I just couldn't feel any emotion in their lines.

It is a good read, just emotionless (in my opinion).