May 21, 2024
Dysfunctional relationships that are unabashedly terrible for one (or both) sides are nothing new to manga. Hurt and damaged people may pivot to other hurt people. A lot of manga - especially psychological seinens - unpack this dynamic. But that's not what Iyagetteru Kimi ga Suki is. It's primarily a manga about ryona and grotesque fetishes first, and a story about Mikoto and Makoto's relationship second.
Mikoto puts up with Makoto's eccentricities and extremely crude treatment towards her to refine her public image and show off to her friends. But Mikoto's desire to fit in and conform to such an extreme degree isn't ever
...
explained. Mikoto goes from enjoying harsh treatment, to abruptly fetishizing about the extremely gruesome, gorey, and violent out of nowhere. And so does Makoto and another character. Random events feel abrupt and just thrown in for shock value. Character values take abruptly VERY steep turns that exceed what's believable for me personally. I started reading this out of morbid curiosity about how Mikoto and Makoto's psyches relationship would be written, and then it clicked for me. IKgS is very unabashed on what fetishes it explores and tries to cater to, especially with the main couple. Makoto likes seeing Mikoto uncomfortable, puts her in unsanitary and dehumanizing situations, and enjoys it until she does too, which he then no longer enjoys. The context for why these characters are like this or how it escalates is shallow and a means to an end, because it's not relevant.
Makoto and Mikoto just feel like vessels for the mangaka to write about these scenarios, rather than actual people with motivations and history behind them. It's hard to care about them, or what happens to them. I've read NSFW heavy manhwa and manga that don't neglect everything else entirely. You'd be remiss to find that here and care about the characters on a deeper level beyond their cookie cutter dynamic.
I will say, visually Iyagatteru Kimi ga Suki is STUNNING. Some of the imagery of Mikoto's imagination is extremely clinical, cut and dry. I love the "dated" style and how Oniyama draws expressions. Everytime a two-page spread comes up, I know I'm going to receive a visual treat. But style does not compensate for the utter lack of substance.
TLDR: IKgS is boring pandering for really unconventional and discomforting fetishes and niches. The worst manga aside from the outright hateful and cruel, are the boring and unremarkable ones.
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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