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Oct 22, 2024
Note: The story is actually 69 chapters. The other 11 are bonus chapters, though many do provide character insight.
Vampire manga with a twist on vampires can be really good or really bad. I’m not naming names, but ones come to mind. But this manga both has an interesting and non-cringe take that keeps vampires cool while also making clear "these are not literal vampires, a term we just sometimes use." You might think it sounds similar to Tokyo Ghoul and it definitely is in some ways, but very much on more of a surface level.
It’s a great story and when you see "romance" among
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tags like "action" or "drama" you think that either the romance or action/drama are going to take the main stage. That one of these will be the real genre and plot. I definitely applaud this mangaka for managing to make such a wonderful balance. We get a great amount of plot drama and romance drama, and in addition to their growing relationship, we also get to see them growing as individuals. There is also amazing and positive queer representation (with the exception of a trans woman being constantly misgendered, but everyone seems to respect her so I’m guessing it’s a translation choice, since Japanese does not have gendered pronouns).
It’s towards the end (or maybe latter half? It’s after a specific plot point but I’m avoiding spoilers) that the story begins to fall flat. The story has great side characters, but those side characters begin to drag the story down because there is simply TOO much focus in them for a story that is only 69 chapters. “Ah yes, now is the time to bring back that one character we saw for a chapter and a half like 30 chapters ago so we can hear all about his backstory and give him a love interest even though the story ends in almost ten chapters). As someone who started reading this story because I heard there was asexual representation and I am asexual: I’d rather they have just scrapped that part because I don’t even feel we need to hear this character’s backstory and about their relationship with their boyfriend because they are simply not a huge enough character for it to be necessary and we’ve got a handful of chapters left at this point.
Which brings me to my second issue: it seems like every single character has to be in some sort of romantic relationship. The first romance side story, yeah, that was lovely and wonderfully dramatic and had the interesting twist on the gender roles in a human/devil relationship. Yuki’s parents was as well, and it was one I felt necessary. But then it’s like every single side character suddenly needs to be paired up with someone. I don’t need to know the entire life story of every single person in this manga and seeing them all paired up with one another feels forced, even in some of the cases where I genuinely enjoy the couples. The story is great, the main couple is great, the character development is great, but it simply is not necessary to give every random Joe and his aunt a side storyline, nor is it necessary to pair up any two characters who enter the same room. My opinion? Focus on Taira, Yuuki, the main squad (including Asami, Ishimaru, and Lee)—even then picking and choosing who you want to give the most time), Nanako, Kikuhara, and eventually the big boss. I’m wondering if at this point the sequel isn’t a new story and just a continuation of this because it doesn’t even seem possible to wrap all this stuff up in the few chapters I have left.
Another suggestion: if you want to do redemption arcs, make it so that the characters are… idk… redeemable?
But yeah, overall I enjoyed this story very much. Those two things did get genuinely annoying after a while, but not enough that it made me start disliking the manga or anything like that.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 18, 2022
Okay, I’m here now! Been trying to write a review on mobile for like ten minutes but gave up so now I’m just using a mobile hotspot and writing this on my iPad, because I was STRUCK WITH INSPIRATION.
I read this several years ago. Commented on a bunch of the forums, praising it a lot of the time. So my mom’s driving me, I got time to kill, I’m looking at my manga list for stuff to read, then I see this gem in my list. I originally rated it an 7. A few years later I developed a policy where, if someone sexually assaults
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their love interest, I deduct a point. So it went down to 6. Then today, I’m thinking about it and I’m like, “Hold on a minute. I read other stories by this author when I was on a binge once, and now that I think of it, they all have completely different plots but at the same time are EXACTLY THE SAME.” Abused FL, mean bully, unnecessary drama, ML that’s a dick a lot of the time. So that already brings down the plot but then hooooooly shit. Oh damn.
**Spoiler and rape warning for the comment below**
This randomass teenage girl fell in love with a dude who saved her from being raped. She’s been chasing him forever, but he doesn’t love her. Not only that, he’s in love with the FL. But nope, despite that, this chick goes onto his unconscious body and RAPES HIM. And what? How do you want me to react to this, author? You want me to go “Awwww” or something? Then years later, FL’s mourning this dude’s death. Finds the randomass teenager girl, who now has a CHILD. Yes, the child of the dude she raped. She feeds this kid lies like she had some sort of romantic relationship with his dad. FL is mourning, she thinks she loved him. Teen girl’s like, “No you don’t. I know coz he was my husband.”
GIRL, NO HE WASN’T. YOU RAPED HIM.
So yeah, despite my policy to drop the rating only one, considering how absolutely fucked up this situation is (not to mention he looks exactly like the dude when he grows up which I’m apparently supposed to find touching or something that his child conceived by rape looks like him; kid ends up falling for FL and ML’s kid so yeah gag) and the fact that the author recycles tropes, I’m dropping this to a three. Seriously, I read “At the End of the Road” which had a plot driven by gang rape and was one of the most f’d up things I ever read. I’ve read stuff with rape, necrophilia, pedophilia, etc. The authors’ know it’s fucked up. But it’s this story where I’m supposed to go “d’aaaaaw” or something that is probably the most fucked up of anything I have ever read in my life.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Mar 8, 2022
Have you ever read "Raising A Bat", a BL vampire webtoon also written by Jade? Good! Then you've basically read this story, too. How is it that I can read two stories with two completely different plots and yet feel like I'm reading the same exact thing a second time?
Oh my god, it just draaaaaagged on and on and on. I feel like the author did the same thing with her last story: one main drama point that's dragged out for a bunch of chapters. Then ANOTHER drama plot point that's dragged out for chapters. It's like, you know what's gonna happen but you
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only keep reading coz you're kinda curious how the characters will react when they find out. It feels like she used the same exact tropes as "Raising A Bat".
Have you NOT read "Raising A Bat"? Cool! Then it'll be you reading this story for the first time and being extremely annoyed that the thing we're all waiting to happen is dragged out over 40 chapters and at some point you're just like, "Oh my god, this isn't worth it anymore." I was reading this between updates. Even when more updates eventually came I was like, "This is too painful to read. I give a shit about like, one character in this entire story." Not worth finishing. I swear, the only reason I read as far as I did was BECAUSE of that damn plot point being dragged out for 40–something chapters and then continuing to read because maybe something interesting will happen now? idk. So yeah, I didn't read the last fifty chapters, but honestly I wouldn't be surprised if it was literally just another boring drama point you're waiting to be revealed that's dragged out just like the last one.
I think I'm being pretty nice with a 5? Maybe it deserves lower? idk I just saw that it was on MAL and the pretty decent score it was given and was like, "Damn, I gotta leave my two cents on here."
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Aug 23, 2020
This story is honestly really messed up. The main character, Hirofumi, regains his memories after two years, but as a result, he loses the memories of what happened during those two years. He was essentially another person. During that time, he got a lover, Daigo. Daigo is mentally unstable and relies on Hirofumi to function.
Hirofumi now doesn’t love him and doesn’t want to be with him. Literally everyone antagonizes Hirofumi for not accepting Daigo, “abandoning him” when Daigo needs him and being cruel to Daigo when HE JUST WANTS TO BE LEFT ALONE. We’re supposed to sympathize with Daigo, but it’s impossible when he’s
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abusive and constantly emotionally blackmailing Hirofumi. How the hell could Hirofumi’s own family be judging him for not wanting to be with someone he doesn’t know?
In the end, they obviously get together, but it seems like pity and lust on Hirofumi’s part. Hirofumi is trapped. Hirofumi is a prisoner, and we’re supposed to view this story and some sort of romantic tragedy and feel bad for Daigo because he had a rough past and feels abandoned. That is beyond messed up.
Note that I deducted the score by a point due to my own rating system, in which I deduct a point if the MC is sexually assaulted by their love interest.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Sep 24, 2019
This went from a 7 all the way to a 5 in a matter of chapters. If you ignore the mild homophobia and Ranmaru constantly sexually harassing and sometimes even sexually assaulting Momoko, it's actually kind of a charming story. Then, many chapters later, after they finally get together.... he cheats on Momoko. A lot. But hey, Ranmaru's not actually SLEEPING with the women. He's just flirting, getting their numbers, kissing them, etc. (He literally fingered some lady but it was so he could get important information for Momoko but apparently we’re supposed to ignore it cuz it’s for the greater good? He even knows
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it was horrible, dodging telling her how he got the info)
There's an entire arc where we learn how Momoko's father cheated on her mother so often that it destroyed her, but in the end, Ranmaru does the same to her, but because he's not flat out sleeping with them, we're supposed to be okay with it.
Note that I deducted the score by a point due to my own rating system, in which I deduct a point if the MC is sexually assaulted by their love interest. He doesn’t rape her or anything, but he feels her up a lot.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Feb 21, 2018
Honestly, I'm being generous by giving this a 5. I don't get why so many people have rated this highly. I'm just going to list what's wrong with it.
- The female lead is completely obnoxious and extremely inconsiderate of the male's feelings. He confesses to her, yet she keeps going on about how she wishes he was her little brother. Actually, it seems like she has forgotten in subsequent chapters, since he has to tell her he likes her a second time and she's like, "OMG, I had no idea!"
- I see absolutely no reason he would even like her. She's nice to him. That's
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it. This is one of those manga where instead of seeing feelings develop we're just told that one party already likes the other, and then the unrequited love becomes requited because—GASP—they realize their love interest is a member of the opposite sex!
- The female lead is also extremely childish. I mean, I can be immature for my age, but this is just ridiculous.
- One time I got put under for surgery. During the period I was unconscious, I probably still had more personality than the male lead.
- The male lead is all, "Grr, you're at a guy's house, and you don't realize I like you, so Imma threaten to sexually assault you because testosterone." Then he blames her for it.
- She falls for him after he touches her. Because why not?
- The classic, "My heart is beating, and I'm nervous. What on earth could this mean?"
- Whenever they want the female lead to seem attractive to anyone other than the main character they just stick her in a dress because apparently femininity fixes everything.
I'll try forcing myself to finish reading this, but oh gods, it's just the same, painful thing over and over again. This manga is so overrated.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Oct 4, 2016
At first this manga was very funny. A misunderstood girl living with a bunch of shallow fakers in order to make some sort of reality TV mini-series. She is forced to be the girlfriend of the fake school prince, who is actually a total jerk. I generally don't like tsundere characters, but I was willing to give him a chance.
Eventually, this got painful to read. He's not even a tsundere. He's a shallow human being who treats the main character like trash, but has occasional moments in which he isn't completely terrible. However, for some reason, she falls in love with him anyway. Maybe
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this wouldn't have been as bad if there wasn't a wonderful, nice guy crushing on her. He is clearly the better choice, but in the end she's in love with the cruel guy. It was honestly just too hard for me to read. He essentially abuses her, and she falls in love with him anyway. He's not even one of those characters who's bad but you still like. There are zero redeeming qualities for him. He scoffs her feelings, telling her to keep it to herself, he treats her cruelly and bosses her around.
It is such a great manga. The only thing that sucks is the main plot point: the romance. It was very disappointing. As much as I wanted to make myself finish it, it just hurt too much to read.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Sep 15, 2016
I don't like dropping series. I really don't. One of the things that I found interesting about this series was the nature of the relationship between Kai, the boy trapped in a girl's body, and his friend Tatsuki. I enjoyed it at first, but it got transphobic pretty quickly, and also managed to get some homophobia in there as well. Tatsuki kept telling Kai that he wasn't a boy anymore, and it didn't matter if he was on the inside because your biological sex determines what you are. He said this meant he wasn't gay and that Kai is a lesbian. That's around the time
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I stopped reading. I'd generally keep reading, but I already forced myself to finish one homophobic series, so I'm not keen on reading another, especially one that ALSO has transphobia. Honestly, it was kind of dull and fairly idiotic at points (and not in a good way, this coming from someone who loves stupid things).
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Jan 12, 2016
"I'm quite surprised you've lived this long without being stabbed." - Chikamatsu-sensei
This adequately portrays the social skills of our main character.
If you're looking for a good, short comedy, then look no further!
Now, if BL's not your cup of tea, that’s fine, but this isn't a yaoi or shounen ai. Well, technically it is a shounen ai (meaning platonic guyXguy relationship), but that's like calling "Higurashi no Naku Koro ni" a romance because one of the main characters happens to have feelings for another of the main characters—it's just an extremely small part of a totally unrelated plot.
Story: 8 (Very Good)
Well, perhaps "Higurashi no Naku
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Koro ni" is too extreme a comparison, since the main focus of this manga IS on love, or rather, making a fool out of yourself for love.
The popular Mikado Yamato is used to his easygoing life of adoration from his peers, but everything changes when Yamato experiences this strange sensation: upon seeing an attractive first year, his heart begins to flutter. Whatever could this strange feeling be? At the suggestion of one of his servants, Yamato attempts to court his kouhai, Haru Nezaki, with little success.
I don't care if you aren’t into guy/guy stories or whatever; despite the focus of the manga being romance, their relationship isn't really the focus of the story. It might as well be a girl Yamato is courting; it doesn't matter. You're not even hoping they'll end up together or not; you just continue reading, wondering how much the MC can screw up until he reaches the point of no return.
Art: 9 (Great)
The artwork is great and goes into super-cartoonish-mode and super-detailed-mode when necessary, creating some hilarious scenes.
Character: 5 (Mediocre)
The characters are fairly stereotypical, to be honest, and I've seen these types plenty of times before.
Mikado Yamato is your typical narcissistic ikemen—class president, good looking, and rich to boot. "Women's bodies will tremble with delight upon seeing [him]" (there are women literally frothing at the mouth at the sight of him), and "men will silently offer up their behinds to [him] as [he passes] by."
Meanwhile, we have Haru Nezaki, a shy first year to whom Mikado has taken a liking. However, there's a lot more to Haru than meets the eye, and Mikado is determined to get closer to Haru. His actual plans, however, not so great.
Enjoyment: 9 (Great)
I got surgery a few days ago to remove my wisdom teeth, and I swear the stitches are going to break from my smiling so much. I have actually shed tears from laughing so hard. This manga is HILARIOUS.
Overall: 9 (Great)
Despite all of the clichés and the seemingly simple plot, this manga is extremely enjoyable and absolutely hilarious. I'll say it again: it doesn't matter if you're not into guy/guy stories, because the relationship is really not what this story is about. It's about following our main character and watching him screw up for our own amusement, and it definitely succeeds in doing so.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 26, 2015
This is the shortest review I've ever written, but I feel that I don't need to write a long explanation as to why this manga sucks.
In this manga the girl falls in love twice. Each time she falls in love with the person after having had a relationship with them for only a few days. There is no actual romance progress whatsoever. I was putting up with at first, but then rape is used as a ploy to progress the romance subplot-- because we all know how romantic rape is. /s
I planned on forcing my way through this manga, but then they start fighting over
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a man (to be specific, the man who RAPED her). Real classy. Mediocre art, terrible characters, god awful romance progression, and a mediocre storyline.
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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