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Jun 16, 2024
"Not Your Typical Reincarnation Story" is an entirely typical reincarnation story, BUT--my congratulations--I give it 7/10 for 3 reasons:
1. Pretty art. I'm not alone on prioritizing artwork, so let's just get it out there.
2. Female lead has a nice disposition. She's quiet, but not so insufferably insecure as most of her contemporary FLs. Rather than convincing us that she's (sparkle sparkle) not like other girls (sparkle) and would "really just rather read <3"--it's more believable in this story, as she takes up some administrative work and clearly enjoys being praised for doing a good job and simply not getting harassed. Far less "pick me" vibes
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(until they start changing her character's backstory like she wasn't originally a villainess). Her self-possessed demeanor is also appreciated for...
3. Fan service. FL is known to be pretty, ML is also attractive. Despite his initial aversion to her (inherited) bad rep, we are actually treated to a rapid development in their relationship. They're already married at the outset, and rather than waste 50-100 chapters convincing us it's a "fake marriage turned into real love; omg do you think they'll kiss??" the author seals the Deal (see me raise my eyebrows) within 20 chapters and we get some degree of normalcy between husband & wife thereafter. In this sense, it is NOT your typical reincarnation story (contradicting my opening line, I know).
If you can't stand the frequent misunderstandings levied against the FL, then you're in the wrong genre. Glad to see from another review on here that the character development of the husband is more pronounced in the source material. He is a real brat for the most part.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jun 16, 2024
It's rough to reach 200+ chapters in a series and think "this is pretty mid." There was a period of time when Your Throne was at the top of my webtoon list, and I looked forward to every new chapter. I took a long break from reading web comics, and when I returned I had fallen very far behind on Your Throne's publishing schedule (probably a year? something like 50 chapters?) and speed running the story gave me pause.
What's great:
- The art style has improved tremendously since the start of the series from an aesthetic standpoint. The proportions can still be sloppy, but the faces
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are very charming and far more mature than they were in the earliest chapters.
- This series maintains tension well. The lead's frequent victories are tempered by brutal losses that seem to be slowly beating her down. You, the reader, have built up high tolerance for her bait-and-switch strategies, but Medea's development arc is about her increasing love for humanity and subsequent weakening of her traditionally cold and calculating methods. "She'll win! ...right?"
- Fleshed-out side stories contribute to the overall storyline. The only thing I hate more than a bunch of underdeveloped side characters are overdeveloped side characters who detract from the main story. Filler arcs in anime left a bitter taste in my mouth. Luckily for us, the side characters get some dedicated chapters that reveal nuances to their motives, allowing us to understand their behaviors and accept surprise plot twists.
What sucks:
- I'm not convinced the author knew where this story was going when they drafted the first 10 chapters. Eros, our main antagonist, is unrecognizable if you re-read the start of the series, and not in a cool "hindsight is 20/20" kind of way. His actions simply don't align with his motives and extremely well-defined quirks as they are laid out in the later chapters. It's regrettable. I occasionally wonder if the author will revisit and rewrite the beginning.
- The main character is an anti-hero. I think this would be considered a positive thing in most circumstances, adding nuance and dimensionality to a character rather than having a Mary Sue type. But I'm more annoyed by my peers who seem to hail all of Medea's actions and cleverness when we haven't really been given a cause to root for her apart from the fact that she opposes Eros.
- I'm always sick of the trope "iT wAs ThE cHuRCh; tHe ChUrCh Is EvIL" and I'll mention it every time.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jan 30, 2021
Is this the One Piece of shoujo manga?
It's been a minute since I last wrote a review, but it's been many more minutes since Skip Beat! began. In the simple words of a fellow reader of this series:
"Either we will die or the author will die before this manga is completed"
Honestly I've faithfully followed Skip Beat! for several years now, with the intent of postponing my review until its completion. But what is this? "This pacing is rather slow," thought I. "The clothing and hairstyles are a bit outdated as well, I noticed. Just when did this begin? ...I'm sorry, does that say 2002?!? We're
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coming up on 20 years now?!"
Before we get into actual series content/quality, my preliminary advice is to put off starting this series for as long as you can so that you aren't left waiting for monthly updates of chapters that are unfailingly short. There it is, I can't do more for you on that front, let's get to critique.
Skip Beat! is sublime, despite its mediocre artwork. A long-running series ought to boast of (1) an expansive storyline and (2) notable character development; Skip Beat! succeeds in both.
We achieve the former through the realm of entertainment. As an actress, Kyoko's ongoing improvement in her acting range translates directly to the environmental expansion viewed by the reader. It's historical drama, it's an action flick, it's shoujo within shoujo (so meta!). I most likely would have dropped the series upon reaching the latest chapters, except one of these subplots hooked my interest and I remain hopeful for more content like it.
The latter benefit, character development, is the author's particular--and possibly indirect--skill. Without this, the series would be truly unbearable. Truthfully, characters' big "realization" moments are somewhat overblown and fairly trite. However, the underlying pace of the story actually results in subtle shifts for the story's leads that are very satisfying to consider at large. I wonder how much this effect is derived from the author's own maturing over 2 decades of work.
To conclude, Skip Beat! holds a unique place in the ranks of shoujo manga for a reason. I think you'll find something to enjoy in its many pages, but if you like conclusions (like me), then hold off for "another minute."
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jan 20, 2019
"'For some reason' things don't go well and you feel uneasy.
'For some reason' you hate someone and can't forgive them.
'For some reason' you hurt somebody.
The reason is usually buried somewhere within, but...the idea of digging around for it is too scary."
Queen's Quality isn't groundbreaking when it comes to character types. The art isn't the best I've ever seen. Even the story arcs can be a little repetitive in their sequences and resolutions.
But dang, this manga really deserves some credit.
Shoujo mangakas have a tendency to pass off pure nonsense as some kind of profound realization just by adding a ton of ellipses ("..."), sparkly framing, and
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a serene expression from their leading character.
"Wa-la! Now everything is perfect. Just ignore the actual logic of my captioning and allow the story to go on."
Queen's Quality is guilty of this shortcut from time to time, but I forgive these fumbles because of all the times the author makes a keen observation with actual substance! Honestly, this manga addresses serious psychological issues, and not just through its minor characters (token villains/bullies/losers/etc.). Every character has darkness. Every character struggles. Secondary emotions versus primary motives, deeply repressed feelings, metacognition and mental health--this is some crazy real stuff that everyone has, whether they acknowledge it or not. I recommend this manga (so far) on the basis that readers should actually take cues from it and undergo some self-analysis.
Also, fan service.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Aug 5, 2018
This is a laugh-out-loud kind of shoujo manga. It took me several chapters to adjust to the art style; how could you write a successful shoujo manga with two such unfashionable leads? The girl is an endless fount of ghastly expressions and the diminutive stature of her male counterpart is visually disconcerting. Furthermore, I would say that the first 10 chapters have irregular pacing and confusing character development. Given all this criticism, why would I rate this series as an 8 so far?
Why? How?
Because LOL.
This mangaka has certain storytelling/artistic skills, and they MILK IT.
Although the leads are not "beautiful" in the traditional shoujo sense (you
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only get a flowery glimpse of the female lead once every 4 or so chapters, and the male lead's handsome face--his only handsome feature, by the way--is only occasionally given some accompanying romantic action), the art style is bold and crisp! There's no wonky proportions, excluding the deliberate size difference, and the panels that purely focus on artwork are of the highest quality.
I'm talking "freeze-frames" here.
This mangaka slays freeze-frames.
The expressions of shock/happiness/disbelief/etc. found in the silent panels of this manga have elicited the most genuine laughs from me, and I will always give credit to the author when that happens. This is really the top benefit I want to drive home. Get some laughs!
But on a side note, this manga is, from my knowledge, fairly accurate about mismatched couples. My close friend in college was fully 6 feet tall and completely filled out, much like the heroine of this manga. She was also dating a guy who, while not shorter, was certainly on the slimmer side and gave the impression of "smaller." She also had little dating experience, and the awkward, fumbling manner of dating between mismatched physiques oftentimes resembled the depiction found in this series.
My friend also sported some irregular bangs at one point, so that's a fun coincidence.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jun 27, 2018
Are the Japanese very unwell? It amazes me how many deceased parents there are in shoujo manga, but Sugar Family outdoes them all. The first four families you meet have 1 deceased or absent parent, so that everyone has their personal sob story.
I enjoyed this manga well enough, but it doesn't change the fact that the story is poorly strung together. Teacher and student become step-siblings; teacher has immediate sister complex; student has family issues; 10+ chapters are dedicated to heightening tension by continuously repeating dialogue from a few conversations: "Sensei needs a sister..." "If only we were real siblings..." "We just want to always
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be together..." Again, and again, and again.
Ultimately, the manga wraps up too quickly and the reader doesn't really get to see the transition in characters' feelings, considering all the obvious conflicts surrounding them. Some extended epilogue chapters would have been beneficial.
Overall, I recommend reading this if you're looking for a more capable shoujo heroine and cheerful/affectionate male lead. Sometimes the genre can be saturated with breathy girls and surly men, and this is a nice break from that dynamic.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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May 17, 2018
You know those manga where the lead female considers herself plain or ugly, but that really isn't the case? Or where she undergoes some transformation that makes her into a great beauty?
That doesn't happen in this manga.
Kawai is scary. She just is. And that's okay!
This short series is endearing because you get to watch an unfashionable but kind-hearted woman fall in love for the first time. But hey, this is shoujo, so if the girl can't be pretty then you can bet that the male lead is going to be super handsome--yay Hosaka! This series also explores the parallels in
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relationships between adults and between children, as conflicts in the nursery where Kawai and Hosaka work teach principles that help them move along in their own budding romance.
Cute, quick, and funny--highly recommend reading it!
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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May 17, 2018
Forget breathy sighs, excessive thought bubbles, and unending miscommunication. Toradora! centers around two relatively straightforward, unconventional leads that inadvertently become best friends. Despite having a combative relationship, Taiga and Takasu agree early on to serve as wingmen for each other in pursuit of the other's best friend. Takasu likes the silly, cute Minori (Taiga's best friend), while Taiga likes the sociable, active Kitamura (Takasu's best friend).
It took me 5-10 chapters to get into the swing of things, but once Taiga and Takasu established their friendship, I found this manga to be delightfully refreshing. I'll agree with other reviewers that there's nothing
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especially deviant from the genre, but the relationship between the leads is one not commonly seen. Since the main characters are focused on becoming closer to secondaries, the blushing and awkward shoujo tropes are told from a hilarious third-person perspective; so you get to see something like a confession scene with someone else commenting on how terrible it is.
Of course, you have to understand that guys and girls can't be friends, or at least not as close as Taiga and Takasu. Naturally this causes the duo some inexplicable jealousy and longing, which will be fun to watch them figure out.
All in all, I can recommend it with the encouragement to at least read the first 10 chapters.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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May 6, 2018
Shiawase Kissa 3-choume is a great weekend read. While I found the characters very likable, the pacing and conclusion could have been very off-putting depending on my mood. If you're looking for some hot shoujo romance, you may want to postpone reading this series. But if you're looking for a steady, more slice-of-life kind of feeling, then I can highly recommend it.
The main character, Uru, falls into a reverse-harem kind of situation where everyone surrounding her is captivated by her effervescent positivity. Even as the reader, I was attracted to her wide smiles, extroversion, and boundless energy. It was a
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nice break from the more quiet, melancholic heroines I've recently gone through. She actually has some personality that makes you think, "Oh, yes, I can see why a story would be centered around such a person." Of course, the mangaka had to make her romantically obtuse in order to string along the various storylines, but that's not such a bad thing.
The pacing of this series is bizarrely life-like. Rather than skipping from holiday to holiday and vacation to vacation, the entire series spans less than a year. Characters reference "yesterday" much more often than "a few days/weeks ago," which is uncommon in shoujo. The mangaka introduces so many complete characters that upholding all of their side stories keeps her busy enough without having token episodes like Christmas, a beach day, or a trip to the amusement park. In fact, you should be surprised to learn that there is no "first day" chapter, which seems like a staple ingredient to any successful shoujo. While unconventional, I think that this actually speaks to the quality of the series' characters. Their realism carries along the story naturally, and you can genuinely buy into most of the relationships.
Selfishly, I will note that I was dissatisfied with the romantic conclusion, even if you can see it from 100 miles away. By chapter 1 you know whom Uru prefers, but as the series progressed I was more convinced of the merits of the other males. I think the mangaka became aware of this, too, as she constantly sets up Uru's coworkers as "formidable opponents"...not distinguishing the eventual winner. As a result, the mangaka kind of copped out in the last 5 chapters and made suitor #2 leave the scene, essentially crippling him as a romantic interest. I preferred him, so I was particularly annoyed. Considering the quality development of all the relationships, I feel like the readers deserved more detailed and conclusive endings.
All in all, I was disappointed by the ending, but did not regret reading the series.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Feb 21, 2018
Let's rename this series, "17-sai, Stockholm Syndrome." We can subtitle it, "A young girl discovers she's a masochist."
Initially, I had a programmed, American response to the premise of cousins being love interests. However, after reading up on the cultural differences, I thought it could make for an interesting plot dynamic. There are plenty of shoujo manga where a cousin comes on the scene to stir up trouble, but I have little experience with such a romance being the primary focus. All that just to say that if the cousin thing doesn't weird you out, never fear, because the characters are plenty
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weird enough to jack up the story on their own!
I dropped this series after 8 chapters, and even that was a stretch for me. The "unassuming" male cousin intentionally conceals his physical, mental, and social capabilities from his female cousin in order to stay close to her. His long-unrequited love goes unnoticed by the main girl...for about 2 seconds into the story. Suddenly, something breaks inside Male Cousin's brain. Hormones go crazy. What begins as a relatively innocent kiss in one scene progresses to full-on molestation a few pages later...on multiple occasions! Female Cousin continuously says "stop, stop!" but to no avail. Male Cousin just can't stop himself anymore. (What the heck is this series trying to promote?! Rape culture?! Shoujo can get so disgusting.) Female Cousin, rather than being repulsed by Male Cousin's obvious disregard for her actual feelings, begins to become flustered and steadily attracted to her heretofore useless relative. He pressures her into dating him, and their grossly masochistic interactions continue.
So maybe that's your thing, but it sure isn't mine. *drops the mic, drops the series*
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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