Back to miradris's Profile miradris's Profile

" Before people are born... they probably submit a form to God. It has choices for everything. Nationality, race, gender-- all the details. and then that person is born based on those choices.

I think there must have been a mistake with mine."

I have a deep love for the genre of biography, I love listening to different stories on life and how people have chosen to live theirs or the lack of choices they have had that shaped them. This manga is zero exception to this rule. Ryousuke Nanasaki beautifully pours his feelings out into this manga, and they are beautifully illustrated by Yoshi Tsukizuki ... in a way that feels beautiful and strong wrapped together. There is no cutting corners with Nanasaki's experience. The less pretty aspects of being LGBTQ+ in Japan are shown just as grotesque as he experienced them. Which makes this being a true story that much more powerful. Having experienced numerous moral dilemmas and dread for life, he learns to accept himself and blossom into the person he is now.

The art is very clean and pretty, but does its job in showing each moment in Nanasaki's life. Some of the dialogue might come across as dramatic or ingenuine but, I love the attention to feelings and the art being able to illustrate Nanasaki's pain he feels throughout his years of accepting his identity.

If you are LGBTQ+ or know anyone who is, I recommend reading this. Even if that doesnt apply to you, still a recommend due to its wonderful story telling and to get a better picture of the world around us.

Tender.


What does that word evoke for you? Maybe a certain feeling, maybe a specific memory from your childhood or a sensation that you like in your current day to day life. Maybe something else entirely.

Tender. (Adjective) "showing gentleness and concern or sympathy" A simple word, and a very very very dumbed down review for an entire series, but it is the only word I can think of to describe my adoration for this series.

Despite not usually gravitating towards romance, I had seen the art for this story floating around my circles. I fell in love with the effortless linework that Asumiko Nakamura is ... able to let flow in her works. While the plot of Doukyuusei is not groundbreaking, somehow the exact feeling of a fleeting childhood crush is perfectly captured by Nakamura. I found myself entangled in the beautiful romance of Kusakube and Sajo. Their overly cautious and soft romantic advances accompanied by dramatic words of devotion won even myself over, who typically enjoys psychological dramas.

A must read for anyone who wants to feel refreshed and enjoy a pleasant story.

Reading Goodnight Punpun for the first time in 2021, I am fully aware of the hype behind this series. I have heard the jokes, seen the enticing spoiler tags and always have avoided them, citing "One day ill read it!"

Well, that day has come. Much to friends and the internet's foreboding worries, I was told to make sure I was in a correct headspace to anticipate the dreadful saga I would soon become aware of. They were right, but not nearly for what I had thought.

The first few chapters more or less made me feel a bit underwhelmed.

"This is the story that's so well ... recieved?"

I am familiar with many of Asano's works, both prefacing and after Punpun. Some plot lines were predictable and some of his writing style would show throughout random scenes, but this series is by far his best work I have consumed out of the rest. I have never felt such a distaste for a character. A distaste that I felt the need to get on my soapbox and post this. None of the characters are good people, but who really is a good person? How do we become better people? Do we condemn and hide our pasts and put our best foot forward or do we cut our losses and accept our hideous and vanity?

As horrible as this story was to sit through, I can vouch for feeling thoroughly entertained through the tangled web of Punpun Onodera formerly Punyama. Although the ending was a bit of a let down, it reminded me a lot of how disturbing the calm AFTER the storm could be. I recommend this series to anyone into introspective thinking and the inner psyche.