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Apr 16, 2024
These kinds of "reincarnating/transmigrating into a novel/game as a child character and I'm doomed if I don't change the original plot" stories usually have a critical flaw, and that is whenever the "original story" has changed for whatever reason the main character would still be in denial that the story has changed enough despite OBVIOUS signs that whatever it is they're worried about will not happen. The story changing is not the issue, the issue is either the main character is worried for nothing OR it is made too obvious to the readers that their worries are unwarranted.
Now why did I opened my review with
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this? Because I am happy to tell you that [The Archvillain's Daughter-In-Law/I Became the Daughter-in-Law of the Villain Because I'm Terminally Ill], for the most part, doesn't have this issue.
What stands out to me about this series compared to others of it's ilk, is the fact that even after 2 seasons in, I still have no idea whether the title character "villain" will stop his plans or not despite all the changes the heroine has made; the "original story" is no more, but even then this man have good reasons to stay on course (I can't explain without spoiling, but I assure you it makes sense). Thereby all her worrying and entertaining antics are warranted, because for all she and we the readers know, she is not in the clear just yet.
There's plenty of other things to enjoy from this manhwa:
- The female lead is refreshingly not your typical goody two-shoes, nor is she a vengeance fueled villainess, nor was she abused in her previous life, nor is she unapologetically malicious and evil (okay maybe a teeny tiny bit of the last one); Laria is charmingly balanced, she helps or manipulate people when it's to her benefit yet at the same time to others' benefit, she smartly drew a line early in her futile attempt to prevent raising a flag with the male lead, and her shenanigans often results in comedic outcomes.
- The art is really cute. I'm spoiling a bit but there's a touching scene after a timeskip that mirrors an event early in the story, and I'm a sucker for those kinds of panel.
- The comedy is a tad hit or miss, but if it's a hit for you then generally it will be entertaining.
- The story itself is pretty compelling, especially the duke's motives and backstory. Unfortunately if you're looking for the typical doting father archetype usually found within these sort of manhwa, you won't really get one here.
Little duke and his wife's relationship are endearing and mostly heartwarming, you can't help but to root for this poor boy who knew nothing about what's going on between his father and Laria.
This is a good and enjoyable series, especially for fans of the kind of stories I mentioned in the beginning, would recommend.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 23, 2024
This is a combination of "I'm hiding my identity from the insane male lead who loved me back then" plot + some childcare element + "hero reminiscing about the past" kind of story. Honestly I wasn't sure if I'm into it at first since the intro is pretty rough, but once the story gets going it become a surprisingly enjoyable read.
Aryn the female lead is the kind of character that is loveable and easy to root for, you can't help but look forward to her next clumsy antics as "Adelle" trying to pull her beloved friend out of his sorrow while dealing with some bad
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guys, not to forget some heartwarming time with the child that has been put into her care. She's not the usual omega brained genius FL who manipulate and plans every single outcome in the future, nor is she a doormat and passive incompetent kind of FL being dragged around by the people around her, so it is somewhat refreshing. Elkinas the male lead is also not too irredeemable, which help keeping me invested into Aryn's attempt of rehabilitating him.
The art isn't really my cup of tea but it's pretty good overall, however the fashion in this manhwa is noticeably... a tad questionable.
There is nothing extra special in the story as of the time I'm writing this, but I can see how much potential the story has and I really like it so far. If you're interested, I recommend to read at least until chapter 7 or 8 to judge whether you like it or not.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Feb 17, 2024
Another great series about a main girl and main guy in a school club with few members, hanging out with their quirky senpai and friends, constantly finding themselves in awkward and/or hilarious circumstances.
If you've read/watch your Senryuu Shoujo, your Kono Bijutsubu ni wa Mondai ga Aru, or something adjacent (Seitokai Yakuindomo, Atsumare! Fushigi Kenkyuubu, GJ-bu, D-Frag, Hyouka... kind of, etc) then you'll know what to expect.
You get a simple premise but in this genre execution is everything, making the mundane funny will make or break these kind of series, and I'm happy to tell you that R15+ ja Dame desuka? delivers. The artstyle
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variation in a single page (often in a single panel) really works well than it has any right to be, it's one aspect that stood out the most to me when reading this; many comedy manga do this, but usually it's for a punchline and not something constant, this series on the other hand will have an artstyle variation in practically every single page. You'd think it'll get old real fast, but surprisingly it feels natural as if this is how the manga is supposed to be and I completely adore it. This series also introduced a mystery for some intrigue to keep in the back of your mind, I doubt it'll end up to be anything mindblowing but small things like this is very much appreciated to keep the readers engaged wanting to read more, anxiously waiting for the next chapter/volume.
The characters are very loveable. Amou is curious and inexperienced but she's not stupid, she's like Chitanda Eru if you turn her innocence and awkwardness up to 11; Fuyumine is your typical aloof guy who mostly gets pushed around by the whims of people close to him/he's interested in, otherwise he just follow his own flow uncaring about most things in general; "Kanako"-senpai is the whimsical cute upperclassman with a useless ability and have a high tendency to do the most random stuff imaginable, she's proud of her kouhai who is finally interested in another human being.
It's a tried and true classic formula, effective in cheering you up and make your day. Highly recommend.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Nov 25, 2023
Lets get it straight out of the way first, this series is not an Ecchi one. The story is balls to the walls, pure and unadulterated, diabetes inducing wholesome and heartwarming sort of story; other than the title, it doesn't give any pretenses to be otherwise.
We have Charlotte, our endearing female lead with a typical Cinderella background and an immensely kind bubbly fuwa-fuwa soothing personality, meeting her slightly unconventional "prince" Allen who strives to make her happy, teaching her so called "naughty" things to enjoy and make her realize that she have some agency in her life. The series doesn't stray much from this central
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premise, each episode are mostly about them slowly but surely falling in love with each other, with other characters teasing them about this fact that they themselves haven't realized yet.
The series is not interested in innovating the genre or giving you anything out of left field, you just expect what's to come, get your weekly dose of overwhelming glucose intake, and is left satisfied; it never fails to fill your heart with warmth and face with a smile. If that's something you're interested in, I definitely recommend this.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 1, 2022
I picked this up because the main characters seems interesting after 3 chapters and I like the artist, and while there were a few decent moments plus good military stuff, it is ultimately underwhelming. It's not bad but it's not good either, usually I wouldn't have a problem with stories like that as long as the hook or premise is something that can make one read it regardless of it's flaws (especially if you have high tolerance for poor quality as long as it clicks with you in one aspect), but this manga doesn't have such a thing.
I've never read the novel nor watched
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the anime so I don't really know what to expect, after some chapters in it promised some grand plot about "losing the war, but not be left devastated in the aftermath" or something along that line. That doesn't happen. The manga just abruptly ends with a time skip, and not even close to the anticipated premise it set up. In summation the story feels like a prologue to what should have been the real plot, and it ends just before that plot could begin.
It's not all bad however. As mentioned earlier the military related stuff (it's mostly just tactics and less strategical in nature) are for the most part enjoyable, the characters are bland and very stereotypical but Ikta the main character carries the whole thing; in other words, if you don't like him there's really no reason to read this whatsoever. There is one, admittedly cheap, scenario that tugged my heartstring, but one decent moment isn't worth reading what felt like 30 chapters of filler content.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Sep 4, 2022
As expected from the author of Tsuredzure Children, this manga isn't deep nor have compelling plot, the characters are mostly one note, the art is just okay, etc; BUT the secret sauce is the absurdly high amount of juicy moments per chapter ratio. This is what make you continue reading.
You know those moments that makes you go "hhhnnnnnnngggg so sweet/wholesome/funny/awkward"? Those are what I call "Juicy moments", and they result in burning sensation inside that some may call "moeru". The effectiveness of these moments will differ from person to person, but if it works for you, you can't get enough of it. Now this
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isn't really unique to this manga, but Wakabayashi Toshiya-sensei is a master at cutting the fat and focus solely on the meat that is the juicy moment, using pure romcom and the right combination of character archetypes (this is important).
Boku wa Ohimesama ni Narenai premise aren't exactly the most original thing out there, fairy-tale based characters and girl dressing as a guy at school are familiar premises for romcom at this point (including the time the manga is written) with the likes of Ōkami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi and Ouran Host-bu. As I mentioned before the characters are just one dimensional cliches, but the dynamic they have with each other are the main selling point. There's really not much to spoil but the gist of what happens in this manga is an almost endless barrage of character interactions that results in misunderstandings and (what I live for) juicy moments, the primary source being the 2 main leads Shindou Rei and Hakuba Ouji which by far are the most fleshed out and intriguing ones among the bunch.
Rei and Ouji's conflicted feelings, worries, and guilt are the main driver of this manga. Rei have a past that make her actions in the story believable, her hiding the fact that she's a girl from Ouji is the main spice and also cause of everything. Ouji is a kind guy who's a bit of a weirdo, a dangerous combination that leads him to do the most ridiculous but hilarious things imaginable. The other characters aren't bad either (except 2 that are literally made to make filler chapters and pad out some chapters for page count), they complement the 2 main leads well and that's about the only thing I could say without getting into details and spoil some of the jokes or juicy moments.
This is one of those "experience it to know it" kind of thing since there's no obvious draw other than it's just a very succinct and well executed romcom, or maybe you're like me and love genderbender comedy which is made to good use in this manga.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 4, 2022
[Disclaimer] Spoilers ahead
For a story with such an unusual, South East Asian setting, it's a bit sad that this manga isn't longer to make use of it well and it really is a wasted potential. There's just one chapter (the first one) where the setting gets to shine a bit, showing a nice place and local street snacks. I must say the art is pretty good and there's some little action as well.
What you won't find is a good story nor a satisfying conclusion. It is painfully predictable, which isn't really an issue as long as it is well executed, and for the
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most part it is decently executed. There's some confusingly dark moments here and there, not enough to make the whole manga gloomy or edgy but it feels a bit out of place. The issue is either the tone is strangely lighthearted for such a premise (containing assassination attempts and a dog about to r*pe somebody), or the author went a teeny bit too far on the serious stuff to justify making it for the Seinen audience. I could see it working if there's more time for each sides (the lighthearted funny side and serious side), but as it is both seems half-assed.
I will praise it for not dragging the story out and made it concise... or it would have been if not for the baffling ending where the author had the gall to pull out a cliffhanger for an equally interesting plot that we can never read.
Have to admit that I am a sucker for genderbender comedy stories, and while short, this manga doesn't disappoint in that aspect. If all you came for is funny awkward situations from a crossdressing protagonist's perspective, his juicy conflict and confusion over his feelings, then by all means read this one. However he never reveal or got exposed as a guy to the end (except to one who is immediately out of the picture), so it's really one sided and you don't get to see much of other characters' reaction to his crossdressing. Only mentioning this since that's like half the source of fun for this type of comedy.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Aug 10, 2020
Before I start this review, I'm going to preface this with how I am the kind of person who appreciate and enjoy the journey more than the destination.
TL;DR manga is very funny but not too great in the plot department. Read if you love genderbender comedies and don't mind about unsatisfying ending.
I know comedy is subjective but if you love genderbender comedies such as Prunus Girl, Himegoto, stuff from the now defunct Waai! magazine, etc, then this is easily one of the funniest out there.
This manga was made before these genderbender stories went on some kind of "oh it's exploring deep issues and whatnot
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ala Hourou Musuko" revolution (circa 2016-now) so if you're looking for that then sorry, you won't find it here. You go into this if you just want to laugh and have a good time.
First and foremost this manga heavily leans toward comedy and it set up jokes or funny situations really well, but it suffers on the plot aspect (even if there seems to be hints at more story later on, it doesn't pay them off). There are some downtime to reflect on some genuinely wholesome moments, but they are usually just there to make you empathize with the characters or it's another setup for a punchline in the next chapter. The main characters, Ochi and Izumi, have a nice dynamic and as the main pillar of the whole manga they're doing a good job.
Now to address the elephant in the room, the ending is not great. It seems more like a sequel bait than an actual ending and pulled off the infamous "we've gone full circle and got back to where we start off" card from slice of life manga. I honestly think this manga would've benefitted from a longer serialization (or an actual sequel), if it was longer it could have easily pay off some plot details that are hinted at throughout the manga and could even be elevated to something great (like an 8 or 9 out of 10).
Of course, that didn't happened so if you don't mind about that aspect then feel free to pick up Boy Skirt for your dose of genuinely great genderbender comedy (I'm legit dying from laughter reading this if you're still not convinced).
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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May 28, 2020
As you can read from the preview, this manga is about a boy with girlish voice who went on to sing in a band. Premise is very simple and straightforward. Now I will go into the story a bit.
- Story:
To summarize, it's a story about facing your past trauma with some band club shenanigans. Pochi the protagonist was ridiculed because of his voice and he proceeds to never speak in public since entering highschool, he met with Ageha who have an issue with men, but couldn't let go of Pochi's beautiful voice for her band as a vocalist.
Now that sounds like it could be
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an interesting story, however the way it is executed are beyond cartoonish and borders into the ridiculous territory. Drama keeps popping up left and right when there's little to no reason to; there is almost no downtime at all to reflect or establish the "normal" if you will, things just keeps happening and it cuts down on time where Pochi can make genuine bonds with his band members.
Everyone that aren't immediately established to be a nice person are just straight up jerks or a-holes (some of them might get some sort of shallow redemption and realize the error of their ways).
Weirdly enough the story is almost structured in a "monster of the week" format. A drama arises and then a villain will show up for the band to defeat using Pochi's singing voice.
- Art:
There's not much to talk about on the art, it's cute and simple (might even be too simple). If you don't like it then I don't recommend reading this at all.
- Character:
Other than the two main characters, the characters barely gets fleshed out. Some of the "villains" might change in some unnatural way just because they heard Pochi singing; which doesn't make much sense because listening to a pretty voice won't suddenly turn jerks into saints.
A noticeable trait in most of the background characters are as I previously mentioned, if they are not a good person then they're straight up a piece of human garbage, there's no middle ground. Hoo boy you can bet that almost every guy that isn't Pochi are either: A. Some sort of sexual predator, B. A massive idiot, or C. Doesn't talk whatsoever.
This can get really annoying when you keep seeing the same kind of people everywhere and almost no variety.
- Summary
Overall it's a pretty painful read; I really wanted to love this manga (I remember reading parts of it years ago and find it enjoyable enough) but I will only give it extra point for the unique premise. Then again you could just read iDOLM@STER Neue Green if you're only here for the "a guy in drag is singing on the stage" thing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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May 5, 2020
Past Future is a gag comedy manga, if you went in looking for deep exploration or drama then you will sorely be disappointed, BUT if you like a little laugh (or maybe even specifically looking for this kind of genderbender comedy) then it's surely worth reading (it's pretty short after all).
Essentially the manga used Densha Otoko's famous plot device of "discussing problems on the BBS/Internet" thing as a central plot driver for Kako (the main protagonist) to do various shenanigans to get approval from his little sister (which is pretty genius to be honest), the gag is that his attempts obviously fails and he go
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to the BBS to report and continue the cycle.
There's just a bit of drama at the end to nicely tie up the story, and even in the climax the BBS is involved so it's not just an early gimmick or anything.
As you might've assumed from this format, it is slightly repetitive and the little sister acts unreasonably just to create tension, thus it is pretty lacking in the story department. Some (to be more precise, just two) side characters showed up to mix things up a bit, but in the end it's still just about the relationship of him and his little sister.
tl;dr: good if you want a quick laugh about a crossdressing dude, bad if you want good story.
- Scores:
Story: 3
Art: 4
Character: 6
Enjoyment: 7
Overall: 5
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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