Apr 18, 2009
Looking at the premise of Living Game, you may expect a silly, enjoyable romp with goofy humor and awkward situations. While these elements are certainly present, as the chapters flip by, this story evolves into something that is both very real and touches on many issues of life, and living.
Story: The story in Living Game really snuck up on me. While I was enjoying the elements and laughing along, a very real story had naturally evolved and entwined itself with what I was reading. Everything that was introduced felt well paced and natural, even the shocking elements. Characters act how you would actually expect
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people to act in the given situation, giving the story a very real feeling.
Art: Well, it isn't the prettiest looking manga, but it gets the job done. The character designs are very simple, but emotions on the faces are well expressed. The art fits the mood of the story, and I did not find anything that was distracting or jarring.
Characters: Now this is where Living Game gets its charm. Raizo Fuwa is a enjoyable lead, who is just someone going with the flow of life. Izumi Hiyama is a bundle of joy, it is adorable to see how she reacts to the new situation she is put in. When the story gets serious, however, we see our leads develop serious, raw emotion in a believable fashion. Living Game hits with these emotions really well, and I found myself both cheering and crying with the leads.
The secondary characters are also very fun. There are too many to list efficiently, but you can rest assured that they all have their quirks and charms that make the story enjoyable. None of them are throw-away characters either, they all bring something to the story at at least one point.
Enjoyment: Whether it was was watching the characters fall over when something ridiculous happened (seriously, this gag never got old for me, maybe there is something wrong with me...) , or watching the emotional development between Fuwa and Izumi, I was always having a fun time. I laughed audibly multiple times, I flipped pages lightning-quick with heart-a-flutter to see what emotional development awaited me, heck, I even started yelling at the pages. This manga will take you through ups and downs, as well as everything in between, and still come off as a very believable, mature story.
If you are at all interested in romance or drama, I would suggest this manga. Living Game pulls off its comedy and slice of life elements as well, but this is really a love story at its heart. It has undeniable charm, and is my favorite of the romance genre. I recommend Living Game wholeheartedly.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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