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Mar 18, 2022
Kikonsha Desu Kedo, Nani ka? is highly recommended. It is such an enjoyable manga, I am honestly shocked it's not better known. The whole 20 chapters I read with a smile on my face and I'm still smiling having finished it. It's funny and it's heartwarming. And it's real, in a way that yaoi often forgets to be.
Will everyone enjoy it? Probably not. You're probably not reading this if you're not just a little into yaoi. And even then, I wouldn't recommend Kikonsha Desu Kedo, Nani ka? as a first deep into yaoi. Even still, this manga might deserve a trigger warning, since it
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does feature very clear workplace sexual harrassment.
Still, I enjoyed the manga immensely, and I think it'll be even more enjoyable rereading it since some of what we find out later on puts the early chapters into context.
Why did I enjoy it? Honestly, the art was not the selling point. It definitely was very, very comedic at times, and A1 (the mangaka) has such a talent for conveying emotions in her drawings. But I read her other manga first (On or Off), which had just the most beautiful art, so this one felt a little sloppy in comparison. But honestly, that could just be a personal preference. I like very clean, sleek manga art, not the busy kind, but others might prefer this manga's art over On or Off.
Regardless, for me the art was worth overlooking for the story and the characters.
Kikonsha Desu Kedo, Nani ka? is told so beautifully, everything just follows so well toggether. Plot points that did not make sense or sit well in the beginning become clear later on.
But for me, the most enjoyable part of the story was its subversiveness. This seems to be the mangaka's style, as On or Off is also quite subversive, and it's one of the reasons I think long time yaoi fans would enjoy this manga more than newcomers. There are just some plot devices and tropes that A1 uses that I think are much more enjoyable when placed in context of the rest of the yaoi body of work.
As I mentioned earlier, I also liked how real the story felt. It made sense to me. What if this really common yaoi trope actually did happen in real life? Or this ubiquitous yaoi plot device? Well, then Mikado and Serizawa would have to be exactly the sort of people that the mangaka created them to be, and they would definitely react the way she had them react.
It's a dangerous line A1 is walking on, having a protagonist who is a horrendous sexual harrasser; it makes sense, and it's a wonderful development that was longtime coming, that most newer yaoi just forgoes the sexual harrassment trope altogether. But I think A1 managed it. I personally agree with how Serizawa frames it partway through the story.
So yes, not everyone's cup of tea, but I thought the story was special, and needed and deserved telling.
And the ending, it was just so beautiful. There was one small panel of drawing, with no text even, but it had me crying.
Serizawa was adorable from the start. And Mikado grew on me, like a weird deformed demon on your back that you get used (read the manga to get it!), but one element I appreciated both in this manga and in A1's other work is her attention to the surrounding characters. Especially the female ones. An old yaoi trope is drawing female characters as horrible, mean, or vindictive. Haruko is a rounded character. She isn't perfect, she isn't horrible, she is just a person. A wonderful, lovely person. She goes through her own story and character development, not dependent on the male chararcters, and I just loved her throughout the story. She also did a good job of making me hate Mikado for a bunch of it.
So in conclusion, I enjoyed this manga. I am not sure everyone would. But one thing I am sure of, after reading 20 chapters of Kikonsha Desu Kedo, Nani ka? and 91 chapters of On or Off is that A1, you've got to draw more, please!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jun 14, 2016
Haruko sensei has a very mature and sophisticated style. Her art is clean and neat, her characters are decidedly not cute (I haven't read Itoshi no Nekokke yet, and it looks a littler cuter).
, and her stories are not romantic at all. They are realistic, harsh, and in the case of this manga, rather depressing. The characters receive a real life ending, not a happily ever after. All in all, fairly atypical of a yaoi manga.
I cannot say that I liked this manga. I enjoy feeling happy, and this manga did not make me feel happy. But there is no question that this manga
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was breathtaking and memorable. The characters are not especially likable, but I felt for them none the less, and the manner in which their story evolved was tragic and heart wrenching.
I think what hurt the most was that Sakuma and Kumi feel stuck. They are stuck in a miserable place, feeling miserable, and making each other miserable. What's worse is that perhaps, if they tried, they could change the narrative, find a place and a relationship that makes them both happy. But whether because they are too broken or too downtrodden, they will not try. They will just continue on existing miserably, and that's what made this story a true tragedy.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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May 25, 2016
This manga wasn't the worst I've ever read, but I do not think I'll be recommending it.
I did not particularly enjoy the art in this manga. It was a bit rough.
The plot was unusually realistic, considering typical yaoi storylines. However, I'm not sure I liked it. There's a reason we read fiction. If something is too realistic, it can get a little boring. And cliffhangers are no fun, which one of the stories in this manga features.
Finally, what most bothered me was the protagonist from the main story. He certainly had his share of hardships, and it's understandable that he's insecure, but I
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thought he comes off as weak, petty and immature. The three worst qualities for a protagonist to have (unless it's a comedy, which this manga is not).
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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May 23, 2016
This mangaka has a thing for love-struck men (see: all of Kanda sensei's works). Not that I mind. Her stories, including this one, are always so funny and beautiful, her dialogue (which is probably the most common flaw I find in a yaoi, as all the melodrama has a tendency to bog down the conversation and leave me drowning in confusion) is seamless and adorable.
particularly love how she can tell what questions I have about the plot and completely lampshades them
(Sorta spoiler: For example, when Azuma and Taira have sex for the first time and Azuma seems to totally love it, I
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kind of went, "Oh, so Taira slept around even though he loves Azuma? I mean, how else would he get so skilled?" Which is of course what Azuma wondered, but Taira immediately puts our minds at peace. No, he didn't sleep around, he's completely devoted to Taira.)
I think it's funny how the fact that they are uncle and nephew didn't disturb me at all, unlike with Ore ni Koi Shite Dousunda. I think it just goes to show how well Kanda Neko handled the situation of familial relations and how much I loved her characters. <3
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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May 23, 2016
An adorable, sweet and fluffy shounen-ai that had me smiling throughout. It is a very short manga, but Kanada sensei still manages quite a bit of character development, particularly with Koujirou (I loved seeing him open up as he notices Lau's attention). The premise and plot are not particularly original, but the execution is clever and uniquely Kanda-sensei -esque.
That aside, I think the goal of this manga was comedy, and that goal was definitely achieved.
The interactions between the protagonists were adorable in their innocence and light-heartedness, and the side characters added an extra funny element to the story.
My one qualm: It is not clear
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to me at all whether its easier for the characters to be in their human form or their Kago form. One of the side characters keeps forgetting to hide his horns, and Lau had more trouble than usual keeping his human form when his Kago powers got particularly strong. But when Lau stays in his Kago form for several days, he exhausts himself. This is very confusing (it's not a particularly important issue, and itdidn''t detract from my enjoyment, but I do like it when a universe is internally consistent).
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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May 21, 2016
A common trope in yaoi and shounen-ai is the struggle, both internal and external, of being gay. And of course, that has its time and place. However, I appreciate mangas that move past that, and tell the story of characters who happen to be gay, not the story of gay characters. Count 0 is just such a story. Yes, the protagonists are guys and they fall in love, but their gender plays no role in the plot and conflict of the manga. Instead, the mangaka told a funny and original story about marginalized characters who struggle with fitting in, but for reasons other than
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their orientation. And I did think the story was very original. I do not remember reading any other manga that features a character who can "lie counters" above people's heads.
I think the premise could have lead to a much grimmer manga. And perhaps that story would have been more memorable and breathtakingif the mangaka took it in that direction. But the story Satoru sensei wrote is fun and enjoyable.
In addition, Count 0 does not contain much of character development; however, the characters are all rather cute, and they do learn a little bit as the story progresses, even if the lessons are all a little silly. Agatsuma learns that while he can tell if people are being honest or not, he cannot relay on that fact alone to determine a person's goodness and worth. Misono learns that sometimes it's worth it to tell a lie. And Shinoyama learns that it's possible for him to be loved. Silly lessons, and the situations that lead to the characters learning them are not particularly complex. But they were funny and cute.
This is certainly a feel-good manga, and I recommend Count 0 if you're looking for something to put you in a good mood.
I hope this mangaka writes some mangas!
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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May 19, 2016
I liked this manga much better than it's prequel. Even though the prequel had darker themes, I felt that Before Daylight Love was more mature, and its characters were more sophisticated. I've noticed that the semes in both BDL and After Morning Love are significantly less developed than the ukes. I wonder why the mangaka decided to draw them this way.
I particularly liked Daiki's character. There isn't all that much character development, as this is a fairly short manga, but Daiki comes across as strong, decisive and sure of himself. Life repeatedly goes wrong for him, but he never starts feeling sorry for himself or
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complains. He just decides on the best course of action and takes it, without turning everything into a big drama. That being said, he did struggle a little when he thought he was losing his identity, but I found that bit of weakness added roundness to his character.
Rin, the protagonist from After Morning Love, also has several occasions were he shows strength in the face of hardship. But the situations he must deal with are so vastly more traumatic, and his character is so much younger and less mature, that his strength came across as less authentic.
There's no doubt about it though, yakuza yaois are awesome.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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May 18, 2016
This is one of my all time favorite yaois. The story and the art are both painfully beautiful, and the relationship is heartfelt and captivating. This manga is more about feelings and emotions than plot and character development, but it is breathtaking and memorable all the same.
I do not like the summary for this manga. I think it implies a light-hearted story, which Sagatte Omachi Kudasai certainly is not. This is not a gloomy and dark manga, mostly due to the dreamy quality of the art, but it is a tragic story. And I am not sure you can say there's a happy ending. Tanaka
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and Doujima have a lot of work ahead of them. Tanaka's history, while not completely clarified, is extremely traumatic, and has left him in fear of social interactions. It is unclear why Doujimi falls in love with Tanaka, but Doujimi is a very kind, and quickly understands Tanaka's pain and does his best to support him.
I thought that Tanaka was an amazingly well-drawn character, and his strength in the face of his suffering and fears is admirable.
I would not call this a feel-good story, but its serene and peaceful tone helps with handling the subject matter and prevents the manga from becoming depressing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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May 18, 2016
This is a really beautiful story about the pain and hardship of being a teenager. For all those teenagers out there and those who aren't anymore but remember how it felt like, you know how when you are a teenager everything looks so dark? Like you are all alone with the world closing in on you, suffocating? That's what this manga is about. That's basically the only conflict. But frankly, it's a pretty big conflict.
This manga is about Chibana and Hiroto, two childhood friends. Chibana is going through a tough time in his life, and the only thing that is keeping him sane is his
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calming technique--he closes his eyes and counts to 3. But that doesn't always work when you are head over heels for your best friend and 16 years old so you don't know how to deal with it. To make matters worse, his father (or mother? let's just say "his parent") is moving them to a new town, so Chibana is going to be transferring schools. And since he is a teenager, saying goodbye to Hiroto is basically equivalent to the end of the world.
In addition to the story and the relatable characters, I also really liked the art. I thought its fuzzy calmness fits the plot. Also, it reminded me of Ootsuki Miu's work, and she is one of my favorite mangakas.
I am not sure I would label this as yaoi. I think it's much more of a shounen-ai.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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May 18, 2016
*This Review Contains Spoilers*
This is a pretty famous manga in the, what should I call it? Yaoi circle? Gush, that made me all blushy and giggley and stuff. I think I read a yaoi once where the guys referred to being gay as being part of the circle (giggle). But it's famous for a good reason.
Reading over it, my review is sprinkled with spoilers. No particular incidents are mentioned, but I do give away the main couples. Be warned!
This mangaka has an amazing talent for setting a mood to her drawings. I don't know how she did it, but the beginning feels all gloomy and
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depressing and then the feeling kind of lightens and warms as the story develops. By the extras, it's practically sappy.
I enjoyed this story quite a bit. It's about a gay man who starts working in a new company where the manager of the department is kind of nuts. The nuts manager is straight, but Shima is really cute, so Togowa can't help himself (and I am quoting Togowa here -- eye roll, if a guy said that to me, I'd tell him to get over himself). However, Shima has had a really bad experience with a straight lover before, so it is hard for him to open up and be vulnerable to Togowa.
We all love Shima and Togowa, but the real treasures are Onoda and Deguchi (is Deguchi really a name? How do you pronounce it? It comes out sounding Italian in my head). Onoda works with Togowa and Shima, and since Shima is a "devilish seducer of straight men" (quoting Onoda this time), Onoda falls for Shima, and promptly has his heart broken because little Shima is already in love with Togowa (real Midsummer Night's Dream up in here). Which sucks, because I loved Onoda. But no worries, Deguchi to the rescue.
I think it's worth reading this VERY LONG (by yaoi standards) manga just to get to the end part with Onoda and Deguchi. I think I like them better because they are more messed up and clumsy than Shima and Togowa (I mean, come on, [SPOILER ALERT!] Shima and Togowa are pulling off a long-distance relationship? Give me a break).
Perhaps not the most memorable of all mangas, but it's certainly fun.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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