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This is a shounen manga about a boy who quickly realizes he has the power to swap bodies with people he kisses. Ryu Yamada is the class troublemaker who doesn’t really take anything seriously, until he accidentally falls down the stairs with the perfect student in class, Urara Shiraishi! And during that tumble their lips touch and their worlds change. But Ryu and Urara quickly realize that this switch up could really work in both of their favors.
But this amazing setup quickly detours into some of the most gratuitous fanservice I’ve ever seen in my life. And, holy shit, there was so much gross disrespect for people’s bodies in this first volume! Like, it was so bad that it was hard to read at parts. Especially when the character Toranosuke Miyamura gets introduced. Like, that dude was legitimately the worst.
And this volume basically centers on Urara and Ryu discovering this power, learning how it benefits them, and trying to keep it a secret from everyone else at their school. But that last one is a lot easier said than done. And at the very end we are introduced to Nene Odagiri who I actually feel compelled to learn more about.
Overall, I really wanted to love this one, but I just disliked it more and more as it went on. I will not be continuing with this series. Also, the biggest question of all: Why are they wearing a witch hat on the cover? Lord, help me.
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Content and trigger warnings for bullying, sexual harassment, sexual assault, and uncomfortable invasion of privacy.
Buddy read with Cory! ❤
Yikes, too bad this ended up not working out. It could be so interesting if it was done well.
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Right? Ahhh! You can’t win them all, I suppose! Hehe! I hope you’re having happy reading, love! 💖xx
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Great review, Melanie! I’m sorry this was a disappointment!
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Awh, thank you, love! Can’t win them all! Hehe! 💖xx
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I remember I watched part of the anime and I believe I enjoyed, so maybe they toned it down compared to the manga? I don’t usually read manga, but I fanservice is a tricky thing in japanese products. Sometimes I can bear with it, but other times it gets so bad that it can ruin an otherwise great story – my primary example being Nanatsu no Taizai (The Seven Deadly Sins), ahh it drives me crazy what they did with it.
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That is exactly how I feel. Like Food Wars has a ton of fanservice, but it doesn’t bother me the way that this one did? I don’t know. I guess it has a lot to do with the storyline and “switching bodies” that makes it feel… worse? I dunno! Hehe! But I feel you completely, and I hope you’re having happy reading and watching, beautiful! 💛xx
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Exactly! I love Food Wars so much, but I excuse the fanservice because first of all it is an ecchi anime/manga and that’s part of the genre so it’s not a surprise, second of all they managed to use it as a tool to tell the story, like a metaphor for the overwhealming sensations that food gives us. Also this type of fanservice is always using female characters, but in FW they do it with all genders, which is a change. Also the story and the characters are so compelling that they don’t need to rely on fanservice all the time and beat us over the head with it you know? (let’s not forget the food looks amazing).
In Nanatsu they made the terrible mistake of using the MC to carry the fanservice on, which makes it impossible to ignore it even if one tries. I watched the first season with my bf and the story was great, but we can’t take anymore of the MC harassing the female lead ugh. I love japanese culture, but consent is a constant issue in their productions.
Oh ops sorry for the rant, I got carried away haha
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I love your rants and thoughts, sweetheart! They are perfection and I’m over here yelling “YESSS!” while reading them all! Seriously. It is so hard for me to find book friends that are into manga and anime, so I’m really just living for ALL of this! Especially because people who are into it, like to ignore or makes excuses for the problematic themes that show up a lot! Ahhh! You’re the best and I love you! 💛xx
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Ahh thanks Mel, you’re sooo sweet! Oh I know what you mean, I either have people to talk about books or other people to talk about animes, but never both together haha I’m so glad you’re into it as well *-* <3<3 Feel free to talk to me whenever you want about books and any new anime or manga you watch/read (for better or for worse).
Ohh I constantly discuss that with my bf, we both agree that you can love something and still recognize its flaws and see that there's something problematic about it, but some of our friends easily ignore these things. I get that people can feel defensive or protective of the stuff they care about, so when you say something they like is problematic they might take it personally as if you're saying they are problematic themselves for liking said thing. But I don't think we can judge people that way. Hell I'm in love with fictional villains and messed up characters half the time, does that mean I'd want to have anything to do with them IRL? That's a big nope. We all like at least one story with some problematic issue or character, that doesn't make us evil, but I think it's important to be open to listen to why some particular aspect is an issue to someone else. A bit more respect and tolerance could do wonders for this world.
Ops ranted again hahahh
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