Smif's Recommendation Corner

Seibetsu "Mona Lisa" no Kimi e. (性別「モナリザ」の君へ) - Yoshimura Tsumuji

Genre - Drama, School Life, Romance

Read - volume 2 chapter 9 / volume 6 chapter 29 (7 volumes in the original)

Status - Ongoing

In this world, at the age of 12, children choose their sex. Hinase, on the eve of their 18th birthday, has yet to make a choice, and is still sexless. Regardless, they live a content life with their childhood friends Shiori(boy) and Ritsu(girl). But the "choice" is all Hinase can think about when suddenly both Shiori and Ritsu confess their love to them on the same day and request they become the opposite sex to them so they can have a relationship.

So I havent read most of this yet, I admit. But I have a lot of opinions. I think there could be so much more here in terms of world building and actual nonbinary rep. Like I have a hard time believing that any 12 year old is capable of making this decision independently. Shiori admits he chose to be a boy because that's what his brother did. So would there not just be a bunch of households with children of one gender? Or parental influence, like with Ritsu, she was really good at sports so her parents constantly bought her "boy" things and expected her to be a boy. But sike she actually wanted to be cute and chose to be a girl!

And thats where I have a problem with this. This world, where they author could have done ANYTHING, is still fundamental gendered like ours is and it defeats the point of any of the motivations of the characters. There's such a heavy reliance on gender roles in this (Shiori wanted to be cool like his brother, all the nurses at the hospital are women, Ritsu wanted to be cute so she became a girl) in a story where none of that is supposed to matter until you're 12. And then Hinase is seen as strange and is medically studied and will not live past 20 unless they choose. Also, Shiori's and Ritsu's insistence that Hinase must choose the sex that lets them be in a heterosexual relationship only is just. The author really limited themselves when they could have done anything! Not to mention Hinanse can't understand the romantic love their friends feel for them, which is not a nod to them being asexual, it's implying they are fundamentally wrong.

I don't know. Maybe some of my questions get answered and I just got hasty. But I feel like there could have been so much potential with this one. As a nonbinary person myself, I was excited to see one as a serious main character (albeit a child) where they're not just played as a pretty boy in a dress with the plot never addressing them personally aside from that. I was excited to see a nonbinary person live a normal life. I knew what I was getting into a bit, but the constant beating me over the head with "pick a side" is physically hurting me.

You know, I'm gonna keep reading this. I need the closure.

Overall

5/10

Super Baby (スーパーベイビー) - Marugao Meme

Genre: Romance, Shoujo, Slice of Life, Comedy

Read: 10 chapters / ??????(3 volumes)

Status: Ongoing

Tamao is a kuro gyaru with the kindest heart who falls in love with the socially awkward grocery store clerk Yamada.

The art in this one is extremely pleasing to me and I quite like the way the anatomy is drawn. Plotwise, it's very simple, Tamao falls in love with Yamada, hijinks ensue, yada yada. But I think the author does a good job of sprinkling in the characters backstories with out it feeling overly expositional or clunky. Super Baby is great if you want to giggle at something a little bizarre but still simple.

Overall

9/10

No Home (집이 없어) - Wanan

Genre - Drama, Comedy, School Life, Slice of Life, Horror(?)

Status - Ongoing

Read - 92 Chapters / 129 Chapters

Haejoon, a boy who ran away from his mother who loves ghosts, and Eunyung, a boy who lives in a tent, move into an abandoned(haunted) dormitory together.

I cannot put this one down. This is more of a drama than anything else, but it really balances the comedic parts really well that I don't see often in manhwa. There's a slow introduction of new characters so you don't get bogged down with info and each arc is realistically dramatic. The author does an amazing job of depicting the emotions of a teenager and several very realistic situations that I don't often see in dramas. It's hard to really like or dislike any one character (except Haejoon) because of how fleshed out they are. I really love this one.

Overall

10/10

Man to be 16 again and have this much energy I'd rather die

Useless Ponko (ぽんこつポン子) - Yatera Keita

Genre - Comedy, Slice of Life, Sci-Fi

Status - Complete (in Japanese)

Read - Volume 7 Chapter 60 / 10 Volumes

In the near future, an old man named Yoshioka lives alone in the countryside after his wife passes. One day he is sent an outdated maid robot to help him with his daily life.

Here is a true episodic slice of life in a similar vein to Yotsuba&! Very funny, very simple, and very fun to read. Ponko(the robot) is a great, dynamic character despite being a robot, but that's kinda the whole point isnt it? I love the parallels of the aging Yoshioka with the 30 year old outdated Ponko just trying to function in a post-modern technological world. Some moments are sincerely touching and a bit more thought provoking than just your average slapstick comedy.

Overall

9/10

Hokuou Kizoku to Moukinzuma no Yukiguni Karigurashi (北欧貴族と猛禽妻の雪国狩り暮らし) - Emoto Mashimesa, Shirakaba Shikayo

Genre - Historical, Slice of Life, Cooking, Romance, Josei

Status - Ongoing

Read - 67 Chapters / ?????

Ritzhardt is a poor lord who lives off the land in a wintry country looking for wife. He meets Sieglinde, a former lieutenant, and falls in love at first sight. He asks her to marry him and she proposes she has a one-year trial period living with him in his country.

Another feel-good ones folks, we love em here. It has a very similar feeling to Dungeon Meshi and early Golden Kamuy in that almost every chapter is showing you the process of finding, catching, and cooking food. Because of that, the plot moves a little slowly, though it does pick up later. Despite this, it's fun to see the different kinds of plants and animals and their preparation that I'm not familiar with (this is a made up country but I think it's supposed to be vaguely Scandinavian). I enjoy the simplistic world building and the simplistic characters. I hesitate to say this is a romance because there's not many overtly romantic moments, but it's still sweet. There's really no conflicts in this one so it's a very relaxing read.

Overall

8/10

Brutal: Confessions of a Homicide Detective (ブルータル 殺人監察官の告白) - Koga Kei, Izawa Ryou

Genre - Horror, Gore, Drama, Pyschological

Status - Ongoing

Read - 12 Chapters / ????

Dan Hiroki, a homicide detective, delivers his own vigilante justice as a serial killer to people who have evaded the law.

Everyone I know who's read this loves it. The art is amazing and graphic, the killings are unique, and the villains are the most despicable people on the planet so it's impossible not to see Dan as a hero. It's episodic as well so each little arc doesn't get stale because theres not too much in terms of continuous plot. I really recommend for any gore/horror fan.

Content warning for r*pe and sexual assault in chapters 2-4. You can skip it no problem without missing anything.

Overall

9/10

Cinema Next Door (벽 너머 영화관) - Gwak Jongpil

Genre - Romance, Comedy, One-shot, Slice of Life

Status - Complete

Read - 4 Chapters / 4 Chapters

Sehyun constantly hears his neighbor loudly crying. Turns out his neighbor's a huge film nerd and they end up watching movies together.

One of my favorite one shots. I've read this 5 or 6 times and I'm constantly looking for one shots like it. It's simple, the art is amazing, and even though it's short, it's complete and satisfying. I really cannot reccomend this more it's so good. Read it. Now.

Overall

11/10

Terra Formars (テラフォーマーズ) - Sasuga Yu, Tachibana Kenichi

Genre - Action, Horror, Gore, Mystery, Sci-Fi

Status - Hiatus

Read - 6 Chapters / 213 Chapters

In the year 2599, scientists have attempted to make Mars habitable by sending mold and cockroaches to warm up the planet. Earth has sent 6 people to Mars to check on the status of the planet but the cockroaches have mutated into humanoid creatures with inhumane strength.

I'm gonna be honest, I hate this. I know it's really popular - it has an anime and 22 volumes - but god do I hate it. I can't take monster horror mangas seriously in the first place because they always just end up looking silly, but the manga itself made it look stupid. The whole transforming into insects thing came out of no where and I personally would have rather see them outsmart the cockroaches than just use some power rangers type special attacks on them. I still cant get over the fact that the cockroachs mutated in like 500 years to humanoid shapes despite not being in contact with humans that whole time and that the UN still exists? Nation borders as we know them still exist? The author ignorantly implied the middle east is just perpetually at war and that everyone there is part of some paramilitary group? I know I only read one volume, but honestly the plot is so ridiculous that I couldnt even bring myself to start the next chapter. If you're into this, fine, but you could not pay me to keep reading this.

Overall

1/10

Ooh La La (쎄쎄쎄) - Jemin

Genre - Comedy, Romance

Status - Completed (I think)

Read - 41 Chapters / 41 Chapters

Goyun (Panda) wants a boyfriend so she immediately asks the first guy she sees (Tarot) for his number to which he immediately asks if she would be his girlfriend. They begin dating.

Another minimum brain cell one folks. It's mainly all comedy with very well placed romantic development. Panda and Tarot's hijinks together are not only hilarious but really show how well they work together as a couple. There's not much to this one, just a simple, funny read. Its actually kind of refreshing to see a more friendly romantic relationship in a webtoon rather than a heavier emotional one. I think it really shows the domesticity of a long-term relationship (though theirs is not very old).

Overall

8/10

Mihan being a college student and Panda being a high school student ngl made me a bit iffy for a while. I feel like it's one thing to date someone in high school then graduate but he still said yes after finding out she was in high school? Man what a loser.

Yawa Otoko to Katako (やわ男とカタ子) - Nagata Ayumi

Genre - Romace, Comedy, Drama, Josei

Status - Ongoing

Read - 11 Chapters / ?????? 6 volumes so far

An almost 30 year-old woman (Fujiko) with absolutely zero self esteem goes to a mixer where she meets an feminine man (Koyanagi) who helps her try to become popular.

Fujiko and Koyanagi are both dynamic characters with great depth and great chemistry with each other. The main conflict of being outside society's standard is relatable enough for most people that it almost feels like you're going through the same rehabilitation that Fujiko is going through and that Koyanagi went through. It's always nice to see late 20s/early 30s characters in a josei manga that also has a good bit of comedy. Also we love having a bisexual man as a main character we love to see it.

Overall

9/10

Suimitsutou Ha Shoujo Ni Kajirareru / Mizumitsu Is Bitten by a Girl (水蜜桃は少女にかじられる) - Amasaki Iroha

Genre - Drama, Romance, Smut

Status - Ongoing

Read - 41 Chapters / 46 Chapters

Momoka is almost thirty and desperate to be in a relationship and have sex so she calls a lesbian sex service and meets Riko. Though Riko may have some secrets of her own....

Not good. This one's not very good and I don't like it. The plot is thin and full of holes, the art style is not super appealing to me(though I do love full color), and the characters are not very likeable. I don't understand anyone's drive or goals except the main character, and even then it's barely. This manga is smut with a plot loosely draped around it. I feel like the author wanted the plot and mystery to be more of a driving force, but it's really not. Momoka's and Riko's age gap is not really a problem for me as they are both adults, but the former being the latter's superior, it feels very unethical and it makes me a bit uncomfortable. I barely read the new updates, and the only thing keeping me from dropping it is how angry I get when Riko tries to pull some mysterious shit because I like being angry.

Overall

3/10

Honestly the sex scenes are good though. The author should have put more emphasis there. If you wanna make a porn just make a fuvking porn

Mr. A and Mr. B / A&B (A군과B군) - Migab

Genre - Romance, Comedy, Slice of Life

Status - Complete

Read - 49 Chapters / 49 Chapters

A is a calm, polite office worker. B is a rowdy, social college student. They fall in love.

Another feel good one-sit read. The art style is very cutesy and simplistic and I think that lends to the general lightness of the plot. Though because it's not overly detailed its difficult to tell the characters apart sometimes. Also no characters have names - only letters of the alphabet which gets confusing because there are soooooo many characters that they had to start naming characters BB and AB. I think the original length of this webtoon was much shorter and it got extended due to popularity, and it definitely feels that way. Even so, its light, its fluffy, theres lots of b plots to follow if you're into that kind of thing, and an overall fun, easy read.

Overall

9/10

I really had to wait for someone to address B or G before I knew which one it was.... I cant even tell you who D or E was and I just finished this like 10 minutes ago

Kusuriya No Hitorigoto / The Apothecary Diaries (薬屋のひとりごと) - Hyuuga Natsu, Nanao Ikki, Nekokurage

Genre - Historical, Mystery, Drama, Seinen, Slice of Life

Status- Ongoing

Read - 50 Chapters (Chapter 41) / ???????

A young pharmacist, Maomao, goes from the red-light district of her home to the imperial court where she solves mysteries using her medical knowledge.

This one is a true gem. From the historical Chinese-esque setting to the detailed backgrounds to the well written characters, Kusuriya no Hitorigoto really captures everything I value in a good long manga. It's more character driven than plot driven which is unique for this genre. Every chapter is packed with amazing content. I also love that our main love interest is barely one at all and is mostly used for comic relief, which is a breathe of fresh air because lately many mangas with similar settings and plots (albeit weaker plots) are just used as vessels for romance. Every mystery is tense and exciting and seeing Maomao solve them is really cathartic. Even the b plots are fun and engaging.

Overall

10/10

Man Drowning in a Veil (면사포를 쓰고픈 남자) - ST

Genre - Comedy, Romance, Drama, Psychological

Status - Complete (in Korean)

Read - 42 Chapters / 148 Chapters

Hong Sarang (Hamamichi Aimu) is 210cm boy who loves all cute things, but after being bullied for it, he suppresses his desire for everything to be pink in favor of acting "manly." He meets several new friends who help him realize it's okay to be whoever he wants.

Quick content warning for this one. There are several triggering scenes as well as the general plot being triggering for some, so keep that in mind. (homophobia, transphobia, 등등)

I've sped through the few chapters in English in a day. Something about this webtoon is oddly addictive. It's very funny in a slapsticky kind of way sometimes, and there are an insane amount of references, but there are very heavy moments of drama too that are a bit too heavy for me but probably balanced enough for other people. I always love seeing lgbt support characters and good messages, so theres not much to get wrong I think. It resembles Welcome to Room 301 in that it sometimes beats me over the head with the message of "Love yourself!" and "Be who you want to be!" But you know it's not for you its for Aimu. Kohaku(Bumhoo) is a great love interest and I cant wait to see how their relationship develops.

Overall

9.5/10

Really theres a triggering scene of animal death very early on as well as quit horrifying imagery throughout? Why are all manhwas like this?

Also the fan translation on batoto translated from Korean-Japanese-English so all the characters names are in Japanese in the English version so far. I had to look up their Korean names in the original webtoon because it's not anywhere else in English.

The Spooky Love Tale of Gongchan Seol (설공찬전) - YSE

Genre - Horror, Romance, Comedy, Drama, Supernatural

Status - Completed (in Korean)

Read - 35 Chapters / 56 Chapters

Gongchan Seol is scared of ghosts but he writes a webnovel about ghosts. Coincidentally, his neighbor, Youngmin, sees the ghosts from his novel in his house every night.

I think every theme is well balanced in this one. It's got the perfect amount of comedy to romance to horror for me. Some of the cuts to ghosts can be a bit frightening, so if you're sensitive to body horror and things like that, maybe skip this one. Its honestly refreshing to cut some overly romantic scenes with the supernatural elements as it really makes it a slower burn than I was expecting. I have read some of the next chapters in Korean but I'm waiting for the English release for the most emotional impact. Youngmin is a really great character as is Gongchan's roommate whose name I forgot.

Overall

10/10

Some chapters have that sickly sweet moments between the two mcs that only feel good when the romance was built properly and luckily it was

Cheerful Amnesia (明るい記憶喪失) - Oku Tamamushi

Genre - Romance, Comedy, 4-Koma

Status - Completed (In Japanese)

Read - 52 Chapters / ????? probaly one or two more

Arisa loses her memory for last three years, including everything about her girlfriend Mari. Together they rekindle their relationship (though there's not much to rekindle - Arisa tries to jump Mari from the first chapter)

Simple, funny, feel-good 4-koma. Can't get any better than that. I dont know how quickly I'd be trying to win over my partner the second they tell me we were dating but I think that's part of the charm of this one. There's no real drama, just Arisa trying to get into Mari's past and being jealous of her previous self(?). If you want an easy romance to use no brain cells to read, this one's for you.

Overall

9/10