#cold game

status: ongoing

chapters: 20

last update: february 4, 2023

I've decided I'm going to start using this blog to keep track of mangas I've been enjoying.

I'll try to present each series without spoiling much of it!

I went in Kaneyoshi Izumi's Called Game pretty much blind, I only knew that it was a fantasy Shoujo, and that some of the people on Twitter that i follow really liked it.

I ended up really enjoying it!

Called Game is a Tudor inspired fantasy, loosely inspired by the real story of Henry VIII of England.

Our protagonist is Alna, nicknamed Sumire (Violet), a young princess who by virtue of being the youngest of many siblings wasn't expected to make a particularly advantageous marriage and was able to train as a knight. She's suddenly asked to mary the new king of a neighboring country, but we soon learn that Princess Alna is only one of the six women who has been selected as a potential new queen, and she must now take part in a deadly political game where only one can remain and win the crown.

The plot isn't very unique if you've read some historical ish political dramas (i was never blown away by any of the twist), but it's well written, and the characters are sufficiently well rounded to make Called Game a pretty enthralling read.

I think my favorite thing about this series is it's protagonist. Sumire is a "Oscar like knight" type of character, and she start very sure of herself and her abilities but she's soon confronted with the realization that formal training with guards is nothing like real combat, and that she has a lot to learn about her new place in this hostile royal court. She's an interesting character to follow, and although she's beautiful and charismatic she has to be really careful with the people around her, who don't always have her best interest in mind. All the others characters also have well thought of motivations and allegiances of their own, and I can't wait to see how the story will turn out for all of them!