Monday again. Reviews again. I found another adorable, hot manga about a high school romance between two opposites that discover (or, more appropriately speaking, accept) a chemistry between them that goes beyond friendship. As they explore it, Oka and Sawada learn about each other as much as they learn about the other in All or Nothing, by Shikke and translated by Leighann Harvey. Thanks to SuBLime for the copy to review!
- Publication Date: Nov 19, 2024.
- Publisher: Yen Press.
- Print Length: 160 pages.
- Genres: Drama, Gay, Romance, Yaoi.
- 4 / 5 stars.
The last thing Oka and Sawada expected to find out at lunch was that their two friends Hasumoto and Kadoi were dating.The four boys were classmates, friends, and even neighbors in the dorms. The sudden revelation sparked something within Oka and Sawada—as they begin noticing each other in new ways. But what started as playful curiosity quickly grows, and each moment the two spend together threatens to bring them closer than they’ve ever been before…
I loved the concept of the story. We all love queer awakening stories, those are my favorite, in fact, and you all know I'm a sucker for high school romances. However, this was much more adorable than I was expecting. Although the script's pace was uneven at times, I still enjoyed how everything happened from beginning to end.
The chemistry between Oka and Sawada was obvious from the beginning, not to mention the repressed lust for each other masked as shared curiosity. I say this because, thanks to the art, you realize there is much more happening inside of them (pun not intended; maybe just a little?) than what they say in their dialogues. The art itself is great, not perfect or of the highest quality, but it gives more life than you'd expect.
My only real complaint is the addition of another story that felt forced. There could have been a number of extra content that Shikke could have included, but somehow the choice was a short manga that is not related in any way to the main story and can't even compare to it, mainly because the lack of chemistry, the linial characters, along with one of them having the same facial expression for 90% of it.
If we ignore that questionable additional content, we are left with a story that makes you laugh and smile at all times. The tension, the drama, and the adorable scenarios between these two, along with the spice, are everything we are here for. Simple, short, with nice art, and a good development, I recommend All or Nothing to anyone in search of a wholesome romance.
No comments:
Post a Comment