Hello, sweeties. I hope you've had wonderful days. I've been recovering, again, and there's a BEAUTIFUL manga that helped me in this process. Good news is that it's out today! Even betters news is that it will make you smile more than ever before and fangirl like you never thought you would! I'm speaking about Glass Syndrome, by Eiko Ariki. Thanks to the publisher for sending me a review copy!
- Print Length: 194 pages.
- Publisher: TOKYOPOP (August 10, 2021).
- Expected Print Publication Date: August 10, 2021.
- Genres: Drama, Gay, Scholar,
- Rating: 5 / 5.
Nijou is the perfect student. He’s class president, great at sports, and beloved by all his classmates, especially the girls. But he hides his true feelings; deep down he’s terrified of letting everyone down with anything less than perfection and being rejected. As the most responsible and respected member of the class, he’s asked by their teacher to check in on Toomi, a student who hasn’t been to school in a while.Toomi sees straight through Nijou’s insecurities and acts belligerent, but he has a secret of his own; in order to pay off his father’s gambling debts, he performs in drag on an adult cam site as “Haruka.” When Nijou accidentally discovers the truth, he struggles with whether he should tell Toomi, or continue to feign ignorance. But at the same time he finds himself developing feelings for Haruka…or is it really Toomi he’s falling in love with?
I already knew I would love this manga when I saw the cover and read the synopsis, but I didn't expect to go head over heels for it! I mean, the story, the characters, the development... I struggle to find something that doesn't work on this manga! Eiko Ariki got me since page one, and after that, I just couldn't stop reading until I was done. It's been a long time since I found something this good, and boy I've read some things.
So, the synopsis tells you pretty much about Glass Syndrome, but what it doesn't tell you is that both guys are so severely broken they start hanging on to the other in hopes to find relief, understanding, and at the same time trying to keep their traumas at bay. Needless to say, the art reflects those complex, sometimes contradictory feelings, to match the tone of the script.
Honestly, there was just one thing I found weird in the manga, and it is the way Nijou discovers Toomi's Haruka identity. It was just too convenient and doesn't make much sense, but that detail aside, Eiko Ariki made sure everything is just amazing and the reading becomes as smooth as possible.
If you like complicated yet beautiful stories that remind you of the raw feelings that come with your first love, most likely during high school, Glass Syndrome, by Eiko Ariki, is the right choice. I'm a bit sad to know this is a standalone story, but I'll be more than happy to keep an eye on Ariki and whatever he releases soon.
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