Deai

A quick note to let you know this is my first review. I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing here. There aren't any other reviews for Deai at the moment, so I figured I should write something for anyone who might be interested.

Deai (or "Confidential Confessions: Deai") can be seen as a continuation of Reiko Momochi's Mondaiteiki Sakuhinshu/Confidential Confessions series, published in English by Tokyopop. While Confidential Confessions had one to four short stories per volume, Deai features a single story spread across two volumes. This means a longer buildup, but that isn’t necessarily bad.

STORY & CHARACTERS (slight spoilers for earlier parts)
Ratings: 9 & 7

The story revolves around high school student Rika, who has a loving boyfriend named Kiichi. The one thing bothering Rika about him is his refusal to buy a cellphone, which he sees little value in. Meanwhile, her best friend Shu makes money as a sakura on a dating site, essentially going on dates for money. Rika decides to join Shu to earn enough to buy Kiichi a phone. Initially, things go smoothly, with Rika getting money from simple dates and some awkward requests that don't involve sex. However, it doesn’t take long before a client crosses the line.

This is where Kaji and Nanase come in, two boys her age who rescue her. After this encounter, the four decide to form a team. Their plan: Rika and Shu are the sakuras; Kaji and Nanase are their bodyguards. They quickly recruit more members into their group, with Rika becoming the manager.

A glaring flaw I see in Deai is character bloat. With many new members, some interactions feel diluted due to too many characters, most of whom barely get backstories or even names. On the positive side, a few clients become recurring characters and are quite interesting. Interactions between Rika and Kamejii-san, in particular, are delightful - he’s my favorite!

As the story progresses, it takes a darker turn. Some members break the group's rules and go rogue, leading to chaos. No member will have an easy time...

The first volume sets up the story, characters, and introduces urgency, while the second volume deals with that urgency. It’s practically nonstop intensity and drama, with little reprieve. A perfect follow-up - I couldn’t put it down! I read it in one sitting during a bath, haha...

ART
Rating: 8

Some character designs aren’t my cup of tea, but overall it’s very good, especially for the main four characters. The backgrounds are usually detailed. Occasionally, a character's face might lack eyes, but this rarely happens and never in close-ups, so it’s not too distracting. Hence, art gets an 8 instead of a 9.

OVERALL ENJOYMENT
Rating: 8

Deai’s story is occasionally slow-paced but never boring. Character interactions are a big part of the enjoyment, and slower parts still deliver. The first volume establishes the story, while the second explodes with intensity. The main cast (Rika, Shu, Nanase, Kaji) is fantastic. As long as the subject matter doesn’t bother you, Deai is highly recommended if you can find it.