Raise wa Tanin ga Ii

You know how every once in a while you read a manga that really irks you at the beginning but then grows on you to the point you are a bit obsessed by volume 9? Yup. That’s this manga for me. It has actually become one of my favorite mangas at this point!

(Read up to recent release through chapter 38)

There’s a lot of elements in this story that probably won’t be for everyone. What it does so well is delve into the gray area of its characters, especially the two leads, Yoshino and Kirishima.

It’s not a flowery, lovey-dovey romance, nor is it one about good, flawless people. It’s raw, rough around the edges, sometimes disturbing, and about two flawed people who are navigating what they have learned by being around other flawed people. These characters are tragic. Some of their actions are downright controversial, but it’s refreshing to read a manga where the yakuza behave exactly like how one would expect the yakuza to behave. They’re not perfect people and honestly, I’m all here for it.

I love its commentary on boundaries, how its leads are both innocent in their own ways but also strong-willed and independent, and how it talks about not changing who you are and what makes you happy to be in a relationship. I love that while the author does not shy away from difficult situations, things are not glamorized either. People tend to deal with consequences of their shitty behaviors or at least boundaries or communicated thereafter. There’s so much to unpack, and as the story revels itself layer by layer, we learn more about these characters.

I’ve fallen in love with this story, I hope it’s completed one day because there’s more to learn about the psyche of these characters and how they learn and grow together.

The scanlators dropped it because the author doesn’t like it.

The manga itself is really good and art is great. I have no complaints, except the ML personality is kind of far fetched and the FL always have this shocked pikachu face when nothing even happened.

The covers and the first chapter make the selling point of this story to be a FL who is going to put the masochist ML out of his misery and give him the time of his life but this is not what happens at all. She has a few cool panels and quotes but so far she didn't show anything that would be what he do desperately wanted. And yet everyone is happy? So I feel like this story is a fake announcement and the real product is not what is claimed to be.

As for the ML. He is obsessed with her but is very nice and cordial, although he is a very manipulative guy, but that's it. As she doesn't really feel scared or back down it's not an uncomfortable read or anything.

And then there is a lot of violence scenes with fighting between him and other yakuzas and him and her best friend, Shouma, who is not quite clear whether he is the second male lead or just a friend. But he is certainly more likeable than the ML and not because he is nicer, but because he is also cooler. Idk. It's funny when authors create secondary characters to be average and uninteresting but they end up cooler than their supposed better leads -- where is the editor??

I like this story and am going to wait some years to read it again once there is at least ten more chapters but I think it sells itself as something that it isn't and so it's a bit of let down. I honestly thought it was going to be more spicier -- and I am not talking about smut.

I don't understand why many people praise it as a sadist story😕? It's not. Also while the FL is cool she is not cooler than the average never back down heroine. I think people are hyped because of the incredible stylish art style, and this is affecting how they view the storyline that is honestly below average so far.

There is also something that I consider a cop out: the main character are either descendants that live with and copy the lifestyles of yakuza and are absolutely connected to them and have their network and help AND TATTOOS but somehow they are not yakuzas😕 And it's implied they will not be. Like. What a coward storyline. Scorcese would never.

Somehow our leads chemistry is insane

I absolutely love it. The FL is to die for and the plot is amazing. I just wish it updated more because with how it seems right now, there's one volume getting published every year which is heartbreaking. The ML is a POS no doubt, but you don't see ML's like him everyday.

Not sure if Shouma is the 2nd ML, their relationship is like best friends or siblings but I can't help but feel like Shouma wouldn't mind being with Yoshino forever? Also the new character Azami, not sure if there's going to be romance there but there'll probably be tension between him and Yoshino in the future

Neither ML deserves Yoshino, at least in a simple, standard, F/M romance. At one point Kirishima said he would love it if Yoshino cheated on him (he is currently cheating on her and she doesn't care) because he's a freak like that. I got so excited thinking that the romance would be.. open? Or more complex. But now I think he isn't gonna keep up his end of the bargain lmfao. He's that kind of ML, obsessive and selfish; I don't really care about him. I'm just reading this for Yoshino, who is so fantastic and fun... I've fallen head over heels. She does have a very interesting relationship with Kirishima, but I find it less appealing the more it looks like a straightforward romance. I like the arranged marriage, "for the business" origins, and the fact that Yoshino is scared shitless about him, but still isn't going to put up with his crap.

If you are fond of the classic shoujo manga in Japan’s golden era, go for this. Original plot, great characters, intricate art. Highly recommended.

The main characters are twisted. Its honestly wonderful. Highly recommended.