Because I’ve Been Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke, This Time I Will Say I Like You (WN)

I'll primarily discuss the first 1-2 chapters and a few initial ones, so there might be some spoilers for the early parts of the story.

The narrative revolves around a character who becomes possessed by a seemingly "fake" villain, Duke Piggington. He is incredibly wealthy and influential but has a tragic backstory. As a child, he saved a girl from slavery and fell in love with her. However, due to her status as a slave, he couldn't marry her unless he renounced his family, leading him to manipulate events to be disinherited. This manipulation involved tarnishing his family's reputation and even gaining a comical appearance resembling a pig.

What sets this apart is that the girl he loves is the princess of a fallen kingdom, constantly under threat from assassins. Duke Piggington has been secretly protecting her for years. There's a hint that revealing her identity might expose them, but the story doesn't explore this further. Ultimately, the true protagonist steals his love interest away because of a chance encounter, leaving Duke heartbroken.

The main love interest is portrayed as attractive, but the reasons for Duke's intense devotion remain unclear. He sacrifices his fiancée and his old life solely because he liked her from an anime version of the story. It's suggested she left Duke for the main protagonist due to his perceived attractiveness, focusing on physical appearance rather than deeper connections.

The plot progresses with the protagonist deciding not to be as devoted as Duke and aiming to slim down and confess, despite knowing the outcome might not change. The story includes quirks like a magical potion to lose weight, which Duke has to acquire through a school eating contest for comedic effect. However, the love interest ruins his attempt, and he must start over after gaining weight from his previous efforts.

In summary, the story follows the protagonist as they inhabit Duke's body, pining for an anime crush, attempting to lose weight, and silently protecting others while facing ridicule. It explores themes of love, sacrifice, and self-discovery amidst a mix of humor and drama.

I recall reading this a while back, and initially, I thought it was decent but lacked a lasting impact due to its quick pace and tendency to be easily forgotten. Despite that, I found the experience somewhat enjoyable yet frustrating at times because of the author's pacing.

Here's a summary of my mixed feelings:

Pros:
1. The characters, especially the heroine and others, have substantial depth, with well-developed backgrounds and personal growth throughout the story. We witness their transformation as they navigate various situations.
2. The author's approach to love developments can be amusing, albeit sometimes frustrating, with unexpected twists that are both witty and realistic.
3. The plot is straightforward, following a hero (MC) who acquires knowledge of his past life and future events, aiming to change his destiny and save the world. This simplicity keeps the story engaging without veering off into unnecessary complexity.

Cons:
1. The protagonist's motivations and understanding of love are shallow, relying on simplistic explanations.
2. The pacing and foreshadowing are severely lacking, causing confusion for the reader and detracting from the overall experience. The author frequently drops hints about future events but executes poorly, making it feel like a premature reveal of the climax rather than a build-up.
3. The "buhi buhi" quirk, initially amusing, becomes repetitive and serves no significant purpose beyond being a defining trait of the MC. The execution and subsequent interactions with the trait feel forced.
4. The writing style can be informal and occasionally difficult to follow, with colloquial language and occasional use of slang that may require translation or research.

In conclusion, the novel is alright but not exceptional. It's more suitable for binge-reading rather than weekly consumption, as it tends to accumulate dust on shelves. It has its moments of enjoyment but struggles with pacing and character development.

Pros:
1. Engaging main character backstory: The concept of transmigration into despised protagonists and their journey of self-improvement is intriguing.
2. Attractive character art: The illustrations showcase beautifully designed characters, even giving a somewhat cute appeal to the seemingly贬atory "Piggy Duke."

Cons:
1. Lack of clear motivation: The protagonist's actions are not well-explained, leaving readers unsure about their goals and reasoning.
2. Overemphasis on emotions: The MC's emotional drive feels excessive, with their past life as a transported individual being underplayed or neglected.
3. Comedic elements become tiresome: Repeated use of "buhi" and overreliance on the "fatness" theme for humor becomes annoying and detracts from the story.
4. Simplistic world-building: The background lore lacks depth, which might limit the immersive experience for the reader.

To all readers, I'm glad to announce that the story has undergone a fresh start. The reboot has indeed been beneficial, eliminating the confusing intertwining plotlines that plagued the first 100 chapters – a sigh of relief!

Beforehand, the narrative was a relentless marathon from Chapter 1 to 100, leaving readers frustrated, especially those who were hoping to connect with the story. It resembled typical web novel pacing. But Stella's translation, thank you so much, brought some enjoyment.

Now, after the reboot and serialization, the storytelling has improved significantly. Each volume focuses on a single arc, allowing for a clearer and more engaging experience. The story even playfully nods to its origins, injecting a sense of nostalgia and freshness. Overall, it's a better tale, though not quite a five-star masterpiece, but certainly a solid read.

The story holds intrigue due to its otome troupe aspect, but the irregular updates create frustration. It's disorienting to forget the characters with each new installment; I understand the translator may be overwhelmed, but if the pace doesn't improve, it risks spoiling the reader's experience. Apologies for being blunt, but could you please maintain a consistent update schedule, not dragging on like the Earth's rotation around the sun? Thank you for considering.

The repetitive use of "Piggy Duke" in the narrative becomes grating, almost comical in its excess. The author's reliance on this phrase is highly annoying. The protagonist's lack of self-esteem is evident, as they demean themselves by referring to themselves as a pig and indulging in silly pig-like sounds每当遇到挫折时。Unfortunately, this character's behavior solely serves to irritate readers.

In terms of storytelling structure, the author frequently derails from the main plot with unscheduled flashbacks during crucial moments, and constantly switches between multiple characters' perspectives, which disrupts the flow of the narrative. Overall, my rating for this work is a solid -1, as it failed to engage me and instead managed to provoke frustration.

The translation quality is mediocre at best, bordering on inadequate, with a performance that oscillates between satisfactory and where machine translations excel. The syntax often feels off, and the excessive use of first-person perspective disrupts the storytelling immersion. As a general rule, first-person point of view is typically employed for specific narrative insights, but when it becomes the primary writing style, it hampers the reader's understanding by limiting the scope of information. Constant switching between first and third-person perspectives is jarring and detracts from the experience.

The story,尽管基于一个有趣的套路,但其粗糙且随意的执行令人疑惑其意图。主角的许多行动让人费解，我甚至怀疑是否有更深的含义隐藏其中。

In summary, the story is a混乱之作. It had potential, but the subpar writing and translation fail to do justice to its clichéd premise.

The statement "I like you, so please live happily with me" may appear simple, yet expressing such sentiments to someone you adore can be challenging. The story starts off straightforward, but it delves into intricate layers that make it intriguing. What sets this 'isekai' tale apart is its unique twist – rather than transplanting a person, the protagonist retains their original personality in a new body, which adds depth to the narrative. I appreciate the author's focus on character growth and efforts to avoid clichés, which is commendable.

However, I am somewhat let down by the story's reliance on predictable tropes, despite the promising beginning. I am hopeful that the plot might veer off into a more satisfying direction if given more time, but alas, it seems to lose its initial focus. The portrayal of a fat ruler initially intrigued me, but it loses steam as the story progresses, creating a disconnect from the initial premise.

Furthermore, I fear the story might fall into the trap of recycling the same themes repeatedly, which would be disappointing. Overall, while there are positive aspects, I wish for a more consistent and fresh take on the isekai genre.

The narrative revolves around the concept of reimagining an anime character with a tragic backstory, like Itachi Uchiha, where the protagonist possesses the unique ability to predict their story and embody their emotions. The protagonist, driven by love, has transformed into a 'dark' figure. This work resonates deeply with me, as I find myself desiring to rewrite the fates of various anime characters, constantly fueling my imagination.