Bullets by Dawn

I honestly have no idea what I just read...

"Summary In a fantasy world where martial artists can split mountains and creeks with a wave of their hand and break rivers with a kick, there exists a little restaurant like this. The restaurant isn’t large, but it is a place where countless apex existences will rush into. There, you can taste egg-fried rice made from phoenix eggs and dragon blood rice. There, you can drink strong wine brewed from vermillion fruit and water from the fountain of life. There, you can taste the barbecued meat of a ninth grade supreme beast sprinkled with black pepper. What? You want to abduct the chef? That’s not going to happen, because there’s a divine beast of unfathomable level, the Hellhound, lying at the entrance. Oh, that chef also has a robotic assistant that killed a ninth grade supreme being with a single hand and a group of crazy women whose stomachs were conquered." . . . Well.. COUNT ME IN :3 😸🍌

This story isnt bad at all....im starting to like it...but I need to know this curse...im dieing here author...please update more often!!

I love this, so different, well-done Author.

this book is not yet finished. hopefully it will be continued.

Incidentally, when I started this manga, I recognized the art style and realized I had read another work by this mangaka before—it was a newer series titled "Momo." That one was quite intriguing, so I hoped this would be just as captivating. Unfortunately, it wasn't nearly as engaging. Still, it didn't completely fall off my radar due to some interesting thematic elements.

The premise of a special girl trying to blend in as an ordinary student isn't exactly rare. However, instead of being a princess, she's the prime minister's daughter. I appreciated this unique twist, which grounded the plot more in reality and made Hime appear more authentic and relatable.

Apart from the resolution following a conflict with her best friend, the rest of the manga is riddled with clichés. Predictably, the first guy she encounters becomes the main love interest—a cool, popular figure who rarely shows vulnerability and is practically flawless aside from his initial aloofness. There are attempts to exploit Hime because of her status, and her relationship with her father is strained due to his duties as Japan's prime minister. None of this feels particularly distinct from other subpar shoujo stories.

The characters must be the standout feature of this manga because the art certainly isn't. It's not the worst artwork I've encountered; it's not terrible, but in "Nagatchou Strawberry," it resembles a clumsy imitation of large-eyed girls with overly thin and spindly limbs. While the shading and backgrounds are decent, the character designs need improvement—the eyes are occasionally spaced too far apart, and Hime looks too young for high school. Beyond that, there's nothing especially noteworthy.

Hime stands out as the best character. Though she could still pass as a standard shoujo protagonist, she exhibits the most depth and development. Setting aside her instant attraction to the class playboy, she demonstrates sound judgment and suits her role as the prime minister's daughter. Beneath her tough exterior lies a desire for a normal life. Through her experiences in this story, she evolves into someone proud of her family and confident in herself.

Regrettably, most other characters lack dimension. They're predictable, conform to the mangaka's clichés, or simply aren't memorable. The exceptions might be Hime's dedicated butler and her moody best friend, Eri-chan.

I approached this manga with mild amusement, having not indulged in such a classic schoolgirl shoujo tale in a while. Honestly, this type of story caters more to a younger audience. The fleeting crushes and minor annoyances fit better within a middle school context than a high school setting. Nevertheless, it's intriguing to observe how Natsuno changes when interacting with Hime, and Hime herself is worth following for at least a short period. Ultimately, though, this is a manga one is likely to forget.  

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Story - 8/10  
Art - 10/10  
Character - 10/10  
Enjoyment - 8/10  

The plot wasn't terrible, but it lacked originality in my opinion. I wished the mangaka had included some unexpected twists to make the story more engaging and captivating. A bit of extra thrill could have gone a long way in grabbing the reader's attention. That said, what truly stood out for me was the artwork. The mangaka did an incredible job designing all the characters, especially the two protagonists. The male lead was undeniably attractive. Overall, I don't regret reading this manga—it was decent, though my enjoyment was somewhat limited.  

Overall rating would be - 9/10