This might just be the worst romance manga I've ever read.
The story is practically nonexistent. First, it jumps abruptly from one scene to the next. It starts with the main character, Kirara, trying to become an idol when her manager pressures her into selling her body for fame, leading to her meeting Gin. Somehow, after that, the plot shifts into a messy portrayal of her falling for him and their constant attempts at intimacy.
Secondly, there are numerous plot holes. The villains appear out of nowhere and lack any depth; they exist solely to serve the plot without any real purpose or development.
The characters are equally problematic. Gin, the male lead, is abusive, childish, possessive, and extremely self-centered. He relentlessly pursues Kirara until she gives in.
(SPOILERS AHEAD)
When he decides he wants her to leave the entertainment industry, he goes so far as to force companies that offered her jobs to withdraw their offers. He even puts hickey marks on her to ensure she gets rejected from a modeling job, all while claiming he wants to marry her!
(END OF SPOILERS)
Kirara, on the other hand, is utterly clueless and lacks the courage to say no. At times, I found myself wanting to slap her for her sheer idiocy. How anyone could continue working with a manager who forces them into unwanted sexual situations and embarrassing jobs is beyond me.
The only saving grace of this manga is the art. Compared to Mayu Shinjo's other works, the characters here are beautifully drawn, and the backgrounds, though sparse, are quite impressive when present.
You should only consider reading this manga if you're looking for something akin to soft porn or if you're simply bored.
Love Celeb is the story of Nakazono Kirara's journey through the entertainment industry. This is a tale that shifts so frequently that the only constant from start to finish is its singular, promiscuous focus throughout the entire series.
**Story**
I rated this a 4 because the story doesn't even maintain the tone it started with. It begins with Kirara's manager pushing her to sleep with as many influential people as possible, then switches to every attractive male character vying for her attention. It's incredibly inconsistent, and it seems like the author is throwing in random plot elements toward the end just to fill space. The series falters and fizzles out by the conclusion.
**Art**
I appreciated the art. As typical in any shoujo manga, the male characters are depicted as handsome and ethereal, while our main heroine looks relatively plain in comparison. The backgrounds, when not absent due to the frequent sexual content, are well-drawn.
**Characters**
The characters are my biggest issue with this series. Gin, the main male lead, is a total jerk and potential rapist, constantly terrorizing Kirara until she gives in to his demands. And the manager encourages Kirara to sleep with anyone influential right from chapter one, essentially promoting her as a commodity. Kirara herself is a completely spineless character who can't say no. Around chapters 20-25, the series changes focus, and all the characters seem to undergo a complete 180-degree shift in personality (except for Kirara). I feel this is quite a cop-out.
**Enjoyment/Overall**
I think this series is something you should consider if you:
1. Want to read something akin to porn but prefer to avoid viruses.
2. Are waiting for your favorite release to come out.
If you're not bored and have better things to do, skip this. Otherwise, the comedy and sheer audacity of the leads might keep you entertained for a short while.
So I picked up this series a few days ago and ended up finishing it the same day. Honestly, I can't figure out why I kept reading. I've never come across anything quite like it before. It felt more like an extended porno, with the only coherent part being the intimate scenes. There's not a single realistic situation throughout the entire series! As I read, I alternated between laughing at the utterly nonsensical storyline and feeling completely baffled.
This train of absurdity starts right from the first chapter when Kirara's manager actually encourages her to sleep around as a shortcut to fame, portraying it as the ultimate path to success (talent and charisma? Clearly irrelevant here). The mangaka makes it crystal clear that anyone chasing fame or power in this world is having sex somehow, somewhere, and it’s painfully obvious that the plot couldn’t move forward without these sexual encounters (sad but true). Essentially, this series drags on much longer than some of its characters' stamina, if you catch my drift.
Not only does the series lack any meaningful plot, but the ideas presented are genuinely terrible and ridiculous (if I haven't emphasized that enough already). In this manga, men consistently hold all the power during sexual encounters and in general (which isn't universally true, by the way, equality exists!). This work is a prime example of pandering to patriarchal and deeply misogynistic ideals often seen in real-world societies (though exaggerated for dramatic effect). While I get that traditional gender roles are significant in Japan, the mangaka went way too far this time.
I also have a few questions for the mangaka about the series, though I doubt they'll respond. Just some points I wanted to highlight (SPOILERS AHEAD, SKIP IF YOU MUST):
Are there no STDs in this universe?
What about protection or birth control?
How many times can someone have sex in one day? Shouldn't the characters be bedridden after all that?
How can a 16-year-old decide to retire from being an idol? Or retire from anything at such a young age?
Why does one sip of alcohol knock Kirara out cold every time?
How does she eat so much yet maintain her slim figure?
How many times can the mangaka objectify women in abusive relationships?
Why does the main character keep associating with people who have raped, sexually assaulted, roofied, or nearly raped her? Is rape even acknowledged in this world?
Why do so many people donate bone marrow just for free concert tickets? Does the mangaka realize how painful and recovery-intensive that process is?
Honestly, I don't know what compelled me to finish this. I thought it might improve as I progressed, but nope. It only got worse.
If I could rate Love Celeb, I'd give it a solid "...wut."
Popular Reviews
The story is practically nonexistent. First, it jumps abruptly from one scene to the next. It starts with the main character, Kirara, trying to become an idol when her manager pressures her into selling her body for fame, leading to her meeting Gin. Somehow, after that, the plot shifts into a messy portrayal of her falling for him and their constant attempts at intimacy.
Secondly, there are numerous plot holes. The villains appear out of nowhere and lack any depth; they exist solely to serve the plot without any real purpose or development.
The characters are equally problematic. Gin, the male lead, is abusive, childish, possessive, and extremely self-centered. He relentlessly pursues Kirara until she gives in.
(SPOILERS AHEAD)
When he decides he wants her to leave the entertainment industry, he goes so far as to force companies that offered her jobs to withdraw their offers. He even puts hickey marks on her to ensure she gets rejected from a modeling job, all while claiming he wants to marry her!
(END OF SPOILERS)
Kirara, on the other hand, is utterly clueless and lacks the courage to say no. At times, I found myself wanting to slap her for her sheer idiocy. How anyone could continue working with a manager who forces them into unwanted sexual situations and embarrassing jobs is beyond me.
The only saving grace of this manga is the art. Compared to Mayu Shinjo's other works, the characters here are beautifully drawn, and the backgrounds, though sparse, are quite impressive when present.
You should only consider reading this manga if you're looking for something akin to soft porn or if you're simply bored.
Love Celeb is the story of Nakazono Kirara's journey through the entertainment industry. This is a tale that shifts so frequently that the only constant from start to finish is its singular, promiscuous focus throughout the entire series.
**Story**
I rated this a 4 because the story doesn't even maintain the tone it started with. It begins with Kirara's manager pushing her to sleep with as many influential people as possible, then switches to every attractive male character vying for her attention. It's incredibly inconsistent, and it seems like the author is throwing in random plot elements toward the end just to fill space. The series falters and fizzles out by the conclusion.
**Art**
I appreciated the art. As typical in any shoujo manga, the male characters are depicted as handsome and ethereal, while our main heroine looks relatively plain in comparison. The backgrounds, when not absent due to the frequent sexual content, are well-drawn.
**Characters**
The characters are my biggest issue with this series. Gin, the main male lead, is a total jerk and potential rapist, constantly terrorizing Kirara until she gives in to his demands. And the manager encourages Kirara to sleep with anyone influential right from chapter one, essentially promoting her as a commodity. Kirara herself is a completely spineless character who can't say no. Around chapters 20-25, the series changes focus, and all the characters seem to undergo a complete 180-degree shift in personality (except for Kirara). I feel this is quite a cop-out.
**Enjoyment/Overall**
I think this series is something you should consider if you:
1. Want to read something akin to porn but prefer to avoid viruses.
2. Are waiting for your favorite release to come out.
If you're not bored and have better things to do, skip this. Otherwise, the comedy and sheer audacity of the leads might keep you entertained for a short while.
This train of absurdity starts right from the first chapter when Kirara's manager actually encourages her to sleep around as a shortcut to fame, portraying it as the ultimate path to success (talent and charisma? Clearly irrelevant here). The mangaka makes it crystal clear that anyone chasing fame or power in this world is having sex somehow, somewhere, and it’s painfully obvious that the plot couldn’t move forward without these sexual encounters (sad but true). Essentially, this series drags on much longer than some of its characters' stamina, if you catch my drift.
Not only does the series lack any meaningful plot, but the ideas presented are genuinely terrible and ridiculous (if I haven't emphasized that enough already). In this manga, men consistently hold all the power during sexual encounters and in general (which isn't universally true, by the way, equality exists!). This work is a prime example of pandering to patriarchal and deeply misogynistic ideals often seen in real-world societies (though exaggerated for dramatic effect). While I get that traditional gender roles are significant in Japan, the mangaka went way too far this time.
I also have a few questions for the mangaka about the series, though I doubt they'll respond. Just some points I wanted to highlight (SPOILERS AHEAD, SKIP IF YOU MUST):
Are there no STDs in this universe?
What about protection or birth control?
How many times can someone have sex in one day? Shouldn't the characters be bedridden after all that?
How can a 16-year-old decide to retire from being an idol? Or retire from anything at such a young age?
Why does one sip of alcohol knock Kirara out cold every time?
How does she eat so much yet maintain her slim figure?
How many times can the mangaka objectify women in abusive relationships?
Why does the main character keep associating with people who have raped, sexually assaulted, roofied, or nearly raped her? Is rape even acknowledged in this world?
Why do so many people donate bone marrow just for free concert tickets? Does the mangaka realize how painful and recovery-intensive that process is?
Honestly, I don't know what compelled me to finish this. I thought it might improve as I progressed, but nope. It only got worse.
If I could rate Love Celeb, I'd give it a solid "...wut."
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