Too much of a spoiler to ask? Do they share her? I’m okay with dark romance & all, but I don’t like when brothers love the same girl & they frequently have threesomes. I’d prefer Derimen never be intimate but it’s the frequency that will ruin it for me. I’d rather not invest if this is the plot.
Love My Life can be pretty easily summed up in two words: sensitive & minimalistic!
(Review complete, really? I can sleep?! Just kidding.)
I genuinely appreciated both the content and the art style of this manga. While the style of drawing faces might come across as a little inexpressive at times, Ebine Yamaji demonstrates sheer mastery in her depiction of bodies.
This isn't exactly an in-depth exploration of homophobia or Japanese LGBT lifestyles; instead, it's a gentle slice-of-life narrative that eases you into the characters' lives, letting you share a small part of their experiences. The focus is on love, family—be it nuclear, found-family, or a couple planning their future together—and sensuality/sexuality. It's crucial that the protagonist's love for her girlfriend and her unconventional family shines through! The reflective tone of the manga works exceptionally well in conveying this.
For me, the characters were the standout element. The author skillfully provides just enough insight into each character's motivations without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary exposition. We're given precisely what we need to know about each individual. Minimalistic in the best possible way!
Love My Life is a great choice for those already familiar with yuri, and it could also serve as an engaging introduction to manga for readers more accustomed to Western LGBT comics.
I highly recommend it if you're seeking a mature, calming LGBT-related read!
"Love My Life" is definitely a lot different than I anticipated at first glance. This manga delves deeply into how gay people perceive other gay individuals. It often feels like the characters are preoccupied with what it means to be a "proper gay/lesbian," and they can resent each other based on these perceptions. Surprisingly, many characters lack compassion for one another and are easily put off by other gay people once they learn about their journeys.
The manga, published in 2000, might portray things through an outdated lens. However, I find its take on the relationships people have with queerness and how they view others within their own group quite intriguing.
What hasn't aged well, in my opinion, is the lack of acknowledgment and perspective on bisexuality. The manga operates on a very binary system—you're either gay or straight, with nothing in between. Hence, the fact that the main character, Ichiko's, parents were gay individuals who married each other is frowned upon heavily by their community.
Yes, not mentioning bisexual people doesn't mean they don't exist; we can argue that the characters in the story are just gay and not bi, which isn't erasure on its own. But I wish the concept of bisexuality was at least mentioned as something that exists. There was a passing mention of a character named Nana, but it was only for one page, and the word "bisexual" wasn't really used—just that she was "free."
Another aspect that feels somewhat neglected is the social pressure and actual accounts of it. Characters, like the aforementioned parents, marry each other so they can have a child. Ichiko herself pretends to date one of her male gay friends in college. However, we're only ever told that they do it because "it's easier." While making this jab at heteronormative society, I feel the series failed to say anything meaningful. They do it because "it's easier" and "it's what society wants," but it never takes an extra step to delve into how society perceives them and why it's easier. We're only ever told that they DO do it, but not truly WHY.
The manga is tagged as Erotica, but I feel like there really wasn't nearly as much as I would've expected given the presence of the tag. There is definitely a fixation on who the characters make love to and whether or not that's "pure and proper." Sex is also treated as the ultimate remedy for problems, so whenever anything goes awry, intercourse is usually the answer. This brings me to the fact that the main characters don't really have proper chemistry. To be perfectly honest, most, if not every character, is mostly just a prop that the story is told through. They aren't really complex, nor very interesting—they just exist to fulfill their purpose in the story.
That's not to say that the manga doesn't have its merits. Some of its views on individuality, the nature of breakups, difficult relationships with one's family, time apart, and cheating on each other are pretty universal. Quite well portrayed too. I liked the focus on the importance of communication, despite it being difficult. The ending is also genuinely sweet and ties a neat bow on the story. Every part of this manga was made in earnestness; it's just that some managed to come out better than others.
I think the manga is worth a read to see how queer stories looked 25 years ago and understand how far we've come in such a short time, like a quarter century. (For example, the same-sex couple living together is not considered a possibility in this manga). I don't think there's anything wrong with it or that it is bad, but when I treat it more so as a piece of queer history than just a story I want to find something meaningful in, I enjoy it just that little bit more.
Popular Reviews
(Review complete, really? I can sleep?! Just kidding.)
I genuinely appreciated both the content and the art style of this manga. While the style of drawing faces might come across as a little inexpressive at times, Ebine Yamaji demonstrates sheer mastery in her depiction of bodies.
This isn't exactly an in-depth exploration of homophobia or Japanese LGBT lifestyles; instead, it's a gentle slice-of-life narrative that eases you into the characters' lives, letting you share a small part of their experiences. The focus is on love, family—be it nuclear, found-family, or a couple planning their future together—and sensuality/sexuality. It's crucial that the protagonist's love for her girlfriend and her unconventional family shines through! The reflective tone of the manga works exceptionally well in conveying this.
For me, the characters were the standout element. The author skillfully provides just enough insight into each character's motivations without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary exposition. We're given precisely what we need to know about each individual. Minimalistic in the best possible way!
Love My Life is a great choice for those already familiar with yuri, and it could also serve as an engaging introduction to manga for readers more accustomed to Western LGBT comics.
I highly recommend it if you're seeking a mature, calming LGBT-related read!
<p>
The manga, published in 2000, might portray things through an outdated lens. However, I find its take on the relationships people have with queerness and how they view others within their own group quite intriguing.
What hasn't aged well, in my opinion, is the lack of acknowledgment and perspective on bisexuality. The manga operates on a very binary system—you're either gay or straight, with nothing in between. Hence, the fact that the main character, Ichiko's, parents were gay individuals who married each other is frowned upon heavily by their community.
Yes, not mentioning bisexual people doesn't mean they don't exist; we can argue that the characters in the story are just gay and not bi, which isn't erasure on its own. But I wish the concept of bisexuality was at least mentioned as something that exists. There was a passing mention of a character named Nana, but it was only for one page, and the word "bisexual" wasn't really used—just that she was "free."
Another aspect that feels somewhat neglected is the social pressure and actual accounts of it. Characters, like the aforementioned parents, marry each other so they can have a child. Ichiko herself pretends to date one of her male gay friends in college. However, we're only ever told that they do it because "it's easier." While making this jab at heteronormative society, I feel the series failed to say anything meaningful. They do it because "it's easier" and "it's what society wants," but it never takes an extra step to delve into how society perceives them and why it's easier. We're only ever told that they DO do it, but not truly WHY.
The manga is tagged as Erotica, but I feel like there really wasn't nearly as much as I would've expected given the presence of the tag. There is definitely a fixation on who the characters make love to and whether or not that's "pure and proper." Sex is also treated as the ultimate remedy for problems, so whenever anything goes awry, intercourse is usually the answer. This brings me to the fact that the main characters don't really have proper chemistry. To be perfectly honest, most, if not every character, is mostly just a prop that the story is told through. They aren't really complex, nor very interesting—they just exist to fulfill their purpose in the story.
That's not to say that the manga doesn't have its merits. Some of its views on individuality, the nature of breakups, difficult relationships with one's family, time apart, and cheating on each other are pretty universal. Quite well portrayed too. I liked the focus on the importance of communication, despite it being difficult. The ending is also genuinely sweet and ties a neat bow on the story. Every part of this manga was made in earnestness; it's just that some managed to come out better than others.
I think the manga is worth a read to see how queer stories looked 25 years ago and understand how far we've come in such a short time, like a quarter century. (For example, the same-sex couple living together is not considered a possibility in this manga). I don't think there's anything wrong with it or that it is bad, but when I treat it more so as a piece of queer history than just a story I want to find something meaningful in, I enjoy it just that little bit more.