The Darker Side Of Love

<p>I stumbled upon the book in the library and quickly picked it up as soon as I noticed the author! I genuinely appreciate Natsuki Takaya's work, particularly "Fruits Basket," because she effectively portrays the emotional struggles of teenagers and adults. However, I often find myself drawing comparisons and noticing similarities among her works; it's challenging for me to view her manga independently since all I see is "Fruits Basket" reflected in them.<br />I anticipate a "higher quality story" in all her manga. To be honest, when I read one of her earlier stories, I was disappointed and couldn't even finish it. That's why I generally try to avoid having high expectations for manga artists.<br />The high rating I gave this book is likely due to the low expectations I had going in. After reading some reviews online that didn't appeal to me, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying and laughing at the story.<br />(This review doesn't include a detailed summary since MyAnimeList already provides an excellent one!)<br /><br />This manga features 5 short stories (the last being an extra from her other manga: Tsubasa).<br />Each of the 5 stories showcases a different artistic style. "Ding Dong," "Voice of Mine," and "Double Flower" evoke the '90s with their classic big eyes (Kodocha is the anime that best captures this aesthetic)!<br />"Songs to Make You Smile" and "Princess Dark Black" resemble the art style of "Fruits Basket."<br /><br /><br />I believe I enjoyed this book because it allowed me to witness Natsuki Takaya's growth as both an artist and a writer. It's inspiring to observe someone's progress. In these short stories, you can glimpse some of her early ideas that eventually found their way into the masterpiece, "Fruits Basket." Consequently, I do recommend this book to those who enjoy exploring the "behind the scenes" aspects of what shaped one of the best-selling manga series ("Fruits Basket").<br /><br />My favorite short story was "Songs to Make You Smile." The narration was superbly crafted; the main character's discussion of their problems was neither irritating nor overdone. It was humorous and well-executed!<br /><br />Moreover, "Songs to Make You Smile" and "The Voice of Mine" both revolve around the love of music. Despite this central theme, the underlying motifs explore bullying and self-loathing.<br />The brevity and simplicity of the manga are what made it appealing to me. Extending these stories might have rendered them less engaging. Some of the narratives have been explored by other writers, so elongating them could have highlighted their lack of originality. By keeping them concise, I was able to clearly perceive the characters' emotional challenges.<br />---<br />In practically all the stories, the women initially appear weak, but as the tales unfold, their true strength becomes evident.<br />And, of course, since this is a romance genre, all the short stories culminate in the typical love ending. My favorite quote from this collection about love is: "Just a second!! Are you saying I'm going to fall into that childhood friend cliche?"<br /><br />"Princess Black" stood out with a vibe distinct from the other four stories. Although I haven't read Tsubasa (this section originated from that manga), I found it amusing. This story leaned more towards comedy than romance. Unlike the others, the protagonist explicitly expressed her quest for love, making it the least romantic tale of the bunch.<br /><br />I understand why some readers disliked "Black Princess" due to its divergence from the rest, but I find it entertaining when authors create parodies or unique interpretations of fairy tales. Natsuki previously reimagined Cinderella, and this appears to be her take on Snow White (seemingly inspired by the original version rather than the Disney adaptation). In her version, Snow White is naive and overly dependent, yet she is PURE EVIL, while the stepmother is actually kind. Additionally, unlike the original tale, readers encounter Snow White's father!<br />The only downside of the story, in my opinion, was the latter half. The sudden introduction of perverted elements and slight fanservice caught me off guard. I wasn't expecting a comedy after the previous stories, let alone unnecessary risqué moments. This did somewhat detract from the overall enjoyment.<br /><br />I don't wish to delve deeper into this manga; they are short stories, and any further details would constitute spoilers.<br />Nevertheless, I believe it's worth reading if you admire Takaya's work and are curious about her development. It's not the best, but it's not the worst either. However, I strongly advise borrowing and reading the book before purchasing it. The storyline and art style might not resonate with everyone. Also, approach this book without lofty expectations to truly appreciate it.</p>

Great story! Can’t wait for the next one.

This novel is like a passionate roast on all isekaies with social outcast MCs who build harems and plots that make sense if you number you brain. Thise scenes where you make fun of the MC for waiting for the enemy to power up? This mc doesn't wait. At first you may feel like the mc is being edgy and wrong but after a point you actually realise that the mc was absolutely correct all along and that he's actually being extremely ethically and morally correct. MC is extremely logical and rather funny. If lord of the mysteries has an MC that loves the word "lampooning", and Shadow slaves has "the most honest man in the world-two worlds in fact", this novel has an obsession with the spine and pelvis 😆. It's surprisingly scientific with biology concepts. There were a few chapters were the translation became fff class and the story felt rather boring due to me and I almost dropped it, but by plowing through, I ended up loving it. I feel it could have been better though, but good read

i love this book!!