I’m the Demise’s White Moonlight of the Bigshot

Colour is employed sparingly in manga, and when it does appear, it often comes across as garish, lacking the subtlety and complexity typically found in Western graphic novels. However, chapter one of this manga stands out, rivaling the best from the West. With a Venetian backdrop and a young female detective cleverly outsmarting a random thief, the stage is set for a classic.

Unfortunately, by the time you reach the black-and-white chapter two, any excitement dissipates with a deflated sigh. Colour sporadically reappears throughout the manga but always vanishes, leaving readers longing for what could have been. Forget Me Not boasts an engaging and original premise, a quirky concept marred only by artwork that, while possessing some charm, remains somewhat dull to navigate. If the colour from the first chapter had persisted, this manga would undoubtedly be a hidden gem.

Mariel Imari, the spirited young detective who has taken over her father's business and skills, exudes a laid-back charm. Her penchant for disguises adds a cute element to the narrative. The humor is dry and witty, and the misadventures she encounters are navigated through her independent spirit and fast-paced approach. Venice serves as a mysterious and atmospheric backdrop, with intrigue lurking around every corner.

The story demonstrates ambition but feels too confined; the author seems unwilling or unable to expand the scope beyond just seven chapters. It's regrettable, as there are many great ideas present—engaging characters, a rivalry with a thief Mariel might already know, and the secrets surrounding her father and inheritance. These imaginative, mature elements feel prematurely truncated.

Forget Me Not deserves to be remembered. One can only hope that Kenji Tsuruta doesn't overlook its potential and eventually taps into its true promise.

Forget-me-not is a rather laid-back manga featuring detective Mariel Imari and the cases she tackles in Italy. Indeed, "laid-back" might be one of the most fitting terms to describe this manga. It doesn't attempt to grab your immediate attention nor does it strive to create a captivating world. It's unmistakably everything it claims to be.

The narrative isn't the most engaging. It starts off quite "episodic," then transitions into telling a story. Episodic in that it presents individual mystery cases to focus on each chapter until about halfway through, where the real story begins. It isn't engaging because, well, it is episodic, until it isn't. This is an unusual approach, especially with only 7 chapters, as the interesting parts come too late. The story ends up with something that cannot be developed seriously unless it spans 100 chapters, which it doesn't. You're left with a plot that doesn't really spark much interest because it wasn't substantial to begin with. This is where I found myself with the story. Part of why I didn't find it all that intriguing ties back to the "laid-back" aspect I mentioned earlier. It becomes slightly contradictory because there was genuine effort to give relevance to small details in the story. But these were minor details that didn't have a lasting impact on the plot, the kind that only rewatchers/readers might notice. Whether Tsuruta intended to embellish what was present rather than what would come is something I don't know. So, do you consider that good or bad? You decide. The characters fall into the same category; they lack interesting points simply because they were treated like the story. Of course, this applies to everyone who isn't Imari. Imari is the one character I liked, and she is portrayed quite well, feeling very much like she has her own personality. The same can't be said for anyone else, and writing this review much later than I should have, I barely remember any other character who left a mark. Perhaps this is just a classic case of "the detective carries the story" — no, that pun wasn't intentional.

Tsuruta's art style is always a delight to see. The designs resemble real people, the detail suggests visible elongated timeframes, and the backgrounds are almost painterly. There's nothing truly flawed here. The only thing I might say is that with an art style like this, everything seems set in stone, so there's no real opportunity to showcase even better art than what was given. To be fair, this isn't a battle shounen, but I've seen even the calmest manga deliver incredible art. Regardless, this is still genuinely good without question.

Enjoying Forget-me-not isn't easy, at least not for me, and I'll explain why that might be a universal issue. As stated, the story lacks weight, focusing on small details that ultimately amount to little. I can't say you'll find enjoyment here. It's not unreadable, but it feels like something that just passes with time, probably not leaving much of an impression. However, this isn't too bad to read, though the detective cases aren't the most fascinating. They also follow the "laid-back" trend that may just be a bit too "laid-back." I finished it without forming particularly pleasant memories, but neither did I leave with any horrific ones.

I can't say I recommend this, considering how dialogue-heavy it is, it isn't friendly to those seeking something quick to read with an equally flowing story. It only has 7 chapters, though. Consider it. It might just end up as something that gets added to your completed list and that's all. With Tsuruta behind this, the same artist responsible for the Omoide Emanon manga adaptation, I was here for the art but was curious about what the story had to offer. Unfortunately, it doesn't offer much, does it? I don't dislike him; I think his works are pretty solid, but this one didn't hit as it should have.

Overall - 5.79 (6, lowered art significance)  

<p>

If he is a good villain but I don't know why I dislike him, it's because they always show him at the best moment

you think a novel with "interdimensional travel" as a tag wont have cultivators?

only wishing for no bad blood between zarin and heaven in the future….. eventho there’s the silver eyed, i low-key ship them ever since they were in the wombs😶‍🌫️🤍

bro the translator change ruined it for me, there are some characters who had their names completely changed. so i just stopped reading it

This is the moment I was disappointed of Carolyn. "Commoners" Huh.