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A review by ravensandpages
Glass Syndrome by Eiko Ariki
emotional
hopeful
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
ARC received from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Glass Syndrome is a complicated romance manga that follows two different relationships. In the much longer chapter one, 'Glass Syndrome,' Nijou is a chronic people pleaser who is asked to check up on an absent student he used to go to school with, Toomi, only to discover that his father skipped town and abandoned him He later uncovers exactly how Toomi has been making enough money to get by, and this inspires a lot of complicated feelings about himself and what he wants. In the shorter chapter two, 'Similar Figures of Love,' Kasumi has an unrequited crush on his friend and roommate, Chihiro, while Kasumi's upperclassman in the music department, Saiki, has an unrequited crush on him.
I walked away from this manga with very conflicted feelings. Overall, I loved the art style and I liked how complicated and broken the relationships were. (As Marie Kondo would say, I love mess.) Nijou and Toomi both have struggles and refuse to communicate at times, but I ultimately enjoyed how their story ended. On the other hand, I felt as if their story could have had more development, as their bigger conflict felt like it came to a breaking point too early. For one thing, Toomi used to go to school with Nijou and often mentions how he was 'back then,' alluding to some kind of history with him, and I thought that would be explored more and factor into their relationship. In the end, though I was rooting for them, it seemed like their story was missing some pieces.
When the second story began, I actually mistook Kasumi for Nijou for a moment and thought we'd be getting a bit of backstory for Nijou and Toomi's younger days. I didn't mind having a second story in the manga, and I love a good chain of unrequited love, but wanting more development from the first relationship left me wondering why a second had been added. (And this is totally on me, but their size difference had me worried that Kasumi was a lot younger than Saiki. It took me way too many rereads to figure out they were going to university and not a boarding middle/high school.)
One thing I enjoyed about both stories was the elements of consent added in. For Glass Syndrome, Nijou adorably asks for consent for everything until Toomi tells him it isn't necessary, and in Similiar Figures of Love, Saiki is reprimanded for stealing a kiss from Kasumi and the only way they kiss again is if Kasumi asks for it. I loved the potential of both dynamics and would have preferred to see Similar Figures of Love expanded into a full manga, with a little bit of padding added to Glass Syndrome to have two well-fleshed-out stories. I would still reread this and overall did like it!
❧ 3 ★
Glass Syndrome is a complicated romance manga that follows two different relationships. In the much longer chapter one, 'Glass Syndrome,' Nijou is a chronic people pleaser who is asked to check up on an absent student he used to go to school with, Toomi, only to discover that his father skipped town and abandoned him He later uncovers exactly how Toomi has been making enough money to get by, and this inspires a lot of complicated feelings about himself and what he wants. In the shorter chapter two, 'Similar Figures of Love,' Kasumi has an unrequited crush on his friend and roommate, Chihiro, while Kasumi's upperclassman in the music department, Saiki, has an unrequited crush on him.
I walked away from this manga with very conflicted feelings. Overall, I loved the art style and I liked how complicated and broken the relationships were. (As Marie Kondo would say, I love mess.) Nijou and Toomi both have struggles and refuse to communicate at times, but I ultimately enjoyed how their story ended. On the other hand, I felt as if their story could have had more development, as their bigger conflict felt like it came to a breaking point too early. For one thing, Toomi used to go to school with Nijou and often mentions how he was 'back then,' alluding to some kind of history with him, and I thought that would be explored more and factor into their relationship. In the end, though I was rooting for them, it seemed like their story was missing some pieces.
When the second story began, I actually mistook Kasumi for Nijou for a moment and thought we'd be getting a bit of backstory for Nijou and Toomi's younger days. I didn't mind having a second story in the manga, and I love a good chain of unrequited love, but wanting more development from the first relationship left me wondering why a second had been added. (And this is totally on me, but their size difference had me worried that Kasumi was a lot younger than Saiki. It took me way too many rereads to figure out they were going to university and not a boarding middle/high school.)
One thing I enjoyed about both stories was the elements of consent added in. For Glass Syndrome, Nijou adorably asks for consent for everything until Toomi tells him it isn't necessary, and in Similiar Figures of Love, Saiki is reprimanded for stealing a kiss from Kasumi and the only way they kiss again is if Kasumi asks for it. I loved the potential of both dynamics and would have preferred to see Similar Figures of Love expanded into a full manga, with a little bit of padding added to Glass Syndrome to have two well-fleshed-out stories. I would still reread this and overall did like it!
❧ 3 ★