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In the Name of the Mermaid Princess #1
In the Name of the Mermaid Princess, Vol. 1
In a society hostile to diversity, can Princess Mio be true to herself?
Princess Mio is betrothed to Prince Chika. However, they’ve never met, and he doesn’t know her secret—she’s a mermaid! When her tutor, Yuri, takes her out of the castle to meet her subjects, Mio sees the world through new eyes. But Yuri has a secret too… And when Mio tells her father, the king, she wants to live life openly as a mermaid, he punishes her. How can she stay true to herself?
Plus, a bonus story about a royal subject with... wings?!
Princess Mio is betrothed to Prince Chika. However, they’ve never met, and he doesn’t know her secret—she’s a mermaid! When her tutor, Yuri, takes her out of the castle to meet her subjects, Mio sees the world through new eyes. But Yuri has a secret too… And when Mio tells her father, the king, she wants to live life openly as a mermaid, he punishes her. How can she stay true to herself?
Plus, a bonus story about a royal subject with... wings?!
184 pages, Paperback
First published June 24, 2021
27 people are currently reading
565 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
February 18, 2024
Betrothed to a foreign prince she’s never met, Mio is hiding a heck of a secret - she’s a mermaid. This doesn’t fly (or swim) in her current kingdom, so her father’s idea of progression is regression and oppression as part of his profession. Then a tutor shows up and it all changes.
Few stories I’ve read have stumbled so hard out of the gate as this one with its horribly twee names and nonsense words. The kingdom of… Blognig… immediately set my teeth on fire and the tutor, Yuri Ban, sounds like my worst manga nightmare rather than a human being.
Out of the gate, and at other points, this feels like it was written for a younger audience than most shojo, at least I hope it is, because it is more than a little juvenile at times in terms of how it presents its ideas, but at least it means well.
Luckily this story has its strengths in things that are totally unrelated to its naming conventions and more down to character action instead. Indeed, Mio and Yuri (after Yuri overcomes a fairly awkward introduction) make for a good pair and Mio in particular is a great heroine.
There is a difference between helplessness and learned helplessness, and Mio clearly falls into the latter trap, having had the kingdom’s beliefs drilled into her from an early age. She accepts that, as the “other”, she needs to conform to be worthwhile.
So, when Yuri comes along and opens her up to new possibilities, she sees a way forward that isn’t the one making her miserable and she stands up hard for what she both wants and believes in. I really like how she comes into to her own and chooses to change; Mio actually having some agency makes this a lot more interesting.
Yuri has a secret of his own and, while you won’t get any points for figuring it out, they at least don’t leave it in the dark for very long for the reader. It makes perfect sense and does add a little more to the arc for these two.
The prejudice and racism angle is not new, but handled fairly well, despite this story having the subtlety of a zoot suit in a funeral procession, and depicts a society that doesn’t question itself nearly enough, although like any regime there are always cracks in that facade and those are what help Mio find her footing (finning?).
Beyond the names, the rest of this has a strong fairy-tale-with-a-little-bit-of-gritty vibe to it that I enjoyed and Mio’s transformation, literal and figural, is a journey worth taking.
Some of the about-faces that characters go through are a bit ridiculous and, while designed to give the narrative more punch, come off as a little silly. We should be so lucky that reversing years of ingrained prejudice only takes a single moment and the next bold and impassioned speech looms at any given moment to change minds.
The swerve at the end, a complete other story layering on another facet of this world, takes almost the exact same trek as the first story, in the sense that it starts off godawful and becomes actually kind of good by the end.
This one features an angel in a circus who is being horribly abused in a different fashion and doesn’t quite realize it. The whole circus angle was mentioned in the main piece, but boy is it ever doofy here - the kid who can generate ice looks like he got dressed at a sporting goods store.
Technically both these stories look at prejudice, but they are both portraits of abusive relationships as well. There’s a catharsis in seeing Mio learning to truly love herself and who she is and finding somebody else who also wants her exactly as she is.
I do like this, but it’s not a story for everybody. There’s a distinct lack of subtlety here that can be a little grating at times, plus some other weaknesses in the writing, but on the whole I enjoyed it and do plan to come back for another pass at it.
3.5 stars - rarely does a book go between such extremes, when this is bad it is eye-wateringly dumb, but its highs are thankfully more than good enough to make up for that deficiency and, if you can put up with the underwhelming, this is worth your time.
Few stories I’ve read have stumbled so hard out of the gate as this one with its horribly twee names and nonsense words. The kingdom of… Blognig… immediately set my teeth on fire and the tutor, Yuri Ban, sounds like my worst manga nightmare rather than a human being.
Out of the gate, and at other points, this feels like it was written for a younger audience than most shojo, at least I hope it is, because it is more than a little juvenile at times in terms of how it presents its ideas, but at least it means well.
Luckily this story has its strengths in things that are totally unrelated to its naming conventions and more down to character action instead. Indeed, Mio and Yuri (after Yuri overcomes a fairly awkward introduction) make for a good pair and Mio in particular is a great heroine.
There is a difference between helplessness and learned helplessness, and Mio clearly falls into the latter trap, having had the kingdom’s beliefs drilled into her from an early age. She accepts that, as the “other”, she needs to conform to be worthwhile.
So, when Yuri comes along and opens her up to new possibilities, she sees a way forward that isn’t the one making her miserable and she stands up hard for what she both wants and believes in. I really like how she comes into to her own and chooses to change; Mio actually having some agency makes this a lot more interesting.
Yuri has a secret of his own and, while you won’t get any points for figuring it out, they at least don’t leave it in the dark for very long for the reader. It makes perfect sense and does add a little more to the arc for these two.
The prejudice and racism angle is not new, but handled fairly well, despite this story having the subtlety of a zoot suit in a funeral procession, and depicts a society that doesn’t question itself nearly enough, although like any regime there are always cracks in that facade and those are what help Mio find her footing (finning?).
Beyond the names, the rest of this has a strong fairy-tale-with-a-little-bit-of-gritty vibe to it that I enjoyed and Mio’s transformation, literal and figural, is a journey worth taking.
Some of the about-faces that characters go through are a bit ridiculous and, while designed to give the narrative more punch, come off as a little silly. We should be so lucky that reversing years of ingrained prejudice only takes a single moment and the next bold and impassioned speech looms at any given moment to change minds.
The swerve at the end, a complete other story layering on another facet of this world, takes almost the exact same trek as the first story, in the sense that it starts off godawful and becomes actually kind of good by the end.
This one features an angel in a circus who is being horribly abused in a different fashion and doesn’t quite realize it. The whole circus angle was mentioned in the main piece, but boy is it ever doofy here - the kid who can generate ice looks like he got dressed at a sporting goods store.
Technically both these stories look at prejudice, but they are both portraits of abusive relationships as well. There’s a catharsis in seeing Mio learning to truly love herself and who she is and finding somebody else who also wants her exactly as she is.
I do like this, but it’s not a story for everybody. There’s a distinct lack of subtlety here that can be a little grating at times, plus some other weaknesses in the writing, but on the whole I enjoyed it and do plan to come back for another pass at it.
3.5 stars - rarely does a book go between such extremes, when this is bad it is eye-wateringly dumb, but its highs are thankfully more than good enough to make up for that deficiency and, if you can put up with the underwhelming, this is worth your time.
February 15, 2024
Updated Review 2/15/23: I love this story so much! 🥹🥹🥹 Definitely love it even more this second time!!
Original Review 12/19/23: "If you're honest with people some will respond in kind. Human or otherwise."
WOW! This was incredible and made me very emotional near the end!
I didn't really know what to expect when reading this except cute art, which I definitely got (the art is STUNNING!), but I really do feel I got so much more.
Seeing Princess Mio have her whole world flipped upside down about how she can be her REAL self and that it CAN be a reality, even in a country with laws saying that could NOT happen, was so moving and touching. With every brave step she took, with a new happiness she felt, with new risks she took for those hurting, I was more and more emotionally invested.
The focus was very much on Mio, but I am VERY curious about Yuri! There are just a handful of panels that show something is…off about him? Off as in not suspicious, but that he is hiding HIS real self. For what reasons, I'm not fully sure, but it definitely sounds like things are not normal for unhumans in his country either.
The ending of the first volume was my favorite because there was a change of heart for certain characters. I'm not going to even lie, if there hadn't been a side story, I would have started crying because I was so into my feelings, the anticipation, and the fear that was coursing through me in those last few pages.
When it comes to the side story, I was at first VERY upset that there seemed to be a 40-page short story at the end because I wanted more of the main story, not something unrelated. However, grumbling aside at first, I REALLY enjoyed the side story and then was upset it ended on a cliffhanger and will be continued next volume! LOL! But I liked it though and am very curious to see what will happen next! (Probably one of the very few times that I felt just as invested in a short story as a main one!)
I will definitely be picking this up physically because it very much exceeded my expectations! Highly recommend it if you enjoy stories with mermaids, embracing your real self, and a touch of danger due to standing up to injustice!
*(I received an e-copy for review via NetGalley. All thoughts expressed are my own.)*
Original Review 12/19/23: "If you're honest with people some will respond in kind. Human or otherwise."
WOW! This was incredible and made me very emotional near the end!
I didn't really know what to expect when reading this except cute art, which I definitely got (the art is STUNNING!), but I really do feel I got so much more.
Seeing Princess Mio have her whole world flipped upside down about how she can be her REAL self and that it CAN be a reality, even in a country with laws saying that could NOT happen, was so moving and touching. With every brave step she took, with a new happiness she felt, with new risks she took for those hurting, I was more and more emotionally invested.
The focus was very much on Mio, but I am VERY curious about Yuri! There are just a handful of panels that show something is…off about him? Off as in not suspicious, but that he is hiding HIS real self. For what reasons, I'm not fully sure, but it definitely sounds like things are not normal for unhumans in his country either.
The ending of the first volume was my favorite because there was a change of heart for certain characters. I'm not going to even lie, if there hadn't been a side story, I would have started crying because I was so into my feelings, the anticipation, and the fear that was coursing through me in those last few pages.
When it comes to the side story, I was at first VERY upset that there seemed to be a 40-page short story at the end because I wanted more of the main story, not something unrelated. However, grumbling aside at first, I REALLY enjoyed the side story and then was upset it ended on a cliffhanger and will be continued next volume! LOL! But I liked it though and am very curious to see what will happen next! (Probably one of the very few times that I felt just as invested in a short story as a main one!)
I will definitely be picking this up physically because it very much exceeded my expectations! Highly recommend it if you enjoy stories with mermaids, embracing your real self, and a touch of danger due to standing up to injustice!
*(I received an e-copy for review via NetGalley. All thoughts expressed are my own.)*
June 1, 2025
In The Name of The Mermaid Princess by Yoshino Fumikawais a manga novel about humans and... Unhumans. The title/label humans give these sub-humanoid creatures does nothing to reflect upon this series as a whole. It's really marvelous and pure. 😭
THERE ARE NO SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.
Four out of five stars (4/5 stars).
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Essentially, this covers a lot of racism and ableism within its themes, but I believe this is too pure for trigger warnings 🤣
'In a society hostile to diversity, can Princess Mio be true to herself?' — GoodReads book page for 'In the Name of The Mermaid Princess'.
// Pre-read: I'm really on a Manga kick right now, but that's not unusual for this time of the year. It's the rainy season and it's when I tend to get on my anime and graphic novel binge. I wasn't sure what I was thinking when I hit the borrow button, but I'm pretty sure is was just for the merfolk. Alright, I'm going to read this now, wish me luck!//
"Princess Mio is betrothed to Prince Chika. However, they’ve never met, and he doesn’t know her secret—she’s a mermaid! When her tutor, Yuri, takes her out of the castle to meet her subjects, Mio sees the world through new eyes. But Yuri has a secret too… And when Mio tells her father, the king, she wants to live life openly as a mermaid, he punishes her. How can she stay true to herself?
" — the Goodreads page for 'In The Name of The Mermaid Princess'.
What just happened?! That was really good and now I have to stop long enough to write a review when all I want is to jump right into the next one. Okay, so let me just say this really quick before I jump into the next one and finish this review after because I'm invested and honestly I wish I had been there when we could talk about this in forums, not reading this because I went to the library and found it there. Because that's amazing, for Yoshino Fumikawa, of course it is, she published and in my library all the way in New Zealand and that's freaking cool for her, like, kid, you made it! No sarcasm here, but I still wish I had been with everyone else and this was coming out in small bursts of episodes. Remember when we had to wait for all our episodes of our favourite shows. Damn.
Okay, so I'm back — two whole mangas later and I know I have to finish this review and the next to tell you just how well it went. Let's start with this amazing first book that actually starts off feeling really rich and innocent, dispite the adversity the characters are facing. I really respect and feed off these positive and uplifting themes — because ✊🏿🫶 by now you should all know just how left I really am about all of adversity going on religiously. I stand by the people who I share a lot of common qualities and struggles. This manga makes me think of what we're all facing today.
If anyone needs to talk about anything: I'm a safe space. Safe–daddy, like space daddy but — nope, I'm never using that one again, okay. Phew. I'm taken, remember? Happy, happy, but here for a yarn, rant or lending ear/shoulder. I hope you all are safe.
Anyway, back to the feeling of protectiveness I feel from reading this chapter/episode.
I love when a book, movie, music and/or a manga faces the same adversity as we have seen, or even experienced because, yeah, we all need to know that we're not the only ones. Sometimes just knowing that can save a life — that's what media does for me in all forms, but images and visual communication? Yeah that's my thing.
So if you're looking for something to live for, here's to freedom and being yourself. Here's to the friends and the family you make for yourself because family doesn't have to be blood and I say that family is easily had, but when those family become friends, then you're the most blessed.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Yoshino Fumikawa is a Japanese author of quite a few manga series with fantasy and romance elements, these seem to be the genres that she is most comfortable with. And in keeping with the age old pen name / no details about the author, I think her writing speaks for her personality than any personal facts would. I always try to look up information about the authors, so I can tag them and recommend them to people who lobe to support women / peoples of colour. But, I also respect someone's decision to remain anonymous and to sport a penname. I'll be doing the same with my novels.
What I do like is the fact that her and her illustrator Miya Tashiro have remained close enough that they have continued the project together. Miya's work is impeccable and honestly I couldn't find a single thing to complain about.
So please go and read this now, it'll brighten up your life and you'll be needing more soon enough.
THERE ARE NO SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.
Four out of five stars (4/5 stars).
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Essentially, this covers a lot of racism and ableism within its themes, but I believe this is too pure for trigger warnings 🤣
'In a society hostile to diversity, can Princess Mio be true to herself?' — GoodReads book page for 'In the Name of The Mermaid Princess'.
// Pre-read: I'm really on a Manga kick right now, but that's not unusual for this time of the year. It's the rainy season and it's when I tend to get on my anime and graphic novel binge. I wasn't sure what I was thinking when I hit the borrow button, but I'm pretty sure is was just for the merfolk. Alright, I'm going to read this now, wish me luck!//
"Princess Mio is betrothed to Prince Chika. However, they’ve never met, and he doesn’t know her secret—she’s a mermaid! When her tutor, Yuri, takes her out of the castle to meet her subjects, Mio sees the world through new eyes. But Yuri has a secret too… And when Mio tells her father, the king, she wants to live life openly as a mermaid, he punishes her. How can she stay true to herself?
" — the Goodreads page for 'In The Name of The Mermaid Princess'.
What just happened?! That was really good and now I have to stop long enough to write a review when all I want is to jump right into the next one. Okay, so let me just say this really quick before I jump into the next one and finish this review after because I'm invested and honestly I wish I had been there when we could talk about this in forums, not reading this because I went to the library and found it there. Because that's amazing, for Yoshino Fumikawa, of course it is, she published and in my library all the way in New Zealand and that's freaking cool for her, like, kid, you made it! No sarcasm here, but I still wish I had been with everyone else and this was coming out in small bursts of episodes. Remember when we had to wait for all our episodes of our favourite shows. Damn.
Okay, so I'm back — two whole mangas later and I know I have to finish this review and the next to tell you just how well it went. Let's start with this amazing first book that actually starts off feeling really rich and innocent, dispite the adversity the characters are facing. I really respect and feed off these positive and uplifting themes — because ✊🏿🫶 by now you should all know just how left I really am about all of adversity going on religiously. I stand by the people who I share a lot of common qualities and struggles. This manga makes me think of what we're all facing today.
If anyone needs to talk about anything: I'm a safe space. Safe–daddy, like space daddy but — nope, I'm never using that one again, okay. Phew. I'm taken, remember? Happy, happy, but here for a yarn, rant or lending ear/shoulder. I hope you all are safe.
Anyway, back to the feeling of protectiveness I feel from reading this chapter/episode.
I love when a book, movie, music and/or a manga faces the same adversity as we have seen, or even experienced because, yeah, we all need to know that we're not the only ones. Sometimes just knowing that can save a life — that's what media does for me in all forms, but images and visual communication? Yeah that's my thing.
So if you're looking for something to live for, here's to freedom and being yourself. Here's to the friends and the family you make for yourself because family doesn't have to be blood and I say that family is easily had, but when those family become friends, then you're the most blessed.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Yoshino Fumikawa is a Japanese author of quite a few manga series with fantasy and romance elements, these seem to be the genres that she is most comfortable with. And in keeping with the age old pen name / no details about the author, I think her writing speaks for her personality than any personal facts would. I always try to look up information about the authors, so I can tag them and recommend them to people who lobe to support women / peoples of colour. But, I also respect someone's decision to remain anonymous and to sport a penname. I'll be doing the same with my novels.
What I do like is the fact that her and her illustrator Miya Tashiro have remained close enough that they have continued the project together. Miya's work is impeccable and honestly I couldn't find a single thing to complain about.
So please go and read this now, it'll brighten up your life and you'll be needing more soon enough.
July 19, 2022
Das war ja mal mega cute. Wunderschönes Artwork, eine tolle Geschichte und ich freue mich schon sehr auf Band 2!
May 16, 2024
Always sign me up for mermaids!
This was so cute even through the circumstances our characters find themselves in.
Princess Mio is born a mermaid to the King of a human-only kingdom. They do everything they can to make her human to marry another continent's Prince. A tutor appears to teach her their ways. Slowly they bond and the tutor tells her - to be who you are and not what the world defines you.
So we will see where the story goes and how she will convince humans that non-humans are nothing to be feared.
I enjoyed every second of this story. The characters are rich in personality and I cannot wait to continue this series. I love the art, especially the Mermaid and Angel.
This was so cute even through the circumstances our characters find themselves in.
Princess Mio is born a mermaid to the King of a human-only kingdom. They do everything they can to make her human to marry another continent's Prince. A tutor appears to teach her their ways. Slowly they bond and the tutor tells her - to be who you are and not what the world defines you.
So we will see where the story goes and how she will convince humans that non-humans are nothing to be feared.
I enjoyed every second of this story. The characters are rich in personality and I cannot wait to continue this series. I love the art, especially the Mermaid and Angel.
January 31, 2024
In the kingdom of Blognig, "unhumans" (which I kind of suspect is a translation of "ajin"), those born with special powers or features, are discriminated against to the point where any unhuman children born are summarily removed via forced relocation. That means that when Mio, the princess of Blognig, is born a mermaid, her father tries everything to change her, including hiring a shady doctor to concoct a medication. Mio has accepted that she's less than for her entire life, until one day Yuri comes from another kingdom to teach her about the land she'll marry into, Aquatia. Yuri tells Mio that she's not "less than," she's "more than," as in "more than enough, just the way she is," and while there's perhaps a little bit of boy saves girl here, mostly what he's teaching her is how to save herself.
It's a bit heavy-handed, and in places the volume reads like An Elementary Schooler's Guide to Racism, but it works better than a lot of other similarly-themed fantasy tales that try to do the same thing. Watching Mio find herself and her courage is rewarding, and even the first part of a short story set in the same world but featuring an angel who's kept in a sideshow (a la Gabriel Garcia Marquez) is equally strong and doesn't feel like it's just there to pad out the volume. Blending folklore and more typical manga fantasy, this is a solid debut, and I'm excited to read the second volume, for both Mio and Eno (the angel)'s stories.
It's a bit heavy-handed, and in places the volume reads like An Elementary Schooler's Guide to Racism, but it works better than a lot of other similarly-themed fantasy tales that try to do the same thing. Watching Mio find herself and her courage is rewarding, and even the first part of a short story set in the same world but featuring an angel who's kept in a sideshow (a la Gabriel Garcia Marquez) is equally strong and doesn't feel like it's just there to pad out the volume. Blending folklore and more typical manga fantasy, this is a solid debut, and I'm excited to read the second volume, for both Mio and Eno (the angel)'s stories.
February 18, 2024
The artwork is nice and I really enjoyed the story I look forward to reading the rest of the series I like the plot and the idea behind where it’s going and I like how there is more than one story in here. It should be interesting to see where the story goes from here.
August 4, 2022
Der erste Manga, den ich mir selbst gekauft habe und er ist sooo guuuuut!! Ich BRAUCHE den zweiten Band!!!
Read
January 22, 2025Must a book be good? Is it not enough to make you feel like you're nine years old reading volume 5 of whatever random manga you managed to find in the teen section of your local library?
March 27, 2025
OMG did not expect that the prince was hiding his identity 😲
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2024
Sometimes the biggest changes start within ourselves before anywhere else.
Mio is a cursed princess. In the kingdom of Blognig, there is a certain type of human which banned from the kingdom and given no human rights. This type of human is called unhuman by the kingdom of Blognig— these unhumans are demi-humans who possess special powers pertaining to their animal attributes.
Mio is the princess of Blognig, and was born an unhuman.
Mio was abused and experimented on for her entire life, but a single glimpse of the reality beyond the few limited castle walls she’s been allowed to see has opened her eyes. The laws of the kingdom are unfair, and as princess of the kingdom, it is within her grasp to change these laws. Mio was born a mermaid; a race which was born to purify the waters and mend wounds with her touch. But do these special powers extend to touching the hearts of others?
Eno’s Flight Part 1
A heartfelt story about an angel unhuman. I don’t have a lot to say besides that it brings a warmth to my heart and bones.
Mio is a cursed princess. In the kingdom of Blognig, there is a certain type of human which banned from the kingdom and given no human rights. This type of human is called unhuman by the kingdom of Blognig— these unhumans are demi-humans who possess special powers pertaining to their animal attributes.
Mio is the princess of Blognig, and was born an unhuman.
Mio was abused and experimented on for her entire life, but a single glimpse of the reality beyond the few limited castle walls she’s been allowed to see has opened her eyes. The laws of the kingdom are unfair, and as princess of the kingdom, it is within her grasp to change these laws. Mio was born a mermaid; a race which was born to purify the waters and mend wounds with her touch. But do these special powers extend to touching the hearts of others?
Eno’s Flight Part 1
A heartfelt story about an angel unhuman. I don’t have a lot to say besides that it brings a warmth to my heart and bones.
April 9, 2024
I fell in love with the cover, and now I’m in love with the story as well 🥹🩷 In a world where people are separated by being humans and un-humans, Princess Mio was born as a mermaid. But since her kingdom does not allow the existence of un-humans, she was forced to take medicine and pretend to be a human. When a boy from the kingdom where her betrothed lives came to tutor her, he sparks her with passion and courage to live as a mermaid and protect her kingdom.
I loved Mio from the start 💖 Despite being treated harshly by the maids and butlers, she was very polite and soft with everyone. It pains me that even her own father is disgusted by her, because how do you hate someone that lovely both in looks and attitude ㅠㅠ When Mio starts reaching out for the ocean thanks to Yuri’s words, my only wish is for them to leave this despicable kingdom and live somewhere else instead. They seem perfect for each other, and I’m absolutely looking forward to have more of them!
I loved Mio from the start 💖 Despite being treated harshly by the maids and butlers, she was very polite and soft with everyone. It pains me that even her own father is disgusted by her, because how do you hate someone that lovely both in looks and attitude ㅠㅠ When Mio starts reaching out for the ocean thanks to Yuri’s words, my only wish is for them to leave this despicable kingdom and live somewhere else instead. They seem perfect for each other, and I’m absolutely looking forward to have more of them!
October 13, 2024
A lovely and beautiful first foray into the world of the Mermaid Princess, Mio. Unhumans are not welcome in her father's kingdom of Blognig. But Mio can't help that she was born as a Mermaid, no more than twins can help being born as fox spirits, or a lonely girl can change her fate as an Angel... But when an outsider named Yuri Ban arrives to show her the ways of her betrothed Prince Chika and his kingdom of Aquatia, she finds herself questioning right from wrong in a world she once saw as black and white. She doesn't want to become human. She wants to become herself.
The artstyle is simple but pretty. The dialogue is well-translated into English. The small cast of characters allows you to get to know most of them quite well. And mystery lurks under the surface... And it's not hard to solve, either. But overall, a very fun little manga.
The artstyle is simple but pretty. The dialogue is well-translated into English. The small cast of characters allows you to get to know most of them quite well. And mystery lurks under the surface... And it's not hard to solve, either. But overall, a very fun little manga.
February 13, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC!
This is a cute intro into what I hope will turn into a magical tale. While the world building we see is limited, and not very original (unhuman/fae/vamps/whatever Others vs humans is a generic and a thinly veiled racism allegory) it does allow for the story to be of greater interest to younger readers.
The artwork is very pretty. There's a great sense of flow and movement to the water sequences. I look forward to seeing other unhumans!
Overall, a solid start. I'd say 3.5 rounded up because of its potential. I'll be sure to pick up the next few volumes!
This is a cute intro into what I hope will turn into a magical tale. While the world building we see is limited, and not very original (unhuman/fae/vamps/whatever Others vs humans is a generic and a thinly veiled racism allegory) it does allow for the story to be of greater interest to younger readers.
The artwork is very pretty. There's a great sense of flow and movement to the water sequences. I look forward to seeing other unhumans!
Overall, a solid start. I'd say 3.5 rounded up because of its potential. I'll be sure to pick up the next few volumes!
May 11, 2024
I had been eyeing this for quite a while and was drawn to the obviously beautiful and fantastical cover, not knowing anything about the story inside.
I'm happy to say, the pages in between the cover are just as beautiful and fantastical weaving in the story of discrimination, prejudice, and xenophobia in a way that feels truthful and tasteful and not all cheap or contrived. You really grow to care for the wellbeing of our mermaid princess Mio and root for her dream of uniting humans and unhumans.
I'm glad I finally picked this up and can't wait to read on.
I'm happy to say, the pages in between the cover are just as beautiful and fantastical weaving in the story of discrimination, prejudice, and xenophobia in a way that feels truthful and tasteful and not all cheap or contrived. You really grow to care for the wellbeing of our mermaid princess Mio and root for her dream of uniting humans and unhumans.
I'm glad I finally picked this up and can't wait to read on.
November 29, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. So, so cute. Mio is a princess in a kingdom where being different is basically a crime, and those with powers are banished. As a mermaid, she is kept locked up and essentially experimented on so she can pass as human. She’s betrothed to a prince she has only communicated with via letters. When a new tutor comes into her life, the reader can tell he’s hiding something (I personally think he’s actually the prince), but he encourages Mio to embrace her true self and is punished for it and then the volume ENDS. So anyway, I need the second volume. Recommended for grades 6+.
July 10, 2024
This was a really cute read that talked about prejudice, racism and staying true to yourself. The story was really easy to read and follow as there wasnt any heavy world building, which is something you may or may not like according to your taste. Also the art was very pretty to look at, and thats always a plus. Looking forward to read what happens next ♡
May 17, 2024
So far I'm really enjoying the series! I definitely think the plot is a bit fast-paced (I mean, in one volume the FL and ML are already running for their lives and the FL wants to change her country for the better), but so far it's super cute, and I am so excited to continue the series!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2022
this was so cute - looking forward to reading more of this series 💚
June 2, 2024
Ganz niedliche Reihe, die ich zusammen mit meiner Nichte lese. Für Kinder sehr zu empfehlen, für Erwachsene eher langweilig und "unspektakulär" xD
June 16, 2024
this is my first manga, so i’m not used to this genre. it was different but i’m not sure if i care that much for the characters or the story. i’m torn about reading the second one.
July 17, 2025
Ok, jetzt muäsi mir diä ganz Reihä chaufä😅
April 30, 2025
I loved the setup of this manga in which magical people are the ones discriminated against by humans.
April 25, 2025
The art in this is gorgeous!
April 22, 2025
very little mermaid vibe I get from this but also the opposite and the bonus story was really cool could have been its own manga
April 16, 2025
What an interesting story so far! The prejudice between humans and unhumans, I can't to find out what happens with the Princess in the next volume!
March 5, 2025
In the Name of the Mermaid Princess is a hauntingly beautiful and darkly enchanting fantasy that captivates from the very first page. The story centers around Princess Mio, a mermaid born into the Blognig Kingdom, a land that despises "unhuman" creatures. These "unhumans" are demi-humans, beings who possess special powers linked to animal attributes, and in this world, they are seen as cursed or unnatural. As a result, Mio is forced to drink medicine to maintain a human form—an unrelenting effort to conform to her father's wishes. He hopes she will be fully human when she marries Prince Chika from a neighboring kingdom, a union that would secure the future of their realm. But things begin to shift when Mio is assigned a young tutor, Yuri Ban. Unlike others, Yuri treats her like a person, not a monster. He is unafraid to touch her, to be close to her, and he encourages her to embrace her true self, mermaid nature and all.
The art style is deceptively cute at first glance, luring you into a false sense of lightheartedness. But don't let that fool you—the story is far from simple or sweet. While there are moments that make your heart flutter with their sweetness, the underlying theme of the narrative is much darker. It explores the brutal treatment of unhuman creatures in a society that views them as nothing more than curses or harbingers of disease. These beings are cruelly discriminated against, with any unhuman children born in the kingdom forcibly removed and relocated, their very existence erased by a society that fears them.
As the story unfolds, we watch Princess Mio grow determined to change the system. She dreams of uniting humans and unhumans in her kingdom, challenging the deeply ingrained prejudices that have torn her world apart. The first volume sets a strong foundation, expertly pulling you into its world-building and the great dynamics between the characters. The tension between Mio and her father’s oppressive, traditional views is palpable and the relationship between Mio and Yuri adds a touch of warmth and hope amidst the story's dark tone. I’m especially intrigued by how Mio will ultimately challenge her father's awful mindset and what kind of future she will fight for.
Overall, the first volume debut is a powerful one. It's rich with promise and emotional depth. I can’t wait to see where this story goes and how Mio's journey will unfold as she battles the societal norms that have defined her existence for so long. It’s a story about courage, identity, and breaking free from the chains of a world that seeks to define you. It’s beautiful, bittersweet, and unforgettable.
The art style is deceptively cute at first glance, luring you into a false sense of lightheartedness. But don't let that fool you—the story is far from simple or sweet. While there are moments that make your heart flutter with their sweetness, the underlying theme of the narrative is much darker. It explores the brutal treatment of unhuman creatures in a society that views them as nothing more than curses or harbingers of disease. These beings are cruelly discriminated against, with any unhuman children born in the kingdom forcibly removed and relocated, their very existence erased by a society that fears them.
As the story unfolds, we watch Princess Mio grow determined to change the system. She dreams of uniting humans and unhumans in her kingdom, challenging the deeply ingrained prejudices that have torn her world apart. The first volume sets a strong foundation, expertly pulling you into its world-building and the great dynamics between the characters. The tension between Mio and her father’s oppressive, traditional views is palpable and the relationship between Mio and Yuri adds a touch of warmth and hope amidst the story's dark tone. I’m especially intrigued by how Mio will ultimately challenge her father's awful mindset and what kind of future she will fight for.
Overall, the first volume debut is a powerful one. It's rich with promise and emotional depth. I can’t wait to see where this story goes and how Mio's journey will unfold as she battles the societal norms that have defined her existence for so long. It’s a story about courage, identity, and breaking free from the chains of a world that seeks to define you. It’s beautiful, bittersweet, and unforgettable.
August 16, 2024
I think I want to appreciate the idea of using discrimination against magical beings as a stand-in in literature for IRL forms of discrimination more than I actually do. It’s an analogy that’s just never really well-executed.
Here, I can feel the authors trying to make this story about the importance of diversity and how discrimination on arbitrary aspects leads to dehumanization—but, a lot of the substance of their argument is undercut by having their main character be this very privileged princess. She’s not relatable in a way you want a character in a narrative like this one to be relatable. It’s “giving rich girl cosplaying persecution” vibes. Or, “[insert privileged class] cosplaying persecution”.
Which, is off-putting enough.
But, then we’ve got this odd romantic subplot? The princess is betrothed to a prince she’s never met—who she has fallen in love with through the letters they exchange. But, he doesn’t know she’s not human. And, then this young, handsome “etiquette coach” arrives to train the princess to be more human—and she is clearly growing attached to him—probably because he’s one of the only characters who treats her like a person??? Then, it’s implied(?) that he’s actually the prince???
It’s a bit of a mess. A convenient mess. It’s giving fairy tale vibes—meaning, the premise is ridiculous but all storytelling exists here in service of concluding in a “happily ever after”.
I think I’m giving this series too much thought. It’s fine, I suppose.
I don’t think I’d be so critical of it if it weren’t promoting itself as this story about the importance of diversity and inclusivity. As a reader, I expect a LOT from a series that promotes itself like that. It needs to be thoughtful and considerately crafted.
This story is just kind of….basic.
Don’t totally hate it, per se. It’s only the first volume—so the series could make a turnaround. But, as it is, I’m feeling like this is a story you could skip~
Here, I can feel the authors trying to make this story about the importance of diversity and how discrimination on arbitrary aspects leads to dehumanization—but, a lot of the substance of their argument is undercut by having their main character be this very privileged princess. She’s not relatable in a way you want a character in a narrative like this one to be relatable. It’s “giving rich girl cosplaying persecution” vibes. Or, “[insert privileged class] cosplaying persecution”.
Which, is off-putting enough.
But, then we’ve got this odd romantic subplot? The princess is betrothed to a prince she’s never met—who she has fallen in love with through the letters they exchange. But, he doesn’t know she’s not human. And, then this young, handsome “etiquette coach” arrives to train the princess to be more human—and she is clearly growing attached to him—probably because he’s one of the only characters who treats her like a person??? Then, it’s implied(?) that he’s actually the prince???
It’s a bit of a mess. A convenient mess. It’s giving fairy tale vibes—meaning, the premise is ridiculous but all storytelling exists here in service of concluding in a “happily ever after”.
I think I’m giving this series too much thought. It’s fine, I suppose.
I don’t think I’d be so critical of it if it weren’t promoting itself as this story about the importance of diversity and inclusivity. As a reader, I expect a LOT from a series that promotes itself like that. It needs to be thoughtful and considerately crafted.
This story is just kind of….basic.
Don’t totally hate it, per se. It’s only the first volume—so the series could make a turnaround. But, as it is, I’m feeling like this is a story you could skip~
June 7, 2024
Once upon a time a princess was born different and those close to her despised her...
This manga series is very much a story about the prejudices directed at others just being different. Much like the X-men from Marvel Comics there are certain people born with mystical bonds to certain fantasy creatures known as unhumans who are often hated for not only looking different but also for their inhuman abilities such as magic no matter how beneficial such skills may be. In this case there is actually two stories with the first being about a princess Mio who is born to the royal family of Blognig but is being forced to take medicine to make her as human as possible. In the 2nd story we meet the angel girl Eno and the Mysterious World of Wondertini Unhuman show members.
Just as a warning this manga does capture a certain anger and distrust of those that have learned to hate and/or fear the unhumans that show up in the story and not being humans technically rights are not always afforded to them. Thankfully there are also moments in the story where decent people who do not see the unhumans as something to scorn and in fact treat them decently so if you are a sensitive reader you may react to certain situations that come up. Other then that this is a good story though I was surprised by the story about Eno at the end of a book specifically calling out princess Mio but that is okay because the art is a splendid example of Shoujo manga artwork and the characters for good or bad are rather lively really bringing the stories to life.
This manga series is very much a story about the prejudices directed at others just being different. Much like the X-men from Marvel Comics there are certain people born with mystical bonds to certain fantasy creatures known as unhumans who are often hated for not only looking different but also for their inhuman abilities such as magic no matter how beneficial such skills may be. In this case there is actually two stories with the first being about a princess Mio who is born to the royal family of Blognig but is being forced to take medicine to make her as human as possible. In the 2nd story we meet the angel girl Eno and the Mysterious World of Wondertini Unhuman show members.
Just as a warning this manga does capture a certain anger and distrust of those that have learned to hate and/or fear the unhumans that show up in the story and not being humans technically rights are not always afforded to them. Thankfully there are also moments in the story where decent people who do not see the unhumans as something to scorn and in fact treat them decently so if you are a sensitive reader you may react to certain situations that come up. Other then that this is a good story though I was surprised by the story about Eno at the end of a book specifically calling out princess Mio but that is okay because the art is a splendid example of Shoujo manga artwork and the characters for good or bad are rather lively really bringing the stories to life.
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