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White Liar
Shiraishi Kei is a talented freelance beautician who's experienced more downs than ups when it comes to past relationships, and so has decided to swear off love. However, when the mysterious up-and-coming actor Taiga Jinnouchi enters his life, their casual one-night stand turns into much more. Unbeknownst to Kei, Taiga has been harboring a secret for years — something that changes the meaning behind "fooling around" as the line between lies and sincerity are blurred in this whirlwind showbiz love story!
216 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2023
31 people are currently reading
663 people want to read
About the author
Tomo Serizawa
7 books56 followersTomo Serizawa (芹澤知) is a Japanese manga artist of Boy's Love genre.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
May 14, 2025
You got shiny friends since you left town / A tiny screen's the only place I see you now / And I got nothin' but well wishes for ya (Dorothea – Taylor Swift).
Not to be dramatic, but whenever I go too long without reading something gay, I basically become a walking recreation of that scene in Hercules where he's rapidly losing his life force to the well that makes you rapidly lose your life force. Thankfully I was rejuvenated just in time by this manga's gayness! Look, thrillers and comic books are great fun and all, but until I find something in those mediums that are as unapologetically queer as White Liar, I’ll have to continue my regular pit stops over here in Gay Manga Land. Well, I know this technically falls under Yaoi, but I think there’s a certain connotation with the term that gives people the wrong idea. Maybe there’s a good reason for that perception, but it’s kind of hard for me to sit here and try to tell you that a Yaoi manga is also a beautifully crafted romance above all else. I just don’t want to undersell this story's emphasis on the chemistry between the characters, because in that regard, White Liar was absolutely singular due to a surprisingly engaging love story that's full of depth and adorned by a gorgeously breezy art style. I mean, I did love the art… but damn, did these guys have some big ass hands! You just know they'd be making shock-waves every round of applause. You could say that Kei has a tight grip in more ways than one heh heh. No but really, the art was stunning, and I’m not just saying that because everyone was hot, as even the drawn beachfront landscapes had me out here like: “For every grain of sand upon the beach, I’ve got a kiss for you. I’ve got more leftover for each star, that twinkles in the blue!” It’s not every day that I come across a manga that moves me in so many different ways and on so many different fronts. As for the story, we're introduced to a hot hairdresser named Kei as he “randomly” becomes the stylist to the up-and-coming super sexy (and apparently talented) actor Taiga Jinnouchi. I put “randomly” in quotations because the kicker here is that in a turn of events that should surprise nobody, Taiga has actually been searching far and wide for Kei specifically due to the flame he’s been carrying for him ever since he got his start in the business. What follows next is a nice and easy love story that drifts along as calmly as the change in seasons from a one night stand to something more real. Though what I really loved here was the fact that the super famous guy was the one doing most the chasing. And yeah, I know I’m totally a broken record, but I’ve always been of the mind that these kinds of “aloof-famous-jerk-hooks-up-with-a-normal-person” stories only ever work when the one born with a silver spoon in their mouth does most the work. I don’t know, it’s probably the power dynamics thing, but there’s also humor and actual important characterization in showing that Kei isn’t initially in-the-know about any of Taiga’s movies, as it lends credence to their fondness towards each other being built on a solid foundation and removes possible parasocial vibes that could have otherwise made their relationship feel narratively false.
“You need to turn your role off, y’know? Only two-rate actors let themselves get possessed by the character.”
When it comes to stories that feature famous main characters, I’ve always disliked it when literally every other character is their fan, because even though it's a "sit down, be humble" kind of thing more than anything else with me, there's no denying that that level of fame is pretty rare in real life. I mean, I obviously know who Timothée Chalamet is, but the only movie I’ve actually seen of his is The King. Isn't that wild? I can't even make that joke about falling asleep during Dune because I haven't gotten to the part where I press play! Pretentious alert, but I watch movies based on how interesting they seem to me, not because of who stars in them. Besides, it doesn't matter how pretty an actors is, there's no fucking way I'm watching Wonka. But yeah, because the relationship in this manga starts out strictly sexual in nature, it's valid when Kei doesn’t believe Taiga attempts to confess his feelings. He's an actor, so him suddenly waxing poetic about true love totally feels like a line, you know? It was great how Kei had a very healthy suspicion towards Taiga’s intentions, and he went a step further because even moving past whether or not Taiga’s feelings were genuine, it still begged the question surrounding the logistics of dating a superstar. You know, would he be happy accompanying Taiga on a press tour? Sitting aside while his boo answers all those shitty Buzzfeed quizzes, tries snacks from different countries, or has to listen to the Hot Ones guy's droning voice for an hour. Ugh, literally my worst nightmare! So yeah, all thing considered, having Taiga do most of the heavy lifting was more than necessary. Does that make this a wish-fulfillment story? Sure, but to that I say… so what? Consider my wish fulfilled! This manga also did a good job of making their relationship struggles feel grounded as shown through its naturalistic dialogue. A lot of the times the way people speak in these things oscillate between either feeling way too meticulously crafted or too stiff and wooden. And this goes doubly so with gay manga, because there seems to be an unwritten rule where dialogue scenes should be sped through so the story gets to the sex scenes quicker. Which is fine, but I enjoyed how Kei and Taiga’s relationship evolves past the friends with benefits phase to the more tender and caring chapter pretty quickly. It made these characters feel more fully realized than if the story had just been about hot guys getting freaky-deaky. Another aspect that was made the story feel very natural was the fact that the author put in the time to not only hint at both Taiga and Kei's former failed relationships, but also used said backstories to inform the main source of conflict in the present day story in a way that reminded a little of a Master of None type story. In other words, I really liked this, and even if we ignore all my yapping, the simple truth is that this feel good manga made me feel... pretty good! Seriously, the second I finished the last page I wanted to go singing in the rain! “Now here’s to the golden moon. Here’s to the silver sea. Mostly here’s a toast… to you and mee~eee!” White Liar was a dream to read, a delight to talk about, and the standard to which every other manga I read from now on will have to live up to. Dramatic? Absolutely, but there are no white lies here, that’s for sure.
And if you're ever tired of bein' known for who you know / You know, you'll always know me.
Not to be dramatic, but whenever I go too long without reading something gay, I basically become a walking recreation of that scene in Hercules where he's rapidly losing his life force to the well that makes you rapidly lose your life force. Thankfully I was rejuvenated just in time by this manga's gayness! Look, thrillers and comic books are great fun and all, but until I find something in those mediums that are as unapologetically queer as White Liar, I’ll have to continue my regular pit stops over here in Gay Manga Land. Well, I know this technically falls under Yaoi, but I think there’s a certain connotation with the term that gives people the wrong idea. Maybe there’s a good reason for that perception, but it’s kind of hard for me to sit here and try to tell you that a Yaoi manga is also a beautifully crafted romance above all else. I just don’t want to undersell this story's emphasis on the chemistry between the characters, because in that regard, White Liar was absolutely singular due to a surprisingly engaging love story that's full of depth and adorned by a gorgeously breezy art style. I mean, I did love the art… but damn, did these guys have some big ass hands! You just know they'd be making shock-waves every round of applause. You could say that Kei has a tight grip in more ways than one heh heh. No but really, the art was stunning, and I’m not just saying that because everyone was hot, as even the drawn beachfront landscapes had me out here like: “For every grain of sand upon the beach, I’ve got a kiss for you. I’ve got more leftover for each star, that twinkles in the blue!” It’s not every day that I come across a manga that moves me in so many different ways and on so many different fronts. As for the story, we're introduced to a hot hairdresser named Kei as he “randomly” becomes the stylist to the up-and-coming super sexy (and apparently talented) actor Taiga Jinnouchi. I put “randomly” in quotations because the kicker here is that in a turn of events that should surprise nobody, Taiga has actually been searching far and wide for Kei specifically due to the flame he’s been carrying for him ever since he got his start in the business. What follows next is a nice and easy love story that drifts along as calmly as the change in seasons from a one night stand to something more real. Though what I really loved here was the fact that the super famous guy was the one doing most the chasing. And yeah, I know I’m totally a broken record, but I’ve always been of the mind that these kinds of “aloof-famous-jerk-hooks-up-with-a-normal-person” stories only ever work when the one born with a silver spoon in their mouth does most the work. I don’t know, it’s probably the power dynamics thing, but there’s also humor and actual important characterization in showing that Kei isn’t initially in-the-know about any of Taiga’s movies, as it lends credence to their fondness towards each other being built on a solid foundation and removes possible parasocial vibes that could have otherwise made their relationship feel narratively false.
“You need to turn your role off, y’know? Only two-rate actors let themselves get possessed by the character.”
When it comes to stories that feature famous main characters, I’ve always disliked it when literally every other character is their fan, because even though it's a "sit down, be humble" kind of thing more than anything else with me, there's no denying that that level of fame is pretty rare in real life. I mean, I obviously know who Timothée Chalamet is, but the only movie I’ve actually seen of his is The King. Isn't that wild? I can't even make that joke about falling asleep during Dune because I haven't gotten to the part where I press play! Pretentious alert, but I watch movies based on how interesting they seem to me, not because of who stars in them. Besides, it doesn't matter how pretty an actors is, there's no fucking way I'm watching Wonka. But yeah, because the relationship in this manga starts out strictly sexual in nature, it's valid when Kei doesn’t believe Taiga attempts to confess his feelings. He's an actor, so him suddenly waxing poetic about true love totally feels like a line, you know? It was great how Kei had a very healthy suspicion towards Taiga’s intentions, and he went a step further because even moving past whether or not Taiga’s feelings were genuine, it still begged the question surrounding the logistics of dating a superstar. You know, would he be happy accompanying Taiga on a press tour? Sitting aside while his boo answers all those shitty Buzzfeed quizzes, tries snacks from different countries, or has to listen to the Hot Ones guy's droning voice for an hour. Ugh, literally my worst nightmare! So yeah, all thing considered, having Taiga do most of the heavy lifting was more than necessary. Does that make this a wish-fulfillment story? Sure, but to that I say… so what? Consider my wish fulfilled! This manga also did a good job of making their relationship struggles feel grounded as shown through its naturalistic dialogue. A lot of the times the way people speak in these things oscillate between either feeling way too meticulously crafted or too stiff and wooden. And this goes doubly so with gay manga, because there seems to be an unwritten rule where dialogue scenes should be sped through so the story gets to the sex scenes quicker. Which is fine, but I enjoyed how Kei and Taiga’s relationship evolves past the friends with benefits phase to the more tender and caring chapter pretty quickly. It made these characters feel more fully realized than if the story had just been about hot guys getting freaky-deaky. Another aspect that was made the story feel very natural was the fact that the author put in the time to not only hint at both Taiga and Kei's former failed relationships, but also used said backstories to inform the main source of conflict in the present day story in a way that reminded a little of a Master of None type story. In other words, I really liked this, and even if we ignore all my yapping, the simple truth is that this feel good manga made me feel... pretty good! Seriously, the second I finished the last page I wanted to go singing in the rain! “Now here’s to the golden moon. Here’s to the silver sea. Mostly here’s a toast… to you and mee~eee!” White Liar was a dream to read, a delight to talk about, and the standard to which every other manga I read from now on will have to live up to. Dramatic? Absolutely, but there are no white lies here, that’s for sure.
And if you're ever tired of bein' known for who you know / You know, you'll always know me.
March 23, 2025
The title of this book, “White Liar”, is presented in different inflections throughout the plot. It refers to the job of the actor, but also to the lies we tell ourselves to protect against disappointment. However, both main characters discover a truth about themselves and their relationship that goes beyond superficial fame. They discover that they have deep, emotional history and that they can make this work when they own up to their true feelings.
The artwork is also hauntingly beautiful so it adds an extra layer to the reading experience.
The artwork is also hauntingly beautiful so it adds an extra layer to the reading experience.
February 24, 2025
the art is scrumptious, and i need this manga embedded in my whole being because pure love, like what this story portrayed, makes me keep going
April 22, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
I love this mangaka so much ❤️ I’ll read anything she writes at this point 🫶🏻✨
I love this mangaka so much ❤️ I’ll read anything she writes at this point 🫶🏻✨
November 10, 2025
Okay, I'm going against the grain here, this one just didn't hit the mark for me😐
I know I'm in the minority, but while I love the mangaka and the story has sweet moments, it felt surprisingly shallow. Characters made big emotional leaps that left me confused and their motivations often seemed unclear or underdeveloped.
Take Kei…he started with big dreams in film hair and makeup, but gave up when things got tough. Now he's a freelance hairdresser who doesn't even watch movies (which his coworkers say limits his career). We're told he has bad luck with relationships, but we don't really see it or feel it.
Then there's his accusation that Taiga isn't being his "true self", which felt completely unfair after Taiga shares this beautiful, vulnerable story about how Kei inspired his acting career and how he searched for him for two years. That moment should have been deep and emotional, but it just left me scratching my head.
There were so many rich themes here but none of them got the space they deserved. For a fairly thick volume, it somehow still felt rushed.
⭐️2,5
I know I'm in the minority, but while I love the mangaka and the story has sweet moments, it felt surprisingly shallow. Characters made big emotional leaps that left me confused and their motivations often seemed unclear or underdeveloped.
Take Kei…he started with big dreams in film hair and makeup, but gave up when things got tough. Now he's a freelance hairdresser who doesn't even watch movies (which his coworkers say limits his career). We're told he has bad luck with relationships, but we don't really see it or feel it.
Then there's his accusation that Taiga isn't being his "true self", which felt completely unfair after Taiga shares this beautiful, vulnerable story about how Kei inspired his acting career and how he searched for him for two years. That moment should have been deep and emotional, but it just left me scratching my head.
There were so many rich themes here but none of them got the space they deserved. For a fairly thick volume, it somehow still felt rushed.
⭐️2,5
October 7, 2025
3.5⭐
I seem to be the exception here, but I find the story lacks depth. Sure, it's sweet and the art is pretty, but I found myself struggling to understand where the character was coming from when they drew their conclusions and made their decisions. Maybe I was trying too hard to see something deeper from a simple story.
I seem to be the exception here, but I find the story lacks depth. Sure, it's sweet and the art is pretty, but I found myself struggling to understand where the character was coming from when they drew their conclusions and made their decisions. Maybe I was trying too hard to see something deeper from a simple story.
March 29, 2025
lass mich bei dir meine Akkus aufladen.
Kai und Taiga kamen für mich auf eine realistische Weise zusammen und verkörperten eine harmonische Beziehung. Trotz vielem Trubel um Taiga's Schauspielerleben lernt er, sich Auszeiten zu nehmen um sich um sein Wohlbefinden zu kümmern.
Kei scheint anfangs eher zurückhaltend und schüchtern zu sein, wodurch er Taiga perfekt ergänzt.
Der erste Boys Love welcher ich gelesen habe und sofort weiterempfehlen kann. Toll auch, da es sich um einen Einzelband handelt. So kann man erstmal den Trope kennenlernen.
Den Zeichenstil gefiel mir sehr, sowohl die Charakteren als auch die Umgebungen.
Kai und Taiga kamen für mich auf eine realistische Weise zusammen und verkörperten eine harmonische Beziehung. Trotz vielem Trubel um Taiga's Schauspielerleben lernt er, sich Auszeiten zu nehmen um sich um sein Wohlbefinden zu kümmern.
Kei scheint anfangs eher zurückhaltend und schüchtern zu sein, wodurch er Taiga perfekt ergänzt.
Der erste Boys Love welcher ich gelesen habe und sofort weiterempfehlen kann. Toll auch, da es sich um einen Einzelband handelt. So kann man erstmal den Trope kennenlernen.
Den Zeichenstil gefiel mir sehr, sowohl die Charakteren als auch die Umgebungen.
September 22, 2024
4.5 rounded up so easily! Tomo Serizawa knocks it out of the park again with her illustrious art, well-drawn backgrounds, and a focus on strong character relationships that are fluffy like Snow Fairy and also now steamy after her work on Scarlet Secret. The story is a coverage of a one night stand to full-on lovers. The romance is centerstage and it is captivating. The drama is tense with someone who's scorned off real love slowly coming back around with a wrinkle in that person he's falling for being an actor that's a social chameleon. with trust issues from previous partners the social chameleon aspect of his new lover creates doubt that only creates more interesting drama between them!
After Scarlet Secret I feared if Tomo Serizawa would ever be as good as Snow Fairy. White Liar feels like a mix of both. It's more down to earth like Snow Fairy but with more of the sauciness of Scarlet Secret. The art remains impeccable through all of her work though screentones are popping up more I feel like (which I'm always a sucker for). Neither has her appeal of strongly written relationships at the forefront gone away. Scarlet Secret luckily seemed more like a bump in the road or growing pains as she developed than a weaker standard seemingly.
After Scarlet Secret I feared if Tomo Serizawa would ever be as good as Snow Fairy. White Liar feels like a mix of both. It's more down to earth like Snow Fairy but with more of the sauciness of Scarlet Secret. The art remains impeccable through all of her work though screentones are popping up more I feel like (which I'm always a sucker for). Neither has her appeal of strongly written relationships at the forefront gone away. Scarlet Secret luckily seemed more like a bump in the road or growing pains as she developed than a weaker standard seemingly.
February 22, 2025
Petite lecture rapide qui détend dans mes journées très chargées jusqu’à la fin de la semaine prochaine.
Mignon, fonctionne bien en soit. Mais on reste sur un plot connu qui aurait pu être plus être un peu plus poussé à mon goût. Des persos qui auraient pu avoir plus de back up sur leur histoire personnelle et sur l’évolution de leur relation tout comme la résolution du « problème » qu’elle rencontre à un moment. Les dessins sont agréables et les scènes 🔞 pas trop présentes ni trop détaillées (à part une, elles sont soient suggestives soit concentrées sur une seule case, ce qui reste assez rare pour des yaois au plot mainstream).
J’ai néanmoins passé un agréable moment et lu le tour d’une traite ! D’où la note !
Mignon, fonctionne bien en soit. Mais on reste sur un plot connu qui aurait pu être plus être un peu plus poussé à mon goût. Des persos qui auraient pu avoir plus de back up sur leur histoire personnelle et sur l’évolution de leur relation tout comme la résolution du « problème » qu’elle rencontre à un moment. Les dessins sont agréables et les scènes 🔞 pas trop présentes ni trop détaillées (à part une, elles sont soient suggestives soit concentrées sur une seule case, ce qui reste assez rare pour des yaois au plot mainstream).
J’ai néanmoins passé un agréable moment et lu le tour d’une traite ! D’où la note !
March 25, 2025
Este se trata de un BL con un estilista y un joven actor cuya carrera va viento en popa.
El actor lo escoge específicamente a él para que le dé un corte para su nuevo papel y de inmediato le propone ser “amigos con derechos”. Así que, mientras pasa el tiempo, van forjando este vínculo físico que pronto se convierte en algo más que eso, ya que el estilista es quien lo mantiene con los pies en la tierra en lugar de que sea solo un “actor de método” y deje que sus personajes lo consuman.
Hay que considerar que la vida privada de un actor es algo que solo pocos conocen y en este caso, el estilista no se siente seguro de sí mismo como para exigirle una relación formal, por lo que hay un poco de drama que eventualmente se resuelve.
Además, el dibujo de la mangaka es precioso, y también la dinámica de ambos protas es algo muy enriquecedor de ver. Hay un ligero age-gap, pero ni siquiera se nota porque nunca hay un desbalance en su relación –de hecho, se tratan como iguales y se aprecia claramente que ven por el bienestar del otro.
Me queda claro que la mangaka continuamente logra lo que pocos: una historia entretenida con personajes que sí crecen y que se sienten reales dentro de su contexto, además de un dibujo precioso y escenas enternecedoras y sexies. ¿Qué más se puede pedir?
El actor lo escoge específicamente a él para que le dé un corte para su nuevo papel y de inmediato le propone ser “amigos con derechos”. Así que, mientras pasa el tiempo, van forjando este vínculo físico que pronto se convierte en algo más que eso, ya que el estilista es quien lo mantiene con los pies en la tierra en lugar de que sea solo un “actor de método” y deje que sus personajes lo consuman.
Hay que considerar que la vida privada de un actor es algo que solo pocos conocen y en este caso, el estilista no se siente seguro de sí mismo como para exigirle una relación formal, por lo que hay un poco de drama que eventualmente se resuelve.
Además, el dibujo de la mangaka es precioso, y también la dinámica de ambos protas es algo muy enriquecedor de ver. Hay un ligero age-gap, pero ni siquiera se nota porque nunca hay un desbalance en su relación –de hecho, se tratan como iguales y se aprecia claramente que ven por el bienestar del otro.
Me queda claro que la mangaka continuamente logra lo que pocos: una historia entretenida con personajes que sí crecen y que se sienten reales dentro de su contexto, además de un dibujo precioso y escenas enternecedoras y sexies. ¿Qué más se puede pedir?
November 17, 2024
Kei and Taiga gave me all the butterflies! Their romance wasn't only sweet, but also interesting, which is something Tomo Serizawa excels at. While Scarlet secret was a miss for me, this and Snow Fairy were huge hits that I know I'll turn to when in need of a comfort read in the future. I can't wait to read more from this talented mangaka.
March 4, 2025
4.5 stars
While I personally enjoyed this author's other works, Snow Fairy and Scarlet Secret, more, White Liar takes the soft poetry of the former, and the deep longing of the latter, and creates a gentle but angsty story that moved me. The art is gorgeous, and both characters learn and grow in their journey to be together.
While I personally enjoyed this author's other works, Snow Fairy and Scarlet Secret, more, White Liar takes the soft poetry of the former, and the deep longing of the latter, and creates a gentle but angsty story that moved me. The art is gorgeous, and both characters learn and grow in their journey to be together.
July 10, 2025
An excellent volume of manga! I would love to see a whole series about these two, but that just goes to show how good the mangaka is at what they do! For being a one volume story I feel like this fit so much detail and story into it's pages. And the amount of detail in the art is incredible, each little thing adding to the characters personalities or the environments they live in. And the way the characters eyes were drawn and facial features??? oughghg so BEAUTIFUL, like these men were legitimately gorgeous and I don't usually say that, so. Also I love when manga characters get to wear some of the most fire outfits. Love these gay fashionistas with their funky sweaters and drapey shirts. I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a great one volume mature manga!
February 2, 2025
4.5 - 4.75✨️
February 20, 2025
A little bit disappointing, mostly because of how wonderful
Snow Fairy
was. And this one could've been really great if it'd had more space to breathe.
There were a couple of big themes that just weren't explored enough, even though it was fairly thick for a one-shot. First, you have Kei, who started out wanting to work in hair and makeup on film sets, but gave up pretty early on - the work was too demanding and he lost interest in it. He's a freelance hairdresser now and seems to enjoy his job well enough, although we don't really see that much of his life. All we really find out about him is that he doesn't watch movies or dramas, which his coworkers keep telling him is holding him back from his career, and that he has really bad luck with relationships and men.
He demonstrates a bit of the latter by continuing to sleep with Taiga even after thinking that Taiga is in a romantic relationship with his past (female) co-star. That misconception doesn't last too long, but...when he was ranting about his exes being (a) secretly married and (b) cheaters, I didn't expect him to go along with what he thought was cheating? So I didn't love even that blip of a storyline.
For the "not being interested in movies" bit, I couldn't really tell if he used to be and is now avoiding it because of the career he'd quit? That would've added some depth to him, and it's hard to tell if he actually wants to get back into that career path. I just never felt like I got a solid sense of who he was as a person.
Maybe that's why the breakup bugged me. Kei accuses Taiga of not being his true self around him, which was...sort of unfair. Taiga sits there and tells him all about their first meeting and how Kei inspired him to pursue acting, and how he waited two years to find Kei and work with him on a set, only to find that he'd left the agency whose card he'd left with Taiga...
And Kei's response is: "Yeah, I can't possibly know how you really feel."
What? I...how?
Kei's trauma and distrust and fear of falling in love again needed a lot more substance.
Taiga's side I loved, though. The backstory was so sweet - how he looked at Kei with such adoration and sort of imprinted on him as the first person who'd really made him feel like there was something (a career, a future, a person) he wanted to pursue with his whole heart. He poured his entire being into his roles, which made him an immensely talented and popular actor.
It also put him in some level of danger...one veteran actor in particular keeps warning Taiga to cool down a little and make sure he always has a path to get back to his true self after pouring himself into his roles. For Taiga, that's Kei, and has been since his very first movie set. Everything about his journey was very clearly portrayed and really lovely, and I suppose that's why it was so frustrating to have Kei not understand something that was just...very visibly laid out in the storytelling.
Still a good story, even if it wasn't the 5 stars I was hoping for.
There were a couple of big themes that just weren't explored enough, even though it was fairly thick for a one-shot. First, you have Kei, who started out wanting to work in hair and makeup on film sets, but gave up pretty early on - the work was too demanding and he lost interest in it. He's a freelance hairdresser now and seems to enjoy his job well enough, although we don't really see that much of his life. All we really find out about him is that he doesn't watch movies or dramas, which his coworkers keep telling him is holding him back from his career, and that he has really bad luck with relationships and men.
He demonstrates a bit of the latter by continuing to sleep with Taiga even after thinking that Taiga is in a romantic relationship with his past (female) co-star. That misconception doesn't last too long, but...when he was ranting about his exes being (a) secretly married and (b) cheaters, I didn't expect him to go along with what he thought was cheating? So I didn't love even that blip of a storyline.
For the "not being interested in movies" bit, I couldn't really tell if he used to be and is now avoiding it because of the career he'd quit? That would've added some depth to him, and it's hard to tell if he actually wants to get back into that career path. I just never felt like I got a solid sense of who he was as a person.
Maybe that's why the breakup bugged me. Kei accuses Taiga of not being his true self around him, which was...sort of unfair. Taiga sits there and tells him all about their first meeting and how Kei inspired him to pursue acting, and how he waited two years to find Kei and work with him on a set, only to find that he'd left the agency whose card he'd left with Taiga...
And Kei's response is: "Yeah, I can't possibly know how you really feel."
What? I...how?
Kei's trauma and distrust and fear of falling in love again needed a lot more substance.
Taiga's side I loved, though. The backstory was so sweet - how he looked at Kei with such adoration and sort of imprinted on him as the first person who'd really made him feel like there was something (a career, a future, a person) he wanted to pursue with his whole heart. He poured his entire being into his roles, which made him an immensely talented and popular actor.
It also put him in some level of danger...one veteran actor in particular keeps warning Taiga to cool down a little and make sure he always has a path to get back to his true self after pouring himself into his roles. For Taiga, that's Kei, and has been since his very first movie set. Everything about his journey was very clearly portrayed and really lovely, and I suppose that's why it was so frustrating to have Kei not understand something that was just...very visibly laid out in the storytelling.
Still a good story, even if it wasn't the 5 stars I was hoping for.
August 17, 2024
Tomo Serizawa is just that girl!! I loved this as much as I hoped I would. I've been waiting for this to get a translation for so long. I was so close to buying the Japanese physical too and then Tokyopop announced it. I'm so happy and I can't wait to buy the physical copy. I know this will be something I'll read again and again.
I knew what this was about at some point, but by the time I picked it up I had no idea. All I knew was that it was Tomo Serizawa and something I really wanted to read. I typically like going into things completely blind and figuring it out as I go along. This was so sweet and the art was great. I devoured this and I'm a little sad it's over now.
side note: a lot of the earlier sex scenes were fade to black so I got jump scared by the full uncensored schlong LOL. Tomo Serizawa's stuff is usually on the softer side so I was surprised. Not a complaint though just thought it was funny. It makes sense that this would be the steamier series since it involves friends with benefits.
I knew what this was about at some point, but by the time I picked it up I had no idea. All I knew was that it was Tomo Serizawa and something I really wanted to read. I typically like going into things completely blind and figuring it out as I go along. This was so sweet and the art was great. I devoured this and I'm a little sad it's over now.
side note: a lot of the earlier sex scenes were fade to black so I got jump scared by the full uncensored schlong LOL. Tomo Serizawa's stuff is usually on the softer side so I was surprised. Not a complaint though just thought it was funny. It makes sense that this would be the steamier series since it involves friends with benefits.
February 22, 2025
Reading it after 1am wasn't so smart. I felt like it was written in some ancient language, I understand nothing XD. At least I became an actress.
September 7, 2025
"Because Taiga... i'll never feel like anything's enough... without your overwhelming love."
___
Ah this manga had me feeling all kinds of smiley and fuzzy and emotional! :') It was literally so cute and sweet, my goodness!
In 'White Liar' we get to follow famous actor Taiga and hairstylist Kei as they go from friends with benefits to boyfriends. The story is told with so much depth and care and their love for each other is evident from the very start and very healthy, which makes it so beautiful and captivating. We get to see flashbacks to the first time they met when they were younger, and explore their individual journeys in the present.
Taiga was such a deep and interesting character. I love that we get to see the real life struggles of actors who have a hard time letting go of their roles, and how important it is to not lose yourself to it (which I think was well contrasted when we see Kei's backstory to how he had to quit being a hair and makeup stylist on movie set due to the work stress that nearly broke him). I also like how serious he is and that his relationship with Kei holds so much love and care in it, even in the early stages. He never wants to hurt Kei and Taiga also has some really amazing growth later on.
Kei was also such a lovely character. He's funny, wise and his fashion sense was out of this world. I'm sorry but I need his wardrobe like right now. I like that his side of the story was told with so much self respect but also a bit of fear that he gets to overcome once he realises his feelings for Taiga, and that Taiga feels the same way for him. It was incredibly sweet and touching and I love that by the end of it, he got to consider resuming his career as a hair and makeup stylist after trying some gigs on set with Taiga.
I also think this story captured the movie industry so well and how the contrast can look between an actor's life on screen versus how they are in real life. It felt very immersive and realistic. Same with Taiga's coming out. The girl had every right to feel hurt by not having her feelings returned, but she never took it out on Taiga's sexuality or identity, which was incredibly refreshing. She accepted him for who he was, and encouraged him to sort things out with Kei, while standing firm in her own experience.
For me this story was like a depiction of what overcoming hardships together can look like and what true yearning means for someone who's so right for you; even if you're trying, you can never get over them, which might be a sign that you're meant for one another, which Taiga and Kei truly are. It was very beautiful and the art style just made it all the more perfect and poetic. I wish I had read this manga sooner, but I also think it came to be at the right time. An absolute 5 star rating for me, and another addition to my favourites bookshelf!
___
Ah this manga had me feeling all kinds of smiley and fuzzy and emotional! :') It was literally so cute and sweet, my goodness!
In 'White Liar' we get to follow famous actor Taiga and hairstylist Kei as they go from friends with benefits to boyfriends. The story is told with so much depth and care and their love for each other is evident from the very start and very healthy, which makes it so beautiful and captivating. We get to see flashbacks to the first time they met when they were younger, and explore their individual journeys in the present.
Taiga was such a deep and interesting character. I love that we get to see the real life struggles of actors who have a hard time letting go of their roles, and how important it is to not lose yourself to it (which I think was well contrasted when we see Kei's backstory to how he had to quit being a hair and makeup stylist on movie set due to the work stress that nearly broke him). I also like how serious he is and that his relationship with Kei holds so much love and care in it, even in the early stages. He never wants to hurt Kei and Taiga also has some really amazing growth later on.
Kei was also such a lovely character. He's funny, wise and his fashion sense was out of this world. I'm sorry but I need his wardrobe like right now. I like that his side of the story was told with so much self respect but also a bit of fear that he gets to overcome once he realises his feelings for Taiga, and that Taiga feels the same way for him. It was incredibly sweet and touching and I love that by the end of it, he got to consider resuming his career as a hair and makeup stylist after trying some gigs on set with Taiga.
I also think this story captured the movie industry so well and how the contrast can look between an actor's life on screen versus how they are in real life. It felt very immersive and realistic. Same with Taiga's coming out. The girl had every right to feel hurt by not having her feelings returned, but she never took it out on Taiga's sexuality or identity, which was incredibly refreshing. She accepted him for who he was, and encouraged him to sort things out with Kei, while standing firm in her own experience.
For me this story was like a depiction of what overcoming hardships together can look like and what true yearning means for someone who's so right for you; even if you're trying, you can never get over them, which might be a sign that you're meant for one another, which Taiga and Kei truly are. It was very beautiful and the art style just made it all the more perfect and poetic. I wish I had read this manga sooner, but I also think it came to be at the right time. An absolute 5 star rating for me, and another addition to my favourites bookshelf!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2025
This was so amazing. It touches on many emotions about love and trust. It shows what actors go through when playing tough roles and how the characters they play can affect them mentally and physically outside of their work. This was just really well written and I enjoyed it a lot.
July 18, 2024
This was really good 😭
March 23, 2025
Dolcissimo!
Il disegno della Serizawa è meraviglioso, vale la pena sempre
Il disegno della Serizawa è meraviglioso, vale la pena sempre
May 23, 2025
Maybe I should just keep hoping that things will be better someday 🥹
Tqm Tomo Serizawa 💗
Tqm Tomo Serizawa 💗
June 3, 2025
4.75 ⭐
This is definitely my favourite Tomo Serizawa's work after Snow Fairy.
Taiga and Kei my beloved. I love how the author wrote Taiga's character. The part where it is mentioned that Taiga is transparent, or how he absorbs the colour of the people around him, or how Kei is the only one he ever wants, oh it's all so beautiful.
This is definitely my favourite Tomo Serizawa's work after Snow Fairy.
Taiga and Kei my beloved. I love how the author wrote Taiga's character. The part where it is mentioned that Taiga is transparent, or how he absorbs the colour of the people around him, or how Kei is the only one he ever wants, oh it's all so beautiful.
July 31, 2025
『 ★★★★ 』
August 29, 2025
reread
September 27, 2025
I didn’t expect to end up loving it this much
January 23, 2026
(3.25)
миленько, але не моє. я, звісно, люблю прості й невимушені сюжети, але тут дрібки (зовнішньої) драми й невизначеності все псували.
миленько, але не моє. я, звісно, люблю прості й невимушені сюжети, але тут дрібки (зовнішньої) драми й невизначеності все псували.
February 19, 2025
I just really love this one so much
July 17, 2025
“The feeling of your touch, your warmth, your smell… everything had been engraved in my body. Nothing has faded. But still this part of us is still not connected. And that hurts… it hurts a lot. Taiga.”
oh my god I loved this so much. Taiga and Kei my babies were so perfect and their story was so beautiful. also, the art is to die for, Taiga is one of the most beautiful men I’ve come across in bl mangas.
oh my god I loved this so much. Taiga and Kei my babies were so perfect and their story was so beautiful. also, the art is to die for, Taiga is one of the most beautiful men I’ve come across in bl mangas.
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