This is really not great and only occasionally remembers to be so bad that it’s entertaining. Whatever one’s opinions on There’s No Freaking Way I’ll Be Your Lover! Unless… might be, I happen to quite enjoy it, there’s no denying that it eats this series’ lunch and half its supper too.
Unlike that series, which has a number of interesting females for our hapless lead to bounce off, this just has females, for the most part. This cast is mostly nondescript or just kind of weird, but not in the good sense.
Look, I will be as blisteringly honest as I can be. I am only reading this manga because of the wholly yikes and inappropriate moments between Mei and her professor, Maria. I do not condone such behaviour in real life, and at least they’re adults here, but they have the only genuine spark.
And by spark, I mean sizzle. These sections quickly heat up faster than any of the others, which feel like they’re in a different story practically. I’d like to think that this is due to the mangaka using each of the hopefuls to explore different genres, but that’s a lie.
The rest of the ostensible interests are… pretty lame, although Karin is the closest we get for a decent alternative. The smell girl isn’t interesting in the least, the other two don’t even register. That’s an awful ratio no matter how you look at it.
Combined with some underwhelming art and a threadbare plotline - that play they put on is utterly cringe, which does make it realistic for a student production - and you don’t have a whole lot of anything to write home or even write about.
Minus Maria. Professor Maria is an ethical minefield, but it’s what keeps me interested. Without her there’s no way I’d be reading this. With her? I can at least treat it as a guilty pleasure, and so it goes. Every time she and Mei are together it jumps the story to a whole other level.
And clearly you are not going to enjoy any of this if Maria doesn’t work for you. There’s pretty much nothing left outside of that. I hardly think this is top-tier, if that wasn’t obvious.
2 stars - I’d give this a 2.5 if you’re into the Maria/Mei relationship, with its many asterisks, but calling this good is a stretch. Heck, even calling it mediocre is precariously generous at times.
Sadly, going to drop this series. Karin is the only interesting (and ethical choice), I don't like how the professor is jealous (I mean I get it, and I want to ship these two together as they have some serious spark, but again, professor x student..). Minato and the other scent senpai are just meh. And get seriously off put by those two, not just because of the sisconness of one or the scent of the other but also how possessive and how jealous they are and how they act. Then there is Riri (I think that is her name, sorry, she was barely in this volume and has almost no presence, not to mention her super innocent/naivety clashes with how she looks). Oh, then there is Alice who is just a horrible bitch. I just want Karin and Mei together. They are so cute and I love their banter and moments together. But no, Mei is all confused. Girl. Just do a deep think instead of kissing with the next girl when the topic gets too heavy for you.
Wow! Now we're talking! This was excellent! Last volume was a bit slow. Just building up to this amazing one! Bringing the heat that volume one showed us. Sexy, cute, a bit risque. Each character having to hold in their emotions. Not allowing themselves to cross the line. Right until it becomes too much and they're gonna burst. Jeez! This was a fantastic volume. I'm really loving this series. Can't wait for the next one!
#1 guilty pleasure manga strikes again. Literally how am I supposed to cope with how much fun it is having all these different weird (complimentary) love interests AND how fully invested I am w the one very specific absolutely not allowed omg girl you can’t be doing that one of the bunch ?? cant wait for vol 4 Cant wait to be even more crazy 🤪