i don’t think i’ve ever searched the internet for a manga like i did with this one. i went so deep in my rabbit hole that i stumbled across websites i’d never even heard of before. would’ve probably gotten scammed, but i almost went through with it anyway lol. this is so serious for me bc i NEED this on my shelf 😩😩. i swear, give me a childhood friends to lovers story where one of the mc’s has been secretly in love with the other for years and i will go ABSOLUTELY FERAL FOR IT. 4.5 stars :p
Official English: You Know You're Cuter! (via Renta!)
This manga doesn’t really have a plot. It’s really just two men who have feelings for each other, and are trying to be each other’s first time while also competing over who is the top. Personally, I found it cute and I liked how both main characters were well built.
Kazuki is a carefree character and most of this story is from his perspective. For some reason he is depicted with very sharp and pointed teeth, though that might be because he likes to bite. Anyways, Kazuki is very expressive facially, gets flustered easily but he’s also slightly dense. His perspective is very energetic and he’s always making quick decisions, although some of them are morally wrong.
Seiji on the other hand is barely expressive. He’s also very quiet and straightforward which makes it hard to know when he’s being serious. Although Seiji has been dropping hints to Kazuki, Seiji hasn’t been very clear and it’s not until things get questionable that he starts to verbally express his feelings into clear words. That said, we do get Seiji’s perspective and his occasional thought bubbles and let me just say, he talks a lot internally. It’s evidently clear how much Seiji loves Kazuki.
The romance is kind of sudden but maybe these childhood friends just needed a little push to realize and admit their feelings. I won’t say it was a smooth transition, because it felt a bit sudden and incomplete, but it was nice to see them both together. There is dubious consent and an aphrodisiac involved, so be wary of that. Other than that, since they were both fighting to be the top, it was nice to see them both be willing to be the bottom at the end. There’s a bit of drama in between but that helps our characters and thankfully no triangle!
The artwork is descriptive but also not. The characters and everything about them is drawn in detail and I liked how the grey tones were used to bring out certain details. The backgrounds are primarily blank or iconographic which is fine because the focus is mainly on the characters facial expressions or their speech bubbles. I also liked the use of panels and the different sizes and placements. I felt like it was well thought out.
Overall, this was a fun and enjoyable read. It’s definitely a missed opportunity for a switch couple but it’s ultimately cute. There is just something touching about reading a childhood friends to lovers story, especially without any unnecessary drama. I would recommend giving this a try if you’re willing to overlook the dubious consent and read purely for the fumbling characters.
A wholesome-ish smut with cute chibis. Childhood friends to lovers scenario. With a mc that is giving delinquent with his bleached hair and pointy teeth.
Cw of drugging. Mc sneaks an aphrodisiac in the ml's drink. 🙄