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恋するシロクマ #1
A Polar Bear in Love, Vol. 1
A polar bear falls in love with a seal, but the seal thinks the polar bear is trying to eat it!
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 27, 2016
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731 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
February 25, 2018
Ugh. No. I don’t even have a problem with the cross-species homosexual love shown by the bear for the seal. I have a huge problem with the fact that the seal is scared for his life and wants to get away and the bear is a major creep who keeps insisting they should be together. And the seal even gets a touch of Stockholm Syndrome thinking about how the bear is his friend. One star for cute animals who need a restraining order.
July 21, 2020
I would definitely not recommend this book for children. The seal is a child, lost, looking for his mother. The polar bear tells him that he will marry him when he grows up. That's problematic. The seal is scared, voices many times that he doesn't want to be with the polar bear, and the polar bear ignores him. Also highly problematic. My takeaway from this book: "Hey little kid, give your creepy adult stalker a chance. You might love him. Also, don't worry that you're lost and can't find your mom. Your creepy adult stalker will protect you." Hard pass.
March 19, 2019
How can this be so rapey, pedo and weird?
I think it's meant to be cute and funny but I just find it disturbing. It's like a very, very bad allegory for homosexuality.
The polar bear's back story is sad and tragic but it doesn't change how fucking creepy he is. This like all the tropey, rapey yaois where Semes push beyond the Ukes' boundaries and just stockholm-syndrome their way into the victim's heart by sheer power of pestering. But instead of two lanky dudes it's a polar bear and a baby seal...
I feel uncomfortable and disturbed.
I think it's meant to be cute and funny but I just find it disturbing. It's like a very, very bad allegory for homosexuality.
The polar bear's back story is sad and tragic but it doesn't change how fucking creepy he is. This like all the tropey, rapey yaois where Semes push beyond the Ukes' boundaries and just stockholm-syndrome their way into the victim's heart by sheer power of pestering. But instead of two lanky dudes it's a polar bear and a baby seal...
I feel uncomfortable and disturbed.
December 1, 2017
Unrequited love! Existential fear! Tragic backstories! Tormenting loneliness! You'll find all of this inside the adorable pages of A Polar Bear in Love. Koromo wields romance manga tropes with a heavy hand, and applies it to a polar bear who falls in love at first sight with a seal...who is terrified that the polar bear will eat him. Get ready to welcome your gay icons of 2018: Mr. Polar Bear and Li'l Seal.
May 28, 2019
What did I just read? LOL
Read
July 21, 2020Strange. I would not recommend it to kids (who it is for). Way too many references to "lovers" which may just be a poor translation. Polar Bear is infatuated with Seal and Seal is just freaked out that his natural predator won't leave him alone. They have some adventures and Seal eventually accepts PB as just a friend while PB is still over the top obsessed. Some of the issues the books addresses is making your own decisions and speaking up for yourself (hard to do when a creep is basically holding you hostage).
March 24, 2019
Not really feeling this yet. I get what its trying to do, but there are loads better titles out there trying to do the same. Art is cute but the story careens between fluff and uncomfortable angst. The potential for this to be more humorous than squicky is diminished by the excess panels— rather than quick punchlines in the tradition of 4-koma, this is like over-explaining a joke. A joke that is already only bordeline funny. :/
May 7, 2020
So....I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book. Mostly, this is because I'm not entirely sure how I'm supposed to interpret this book.
I'm sure by now, most of you already know the plot. A polar bear meets a seal and falls instantly in love with it. The seal, of course, is not a hopeless romantic and spends the rest of the book in abject terror, trying to escape and gently but clearly insisting that he does not share the polar bear's feelings (which the polar bear ignores).
Now, as I see it, there are several ways to interpret this story, including a "kawaii" version of a predator/prey relationship, where instead of eating the prey, the predator keeps trying to date it; and one where we're simply just supposed to enjoy the terrible discomfort and fear that the seal experiences.
However, there are two ways of reading this book that strike me as the most likely. First, we have the "straight" read. In this one, we take the story literally. Polar bear falls in love with seal, and it's a sweet and hilarious LGBT comedy of errors as the seal starts to realize that he's not going to get eaten. If this is what Koromo had intended, I'm not feeling the love. The story is awkward and uncomfortable, and quite frankly, in light of the #MeToo movement, somewhat disturbing. Not only does the polar bear not understand that the seal is terrified (even though he claims to love him and would never hurt him), but he also continuously undermines his wishes, makes important "relationship" decisions without consulting him, and generally comes across as a real creep. He says that he loves the seal, but this is not a true love, because he treats him more as a cute object than as an individual. If this was meant as a cute romance, it completely failed.
Which brings me to my second interpretation. This might actually be a social commentary. Not just commenting on society, but on movies, TV, anime, and manga tropes, too. For example, how many of us know of a romance series that involves some of these tropes:
►A dominating male character who pressures the object of his affection into a relationship
►A "love interest" who does not understand boundaries and who ignores rejection
►A "love interest" who feels intimidated by his or her partner, or who may be involved in the relationship against his or her will
►Love that blossoms from a kidnapper/kidnapped situation
►A dominating male who "takes care" of his partner by taking away their ability to make their own choices
In a lot of anime and manga, this came come across as romantic, if presented in the right way. "He's overbearing, but he cares!" "He just seems scary, but once you get to know him, he's a sweetheart!" "I can change him."
In this case, we have a bear who is clearly a romantic, but who puts his own wants and desires above that of his love interest. The seal is treated as an object or a pet that needs to be constantly monitored, and the poor dear even feels bad for "hurting the polar bear's feelings"! By putting the relationship into a clear metaphor, the issues of these tropes are brought to light.
Not sure if that's what the author's intention was or not. Social commentary? Just a quirky romance? I'm not sure. But, we'll see. I'm going to read at least Book 2, but I have 3 and 4 on my shelf, because I'm really curious to test this against my theory. To me, this is clearly a metaphor for an abusive relationship, presented in a very different way. Even Shocking stuff tied up in a cute and fuzzy package. I'm curious to see what comes of it all.
I'm sure by now, most of you already know the plot. A polar bear meets a seal and falls instantly in love with it. The seal, of course, is not a hopeless romantic and spends the rest of the book in abject terror, trying to escape and gently but clearly insisting that he does not share the polar bear's feelings (which the polar bear ignores).
Now, as I see it, there are several ways to interpret this story, including a "kawaii" version of a predator/prey relationship, where instead of eating the prey, the predator keeps trying to date it; and one where we're simply just supposed to enjoy the terrible discomfort and fear that the seal experiences.
However, there are two ways of reading this book that strike me as the most likely. First, we have the "straight" read. In this one, we take the story literally. Polar bear falls in love with seal, and it's a sweet and hilarious LGBT comedy of errors as the seal starts to realize that he's not going to get eaten. If this is what Koromo had intended, I'm not feeling the love. The story is awkward and uncomfortable, and quite frankly, in light of the #MeToo movement, somewhat disturbing. Not only does the polar bear not understand that the seal is terrified (even though he claims to love him and would never hurt him), but he also continuously undermines his wishes, makes important "relationship" decisions without consulting him, and generally comes across as a real creep. He says that he loves the seal, but this is not a true love, because he treats him more as a cute object than as an individual. If this was meant as a cute romance, it completely failed.
Which brings me to my second interpretation. This might actually be a social commentary. Not just commenting on society, but on movies, TV, anime, and manga tropes, too. For example, how many of us know of a romance series that involves some of these tropes:
►A dominating male character who pressures the object of his affection into a relationship
►A "love interest" who does not understand boundaries and who ignores rejection
►A "love interest" who feels intimidated by his or her partner, or who may be involved in the relationship against his or her will
►Love that blossoms from a kidnapper/kidnapped situation
►A dominating male who "takes care" of his partner by taking away their ability to make their own choices
In a lot of anime and manga, this came come across as romantic, if presented in the right way. "He's overbearing, but he cares!" "He just seems scary, but once you get to know him, he's a sweetheart!" "I can change him."
In this case, we have a bear who is clearly a romantic, but who puts his own wants and desires above that of his love interest. The seal is treated as an object or a pet that needs to be constantly monitored, and the poor dear even feels bad for "hurting the polar bear's feelings"! By putting the relationship into a clear metaphor, the issues of these tropes are brought to light.
Not sure if that's what the author's intention was or not. Social commentary? Just a quirky romance? I'm not sure. But, we'll see. I'm going to read at least Book 2, but I have 3 and 4 on my shelf, because I'm really curious to test this against my theory. To me, this is clearly a metaphor for an abusive relationship, presented in a very different way. Even Shocking stuff tied up in a cute and fuzzy package. I'm curious to see what comes of it all.
October 24, 2018
Pretty interesting and weird, if not for the tone is a bit scattered in some places. Not really sure what I'm supposed to take away from this story, but maybe we're just supposed to enjoy seal's discomfort.
September 29, 2016
シラクマと子アザラシについて本がこんなに感動的になると思わなかった！シロクマの身の上話を読んだ時、地下鉄に乗りながら泣いてた。
Never expected to read such a poignant work about the relationship between a polar bear and a baby seal.
Never expected to read such a poignant work about the relationship between a polar bear and a baby seal.
June 27, 2018
Thoroughly bizarre and yet thoroughly compelling. A Polar Bear with potentially perilous predilections.
December 19, 2017
This may be one of the strangest books I've ever read. I'm not even sure what to think about it beyond, "huh?" A polar bear falls in love with a seal, the seal is understandably terrified, and neither animal quite knows what to do about the situation they find themselves in.
July 12, 2019
Wow, this is an example of a problematic story having such cute illustrations and such a sweet protagonist that I missed some of the weird/creepy parts as I was reading. It wasn't until I was going to tell someone else about it that the plot really 'sunk in' for me. Polar Bear is pure and clueless, but the power imbalance between him and Li'l Seal feels dangerous.
Other reviewers have asked if this series is a metaphor for pedophilia and I suppose I can see their concerns... Beyond the obvious predator/prey problem, Polar Bear reads as an adult/young adult while Li'l Seal reads as a child. He was only booted from the nest at the end of Volume 1, and his mom didn't even teach him to swim before she left him with Polar Bear!
While the characters in Polar Bear in Love sure are cute, if this story was told with human characters I'm sure we'd all recoil. I wonder if the author knew that when creating this story.
Other reviewers have asked if this series is a metaphor for pedophilia and I suppose I can see their concerns... Beyond the obvious predator/prey problem, Polar Bear reads as an adult/young adult while Li'l Seal reads as a child. He was only booted from the nest at the end of Volume 1, and his mom didn't even teach him to swim before she left him with Polar Bear!
While the characters in Polar Bear in Love sure are cute, if this story was told with human characters I'm sure we'd all recoil. I wonder if the author knew that when creating this story.
May 30, 2021
It’s only getting one star for the sort of cute artwork.
So, the storyline. It’s about an ADULT polar bear that sees a seal PUP and falls in love with its ‘figure with contours so smooth [he] want[s] to touch them’, it’s ‘pure white beautiful body’. The polar bear is ‘intensely...drawn to [his] snowy whiteness’ and says on his first encounter ‘once you GROW UP, let’s get married’. The polar bear then refuses to listen to the seal say it wasn’t interested, it follows it around, won’t let it leave, gets way too close and keeps bringing up how they should be lovers. The whole book made me very uncomfortable. It’s a very dysfunctional and abusive relationship, with the polar bear alienating the seal pup from everybody it knows, and I do not see where the cuteness in this is. Also, the obsession with whiteness didn’t help.
So, the storyline. It’s about an ADULT polar bear that sees a seal PUP and falls in love with its ‘figure with contours so smooth [he] want[s] to touch them’, it’s ‘pure white beautiful body’. The polar bear is ‘intensely...drawn to [his] snowy whiteness’ and says on his first encounter ‘once you GROW UP, let’s get married’. The polar bear then refuses to listen to the seal say it wasn’t interested, it follows it around, won’t let it leave, gets way too close and keeps bringing up how they should be lovers. The whole book made me very uncomfortable. It’s a very dysfunctional and abusive relationship, with the polar bear alienating the seal pup from everybody it knows, and I do not see where the cuteness in this is. Also, the obsession with whiteness didn’t help.
November 8, 2018
2018-01 - A Polar Bear in Love, Vol. 1 (Koi Suru Shirokuma). Koromo (Author) 2017. 160 Pages.
Euphemia read this book and asked me to read it so she would have someone to talk to about it. It is a graphic novel. There is more going on in the story than I expected. Essentially it is a conversation between a Bear and Seal both their inner monologues and thoughts as well as their conversation with each other. There is more than just a predator falling in love with his prey, but not in the way that the prey fears. There is a discussion of gender, nature vs. nurture and relationships. A surprisingly insightful and provocative book. I look forward to Volume 2 to see what happens.
Euphemia read this book and asked me to read it so she would have someone to talk to about it. It is a graphic novel. There is more going on in the story than I expected. Essentially it is a conversation between a Bear and Seal both their inner monologues and thoughts as well as their conversation with each other. There is more than just a predator falling in love with his prey, but not in the way that the prey fears. There is a discussion of gender, nature vs. nurture and relationships. A surprisingly insightful and provocative book. I look forward to Volume 2 to see what happens.
February 24, 2018
This is such a lovely read and I did not have that expectation based on the premise. The idea of a polar bear being in love with a seal is laughable and while it does contribute to the story there is more to it. The parts that really sell it are the origin of polar bear and his genuine love and sweetness. I really recommend this book.
July 14, 2021
Weird and lots of use of the word lover for something that our library has put in the children’s section. A polar bear wants to make a baby seal his lover but the seal thinks that the bear is going to eat him. Given that the seal starts out still with his mother and does not know how to swim, not sure how close to pedophilia this is getting. I have no idea what to make of this…
June 25, 2018
Totally bizarre, but once one gets past the initial creepy predatory polar bear thing, it's actually kind of cute in its own way? The shorts that are at the end and associated with the covers for each chapter are the BEST.
August 5, 2021
I have so many thoughts on this book...
August 24, 2018
This is actually kinda sad, sad for the polar bear and his whole back story.
January 30, 2020
Increasingly uncomfortable as the Nice Guy polar bear continues to refuse to take any sort of rejection from the poor, terrified seal. Which is supposed to be cute? Yuck.
January 6, 2019
I thought this book was very cute! I am looking forward to reading the next ones! 🙂
June 8, 2021
This was completely ridiculous but also kind of endearing?? I only read this because of Tiktok, because I saw it on there and just HAD to see what this was. I mean, a love story between a polar bear and seal? Who would think it?
I loved the art most of all, it was super cute!
I loved the art most of all, it was super cute!
August 24, 2022
The art and demeanor of the Polar Bear character are undeniably cute, but there is something about this story that doesn't sit well. The seal spends most of the story instinctually terrified and uncomfortable - not exactly the basis for an enjoyable rom-com.
September 11, 2025
The drawing are very cute but the dialogue and actual storyline is pretty simple. I’m still going to finish the series but wouldn’t keep in my collection. There’s only so much you can write about a gay polar bear falling in love with a seal that can’t swim
December 20, 2017
dumb, cute and subtle lgbtqi+ rep - what more could you want?
December 13, 2017
Insanely cute artwork with good humour to boot
December 20, 2017
Well. There's that.
March 19, 2019
v. cute.
December 28, 2018
This is by far the cutest thing I've ever read - and no I didn't start crying, there was just... dust in my eye... I can't get over how cute this was and how it touched me emotionally. Although reading about a Polar Bear falling in love with a Seal is a bit strange, I'm excited to see where the series goes! I knew from the cute cover that I would love this series (I have a soft spot for animals, after all) and if you like cuteness, love, or animals, you'll probably enjoy this.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews