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Plus-Sized Elf #1
Plus-Sized Elf, Vol. 1
A WELL-ROUNDED DIET...?! Massage therapist Naoe gets an unusual visitor to the Smiley Boar Elfuda, a beautiful elf from another world who’s addicted to junk food! As Naoe works with Elfuda to help her lose her excess weight so she can return home, he starts to realize that there are other fantastical creatures with epic curves in desperate need of his help.
180 pages, Paperback
First published June 26, 2017
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389 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
October 31, 2018
Is the author body-shaming, helping, or simply poking fun at the moderately overweight fantasy characters in this book? Why point out the unhealthy nature of binging fries but not binge drinking? How far can I throw this book across my yard? These are questions we may never know the answer to.
March 22, 2019
I’m totally on the fence about this manga. Even after finishing the book from cover to cover I still don’t know what to make of it. For starters, at first glance it appeared to be (almost) all the things I want out of this kind of manga. A harem-like story featuring lots of attractive monster girls. Over sexualized art that isn’t afraid to show nudity. A dash of comedy. There were no lesbians in this one unfortunately… So it wasn't EVERYTHING I wanted, but they made up for it by drawing all the women with slightly chubbier, more realistic figures, instead of what the entertainment industry perceives as “perfect” sculpted bodies. So that was a refreshing bonus. One that excited me quite a bit. I like women with a little body fat on them…
But while the manga was visually appealing, once I started actually reading it, I found myself kind of confused.
Let’s get right to the problem. The book is clearly made to appeal on a visual level to people who like both monster girls, and girls with a bit of body weight. And the art doesn’t skimp on delivering that. The artist doesn’t overlook any opportunity to draw chubby monster girls in sexually appealing poses that show off their assets. But the story itself seems to be in conflict with this. Instead of praising these, soft, rounder bodies, it feels more like it’s just body shaming the whole way through.
Instead of being a harem in the traditional sense, with a bunch of girls all wanting to date the same guy, our male protagonist is a doctor, of some sort… The description says massage therapist but honestly it was never made very clear from just reading the story. (Or at least it wasn’t to me) And our chubby monster girls have all gone to him to help them get back into shape. Which becomes even more jarring when you consider that none of the girls in this book are even that bad. I mean... Just look at the cover! This is what Synecdoche considers “plus-sized”? Even I’m bigger than that girl! I WISH I had her body! And I don’t even wear plus-sized clothing. I wear a size Large.That’s it. And our girl there on the cover, Elfuda, is one of the chubbiest girls in the whole book. Many of the other girls aren’t even as big as her. The mermaid character in particular looks downright SKINNY to me! But they are all treated as if they are incredibly out of shape, overweight, and need to do something about it.
That sure seems like body shaming to me... Because honestly, there’s nothing wrong with these girls. They all look normal and healthy to me. If I was going to date a manga character I would probably go for any one of the girls in this book before I went for one of the girls in something like, Monster Musume. (Please forgive me, Rachnera…)
And the book doesn’t just stop at presenting their normal and attractive body types as being a problem that needs to be fixed. Oh no… It gets really preachy about it. Going so far as to include detailed exercise instructions in every chapter. I’m sitting there trying to enjoy the adventures of these cute monster girls and then BAM! Out of nowhere I keep getting hit with here’s an exercise you can do and this is the part of the body it affects and here’s how it affects it. It’s like, okay, I get it… You think I’m a fat cow who’s disgusting to look at… I kind of already got that impression from this story WITHOUT needing drive-by exercise instructions every five minutes.
But that’s a real problem. Because going back to the art, Synecdoche really sexualized this thing as much as he could. Sure, it’s not as bad as a lot of other books in the monster girl genre, but he still doesn’t miss a chance to show off full bodied women in some incredibly sexy poses and in various states of dress and undress. You should be able to tell who a book is marketed at by flipping through its pages and looking at the art. And from this book’s art you would think it’s marketed at people who like full bodied women. So then why does the story go out of its way to put full bodied women down every chance it gets?
That would be like making a furry smut book and then telling your readers they are a bunch of sick freaks for liking furries. Or writing a cook book of 101 recipes for beef but stressing how important veganism is on every single page. It just doesn’t make any sense to me.
So I’m really on the fence about this book. I loved looking at the pictures. I really liked all the characters. I’d like to see more of their misadventures. But the story was just kind of offensive to me and contradicted every reason I bought the book for in the first place. Which is a real shame because Synecdoche had a chance here to do something new and progressive that could have made this book a real game changer in the world of manga. And instead he just used it to lure us in and patronize us for being even the slightest bit soft in the midsection...
One thing's for sure. The book did not give me a new desire to diet and exercise. It just gave me a craving for McDonalds, which I quickly acted upon out of protest. I doubt I'll be buying future volumes of this...
But while the manga was visually appealing, once I started actually reading it, I found myself kind of confused.
Let’s get right to the problem. The book is clearly made to appeal on a visual level to people who like both monster girls, and girls with a bit of body weight. And the art doesn’t skimp on delivering that. The artist doesn’t overlook any opportunity to draw chubby monster girls in sexually appealing poses that show off their assets. But the story itself seems to be in conflict with this. Instead of praising these, soft, rounder bodies, it feels more like it’s just body shaming the whole way through.
Instead of being a harem in the traditional sense, with a bunch of girls all wanting to date the same guy, our male protagonist is a doctor, of some sort… The description says massage therapist but honestly it was never made very clear from just reading the story. (Or at least it wasn’t to me) And our chubby monster girls have all gone to him to help them get back into shape. Which becomes even more jarring when you consider that none of the girls in this book are even that bad. I mean... Just look at the cover! This is what Synecdoche considers “plus-sized”? Even I’m bigger than that girl! I WISH I had her body! And I don’t even wear plus-sized clothing. I wear a size Large.That’s it. And our girl there on the cover, Elfuda, is one of the chubbiest girls in the whole book. Many of the other girls aren’t even as big as her. The mermaid character in particular looks downright SKINNY to me! But they are all treated as if they are incredibly out of shape, overweight, and need to do something about it.
That sure seems like body shaming to me... Because honestly, there’s nothing wrong with these girls. They all look normal and healthy to me. If I was going to date a manga character I would probably go for any one of the girls in this book before I went for one of the girls in something like, Monster Musume. (Please forgive me, Rachnera…)
And the book doesn’t just stop at presenting their normal and attractive body types as being a problem that needs to be fixed. Oh no… It gets really preachy about it. Going so far as to include detailed exercise instructions in every chapter. I’m sitting there trying to enjoy the adventures of these cute monster girls and then BAM! Out of nowhere I keep getting hit with here’s an exercise you can do and this is the part of the body it affects and here’s how it affects it. It’s like, okay, I get it… You think I’m a fat cow who’s disgusting to look at… I kind of already got that impression from this story WITHOUT needing drive-by exercise instructions every five minutes.
But that’s a real problem. Because going back to the art, Synecdoche really sexualized this thing as much as he could. Sure, it’s not as bad as a lot of other books in the monster girl genre, but he still doesn’t miss a chance to show off full bodied women in some incredibly sexy poses and in various states of dress and undress. You should be able to tell who a book is marketed at by flipping through its pages and looking at the art. And from this book’s art you would think it’s marketed at people who like full bodied women. So then why does the story go out of its way to put full bodied women down every chance it gets?
That would be like making a furry smut book and then telling your readers they are a bunch of sick freaks for liking furries. Or writing a cook book of 101 recipes for beef but stressing how important veganism is on every single page. It just doesn’t make any sense to me.
So I’m really on the fence about this book. I loved looking at the pictures. I really liked all the characters. I’d like to see more of their misadventures. But the story was just kind of offensive to me and contradicted every reason I bought the book for in the first place. Which is a real shame because Synecdoche had a chance here to do something new and progressive that could have made this book a real game changer in the world of manga. And instead he just used it to lure us in and patronize us for being even the slightest bit soft in the midsection...
One thing's for sure. The book did not give me a new desire to diet and exercise. It just gave me a craving for McDonalds, which I quickly acted upon out of protest. I doubt I'll be buying future volumes of this...
July 4, 2017
OMG this was just absolute brilliance! I am still laughing so hard. :P
It all starts with a chubby, french fries-addicted elf who wants to lose some weight (though still eat tons of french fries) and goes to a diet clinic where she meets a human guy who does some pretty erotic massages (if I have to go by the faces the girls make when they get massaged).
Each chapter brings us a new girl (of course supernatural/fantasy related) and see how they all become friends and how hard they try to lose weight (and fail becomes temptation is real (french frieeeeessss)). Each girl has a backstory/story to tell, and I like that the author is putting so much effort to make each girl come to life. You really want to root for them, hope that they will be able to lose that weight they want.
Of course the human guy is also there and he is quickly adding to his harem of chubby girls (though for real though there is no romance or anything (thankfully), I just had to say that because it was just such a typical thing to happen in manga/anime). The human guy is a wonderful one, he is helping girls left and right. Showing them proper ways to stand, massaging them, how to healthy diet, and much more.
The author really has a good way with drawing chubby/bigger girls, they really look chubby/big. And thus not as how many chubby girls are often drawn in manga... with small arms/legs and big boobs and sometimes a big belly (which more often than not looks like a pregnancy).
The art is fabulous, the characters are hilarious, the dieting/exercise is fun to see. There is a bit of fanservice (but it never feels out of place). I can't wait to see what girls will make an appearance next and what their weight problem is going to be.
All in all, this is a manga I will keep on reading, and a manga I would recommend to everyone!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
It all starts with a chubby, french fries-addicted elf who wants to lose some weight (though still eat tons of french fries) and goes to a diet clinic where she meets a human guy who does some pretty erotic massages (if I have to go by the faces the girls make when they get massaged).
Each chapter brings us a new girl (of course supernatural/fantasy related) and see how they all become friends and how hard they try to lose weight (and fail becomes temptation is real (french frieeeeessss)). Each girl has a backstory/story to tell, and I like that the author is putting so much effort to make each girl come to life. You really want to root for them, hope that they will be able to lose that weight they want.
Of course the human guy is also there and he is quickly adding to his harem of chubby girls (though for real though there is no romance or anything (thankfully), I just had to say that because it was just such a typical thing to happen in manga/anime). The human guy is a wonderful one, he is helping girls left and right. Showing them proper ways to stand, massaging them, how to healthy diet, and much more.
The author really has a good way with drawing chubby/bigger girls, they really look chubby/big. And thus not as how many chubby girls are often drawn in manga... with small arms/legs and big boobs and sometimes a big belly (which more often than not looks like a pregnancy).
The art is fabulous, the characters are hilarious, the dieting/exercise is fun to see. There is a bit of fanservice (but it never feels out of place). I can't wait to see what girls will make an appearance next and what their weight problem is going to be.
All in all, this is a manga I will keep on reading, and a manga I would recommend to everyone!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
November 4, 2018
Not sure what to make of this. On the one hand, as a harem comedy featuring plus-sized women, it could be kind of progressive. There's a facet to it that's just eye candy for men who prefer full-figured women, which I expected.
But, some parts of it feel like fat shaming. Other parts feel like the author is trying to be helpful and encouraging for people who are trying to lose weight. I actually found it kind of interesting when the story broke the fourth wall to illustrate how to do certain stretches and massage techniques.
It's important to note the cultural differences between Japan and the U.S., with Japan having one of the lowest obesity rates in the world and the U.S having one of the highest.
I thought the premise was strong: modern and fantasy worlds colliding, elves getting hooked on junk food just like the rest of us. If only the characters and world were better developed, I think they might have something.
As the first volume, it suffers from being one long introduction to the characters. Each of the six chapters introduces a new girl, so we don't get to know any of them in-depth. So far, all the characters are one-note, but that could develop over time. It may have been better to spend more time developing Elfuda, the titular elf, and introducing the rest of the cast more slowly.
But, some parts of it feel like fat shaming. Other parts feel like the author is trying to be helpful and encouraging for people who are trying to lose weight. I actually found it kind of interesting when the story broke the fourth wall to illustrate how to do certain stretches and massage techniques.
It's important to note the cultural differences between Japan and the U.S., with Japan having one of the lowest obesity rates in the world and the U.S having one of the highest.
I thought the premise was strong: modern and fantasy worlds colliding, elves getting hooked on junk food just like the rest of us. If only the characters and world were better developed, I think they might have something.
As the first volume, it suffers from being one long introduction to the characters. Each of the six chapters introduces a new girl, so we don't get to know any of them in-depth. So far, all the characters are one-note, but that could develop over time. It may have been better to spend more time developing Elfuda, the titular elf, and introducing the rest of the cast more slowly.
June 2, 2021
Custa-me admitir, mas acredito que esta leitura é a minha desilusão de 2021…
Hoje trago-vos uma review um pouco fora do comum, tendo em conta que foi uma leitura que me desiludiu bastante e que não se encaixa nos livros que costumo ler. Também tive de fazer muita pesquisa para ter a certeza que não escrevia nenhuma parvoíce. Enfim, aqui está a minha review do primeiro volume do Plus-Sized Elf, Vol. 1, do mangaká (se é que lhe deva chamar assim) Synecdoche. Espero que gostem da minha review e que a mesma vos seja útil caso estiverem a ponderar ler esta série de mangás.
Começando pelo Resumo: Elfuda, uma Elfo da Floresta, chega ao Mundo dos Humanos através do portal Entre-Dimensões e fica viciada em batatas fritas. Ao sucumbir ao vício, acaba por “engordar”, ficando presa no mundo dos Humanos até perder peso suficiente para voltar ao Reino dos Elfos. Nisto, Elfunda conhece Naoe, um massagista de drenagens linfáticas que lhe oferece ajuda para perder peso.
Sobre o Autor: Este é um dos maiores mistérios que apareceram à minha frente no decorrer da escrita desta review. Afinal de contas, quem é este mentacapto chamado “Synecdoche”? Durante muito tempo, acreditei que o autor desta calamidade era um Virtual Fat Artist americano, porém, fiquei em choque quando percebi que é apenas um autor anónimo do Japão (o que esclarece muitas das peripécias que acontecem no decorrer da história deste primeiro volume). Pesquisei o máximo que podia, mas não encontrei nada sobre o autor, algo que é natural, visto que o mesmo deve querer manter o anonimato depois das várias polémicas em volta desta obra.
Sobre a História: Com muita pena minha, não há muito mais para vos contar além aquilo que mencionei na parte do Resumo deste volume. Toda a narrativa gira em torno da relação do Naoe com a Elfuda e as outras personagens que a dupla conhece. A narrativa é seca e as piadas ao longo do volume não me fizeram sorrir uma única vez (algo assustador, visto que este mangá está classificado no género de Comédia ). O elemento plus-size que está destacado no título a letras bem grandes simplesmente não existe porque estas personagens supostamente “gordas” são apenas corpos naturais que, a cada página que lemos, são fortemente sexualizados e objetificados.
De forma a ser mais esclarecedor, posso dizer-vos que Naoe é um “simples humano” que trabalha numa clínica de massagens e conhece Elfuda. Depois do choque em conhecer uma elfo, promete ajudá-la a emagrecer e, passados uns meses de dieta intensiva e algumas drenagens linfáticas, ela finalmente volta a ter o peso que tinha e um corpo “perfeito” , regressando ao Reino dos Elfos. Meses mais tarde Naoe reencontra Elfuda que está supostamente “gorda” e decide então ajudá-la a acabar com o vício por batatas fritas. Nesta jornada, Elfuda e Naoe conhecem mais monster girls como Elfuda que juntam-se ao grupo (falarei sobre as personagens no tópico Personagens desta review).
Sobre as Personagens: Vou tentar, de uma forma muito rápida e clara, falar sobre todas as personagens que aparecem neste volume: temos o protagonista, Naoe Tomoatsu, um massagista com uma pequena paixão por corpos cheinhos que decide ajudar Elfuda e todas as outras personagens a perder peso. Em seguida, temos Elfuda, uma Elfo da Floresta viciada em batatas fritas, Kuroeda, uma Elfo das Trevas cujo problema é ter… umtraseiro astronómico. Mero, uma sereia que não consegue nadar na sua forma de Peixeira Humana e, por isso, perdeu a força nos braços. Oga, uma ogre viciada em álcool que adora crianças e Raika, uma lobisomem que fala na terceira pessoa e tem um comportamento canino invulgar, que usa para obter comida das pessoas.
Escusado será dizer que todas as personagens femininas estão desenhadas de uma forma exagerada e, em certos momentos, desconfortável devido aos erros de proporção.
Sobre a Elfuda: Não há muito a falar sobre a Elfuda. Apesar do Naoe ser o protagonista, é nela que a trama desenvolve-se. Por ser a mais “gordinha” do grupo, as outras monster girls acabam por usá-la como alvo de chacota (o que causa algum conflito).
E a minha Conclusão Final é: Em seis palavras: Quero o meu dinheiro de volta. Agora fora de brincadeiras, devo dizer que não gostei da experiência que tive em ler Plus-Sized Elf, Vol. 1, de Synecdoche, contudo, quero acreditar que nos volumes seguintes a história tome outro rumo e que muitas das parvoíces e exageros fanservice desapareçam, para que haja espaço para o desenvolvimento das personagens e de todo este “Mundo”. Os únicos factores que me impedem de dar um zero (0) a este volume são as Short Stories no fim do volume (neste caso, a primeira, porque a segunda deixou-me horrivelmente enojado) e a qualidade do traço (estamos a falar de desenho digital com backgrounds detalhados e uma boa atmosfera) apesar do autor estragar todo o seu talento em obscenidades. Se irei ler os próximos volumes? Não faço ideia, porque neste momento a minha vontade é praticamente nenhuma e já li em muitos fóruns e blogs de reviews que os volumes seguintes são mais exagerados ou desconfortáveis, portanto, não sei...
Hoje trago-vos uma review um pouco fora do comum, tendo em conta que foi uma leitura que me desiludiu bastante e que não se encaixa nos livros que costumo ler. Também tive de fazer muita pesquisa para ter a certeza que não escrevia nenhuma parvoíce. Enfim, aqui está a minha review do primeiro volume do Plus-Sized Elf, Vol. 1, do mangaká (se é que lhe deva chamar assim) Synecdoche. Espero que gostem da minha review e que a mesma vos seja útil caso estiverem a ponderar ler esta série de mangás.
Começando pelo Resumo: Elfuda, uma Elfo da Floresta, chega ao Mundo dos Humanos através do portal Entre-Dimensões e fica viciada em batatas fritas. Ao sucumbir ao vício, acaba por “engordar”, ficando presa no mundo dos Humanos até perder peso suficiente para voltar ao Reino dos Elfos. Nisto, Elfunda conhece Naoe, um massagista de drenagens linfáticas que lhe oferece ajuda para perder peso.
Sobre o Autor: Este é um dos maiores mistérios que apareceram à minha frente no decorrer da escrita desta review. Afinal de contas, quem é este mentacapto chamado “Synecdoche”? Durante muito tempo, acreditei que o autor desta calamidade era um Virtual Fat Artist americano, porém, fiquei em choque quando percebi que é apenas um autor anónimo do Japão (
Sobre a História: Com muita pena minha, não há muito mais para vos contar além aquilo que mencionei na parte do Resumo deste volume. Toda a narrativa gira em torno da relação do Naoe com a Elfuda e as outras personagens que a dupla conhece. A narrativa é seca e as piadas ao longo do volume não me fizeram sorrir uma única vez (algo assustador, visto que este mangá está classificado no género de Comédia ). O elemento plus-size que está destacado no título a letras bem grandes simplesmente não existe porque estas personagens supostamente “gordas” são apenas corpos naturais que, a cada página que lemos, são fortemente sexualizados e objetificados.
De forma a ser mais esclarecedor, posso dizer-vos que Naoe é um “simples humano” que trabalha numa clínica de massagens e conhece Elfuda. Depois do choque em conhecer uma elfo, promete ajudá-la a emagrecer e, passados uns meses de dieta intensiva e algumas drenagens linfáticas, ela finalmente volta a ter o peso que tinha e um corpo “perfeito” , regressando ao Reino dos Elfos. Meses mais tarde Naoe reencontra Elfuda que está supostamente “gorda” e decide então ajudá-la a acabar com o vício por batatas fritas. Nesta jornada, Elfuda e Naoe conhecem mais monster girls como Elfuda que juntam-se ao grupo (falarei sobre as personagens no tópico Personagens desta review).
Sobre as Personagens: Vou tentar, de uma forma muito rápida e clara, falar sobre todas as personagens que aparecem neste volume: temos o protagonista, Naoe Tomoatsu, um massagista com uma pequena paixão por corpos cheinhos que decide ajudar Elfuda e todas as outras personagens a perder peso. Em seguida, temos Elfuda, uma Elfo da Floresta viciada em batatas fritas, Kuroeda, uma Elfo das Trevas cujo problema é ter… um
Escusado será dizer que todas as personagens femininas estão desenhadas de uma forma exagerada e, em certos momentos, desconfortável devido aos erros de proporção.
Sobre a Elfuda: Não há muito a falar sobre a Elfuda. Apesar do Naoe ser o protagonista, é nela que a trama desenvolve-se. Por ser a mais “gordinha” do grupo, as outras monster girls acabam por usá-la como alvo de chacota (o que causa algum conflito).
E a minha Conclusão Final é: Em seis palavras: Quero o meu dinheiro de volta. Agora fora de brincadeiras, devo dizer que não gostei da experiência que tive em ler Plus-Sized Elf, Vol. 1, de Synecdoche, contudo, quero acreditar que nos volumes seguintes a história tome outro rumo e que muitas das parvoíces e exageros fanservice desapareçam, para que haja espaço para o desenvolvimento das personagens e de todo este “Mundo”. Os únicos factores que me impedem de dar um zero (0) a este volume são as Short Stories no fim do volume (neste caso, a primeira, porque a segunda deixou-me horrivelmente enojado) e a qualidade do traço (estamos a falar de desenho digital com backgrounds detalhados e uma boa atmosfera) apesar do autor estragar todo o seu talento em obscenidades. Se irei ler os próximos volumes? Não faço ideia, porque neste momento a minha vontade é praticamente nenhuma e já li em muitos fóruns e blogs de reviews que os volumes seguintes são mais exagerados ou desconfortáveis, portanto, não sei...
September 5, 2023
What a nice charming story. Well drawn scenery/settings, super nice character designs and just overall feels very solid art wise. The story is super enjoyable to because it’s so relatable yet has a lot of fantasy elements to it. Elfuda is super funny to watch, lots of comedic set ups that rally it well. I’m just loving the setup overall.
I love the level of fanservice this has and seems like the author really did exactly what they wanted. It’s rated 15+ and features exposed breasts uncensored which is half the reason I buy/collect manga; so echii/fanservice fans can be happy here, I mean even MC admits he likes chubbier women lol he’s king.
Highly recommend and don’t skip this one for very charming slice of life that has good immersive fantasy elements. Even the short stories were amazing to read and I can be very picky with extra stuff. Synecdoche really shows that they love to push the artistic level of each page; even though the style is simpler in essence.
I love the level of fanservice this has and seems like the author really did exactly what they wanted. It’s rated 15+ and features exposed breasts uncensored which is half the reason I buy/collect manga; so echii/fanservice fans can be happy here, I mean even MC admits he likes chubbier women lol he’s king.
Highly recommend and don’t skip this one for very charming slice of life that has good immersive fantasy elements. Even the short stories were amazing to read and I can be very picky with extra stuff. Synecdoche really shows that they love to push the artistic level of each page; even though the style is simpler in essence.
September 23, 2019
I enjoyed this, the other reviews mentioned this book as fat-shaming, but I view it as reality. I relate to Elfuda. I love fries and it's difficult to give up eating them. On the positive side physical therapy, diet tips and exercise can help everyone in general. There are tons of people, not just fat people who over-indulge in their eating habits. They also regret their eating habits as well. I like how each monster girl is willing in one way or another to improve themselves, but also the comedic parts when they struggle as well.
June 13, 2023
Interesting…
October 14, 2019
I really liked this it was entertaining didn't like the nudity if they can censor the crouch they can cover the boobs to but they won't just for ratings which is sad u can make a manga amazing with out that.
March 27, 2021
This manga was super silly and didn't take itself seriously. It focuses on an elf who goes to the human realm and falls in love with potatoes more or less but cannot return through the barrier unless she's the same weight as when she entered. It's a really bonkers story of a elf who loves carbs too much and enlists the help of a dietician to get her back to her world. I kind of skimmed the manga but I got the gist of it. The art was very lewdly done with plenty of breasts and scandalous poses but I knew that from the cover. As a buxom babe myself, it was nice to see my physique through the pages like broad shoulders, large busom, and a soft belly to protect my organs throughout the manga. I may or may not continue with the manga but I would have to order it because my libraries don't carry the series. This was a cute quick read and it lifted my spirits despite the ludicrous story.
February 19, 2022
Cuando lees el primer capítulo te imaginas que el argumento puede prosperar, pero se trata de una sucesión de capítulos con el mismo esquema, uno tras otro. No fue gran cosa.
August 18, 2022
Peak goated best piece of fiction ever conceived, the magnificent prose and art style brought a tear to my eye
December 5, 2018
First off let me just say this is NOT for people under 18 or for the faint of heart because of certain scenes being really racy. However, if you are over the age of 18 or not faint of heart this is really funny. This does make fun of plus sized people but not too offensively in my opinion as a plus sized lady myself. I appreciated the exercise aspects plus the various mythical creatures that were presented were really cool and fun. What this reminded me the most was of the anime Ah my goddess but with a more variety of mythical characters/creatures, more fanservice, and tons of food which I also recommend reading on a full stomach so you're not hungry. The art style was also unique and beautiful as well. Because of these points I have to give this manga a 3.5 to 4 out of 5 stars. This is a definitely a fun time and will pick up the next volume eventually though not dying for it.
July 31, 2019
You know what you're getting into when you see the cover: Beautifully drawn, plus-sized women with guilty looks eating french fries.
Cute Monster girls are trapped on our planet because they love fast food and booze. Our hero teaches them how to eat less trash and to exercise.
This is a weird, fat-shaming manga that shares two points of view: fat girls are sexy and fat girls need to lose weight. This is a problem with our culture generally: we want to elevate curvy women as sexy and to shame them for overeating.
The sexy art in this comic is great. Mission accomplished. I would enjoy an art book of just this.
But this comic is absolutely certain that drinking and overeating are what causes women to become fat – and only women. No fat men. We also get to enjoy the story of a naive/virgin hero giving simple exercise advice, which these women see as great because exercising gives you opportunities to consume more.
I'm annoyed because you never see plus-sized women in manga, and I like seeing 'plus-sized' used on a cover.
Cute Monster girls are trapped on our planet because they love fast food and booze. Our hero teaches them how to eat less trash and to exercise.
This is a weird, fat-shaming manga that shares two points of view: fat girls are sexy and fat girls need to lose weight. This is a problem with our culture generally: we want to elevate curvy women as sexy and to shame them for overeating.
The sexy art in this comic is great. Mission accomplished. I would enjoy an art book of just this.
But this comic is absolutely certain that drinking and overeating are what causes women to become fat – and only women. No fat men. We also get to enjoy the story of a naive/virgin hero giving simple exercise advice, which these women see as great because exercising gives you opportunities to consume more.
I'm annoyed because you never see plus-sized women in manga, and I like seeing 'plus-sized' used on a cover.
October 31, 2018
This manga has a very specific audience in mind -- people who like a certain plump body type, possibly embarrassed, and in hands-on situations. It's not exactly porn, but it's drawn in a more erotic manner than a professional massage/body therapy would strictly require. So basically, if the idea of elves with extra curves engaging in assorted health shenanigans around a modern Japanese city tickles your fancy, this is worth a look -- if not, there's not much else going on to recommend it.
November 13, 2018
lol this is just Monster Musume but with diet and exercise tips
February 20, 2021
I've been aware of this series for a little while, but was initially uninterested because I didn't think a series about an elf with a muffin-top could be as satisfying as e.g. To Love-Ru or Monster Musume or other such ecchi comedy series with more slender women. Then, at some point, disconnected from the context of this manga, I started seeing more pics of a particular big-assed dark elf, after which I would learn through reverse image search that it's a main character here. And somehow, otherwise, I learned Synecdoche drew... let's say "less family-friendly materials," most of which I'd seen focused on big asses (but not exactly on overall chubbiness). So, ultimately, I thought it could be fun(ny) to buy this manga, I guess(?).
The English title, "Plus-Sized Elf," suggests something arguably more fetishistic than the actual content here. The actual premise is not unlike How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?, being about a handful of women who want to lose weight, with a bit of helpful exercise and dieting tips thrown in among the comedy. Also like Dumbbells, this manga shows off its characters' bodies, the key differences being a) the lewdest scenes in that other manga are non-diegetic (the manga cuts to imagined workout routines) whereas the lewdness here is part of the actual world, and b) that other manga mostly focuses on the characters' fitness where here the focus is on fatness in defiance of the dieting focus it pretends to maintain. Furthermore, I've seen bits and pieces of future chapters which seem to thicken the elves and stuff up a bit more, as if perhaps Synecdoche has established his manga well enough that he feels comfortable flexing his fetishes.
I think the above paragraph makes it seem as if I disapprove of chubby elves, but that's not exactly the case. The main light elf, Elfuda, is pretty cute, though I must say she does look better when we see her in her fantasy costume with a thinner body. The muffin-top pretty much only exists because she wears shirts too tight for her size; in a sauna chapter, she is naked, and her body just seems proportionately "THICC," where at least the ogre character is shown to have a bit of a gut (but also Olga is sitting in such a manner that allows her tummy to bunch up a bit, whereas Elfuda mostly keeps her back straight while seated). Elfuda is probably the most entertaining character here in terms of the manga's humor, what with her reactions to everything, but this is possibly unfair because she simply gets the most page-time, being the First Girl. (On the subject of Elfuda's reactions, it's plain Synecdoche has a porn background, what with the faces Elfuda makes when getting massaged.)
I essentially started reading this manga because of Kuroeda, and it could be said she's my favorite of the girls (Olga is up there as well). Kuroeda, like Mero and Kusahanada introduced later, has an interesting characteristic of being... well, not really that fat. I guess it's a Japanese thing? It took Japanese manga and games and things many decades before they started to put as much weight (heh) on butts as they've always done for boobs. I personally attribute Kenichiro Takaki (of Senran Kagura fame) for blazing the trail. This manga started in 2017, so it's way ahead of e.g. Atelier Ryza, and the same year as Nier Automata and Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Zelda herself is often drawn with a big ass by fans), so in some ways Synecdoche was way ahead of his time. Kuroeda never looks particularly fat to me, and even when her ass is bunched up in her fantasy costume it just looks like something drawn by NamanikuATK, which to my mind is "normal," but that probably just says I'm too exposed to risqué anime art. And the dark skin light hair combo is always good in manga. And her headband with it reminds me of Kat from Gravity Daze, which reminds me I still haven't played the second one because I'm still mad Sony shit on the Vita, but now I'm getting way off topic.
Mero's personal problem is that her upper arms are flabby, which like Kuroeda before her just seems like a non-issue. Unlike with Kuroeda, this isn't a matter of the reader's personal preference creeping in, so much as it is simply that Mero's arms basically look fine until she grabs the skin to show how flabby they are, meaning Synecdoche isn't really doing a great job at showing what he means to show. It doesn't help that she's wearing long gloves to handle fish yet there's little "skindentation."
Kusahanada isn't really fat at all so much as her design just plays into stereotypical "milf" bodies as depicted in Japanese media. She basically looks the same as the mom from Gundam Build Fighters, who was the star of many H parody doujins. Her weight issue in-story is the first (and, thus far, only) to be almost strictly fantasy; as a mandragora, she blossoms in the sun, so she has a big ass flower on her head causing her shoulder pain.
I've touched on Olga briefly above. She's an ogre with a bit of a gut, in contrast to her otherwise muscular body. Her issue is practically the same as Elfuda's; replace french fries with alcohol. I've said above that she's roughly tied with Kuroeda for my favorite of the girls, but it's almost solely because I like her haircut. But I guess she also has a bit of a Gina Carano thing going on, and that's not something I'm really opposed to (lol).
Lastly, we have Laika the lycanthrope, who is... also pretty much the same deal as Elfuda. She has a bit of a gut from eating too much in the human world. It's possible Synecdoche has already run out of ideas for health concerns, and is only going forward with new and different monster girls. Which is fine, but it makes it seem the manga will eventually just be "THICC Monster Musume. Which is also fine, I guess.
The English title, "Plus-Sized Elf," suggests something arguably more fetishistic than the actual content here. The actual premise is not unlike How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?, being about a handful of women who want to lose weight, with a bit of helpful exercise and dieting tips thrown in among the comedy. Also like Dumbbells, this manga shows off its characters' bodies, the key differences being a) the lewdest scenes in that other manga are non-diegetic (the manga cuts to imagined workout routines) whereas the lewdness here is part of the actual world, and b) that other manga mostly focuses on the characters' fitness where here the focus is on fatness in defiance of the dieting focus it pretends to maintain. Furthermore, I've seen bits and pieces of future chapters which seem to thicken the elves and stuff up a bit more, as if perhaps Synecdoche has established his manga well enough that he feels comfortable flexing his fetishes.
I think the above paragraph makes it seem as if I disapprove of chubby elves, but that's not exactly the case. The main light elf, Elfuda, is pretty cute, though I must say she does look better when we see her in her fantasy costume with a thinner body. The muffin-top pretty much only exists because she wears shirts too tight for her size; in a sauna chapter, she is naked, and her body just seems proportionately "THICC," where at least the ogre character is shown to have a bit of a gut (but also Olga is sitting in such a manner that allows her tummy to bunch up a bit, whereas Elfuda mostly keeps her back straight while seated). Elfuda is probably the most entertaining character here in terms of the manga's humor, what with her reactions to everything, but this is possibly unfair because she simply gets the most page-time, being the First Girl. (On the subject of Elfuda's reactions, it's plain Synecdoche has a porn background, what with the faces Elfuda makes when getting massaged.)
I essentially started reading this manga because of Kuroeda, and it could be said she's my favorite of the girls (Olga is up there as well). Kuroeda, like Mero and Kusahanada introduced later, has an interesting characteristic of being... well, not really that fat. I guess it's a Japanese thing? It took Japanese manga and games and things many decades before they started to put as much weight (heh) on butts as they've always done for boobs. I personally attribute Kenichiro Takaki (of Senran Kagura fame) for blazing the trail. This manga started in 2017, so it's way ahead of e.g. Atelier Ryza, and the same year as Nier Automata and Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Zelda herself is often drawn with a big ass by fans), so in some ways Synecdoche was way ahead of his time. Kuroeda never looks particularly fat to me, and even when her ass is bunched up in her fantasy costume it just looks like something drawn by NamanikuATK, which to my mind is "normal," but that probably just says I'm too exposed to risqué anime art. And the dark skin light hair combo is always good in manga. And her headband with it reminds me of Kat from Gravity Daze, which reminds me I still haven't played the second one because I'm still mad Sony shit on the Vita, but now I'm getting way off topic.
Mero's personal problem is that her upper arms are flabby, which like Kuroeda before her just seems like a non-issue. Unlike with Kuroeda, this isn't a matter of the reader's personal preference creeping in, so much as it is simply that Mero's arms basically look fine until she grabs the skin to show how flabby they are, meaning Synecdoche isn't really doing a great job at showing what he means to show. It doesn't help that she's wearing long gloves to handle fish yet there's little "skindentation."
Kusahanada isn't really fat at all so much as her design just plays into stereotypical "milf" bodies as depicted in Japanese media. She basically looks the same as the mom from Gundam Build Fighters, who was the star of many H parody doujins. Her weight issue in-story is the first (and, thus far, only) to be almost strictly fantasy; as a mandragora, she blossoms in the sun, so she has a big ass flower on her head causing her shoulder pain.
I've touched on Olga briefly above. She's an ogre with a bit of a gut, in contrast to her otherwise muscular body. Her issue is practically the same as Elfuda's; replace french fries with alcohol. I've said above that she's roughly tied with Kuroeda for my favorite of the girls, but it's almost solely because I like her haircut. But I guess she also has a bit of a Gina Carano thing going on, and that's not something I'm really opposed to (lol).
Lastly, we have Laika the lycanthrope, who is... also pretty much the same deal as Elfuda. She has a bit of a gut from eating too much in the human world. It's possible Synecdoche has already run out of ideas for health concerns, and is only going forward with new and different monster girls. Which is fine, but it makes it seem the manga will eventually just be "THICC Monster Musume. Which is also fine, I guess.
February 13, 2025
Wow, this story sure is puerile and completely unfunny. There is no goal in sight, just strained attempts at humor that fail miserably. Still, if you're looking for health advice, you've come to the right place. It's as dry as the humor, but informative, I guess. It tries to prevent sedentarism and promote healthy eating habits. How is that a story, you ask? It's not. But there are naked breasts half-way through. If you're into the exaggerated hentai knockers, you're covered, even while they are not. Yay, puns!
Elfuda is an elf. She has travelled to Earth from her parallel world through a portal, obviously. How else would you do it? When she discovered the tasty food on our world, she gained too much weight to be able to go back home. She is still struggling to lose that weight, while indulging too much of Earth's delicious French fries. She gets health advice from Naoe, an employee at the Smiley Boar clinic who also helps others with their health issues.
Elfuda is an elf. She has travelled to Earth from her parallel world through a portal, obviously. How else would you do it? When she discovered the tasty food on our world, she gained too much weight to be able to go back home. She is still struggling to lose that weight, while indulging too much of Earth's delicious French fries. She gets health advice from Naoe, an employee at the Smiley Boar clinic who also helps others with their health issues.
January 12, 2021
So, those that are aware of my nerdier obsessions interests, including a webcomic that I follow with an ample amount of, erm, voracity, might be surprised to learn that I've never actually picked up a manga before now. But now that I've popped my cherry, I just gotta say...Fries Before Pride is my new motto. 😉
I mean, sure, the back-to-front/right-to-left format did take some getting used to, but all in all, not bad for my first manga. The artwork was really well done, and I loved that Elfuda and the other monster chicks, while beautiful in their own way, each had their own unique reasons for wanting to get in shape, most of which had nothing to do with vanity. Also, for a story that emphasizes exercise and a well-balanced diet, Naoe — and by extension, the book — wasn't really preachy about losing weight, and even provided some exercises readers can do as well. (And yes, I did have to look up how to pronounce the main dude's name.)
I even enjoyed the little short stories at the end, especially the tanuki one.
Now, for those with delicate sensibilities, be warned that this manga, like many others, contains a bit of nudity. No sex, but you do see some breasts and butt cheeks; everything else, however, is covered up. Not to mention the fact that it is relevant to the plot, given that that particular scene .
Overall Verdict: 8 monster girls out of 10
I mean, sure, the back-to-front/right-to-left format did take some getting used to, but all in all, not bad for my first manga. The artwork was really well done, and I loved that Elfuda and the other monster chicks, while beautiful in their own way, each had their own unique reasons for wanting to get in shape, most of which had nothing to do with vanity. Also, for a story that emphasizes exercise and a well-balanced diet, Naoe — and by extension, the book — wasn't really preachy about losing weight, and even provided some exercises readers can do as well. (And yes, I did have to look up how to pronounce the main dude's name.)
I even enjoyed the little short stories at the end, especially the tanuki one.
Now, for those with delicate sensibilities, be warned that this manga, like many others, contains a bit of nudity. No sex, but you do see some breasts and butt cheeks; everything else, however, is covered up. Not to mention the fact that it is relevant to the plot, given that that particular scene .
Overall Verdict: 8 monster girls out of 10
October 5, 2024
Je trouvais le concept assez sympa et finalement je me suis retrouvé à lire un manga harem dans lequel je vois des fesses toutes les deux pages.
Je ne suis pas le public cible donc j'avoue que je n'ai pas envie de mettre de notes trop sévères, mais la lecture a fini par être très ennuyeuse. Absolument toutes les femmes ont des seins qui mériteraient que le héros leur conseille des exercices vis-à-vis du poids qu'elles doivent porter , c'est ça qui est plutôt ironique.
Le massage très douloureux provoque des orgasmes ridicules et le sous-entendu que les "massages" n'existent pas dans le monde fantastique est un peu étrange ?
Je sur-analyse peut-être un plot qui cherche juste à donner des raisons de montrer des culs d'elfes en permanence , mais du coup je ne lirai pas la suite.
Il y a aussi toute une dimension autour du gras un peu malaisante. L'elfe mets 3 semaines à perdre tout son poids et bon, franchement, elle n'est pas énorme non plus. C'est rafraichissant de voir d'autres types de corps, mais du coup, on est dans une optique de viser des extrêmes entre : je suis une allumette toute fine et je rentre dans des tenues moulantes et je fais du 40 au lieu de 38 OH NON JE SUIS TELLEMENT GROSSE !
Il y a plein de bonnes idées dans ce livre (la mandragore, le concours de sauna...) même si j'enlève tout les aspects "harem" , mais au final quelque chose de "malaisant" rode alors qu'on lit de plus en plus...
Je ne suis pas le public cible donc j'avoue que je n'ai pas envie de mettre de notes trop sévères, mais la lecture a fini par être très ennuyeuse. Absolument toutes les femmes ont des seins qui mériteraient que le héros leur conseille des exercices vis-à-vis du poids qu'elles doivent porter , c'est ça qui est plutôt ironique.
Le massage très douloureux provoque des orgasmes ridicules et le sous-entendu que les "massages" n'existent pas dans le monde fantastique est un peu étrange ?
Je sur-analyse peut-être un plot qui cherche juste à donner des raisons de montrer des culs d'elfes en permanence , mais du coup je ne lirai pas la suite.
Il y a aussi toute une dimension autour du gras un peu malaisante. L'elfe mets 3 semaines à perdre tout son poids et bon, franchement, elle n'est pas énorme non plus. C'est rafraichissant de voir d'autres types de corps, mais du coup, on est dans une optique de viser des extrêmes entre : je suis une allumette toute fine et je rentre dans des tenues moulantes et je fais du 40 au lieu de 38 OH NON JE SUIS TELLEMENT GROSSE !
Il y a plein de bonnes idées dans ce livre (la mandragore, le concours de sauna...) même si j'enlève tout les aspects "harem" , mais au final quelque chose de "malaisant" rode alors qu'on lit de plus en plus...
November 18, 2019
At some point, I'd LOVE to read a pseudo-harem manga without excessive/pointless fan service. Believe me, I love cute girls, and when the story calls for it, I love nude cute girls! This artist, like many others, just has a habit of throwing in angles or situations that really have no actual contribution to the story. :|
That said, there IS a cute story behind the fan service, and there's actually a lot of interesting information about the Japanese approach to weight management and healthy habits. The protagonist wants to help the various characters in this series manage their health and lifestyles without fat-shaming or otherwise criticizing them as people, and the hen-pecking the supporting cast do to each other is all-too-reminiscent of how real people struggling with their self-esteem and appearance take out their frustrations on each other. I liked this enough to keep reading into the second volume.
That said, there IS a cute story behind the fan service, and there's actually a lot of interesting information about the Japanese approach to weight management and healthy habits. The protagonist wants to help the various characters in this series manage their health and lifestyles without fat-shaming or otherwise criticizing them as people, and the hen-pecking the supporting cast do to each other is all-too-reminiscent of how real people struggling with their self-esteem and appearance take out their frustrations on each other. I liked this enough to keep reading into the second volume.
January 17, 2019
Sometimes people just like stuff because of the obvious reasons.
That said, this is actually a well thought out and amusing set of stories with some helpful advice about light exercise and dieting to help people get in shape and generally function better overall.
Not gonna lie here there's also plenty of naked ladies of the monsterous/fantasy variety. YMMV as far as that's concerned because I know neither you nor your personal preferences. You like ladies? It got ladies. You like ladies with some wideness? It got ladies with some wideness. You like fantasy/monster girls? It got fantasy monster girls. You like all of those together then stop reading this review and go buy it.
Anyway, I can't say this'll do it for everybody but my rating should make it clear about what I think about it.
That said, this is actually a well thought out and amusing set of stories with some helpful advice about light exercise and dieting to help people get in shape and generally function better overall.
Not gonna lie here there's also plenty of naked ladies of the monsterous/fantasy variety. YMMV as far as that's concerned because I know neither you nor your personal preferences. You like ladies? It got ladies. You like ladies with some wideness? It got ladies with some wideness. You like fantasy/monster girls? It got fantasy monster girls. You like all of those together then stop reading this review and go buy it.
Anyway, I can't say this'll do it for everybody but my rating should make it clear about what I think about it.
July 4, 2021
Oof. I had a feeling I wouldn't like it , but I was curious and didn't even read to see the genre. First mistake. Like other reviews pointed out it includes fat shaming and talks about dieting. Features 'well-endowed' women who have sexual reactions sometimes (as is common in this genre I think).
The premise is Elfuda can't enter the gateway to her home since her weight has changed (really?). And so Naoe (average boring dude) from an Osteopathic and Diet place helps her. They meet more mythical creatures, all women and sexualized somehow.
Some wrote that at least it features plus-sized women, but really they just have a belly and massive boobs and/or butts. They're just sexualized this isn't inclusion lol.
It wasn't particularly funny either.
The premise is Elfuda can't enter the gateway to her home since her weight has changed (really?). And so Naoe (average boring dude) from an Osteopathic and Diet place helps her. They meet more mythical creatures, all women and sexualized somehow.
Some wrote that at least it features plus-sized women, but really they just have a belly and massive boobs and/or butts. They're just sexualized this isn't inclusion lol.
It wasn't particularly funny either.
October 12, 2022
J'ai vraiment passe un très bon moment avec ce manga...
Il m'a fait sourire et a des moment rire ..
Un manga rafraîchissant hors du commun rempli d'être fantastique plus marrants et loufoques les uns que les autres...
En le lisant on apprend des astuces pour le corps et les problèmes physiques... C très sympathiques !!! Et bien sûr l'aliment favoris de notre pin-up n'est d'autre que le frites peut importe lesquelles, elles sont toutes délicieuses avec une préférence pour les frites allumettes qd même 😅😅
Il m'a fait sourire et a des moment rire ..
Un manga rafraîchissant hors du commun rempli d'être fantastique plus marrants et loufoques les uns que les autres...
En le lisant on apprend des astuces pour le corps et les problèmes physiques... C très sympathiques !!! Et bien sûr l'aliment favoris de notre pin-up n'est d'autre que le frites peut importe lesquelles, elles sont toutes délicieuses avec une préférence pour les frites allumettes qd même 😅😅
October 29, 2018
Fantasy creatures? Chubby girls? French fries? I feel like this manga was specifically written for me. 😍 I was surprised that this book has a lot of physical therapy exercises in it (with descriptions!). Some of these are part of my own low-impact exercises, which is ironic. On top of it all, the book is also pretty damn funny. Definitely one of the best new manga I’ve read this year. Kudos to seven seas entertainment for releasing this. I’ll be buying every volume.
December 27, 2020
Elfuda, who cannot give up her fries, needs to lose weight so she can return to her homeworld.
This was a silly, fun manga. I completely understand the lure of those hot french fries, though over-the-top sweets are my downfall. I liked the exercises and stretches included in the story, and that the massage specialist is not falling into bed with the various monster ladies. There was way too much boobs for boobs sake for me, but to each his own. I'll give the second volume a try.
This was a silly, fun manga. I completely understand the lure of those hot french fries, though over-the-top sweets are my downfall. I liked the exercises and stretches included in the story, and that the massage specialist is not falling into bed with the various monster ladies. There was way too much boobs for boobs sake for me, but to each his own. I'll give the second volume a try.
June 20, 2022
Me llamó la atención la portada y el título, y entré a leer el libro con ganas de ver criaturas mágicas y cuerpos hermosamente pachoncitos, ¡y eso obtuve! y... nada más.
No es que me haya desagradado tanto este primer libro, estuvo lindo y el dibujo me parece admirable, pero nada en el guion (los chistes, los personajes, su mundo) me dejó con ganas de leer más; al menos para mi gusto personal, fue demasiado monotemático.
No es que me haya desagradado tanto este primer libro, estuvo lindo y el dibujo me parece admirable, pero nada en el guion (los chistes, los personajes, su mundo) me dejó con ganas de leer más; al menos para mi gusto personal, fue demasiado monotemático.
August 2, 2020
Behold the true power of thicc. In this manga, thicc comes in all different shapes and sizes and it's quite wonderful. This manga artist truly knows how to draw the thicc, so for once, the characters genuinely look thicc, not just slightly bigger than usual. I also actually learned something about dieting, which is fun. This manga was light-hearted and stupid and I really enjoyed it.
August 7, 2020
Entertaining "Reverse" Isekai story of a magical Elf girl who lands in our world and falls in love with French fries, with terrible consequences. She struggles to regain her Sylvan figure but fries are just too tempting! Lightly entertaining but I don't see how this one joke can sustain a series so I doubt I'll progress beyond this volume.
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