Niiice. That was a good punch and the Hadis was badass, soft one moment and sadistic in the next. I liked that the rival gave up so easy and the way Jill gathered everyone together so quickly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This is a good reminder of why I usually stick to cosier manga. I first came across this series through the anime trailer and thought it looked interesting. When I realised it was based on a manga, I picked up the first two volumes to give a try.
From the start, I was intrigued but also uneasy. The story follows Jill, who is 16 when she learns her fate, only to go back in time and find herself at 10 years old again. I enjoy time travel stories, and that premise alone drew me in. But then the plot quickly introduces an engagement between Jill, at 10, and a 19-year-old emperor.
Now, I know this is set in a fictionalised historical world, and cultural context plays a big part in how relationships like this are portrayed in certain media. While I can understand where the idea may have come from, it was something I personally found uncomfortable to read.
In volume 2, we learn more about why the emperor must marry someone young to break a curse. Nothing inappropriate happens between the characters, but for me, the underlying dynamic still felt unsettling. It also raised some broader questions about how female characters are sometimes positioned in stories. Even when they’re meant to be the heroine. I kept hoping Jill’s real mental age (her 16-year-old self) would come into play with characters around her, but when that wasn’t explored, I realised this wasn’t going to be the series for me.
That said, I want to note that the artwork is beautifully done. The character designs and worldbuilding details are striking. Ultimately, though, the storyline didn’t sit right with me, so I’ll be leaving it here. 2 Stars.
Jill and Emperor Hadis have to deal with a treasonous attack against the nation. Jill is being blamed for it, so she has to clear her name and save the emperor.
The ’courtship’ progresses like before. Hadis woos Jill with his baking and cooking, and she resists with all her might—she is only ten, after all, even if it’s her second life. It’s still a bit creepy how everyone treats the pairing as normal, mostly because she acts her true age and has great powers.
There’s no cliffhanger ending, but we’ll probably see Jill trying to break Hadis’s curse. Looking forward to reading more.
The mercenaries somehow seem less organized and in fewer numbers with the manga version than the light novel implied, though this would oddly make it even more understanding that Jill's plans could work so well when she's just one little girl, especially when you factor in her own power and training. He conversations with Rave are amusing, and the emperor's antics are as entertaining as ever. It's good to finally see Camilla and Zeke as well, and Sphere stepping up as expected. Now they'll just have to survive the prince.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This was a marked improvement over the first volume. The actual romance between Hadis and Jill is still pretty creepy, but its not as bad as before. The action and art in this series is really solid, I'm impressed and pleased with it. That cliffhanger ending has me intrigued and I can't wait to see Gerald's and Hadis' inevitable showdown. Here's hoping this improved quality continues through the rest of the series.
I really enjoyed this volume better then last volume. The action in this series is pretty good. Jill and hadis have a deal with a treasonous attack the nation. So jill get blamed fot it so now she has to clear her name and save thr emperor. Gonna read next volume now
With the marque plot resolved we get to slide into the first goddess encounter with the next volume. So far the manga is following the novels pretty close.