Double, Vol. 1

Double #1

by Ayako Noda

Yujin Kamoshima y Takara Takarada son actores que pertenecen a la misma
compañía de teatro. Son vecinos en unos departamentos baratos en los cuales
conviven. Aunque ambos son desconocidos, Yujin se ha dado cuenta de la
extraordinaria capacidad interpretativa de Takara, por lo cual lo apoyará en su
intento de dar a conocer su talento al mundo. Él mismo desea “convertirse en el
mejor actor del mundo”. Poco a poco, las personas que los rodean descubren el
talento de Takara…

Genres: Manga, LGBT, Graphic Novels, Yaoi, Seinen, Boys Love, Asian Literature

168 pages, Paperback

Published February 1, 2022

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the story so much!

The fun, the frolic, the silence and the drama of the glamour world in the lives of an actor and their double.

No one sees the one who plays the role of double for popular actors and no one would recognise them ever.

This manga highlights some issues related to this and also, the points of view of both the actor and the one playing his double.

The artstyle is just perfect and the art sequence is just what makes the read more enjoyable.

The first volume is coming out in January 2022.

Go for it. Recommending it for hardcore manga lovers as well as for the beginners.

Thank you, TOKYOPOP and the author/artist, for the advance reader copy.

[Anna Quilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

just a weird start to a manga...which I'm assuming is telling the story of two young guys...one with natural talent as an actor..the other who seems to spend much of the time supporting him

[Hal · Rating 3 out of 5]

arc provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This story follows two friends and actors, but one of them acts more as a manager for his friend than anything. He lets him get the big roles and stands on the sidelines to help even though inside he wants those roles too.

I liked this first volume! It was a great introduction to the two main characters and how vastly different their personalities are. Takara is way more dependant on Yuujin to the point where he can’t even get into character without his help. I like the bond the two have!

Though I am curious to see how that will progress in future volumes as there seem to be some cracks in the foundation of their friendship. I’m interested to see if Yuujin will continue to stay on the sidelines or if he will attempt to become a star in his own right.

If you like theatre, acting and a deep bond of friendship, check this one out!

3/5⭐️

[Spudpuppy]

I’m gonna be honest I only picked this up bc I thought it was gay. It isn’t. Well.

[BlerdyMama · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading the description I honestly thought this manga was about two friends that are turning rivals though their love of acting. I feel like I’m not that far of, but still wrong on that assumption.

We have Takada clueless without the guidance of his friend Yuujin, rising to fame. Yuujin is basically his unofficial manager and does a very good job honestly. He’s a good actor himself but he sees the true potential in Takada and does whatever it takes to make him shine. It’s as if only he can really tap into that hidden talent and really bring it out, there’s a few scenes in the second volume that really shows this.

The art style in this manga is very visually pleasing and helps the story come alive. There’s a scene in the second volume where we have a Director guiding and actress through a scene. He has her try different expressions for the same line numerous times, the mangaka illustrated this so well that even though the writing punctuations didn’t change, we still end up reading them in the tone the director asks for based of the detail in facial expression alone. That’s just something small I was blown away by and wanted to mention haha.

Volume one is like an introductory type volume to get a feel for the two main characters I guess? I didn’t dislike it but I preferred how things picked up in the second volume. I wish there was romance, more drama or something but not really, perhaps as the story progresses things will come together more? I like it enough to push through but I don’t LOVE it if that makes sense.


•The publisher was kind enough to allow me a [Digital-ARC] to review, however my thoughts are unbiased and my own•

[Dinnu Reads Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this manga through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The main characters were honestly not the most relatable or likeable couple of friends….Very codependent, one being incapable of any independence and the other simultaneously wanting to be needed by the first one and despising it and probably being a bit jealous of his success as well. It’s a very unhealthy relationship and so far I have not seen anything balancing that out…🤨
The art was okay and the characters were quite Japanese this time around.The plot had a few quite nice scenes as well, so it does have some potential for a better sequel…🙂

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

The two main characters in this are best friends and are so close that one of them is constantly his acting double in case he can't make it to a production. They are actors first and friends second. I think friends is stretching it a bit because they don't seem to like each other a whole lot but they respect each other and rely on each other. The story was an interesting insight into acting and what it's like to move forward in the industry but there wasn't a lot compelling about it. The characters were also quite flat.

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just did not enjoy this manga at all. It was boring, rambling, and tedious. There's not much of a plot. Two actors are best friends and one has this unexplainable devotion to the other, doing everything from waking him up in the morning to cleaning his apartment and getting his gigs, to the point where his friend literally cannot function without him. It actually seems like a very unhealthy relationship. The one doing all the work comes across as taken advantage of, but neither man feels that way, even though the one is running himself ragged. And...that's the whole plot. There is no subplot, no romance, and literally nothing interesting going on. Eventually the catered-to man gets a TV bit part and he absolutely sucks at it, so his friend has to train him how to play the character and he finally does a good job. Then he gets all the accolades and a promise of more work, while the guy who's actually doing all the work steadily fades into the background. Honestly, it's kind of depressing. But mostly I was just bored.

I wouldn't read this again and won't continue this series.

[kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to enjoy this! But I found the art inconsistent, and a bit off-putting if I'm being completely honest. The story itself has the trappings to be interesting, but it took so long to actually get interesting. It wasn't gripping and I had trouble connecting with the characters, it felt like it was trying too hard to be moody.

[Hypatia's Dream · Rating 5 out of 5]

Manga Line comienza el año con grandes lanzamientos y entre ellos este titulo. DOUBLE.

Double nos cuenta la historia de Takara Takarada y Yuujin Kamoshima, chicos que se conocieron en el ejercicio del teatro y actualmente actores que pertenecen a la misma compañía.

Como dato adicional el manga Double debutó en el sitio web Flat Hero de Hero's Inc en enero de 2019, la historia fue galardonada con el premio a la Excelencia en el 23 ° Festival de Artes de Medios de Japón en 2020 y hoy en día se encuentra en planes de realizarse un Dorama de esta historia.

En su vida cotidiana Takara y Yuujin habitan departamentos cercanos y pasan tiempo juntos ensayando libretos, entre otras actividades. Takara está a punto de recibir un papel actoral en un dorama con destacados actores y Yuujin está decidido a ayudarlo a tener éxito y apoyarlo en su sueño de convertirse en un actor de renombre mundial, incluso si Yuujin tiene que estar a su sombra. Pero a medida que el mundo de la actuación comienza a darse cuenta, es más fácil decirlo que hacerlo.

Personajes:

Takara Takarada: Actor de 30 años, protagonista de la historia.

Yuujin Kamochima: Actor de 30 años, coprotagonista en este volumen.

Hideo Mizuno: Director de la compañía de teatro EIYÚ

Kazue Tsumeta: Manager de la agencia de entretenimientos FLAT

Tsukumo Todoroki: Actor de renombre de 30 años.

Minami Kan'no: Actriz

Takashi Komatsushima: Actor

Akio Wakamatsu: Director

Formato MangaLine México:

El formato que se ha elegido para este manga es B6, con una periodicidad de distribución trimestral. Son 4 tomos recopilatorios de este título.

Consta de una sobrecubierta y el formato llamado Tankoubon en pasta suave con páginas en blanco y negro como lo es normalmente para todos los mangas, el plus que nos brindan en MangaLine es la entrega del separador con un diseño acorde a Double, una postal y unas bellas tarjetas de colección. Son increíbles!

Por supuesto no falta la bolsa para proteger tu manga del polvo y mantenerlo en buen estado.


Recomiendo 100% esta editorial y todos sus nuevos lanzamientos que iremos reseñando este mes. Puedes adquirirlo directamente a través de su página en línea:

https://mangaline.com.mx/

Entra a nuestro grupo de WhatsApp y acompáñanos en las sesiones del coloquio literario Hypatia's Dream dónde te enterarás de como ganar alguno de los lanzamientos de MangaLine a través de este enlace:

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Visita nuestro blog literario y apoya nuestros post para tener más oportunidades de recibir los siguientes lanzamientos de MangaLine.

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Reseña por: Ambar Nepomuceno
Sala de Lectura: Hypatia's Dream

[Raquel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both Yuujin and Takara are actors, but Takara can only reach his full potential with the help of Yuujin. Despite this Takara is given more opportunities while Yuujin struggles to fulfill his dream of being the best actor in the world. When Takara is scouted by a talent agency he is given his first role in a TV show, but he finds himself still needing the help of Yuujin to play his role right.

I don’t know why I love psychological manga like this so much, but I do. Maybe because it feels more realistic by examining the nuances of relationships. The conflicting emotions of caring about someone but also kind of despising them intrigues me. That dynamic between Yuujin and Takara drew me in. I want to know what will become of their relationship because it doesn’t seem sustainable.

Yuujin and Takara were both interesting characters. They became more interesting when they were together though, which is why I wish they had more moments together. Yuujin was rarely in the second half of the book and I realized I was reading it so quickly because I was eager to get to a scene where Yuujin and Takara were interacting. For a story that is focused on their relationship they weirdly don’t interact much. I also am just a sucker for the relationship dynamic between a ditzy person and a friend who decides to take care of them because they fail at taking care of themselves.

The art was amazing. The mangaka did a great job with their expressions, especially while the characters were acting.

I wish I could pick up the next volume right away because I want to know what’ll happen next. Takara seems completely ignorant of how he’s making his friend feel and Yuujin has every right to feel frustration about that. I really hope Yuujin goes off on Takara so he’ll finally understand how unfair he’s being.

[Whimsy Dearest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Double, Vol. 1 by Ayako Noda is a brilliant and compelling psychological drama about two actors from the same acting troupe who don’t exactly share the healthiest of relationships.

There’s Takara who possesses a natural, raw talent. However, he's absentminded and needs help staying on track and memorizing lines.

Yuujin, on the other hand, is a disciplined actor who’s in part envious of Takara’s acting abilities while another twisted part of him secretly likes having Takara rely on him. He’s determined to help Takara succeed in the acting world, but whether he’s content with living in Takara’s shadow remains to be seen …

I think what strikes me most about this manga is how beautifully it captures what it means to act as well as how raw and earnest its characters are. There’s a messiness and believability to them that makes them feel so utterly human.

This is only Volume 1, but we get foreboding hints of something darker to come, and even though I think it’s going to emotionally wreck me, I can’t wait to continue this ride since this is hands down the best acting manga I’ve read since Act-Age.

Thank you, NetGalley and Tokyopop, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Momo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 Stars. (Was going to give it 2.5 originally but I love the art style too much for that)

This is the first manga I've found that is centered around acting. I'm not too big on acting and it shows in my rating but I still had to check this out and I ended up enjoying it :). I loved the relationship between our two main characters and I really hope I will get to see them again in another volume! If you like acting/theater you should check this out because you might like it :)

There were a few spots that were boring to me and it did take me a few days to get through this because of that. I liked the amount of content in this volume and I love this art style but the story overall isn't my taste much. I do like slice-of-life stories though so I'm assuming why this turned out to be a 3 star to me :). There were a few characters that I really didn't like but that's pretty much expected from the few acting stories I've read and from doing plays and acting in general. I definitely would continue this story and hopefully, I get to review the next volumes for NetGalley again!

Disclaimer: I read this arc copy on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Eule Luftschloss · Rating 3 out of 5]

When these two actors work together, one as assistant and one as performer, they achieve greatness - which catches the eye of an agent who offers a contract. But only for one of them.

I enjoyed reading something so far apart from the stories I usually consume in manga form. This is neither a shônen adventure nor a love story, which seem to be the main things published in Germany. In this, the characters and their relationship dynamics felt very real.
As great as this sounds, Ihave to admit I didn't care about anything. Now, I had a very stressful day and it might have been me, but it might have been the manga. I'd need another installment to make sure, which I don't have as this one is just in publishing.

The illustration style is incredibly detailed, all centering on the characters instead of giving them fancy ruffeled clothing or adding minuscule details to the background, which I liked a lot.
And if given the chance, I am sure I'd read on, but again, I would not go out of my way to find more of this story.

The arc was provided by the publisher.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you so much to IPG and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC; it is greatly appreciated.

The story concept is by far my favorite part. New actor Takara can only act out a character in the way his best friend, Yuujin, tells him to. Unfortunately, we don't get to see too much of this dynamic in the first volume, but you can definitely tell it's going to be the main conflict of the manga.

I do wish it had gone into more detail on why Yuujin has taken such a backseat role, but I assume that will be better explained in later volumes. However, I don't think this volume has intrigued me enough to want to continue with this series. There were too many "empty" scenes that just don't progress the story, so it just doesn't feel like we got much out of this volume.

The art style is not my favorite either. It is very character focused, with little detail in the background. However, the faces felt a bit off to me through most of the book, so it was a little too uncanny valley.

Overall, the concept is interesting, but the art and storytelling just don't keep up.

[Siina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Double is surely interesting, somewhat creepy and odd at the same time. Yuujin and Takara are both actiors, who live next to each other and Takara's life is basically managed by Yuujin. Because Yuujin was cast as Takara's double, he gets to see up close the talent of the man and decides he wants Takara to succeed. Thus Yuujin becomes the mother basically in a sense, but the relationship is weird even still and we get to know it piece and by piece. I enjoyed the dark bromance setting that borders creepy. Takara is so out of it all and Yuujin seems to be the sane one, but at the same time their images overlap. Noda has manged to put very heavy atmosphere in the series and it's hard to say what happens next.

The art is very mature and realistic. There's lots of text, so it takes time to read this, but the text is profound and paints the series with realism. Not a lot happens, but mostly the story is about the guys' personas and how they work in the acting world and then what is left unsaid. Double is surely refreshing, although heavy too. The topic is super great!

[Vera Kabushemeye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in love with this series! The art is striking, beautiful. I love the style and it is perfectly suited to tell this story that is very much on the dark, psychological side but also has funny moments.
There is so much to praise in the detail of the background, the composition, the line work - all of it!

The characters are complex and Noda expertly delivers information about them all. Just enough to keep you interested, questioning without doing full-on exposition. This helps us keep up in the now of the story.

If I have any reservations, it is most likely about the portrayal of mental wellness and harrassment. This is not to say that it is done poorly but rather, it is a work in progress (and I have read the first 4 volumes), and I have not seen it being treated with any seriousness - except for the agent. That said, I can see how this could just be an issue arising from the fact that this is the attitude in the industry.

These thoughts apply to this volume through volume 4.

[Tania · Rating 3 out of 5]

Como que sí y como que no. Por la sinopsis pensé que nacería acá una rivalidad porque dice que Yuujin es elegido como el doble de Takara y no, de eso no va la historia. Yuujin es casi el manager de Takara porque este es un incompetente en todo sentido al grado de no saber leer sus guiones y el primero dice que no le importa estar a su sombra, pero nel, quién va a creer eso en una industria donde los estelares son contadísimos y el éxito algo demasiado efímero.

No soy fan de los personajes que no son buenos para absolutamente nada que no sea su "talento" y que tienen al resto haciendo todo por ellos. Y ese es el foco del primer volumen: Yuujin actúa primero todo para Takara y este le imprime su esencia. Su relación es más simbiótica de lo que parece y eso, supongo, les traerá inconvenientes en el futuro porque una acá ya hay una triple interpretación: la que indica la obra, la lectura que le da Yuujin y finalmente lo que Takara muestra al espectador.

Por lo mientras, Takara ya fue contratado por una agencia de talentos.

[Cay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Tokyopop for a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Double was a solid read with steady pacing about two young actors with a very dependent relationship. Takara Takarada becomes the more successful of the two and Yuujin Kamoshima is left in the wings—even though he is arguably the cornerstone to Takarada's success. I wish Kamoshima's internal struggles were explored more in this first volume, and I hope to see the tension between Takarada and Kamoshima come to a breaking point in the next volume as well.

Story and Art: Ayako Noda

Editor: Lena Atanssova
Translator: Massiel Gutierrez
Copy Editor: Tina Tsent
Quality Check: Daichi Nemoto
Proofreader: Katie Kimura
Graphic Designer: Sol DeLeo
Editorial Associate: Janae Young
Retouching and Lettering: Vibrraant Publishing Studio
Licensing Specialist: Arika Yanaka
Eidotr-in-Chief and Publisher: Stu Levy

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a weird one. I liked the premise a lot (which is why I chose to read thanks to netgalley), but overall I am not sure what I think.

The good thing about this book is the relationship between the two main characters. You can really see their dependence on each other. I am not sure if it is a romance, but there are some hints of it. If I do continue to read this series, I hope it goes more into their relationship and the past. What made them the way they are now? And this book lays a good foundation for any later drama between them. The art was good, though I am not sure if it was the version I was reading, but it felt a little cramped. I got confused on who was who between the actors on the TV set because the art of their faces seemed to change between panels. I thought there was a lot more to explore with the plot and characters. It took me way longer to read than usual with its confusing choices. I hope it improves over series, but for now, it is just okay.

[EyrisReadsTheWorld · Rating 5 out of 5]

Une vraie pépite

Mots Clés : manga, seinen, théâtre

Olala, une vraie surprise ce manga. Au debut, le personnage principal recite son texte et je me suis dit « ok, ca va être un peu chiant ». Eh bah, pas du tout. Je suis très contente de m’être trompé.

J’ai adoré ce premier tome. On suit deux acteurs : Takara qui est très bon acteur et Yujin qui l’aide, qui est son ombre et sans qui rien n’est possible. Je pense que ce qui m’a séduit le plus est l’expressivité des visages et des corps. Les dessins sont magnifiques et on ressent toute l’émotion du personnage. L’histoire m’a aussi conquise car on sent qu’un drame va arriver mais on ne sait pas encore quoi. L’amitié entre Takara et Yujin m’a l’air plutôt complexe et j’ai hâte d’en apprendre plus.

Je recommande à toute personne cherchant un manga aux dessins particulièrement expressifs.

5/5

Merci Netgalley pour cette eCopie en échange de mon honnête opinion

[Oxana Tomova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Double is a manga about two friends who work as actors in a teather.
The two main characters have an interesting dynamic - one is barely functional as an adult, but (with the correct directions) is an exceptional actor; the other is a sort of a parent figure for the first (cooks, cleans, even wakes him up) but considers himself not as good when it comes to acting. They spend of a lot of their days together and at times have the old married couple vibe, which serves mostly for comic relief.
The plot is still working up but it's interesting and I am curious to see what happens next.
I'd recommed the book to anyone interested in the premise, unless you expect something very fast-paced.

*Thanks to NetGalley and TOKYOPOP for providing me with an free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.*

[Carly Waldman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars ( I received an e-arc from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review)

This a weird manga, originally I tried reading this arc on the kindle app but the format did not work well. Pocketbook works much better for reading graphic novels/ manga anyways. Yuujin and Takara work together in a theatre company and are close friends. Yuujin pretty much is Takkara’s manager and acting coach and does everything while running himself into the ground. Takara gets scouted by an entertainment agency now giving him his own manager (who has their work cut out for them). You can see how much Takara relies on Yuujin and how much he’s is behind Takara’s acting ability.

[Niche · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an odd one. At it's heart it's the story of two actors in a platonic co-dependent relationship. The one has the insight and the other the talent, though the latter feels like an eccentrically depicted neurodivergent introvert who takes method acting to an extreme. It hovered on the border between compelling and annoying, the "talent" actor being pretty much a hot mess in everything but his acting. It also threw me a little that there's a lot of discussion about how striking and attractive some of the characters look that left me scratching my head. Overall, I was left with a positive impression, but I can't really say it held my interest enough to continue.

[Marureviere · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first volume of *Double* by NODA Ayako immediately drew me into the tangled relationship between Takara and Yujin. I love how it sets the stage for their dynamic—Takara is effortlessly charismatic, while Yujin stays in his shadow, quietly supporting him while struggling with his own insecurities. The subtle power imbalance between them is fascinating, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how much Yujin sacrifices for Takara, even as it clearly takes a toll on him. The understated art in this volume perfectly captures the tension and unspoken emotions between them, making it a deeply engaging introduction to their story. It left me eager to see how their relationship will evolve.

[Forthright . · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two young men are struggling to make a name for themselves as actors. One is so knowledgeable. The other is so dazzlingly talented. Mr. Knowledgeable sees the staggering potential of his friend and decides to dedicate his life to making sure the whole world sees what his does. In a way, he becomes his friend's manager, his coach, his director, and his stand-in whenever there's a scheduling conflict. In essence, his double.

Slice-of-life about a couple of driven men. Tense. Inteesting. Atypical.

[Joseph Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

A kind of interesting concept about a pair of actors who, individually are incomplete, but come together to give amazing and compelling performances. The way the author presents the relation of the savant and the muse is interesting, like a programmer and a computer that can do more than the human can, but who needs to be told what and how to do it. However, the plots of what they were acting in feel incompletely described, taking us out too far out of the situation. It has potential, but it remains to be seen what the author does with it.

[Log · Rating 3 out of 5]

My sister has been trying to sell me on this cause I can't stop reading gay toxic codependency books, and so far this does deliver. Very intrigued to see how it develops.

The relationship between the main 2 characters is set up well, with the classic trope of one has the talent/looks, but not the passion, while the other has passion but lacks something and has to work harder to succeed. Two birds on a wire type beat.

Art style is cool but not quite my thing. I do love the expressions though, they're rlly intense and fitting for an actor plot.

[Knigoqdec · Rating 3 out of 5]

Приятно е това заглавие, малко по-нестандартно от другите, на които попадах досега през платформата на NetGalley. Главно защото артът е малко по-необичаен, една идея по-западен, или поне такова усещане оставяше. Иначе действието е като в типична японска манга - един хиперактивен и грижовен тип и един почти нехранимайко, само че гениален. Води се джосей, макар че като че ли има малко BL намеци... или ми е писано да се забавлявам, измисляйки си такива :D

[Ady Weasley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yujin y Takara son dos actores de teatro que son buenos en lo que hacen, sin embargo Yujin es el Doble de Takara, pues él sabe y espera que Takara triunfe como el mejor actor, aunque así mismo él quiere ser reconocido como actor por sus propios méritos

Me intrigó la historia pues parece haber una relación amor odio entre los dos por parte de Yujin. Y por otro lado Takara parece muy inocente y dependiente de Yujin, espero seguir la historia