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Usotoki Rhetoric #1
Usotoki Rhetoric Volume 1
It is 1926, the first year of the Showa era. Urabe Kanoko has left her hometown after it turns against her for having the ability to hear lies when spoken. She collapses from hunger after arriving in a town called Tsukumoya, where she meets a poverty-stricken detective named Iwai Soma. Is this fate? Or something more?
192 pages, Paperback
First published June 20, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
May 21, 2025
Ein ganz interessanter Sherlock/Watson-like Krimimanga, der in der Showa-Zeit Japans spielt. Kanoko kann hören, wenn jemand aktiv lügt, was dazu führt, dass sie ihr Dorf verlässt, da sie dort alle für unheimlich halten. Über witzige Umstände, trifft sie Soma, einen super armen Detektiv, der ebenfalls irgendeine Gabe hat (die nicht erklärt wird.) Zusammen fangen Sie an, Fälle zu übernehmen.
Ich fand die Idee spannend - die Lügen sind im manga auch deutlich gekennzeichnet, was ne cool rübergebracht wurde. Die beiden sind ziemlich witzig zusammen, weil es immer wieder kleine Comedy-Einlagen gibt - vorallem im Bezug auf Somas Armut :D . Die Fälle selber sind jetzt noch nicht ultra spannend oder schwer zu lösen, aber das kommt vermutlich noch - dazu vermute ich, dass die beiden möööglicherweise eine Romanze beginnen, es würde zumindest gut passen :3 (ich hab keine Ahnung, wie hoch der Altersunterschied ist, aber vermutlich schon 5 Jahre oder mehr, but pff).
Ich fand die Idee spannend - die Lügen sind im manga auch deutlich gekennzeichnet, was ne cool rübergebracht wurde. Die beiden sind ziemlich witzig zusammen, weil es immer wieder kleine Comedy-Einlagen gibt - vorallem im Bezug auf Somas Armut :D . Die Fälle selber sind jetzt noch nicht ultra spannend oder schwer zu lösen, aber das kommt vermutlich noch - dazu vermute ich, dass die beiden möööglicherweise eine Romanze beginnen, es würde zumindest gut passen :3 (ich hab keine Ahnung, wie hoch der Altersunterschied ist, aber vermutlich schon 5 Jahre oder mehr, but pff).
October 18, 2022
This was such a fun and unexpected read!
I use to be a huge mystery reader many many many years ago and don't think I've read an actual mystery manga as I have with this one, which was such a nice change of pace! Granted, I confess I wasn't super hooked at first and think I for whatever reason got confused about the working relationship between two characters because once the focus was mainly on our heroine, I found myself completely sucked into the story. I wanted to see how she would find her place in this new village and be able to use her unique ability of knowing when someone is lying.
Throw in Mr. Iwai who not only helps our heroine feel special (not in a romantic sense) and useful, but also brings consistent points of humor that had me smiling more often than not. However, I do second Urabe that he is very cool too! They make a really nice balance and confess I couldn't help but hope there will be an inkling of romance in the upcoming volumes, despite that I did like there wasn't anything romantic about their conversations in this volume.
I thought the mystery itself was great and was perfect for readers like me who 9.5 times out of 10 always get the suspect wrong (LOL) and without an overwhelming amount of details to keep track of. Seeing Urabe's ability come into play may seem like some of the questioning is limiting, but it is also very fascinating how Mr. Iwai knows how to ask just the right questions that really help her ability shine.
Overall, this was a great first volume! I am looking forward to volume two's release and seeing Urabe grow in confidence as well as what people she will help next. Definitely recommend it to those who are fans of mystery stories and/or looking for a non-romantic shojo manga that is a unique and fun read!
I use to be a huge mystery reader many many many years ago and don't think I've read an actual mystery manga as I have with this one, which was such a nice change of pace! Granted, I confess I wasn't super hooked at first and think I for whatever reason got confused about the working relationship between two characters because once the focus was mainly on our heroine, I found myself completely sucked into the story. I wanted to see how she would find her place in this new village and be able to use her unique ability of knowing when someone is lying.
Throw in Mr. Iwai who not only helps our heroine feel special (not in a romantic sense) and useful, but also brings consistent points of humor that had me smiling more often than not. However, I do second Urabe that he is very cool too! They make a really nice balance and confess I couldn't help but hope there will be an inkling of romance in the upcoming volumes, despite that I did like there wasn't anything romantic about their conversations in this volume.
I thought the mystery itself was great and was perfect for readers like me who 9.5 times out of 10 always get the suspect wrong (LOL) and without an overwhelming amount of details to keep track of. Seeing Urabe's ability come into play may seem like some of the questioning is limiting, but it is also very fascinating how Mr. Iwai knows how to ask just the right questions that really help her ability shine.
Overall, this was a great first volume! I am looking forward to volume two's release and seeing Urabe grow in confidence as well as what people she will help next. Definitely recommend it to those who are fans of mystery stories and/or looking for a non-romantic shojo manga that is a unique and fun read!
September 16, 2023
cute little mystery manga🧡
February 29, 2024
A really fun first volume! The main character's ability to detect lies is interesting and used well. It makes sense that she wouldn't be popular in her home village, and would struggle with how to use or ignore her abilities. It's implied early on that hearing lies is at least physically uncomfortable for her, if not outright painful. Making her a detective is an obvious choice, but it also makes sense to pair her with an experienced detective, so they can combine her ability as a human lie detector with his more seasoned deductive reasoning. The mysteries showcased in this volume are good, but they're both over so fast that I didn't really have time to try any deductions for myself. Maybe later volumes will have more involved cases. I also liked the touches of humor that lighten up the book without getting too goofy. I'll definitely be looking for the next volume in this series.
June 1, 2023
a delightful little first volume that i’m really looking forward to reaching next week in my course on detective fiction!
May 12, 2025
A fun start! The mangaka has clearly done their research, as evidenced by how elaborate the clothes and settings are. As a result, the series is imbued with a strong sense of time and place. I appreciate how Kanoko's powers doesn't give her a shortcut to solving cases; she very much needs Iwai's deduction skills and observational powers to piece together what's going on. My only criticism is that the translation is clunky and unclear at times.
July 16, 2023
This was actually super fun!
I have heard people mention this book a few times and decided to pick up Volume 1 not too long ago. I had a few instances of opening and closing the book too frequently. This made me lose slight interest and I am not sure if it was the actual content or the fact I was not able to sit down and read this all in one (as I usually do with most manga volumes).
Anyways, on to the mini review (also my 50th book review/read in 2023... kinda cool).
This first instalment was absolutely jam-packed. There was a lot of content covered, and I really enjoyed reading. The art was absolutely gorgeous. There's something about the art style that is enthralling and show-stopping. You can tell how detailed each panel is, even if there is not much going on in general in each section. The attention to detail is really fine!
The story and characters itself were great.
The story was great, action-packed, and dealt with things relatively quickly. It's still interesting but a bit faster moving than I originally expected.It's not a bad thing, though! It's just new for me.
The main character, Urabe Kanoko, seems to have a lot of pent-up trauma, and this is really highlighted in most of the scenes she faces anyone. Though she is super cool and her kimono is also really cool, there's something about her character that I can't put my finger on. Feels a bit like you love or hate her, to be honest. The main male lead Iwai Soma is also such a cool character. His character is easy-going, which makes him an easily likeable character. Thankfully, there's still a tinge of mystery surrounding his works and why he is good at what he does. There is still room to see how he acts as a person and know him deeply. This also applies to Kanoko, too!
Downsides may be the super fast pace I felt like the beginning of the volume was. I, for one, am a sucker for slow-burners and world-building. However, there was not a lot of that. But I guess that's just down to the story being more people-centric than anything else.
Overall, a solid 4 star read for me. I am just wondering if it will be worth picking up the rest of the volumes! Since this seems to have been published in English quite late as opposed to its original publication in Japanese. Let's see!
A pleasant surprise of a read. :)
I have heard people mention this book a few times and decided to pick up Volume 1 not too long ago. I had a few instances of opening and closing the book too frequently. This made me lose slight interest and I am not sure if it was the actual content or the fact I was not able to sit down and read this all in one (as I usually do with most manga volumes).
Anyways, on to the mini review (also my 50th book review/read in 2023... kinda cool).
This first instalment was absolutely jam-packed. There was a lot of content covered, and I really enjoyed reading. The art was absolutely gorgeous. There's something about the art style that is enthralling and show-stopping. You can tell how detailed each panel is, even if there is not much going on in general in each section. The attention to detail is really fine!
The story and characters itself were great.
The story was great, action-packed, and dealt with things relatively quickly. It's still interesting but a bit faster moving than I originally expected.It's not a bad thing, though! It's just new for me.
The main character, Urabe Kanoko, seems to have a lot of pent-up trauma, and this is really highlighted in most of the scenes she faces anyone. Though she is super cool and her kimono is also really cool, there's something about her character that I can't put my finger on. Feels a bit like you love or hate her, to be honest. The main male lead Iwai Soma is also such a cool character. His character is easy-going, which makes him an easily likeable character. Thankfully, there's still a tinge of mystery surrounding his works and why he is good at what he does. There is still room to see how he acts as a person and know him deeply. This also applies to Kanoko, too!
Downsides may be the super fast pace I felt like the beginning of the volume was. I, for one, am a sucker for slow-burners and world-building. However, there was not a lot of that. But I guess that's just down to the story being more people-centric than anything else.
Overall, a solid 4 star read for me. I am just wondering if it will be worth picking up the rest of the volumes! Since this seems to have been published in English quite late as opposed to its original publication in Japanese. Let's see!
A pleasant surprise of a read. :)
March 18, 2021
Although I was rather a bit disappointed with the ending because I really wanted the two main characters to be officially together!!!! However the story had a nice flow even if it was long enough (thank college for friggin delaying my reading list like seriously hate this setback 👿👿👿👿👿👿) for the 50 chapters!
Anyways it's mainly about a girl Kanoko who magically detects lies, the town she lived in turn their backs on her because of her power so she decides to move away. She then meets a guy named Souma who's basically a detective clown because he's obviously obsessed with money and food (two wonderful needs of course so he ain't wrong lol). I really liked the way they meet different people who request to help with their issues because you do get to know them. For example I personally think three side characters in the story such the "smiley medium gent" (can't remember his name), Soumas hot tempered police friend and Kanko (think that's her name, apologies I'm poor at side character names ugh .-.) who was staying with the pair for a while.
Also if ppl don't care that this is a extremely slow burner, this one's for y'all but for those who want the romance fast, this might not be for you champs!
Pretty good story to waste time on, it may not be a masterpiece, the best or excellent personally speaking, but it does the job on making the reading become more addictive and the characters are adorable!
Anyways it's mainly about a girl Kanoko who magically detects lies, the town she lived in turn their backs on her because of her power so she decides to move away. She then meets a guy named Souma who's basically a detective clown because he's obviously obsessed with money and food (two wonderful needs of course so he ain't wrong lol). I really liked the way they meet different people who request to help with their issues because you do get to know them. For example I personally think three side characters in the story such the "smiley medium gent" (can't remember his name), Soumas hot tempered police friend and Kanko (think that's her name, apologies I'm poor at side character names ugh .-.) who was staying with the pair for a while.
Also if ppl don't care that this is a extremely slow burner, this one's for y'all but for those who want the romance fast, this might not be for you champs!
Pretty good story to waste time on, it may not be a masterpiece, the best or excellent personally speaking, but it does the job on making the reading become more addictive and the characters are adorable!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2024
This was a fun and cute first volume.
March 26, 2024
The concept of this book was so interesting!! I love the idea, and the art style is very cute!
Throughout reading I did get a bit confused as some parts were all over the place, but I still think this manga makes for a good read and has a delightful, fun, and mysterious story!
Throughout reading I did get a bit confused as some parts were all over the place, but I still think this manga makes for a good read and has a delightful, fun, and mysterious story!
March 22, 2024
this is a really fun mystery series with a lil twist! i always like reading historical-set manga, too. def looking forward to the rest of this series!!
January 12, 2023
Mag hier vieles. Kanokos Gabe, zu hören wenn Leute lügen, ist durch das Lettering schön umgesetzt. Soma, als erfolgloser Detektiv ist ein passender Gegenpart zu ihr. Ausserdem mag ich das Setting im Japan zu Beginn der Shows Ära. Viele schöne Straßenzüge, Kimonos und natürlich viel schön anzusehendes Essen. Lese generell gern Manga, in denen schönes Essen vorkommt!
July 5, 2022
Spannend, actiongeladen,rührend, kriminell, meisterhaft. Eine gute Geschichte, netter Plot, gute Kriminalgeschichte.
March 9, 2023
Endlich ein Detektiv-Manga, den ich neben Conan sammeln kann! Super süß und total unterhaltsam (und der Detektiv ist so ein Schwachkopf, ich liebe ihn jetzt schon 😂)
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September 24, 2025CUTE CUTE CUTE CUTE CUTE
June 23, 2025
I wasn’t expecting this to be so funny! I just love Iwai. He’s such a little shit lol. And Kanako is the calm to his wild. I might love this series…
October 17, 2024
3.5 stars for a nice start in a historical mystery series with a dash of paranormal following a young woman who can hear lies as a line-in assistant to a bum detective during the showa era of Japan. This is the second manga I found with a male/female duo of detectives taking place in the showa era of Japan. If I had a nickel every time that happened...
October 11, 2023
Urabe Kanoko, virtually homeless and emotionally shackled, she lives with both the gift and burden of being able to hear lies when spoken. Having been outcast for this ability as she grew up, Kanoko is especially careful of herself now that she’s arrived in a new town. But as fate would have it, a man met by chance might have other ideas on how to regard her unique ability.
Iwai reminds me a lot of Yato from Noragami. Perhaps it’s the constant shameless sponsorship of their own self, the desire for money, and the hoarding tendencies. Perhaps it’s something beyond that. But as for Kanoko, I feel for her plight. She despises lying, she only wants people to be honest with each other. Though, I feel that the more time she spends with Iwai, the more she may come to realize that in life, some lies are necessary.
Iwai reminds me a lot of Yato from Noragami. Perhaps it’s the constant shameless sponsorship of their own self, the desire for money, and the hoarding tendencies. Perhaps it’s something beyond that. But as for Kanoko, I feel for her plight. She despises lying, she only wants people to be honest with each other. Though, I feel that the more time she spends with Iwai, the more she may come to realize that in life, some lies are necessary.
April 2, 2023
It is 1926, the first year of the Showa era. Urabe Kanoko has left her hometown after it turns against her for having the ability to hear lies when spoken. She collapses from hunger after arriving in a town called Tsukumoya, where she meets a poverty-stricken detective named Iwai Soma. Is this fate? Or something more?
The Showa era, with its mix of tradition and the encroaching and often-fashionable western clothing and inventions, is just a fun time period to read about, and it also corresponds with the Golden Age of detective fiction in the west.
Kanoko's gift of being able to hear when someone is lying hasn't made for a happy life--when you can tell if someone's telling the truth, even when they're lying to be polite or kind (or just appear to be so because of social convention) and people notice, well, no one really wants you around.
It's a gimmick for the story, sure, but it's a fun gimmick. When she teams up with Iwai, he learns her secret--but if they want to solve mysteries, they can't just tell others, they have to use their knowledge of the lies to draw out the truth in a way that protects Kanoko's secret. So what could have been a shortcut to solving mysteries turns into a mental game: how do the prove someone's lying? How do they act without tipping the person off that they know it's a lie?
It's a good start to a series that leaves me excited to read more. The translation and localization was good--nothing stood out as stilted or odd--but I wish they had a section in the back with notes about specific terms or references. (Unfortunately I can't point to specific examples since I have returned my copy to the library, but with this being a historical manga, there are always going to be a few things that pop up that would be helpful if accompanied by an annotation of some kind.)
The Showa era, with its mix of tradition and the encroaching and often-fashionable western clothing and inventions, is just a fun time period to read about, and it also corresponds with the Golden Age of detective fiction in the west.
Kanoko's gift of being able to hear when someone is lying hasn't made for a happy life--when you can tell if someone's telling the truth, even when they're lying to be polite or kind (or just appear to be so because of social convention) and people notice, well, no one really wants you around.
It's a gimmick for the story, sure, but it's a fun gimmick. When she teams up with Iwai, he learns her secret--but if they want to solve mysteries, they can't just tell others, they have to use their knowledge of the lies to draw out the truth in a way that protects Kanoko's secret. So what could have been a shortcut to solving mysteries turns into a mental game: how do the prove someone's lying? How do they act without tipping the person off that they know it's a lie?
It's a good start to a series that leaves me excited to read more. The translation and localization was good--nothing stood out as stilted or odd--but I wish they had a section in the back with notes about specific terms or references. (Unfortunately I can't point to specific examples since I have returned my copy to the library, but with this being a historical manga, there are always going to be a few things that pop up that would be helpful if accompanied by an annotation of some kind.)
October 31, 2022
One thing I love is historical fiction manga. So when I saw Usotoki Rhetoric making the rounds in the manga community, I knew I needed to read this one. And I'm glad I did! The main character is funny, awkward, and can hear lies. The gentleman detective is poor, deceiving, and yet very honest. This was a great pair up for detective and assistant.
The one thing some people have complaints about is the spacing in dialogue. I'm not a translator and I didn't really find any problems with my enjoyable of reading. I'm also a big fan of the art. Historical settings with traditional and western clothing mingling, the patterns on the kimonos, and the eyes. I am in love with the eyes.
A great addition to my collection!
The one thing some people have complaints about is the spacing in dialogue. I'm not a translator and I didn't really find any problems with my enjoyable of reading. I'm also a big fan of the art. Historical settings with traditional and western clothing mingling, the patterns on the kimonos, and the eyes. I am in love with the eyes.
A great addition to my collection!
June 13, 2025
Really creative premise for a manga, but takes a little while to get started. I'm not saying I was bored or anything (it always kept my attention), but the story really started to come together once Kanoko and Iwai start doing actual detective work. And I can't wait to see what sorts of mysteries the two become embroiled in!
I like that the team doesn't just rely on Kanoko's ability to hear lies. Iwai has great powers of observation, which definitely is a necessary part of the equation.
I like that the team doesn't just rely on Kanoko's ability to hear lies. Iwai has great powers of observation, which definitely is a necessary part of the equation.
March 2, 2021
I LOVE THE CHARACTERS, THE SETTING, THE OUTFITS AND EVERYTHING!
With the heroine’s ability and the hero’s detective skills, they are magnificent! Although the romance in this manga is vague, it became one of my favorite mangas!
DEFINITELY A MUST READ!
With the heroine’s ability and the hero’s detective skills, they are magnificent! Although the romance in this manga is vague, it became one of my favorite mangas!
DEFINITELY A MUST READ!
April 29, 2023
4,3 stars
The story of a girl who knows everytime someone lies and becomes the assistant of a poor but very funny detective in the showa period. I really liked it and I'm looking forward to what comes next.
The story of a girl who knows everytime someone lies and becomes the assistant of a poor but very funny detective in the showa period. I really liked it and I'm looking forward to what comes next.
September 8, 2025
Recommend at a con and I like it so far. it seems like a cute story.
November 30, 2018
How is there no more info on this manga out there?! It's so much fun, it's entertaining and the art style is amazing - like a matured version of Dectective Conan.
February 28, 2021
Colorful cast of characters. Interesting premise. Kanoko is a bit too naive for my liking, but expecting development in the next few volumes.
January 25, 2023
For my full thoughts on this series, check out this video!
https://youtu.be/kpL7fNE7R5I
https://youtu.be/kpL7fNE7R5I
January 14, 2025
Fun premise and nice historical setting.
June 16, 2023
A very light historical detective story with a magical element that's more slice-of-life than mystery, which I liked. Definitely up to try another volume.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews