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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence
I just got back into manga, thanks to my stepdaughter, so I decided to give this one a shot. It's a really interesting look at a former pop stars ptsd/anxiety/trauma as she shuns femininity after being attacked by a fan. It was dark and gritty and full of emotion, and I can't wait to read more.
I’m out of habit for reading manga, but I was intrigued by the summary of this one. The art style is clean and the story has a lot going for it. The plot is shaping up to start really exploring the ideas of fame, recovery from trauma, gender identity, and how that all interacts with the development of relationships (platonic or otherwise). It left off on a bit of a cliffhanger, which didn’t really surprise me, and I’m excited to see what happens in volume 2.
Thanks to netgalley and viz media for access to the advance copy.
Thanks to netgalley and viz media for access to the advance copy.
A sweet little shojo manga. What I found interesting is the look at Japan's "girl idol" fandom--young girls in frilly skirts with some singing ability and the public meet-and-greets known as "handshakes" as well as the dominant male culture that keeps women living in fear. A great manga for the #metoo era.
Thanks to the publisher (Viz Media) and NetGalley for the eBook I was able to read as an advance copy.
Thanks to the publisher (Viz Media) and NetGalley for the eBook I was able to read as an advance copy.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Can't wait to read the rest of this series. Interested to see where it goes and find out more about the characters.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I was able to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
***
Nina Kamiyama was once famed pop idol Karen Amamiya until she was attacked by a fan and left the limelight. She has gone into hiding shunning her femininity and dressing as a boy doing her best to put distance between her past, and now traumatized both by what happened to her but also how it was treated.
Not your idol is an interesting exploration of masculinity, femininity, the price of fame, and how dressing like a female is not an invitation to getting raped. Nina struggles with the trauma of her experience while trying to lay low at school, meanwhile fellow student Hikaru starts to become someone she interacts with but knowing the man who attacked her is still on the loose, and looking and jumping at every noise and dark corner Nina may not be ready to move on as she thinks she is.
Not Your Idol is an important story and so far is handling these very tough topics very well, it’ll be worth checking into the next few volumes to see how it carries through.
***
Nina Kamiyama was once famed pop idol Karen Amamiya until she was attacked by a fan and left the limelight. She has gone into hiding shunning her femininity and dressing as a boy doing her best to put distance between her past, and now traumatized both by what happened to her but also how it was treated.
Not your idol is an interesting exploration of masculinity, femininity, the price of fame, and how dressing like a female is not an invitation to getting raped. Nina struggles with the trauma of her experience while trying to lay low at school, meanwhile fellow student Hikaru starts to become someone she interacts with but knowing the man who attacked her is still on the loose, and looking and jumping at every noise and dark corner Nina may not be ready to move on as she thinks she is.
Not Your Idol is an important story and so far is handling these very tough topics very well, it’ll be worth checking into the next few volumes to see how it carries through.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Not Your Idol is about a girl who gives up being an Idol after she is assaulted during a handshake event. She decides to change her name and her appearance and live her life dressed as a boy so no one will recognize her.
There are touchy subjects addressed in this book, such as gender expectations, physical assault, sexual assault and the aftermath of those assaults. I thought these things were well addressed.
I thought this was very well written and entertaining. It's a short read and I flew through it in one sitting. The graphics are beautiful. I love the look of manga animation and this book definitely did not disappoint me.
Overall, I really enjoyed it and plan to continue on with the series.
Not Your Idol is about a girl who gives up being an Idol after she is assaulted during a handshake event. She decides to change her name and her appearance and live her life dressed as a boy so no one will recognize her.
There are touchy subjects addressed in this book, such as gender expectations, physical assault, sexual assault and the aftermath of those assaults. I thought these things were well addressed.
I thought this was very well written and entertaining. It's a short read and I flew through it in one sitting. The graphics are beautiful. I love the look of manga animation and this book definitely did not disappoint me.
Overall, I really enjoyed it and plan to continue on with the series.
Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault
I am very curious to see where this book is going. I finished volume 1 and feel like volume 2 can't get here soon enough.
This is a psychological suspense type of story. A girl gives up a life of being an idol after she is attacked by a fan.
One thing that did make this book hard to read were the scenes where boys at the school were justifying rape. There was a lot of talk about how girls dress and how they do it for the attention. The main character was amazing how she stood up to them.
The book explores gender identity and what roles everyone falls into. In the beginning the main characters is looked down on for wearing pants instead of the skirt with their uniform. There is a lot of potential and I can't wait for volume 2.
By Aoi Makino
I am very curious to see where this book is going. I finished volume 1 and feel like volume 2 can't get here soon enough.
This is a psychological suspense type of story. A girl gives up a life of being an idol after she is attacked by a fan.
One thing that did make this book hard to read were the scenes where boys at the school were justifying rape. There was a lot of talk about how girls dress and how they do it for the attention. The main character was amazing how she stood up to them.
The book explores gender identity and what roles everyone falls into. In the beginning the main characters is looked down on for wearing pants instead of the skirt with their uniform. There is a lot of potential and I can't wait for volume 2.
By Aoi Makino
I received an electronic copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
While the culture of Japanese Idols may be unfamiliar to an American audience, the topics central to Not Your Idol won't be - this book directly addresses sexual assault, make privilege, and the ways women and girls have learned how to protect themselves from the same in a way that still allows the main characters, Nina and Hikaru, to develop. Nina, a former Idol, is recovering off the grid from an attack by a fan, when she meets Hikaru at her new school. Hikaru seems trustworthy, but is any boy, really? Nina's trauma is presented in a very raw, realistic way; it crops up unexpectedly, preventing her from doing basic things, and lingers pervasively in her life. The first volume ends with a question of identity begging to be answered. I am definitely looking forward to volume 2.
While the culture of Japanese Idols may be unfamiliar to an American audience, the topics central to Not Your Idol won't be - this book directly addresses sexual assault, make privilege, and the ways women and girls have learned how to protect themselves from the same in a way that still allows the main characters, Nina and Hikaru, to develop. Nina, a former Idol, is recovering off the grid from an attack by a fan, when she meets Hikaru at her new school. Hikaru seems trustworthy, but is any boy, really? Nina's trauma is presented in a very raw, realistic way; it crops up unexpectedly, preventing her from doing basic things, and lingers pervasively in her life. The first volume ends with a question of identity begging to be answered. I am definitely looking forward to volume 2.