Reviews - Not Your Idol, Vol. 1

154 reviews for:

Idol culture in Japan had always been kind of fascinating to me, as a fan of anime. In the US we've never really come close to the full on machine that idols in Japan. Sure, we've had boy bands, Brittany Spears and Disney Channel kids, but none of that holds a candle to how serious the industry is about their idols Japan, nor how serious their fans are. Liking Idols in Japan is a whole life style with its own set of rules, rituals and beliefs. Things like how idols belong to their fans, have wildly popular handshake events and aren't allowed to date are really only the tip of the iceberg. Were I still a serious anthropology student, it's something I would have loved to delve deeply into researching.

Read the rest of the review at Well, Are They? A Queer Review Blog

https://wellarethey.blogspot.com/2021/08/not-your-idol-vol-1-manga-review.html

bookswithlauren's review against another edition

5.0

I would rate this 4.5 stars!

Not Your Idol attracted me because I am a fan of both manga and Kpop. Not Your Idol follows a member of a female kpop band who was attacked at a fan event and thus quit the band and went into hiding because she couldn’t cope with what happened. She tried to minimise her femininity as much as possible and keep to herself. She slowly begins to talk to one of the boys from high school judo squad at her new school and begins to open herself back up again slightly. The illustrations used in this manga were stunning, but the watermark applied by NetGalley was a bit distracting at times.

This manga addresses the very current and common issue of sexual assault in a realistic but gentle way. There is a lot of talk about young women getting groped, raped, and being an idol for anyone to stare at. It’s the harsh reality that many women, young or old, face each day.

The approaches to gender blaming, victim reaction and other myths surrounding sexual assault draws awareness to and opposes this false view society has created. Not Your Idol highlights realistic aspects of Asian culture and of the kpop industry, making the manga more enjoyable and real to read. Kpop stars are attacked by fans and thousands of men and woman are sexually assaulted daily, all around the world. Not Your Idol explores these issues in a gentle but, in my opinion, successful way.

I loved Nina as a character and how brave she was. She had her days where it was all too much, but she stuck up for those who wouldn’t or couldn’t on their own. The manga’s approach to her flashbacks was clever and well executed albeit a little confusing and hard to follow at times.

There is a twist about three quarters of the way through this volume that I did not expect at all! The volume ended on such a cliff hanger as well! Now I see why the manga is described as a psychological suspense thriller. I need the next volume as soon as possible to find out what happens!

This book isn't not graphic with the visuals or description surrounding the topic of sexual assault, but please be aware that it is very emotional and could be triggering to those with similar experiences.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give my own, honest opinion.

niibooksy's review against another edition

4.0

I was extremely surprised with this Manga. This story was very original and well thought out! It was super interesting to read from the perspective of someone who has been through abuse/trauma, especially in Manga form, seeing as this kind of representation is not that common in this medium. I actually found the way Kamiyama dealt with her trauma to be very refreshing to read. It was important to read about an hyper feminine character having to adopt a more typically feminine posture in order to not only deal with her trauma but also somehow slip under the radar. The reason this was unfortunately a five star read was the ending. Although it left me wanting more, it also left a slight bitter taste in my mouth. However, characters can't all have black and white personalities, so I guess I applaud it for getting that right.

Thank you to VIZ Media for the ARC.

emmysan's review against another edition

5.0

I was provided with an Advanced Copy of this Manga by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this manga! Stylistically, the art was lovely, beautiful shading, and a subtle but distinct change in style for the flashback scenes.

Thematically, the story tells of a young girl who went from being an Idol to hiding in relative obscurity following an attack that left her too frightened to continue with that career path. It was really well executed, not at all heavy handed, and respectful of those who have experienced similar traumas. It didn't feel gratuitous in any way and presented balanced viewpoints, as well as the subtleties of harassment in society.

I will definitely be purchasing this when it comes out and cant wait for volume 2!

mandilynn7's review against another edition

4.0

I really really enjoyed this manga. I enjoy most manga, because the artwork is so nice to look at, but the story line of this series is very intriguing. The main character used to be an idol in a girl group, but due to an attack from a fan she has hidden from the public and is dressing as a boy while trying to deal with the trauma. I liked getting a peek into the idol lifestyle, as well as the typical Japanese high school life. There was some definite interesting character development in this first volume, as well as hints that certain characters are not what they seem. The end of the book is a definite twist that leaves you wanting more. I will be picking this up and eagerly waiting for the second volume to see what happens next!

mermaidmoonqueen's review against another edition

4.0

An advanced copy was given by the publisher on Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I went into this manga expecting something with a fiery heroine and a sweet but idol-obsessed love interest. Instead, I got a deep manga about how women aren't commodities for male entitlement. That's the main theme and I am HERE FOR IT!!!

In such a short volume, this manga addresses so many things, some of which people might consider spoilers so

the effects of being attacked both mentally and physically, how some women drag others down as "not real women", the double standards that women face from society, the sexualization of underage female idols, the groping problem on Japanese trains, and so much more.

We follow the main character Nina, who is not a girly girl and all the guys talk about how ugly she is, except for Hikaru, who is more interested in Judo. Little do we know that Nina has a secret- she's actually an ex-member of popular idol group Pure Club. The main plot of this volume is Nina fighting for girls' rights and becoming close to Hikaru. But everything might not be what it seems.

I was some impressed by this manga and I can't wait to read the second volume. Congrats to Aoi Makino for tackling such a hard topic and doing it so well. I'm excited to see where we go!