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A review by noxtis
Toxic Daughter: Chi-chan by Shuzo Oshimi

dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I'm going to be honest and say that this book definitely isn't my cup of tea. It's reminiscent of Junji Ito's works, which would definitely appeal to some, but I personally found it difficult not to compare Toxic Daughter to his Ito's works. With that said, I can definitely see how this would be loved by horror and thriller manga fans.

The art style was absolutely beautiful, and the atmosphere the story produced was suffocatingly tense in the best way. I personally found the story nauseating, but I think that was the point. It invoked negative emotions I was incredibly uncomfortable with that I probably wouldn't have experienced if I hadn't given the book a chance. This is a positive thing though - any new feelings is a plus in my book.

The use of bugs was ingenious and really added to the creepy energy of the characters; the bullying and the shunning that came from the students reflected the way people view bugs as disgusting creatures which was an incredibly parallel. I really didn't like any of the characters, but once again, I think that was the point.

All in all, I don't regret reading the book, but I also don't think I'd read it again.
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