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

challenging dark emotional inspiring tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The blurb sounded really cool – dark. It does start pretty unhinged and like the beginning of a slowly creeping horror story, but then focuses a bit (too much for my taste) on a hetero romance and I wanted to barf. However, I had a bad feeling about the guy’s trying-too-hard-to-be-good vibe from the beginning and turned out I was right. That relationship does develop into a disgusted moment. 
Worse is, it’s not a horror-fantasy type of moment, it’s incredibly realistic for a lot of women – mainly, but not only. The peak evilness of humanity which even makes the devil cry. 
 
I hate him so much, I can’t believe I actually felt bad for him when his father physically abused him. That I actually gave him a chance. PFF, listen to your gut, people. 
Well, I mean, the physical abuse probably is the reason why he turned into such an ass. BUT it makes me love Chi even more. She showed him how asses like him are dealt with! How feminists should deal with asses like him in real life. Should be sold as a guide-book, in fact.
(Do make sure to read it in secrecy and don’t tell any republicans/misogynists, because they will ban the book.)
 
 
I hope there’ll be a manga continuation, cause I’m not really into watching horror/thriller movies. I prefer reading these genres, especially in graphic novel format – horror simply looks better drawn than live acted, IMO. Although it is a neat idea to have a prequel of and ad for a movie in comic form. 
Though I’d be curious why it’s called “toxic daughter”. Based on this prequel alone, it should be “toxic children”. 
 
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4.5 stars leaning to the 4th cause that one scene did make me very uncomfortable, especially cause there are no trigger warnings regarding that whatsoever. Having blood, gore and such in a horror novel, okay, expected, but not romance-related violence. And, also, Yua was sometimes too quiet, it got a bit annoying. Understandable, but annoying. 
I don’t really like anyone from the characters, except Chi, but they’re well made from a writer’s perspective – and have lots of depth for the length. 
 
~ 
 
Thank you to Kodansha on Netgalley for an eARC. 
 
-30.03.25 
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