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Thursday, October 25, 2018

Manga Review: Escape Journey, Volume 1, by Ogeretsu Tanaka


Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5
Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)
Release Date: September 2018
Volumes: 3.
Spoilers?: Yes.
Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Naoto and Taichi’s turbulent high school love crashed and burned, but a reunion in college puts love back in the air.

Naoto and Taichi’s first try at love during their high school days crashed and burned. Years later the two unexpectedly reunite on their first day of college. Tumultuous love often burns hot, and the glowing embers of their previous relationship reignite into a second try at love.

It’s Naoto’s first day of college, and the last person he expected to see was his high school ex Taichi, who he’d dumped after a huge argument. Even though years have passed, Naoto finds he’s still steamed over some of the harsh words that were exchanged, but he also recognizes how much Taichi has matured since then and can’t help getting pulled back in. Will the discovery of his friend’s crush on Taichi fray the fragile threads of this mending relationship?

Review:

 This series had such potential. I'm a bit conflicted, but I think I'm mainly disappointed. It could have been so good.
Naoto and Taichi dated in high school, but it didn't work out. And when they bump into each other in college, they end up with the same friends, and then they can't help but start something again. They have an attraction, but ones a flirt and the other gets jealous/possessive. This causes conflict, and since they don't know how to talk to each other, they end up fighting all the time.
In the beginning, they think they've learned. The jealous one thinks he's got control of himself. But clearly nothing has changed.
This has an interesting set-up, and they've got really good friends. Fumi, one of the girls who originally crushed on one of them, ends up being really cool about the situation and moves on to another guy, and she's probably my favorite part of this volume.
But about halfway through the volume, they threw in a rape scene. It was rough and harsh, with crying and very clear protests of “No” and “Stop”, with the possessive one forcing himself on the other, after having a fistfight. I hated every second of it, and it read realistically awful. But afterward, there was no real acknowledgement of him being raped, and instead the victim apologizes for their fight.
I can usually deal okay with some non-consent, depending on the form and how it's handled. It was handled awfully here, and the aftereffects only made it worse. It left a bad taste in my mouth, and I really don't intend to read any more.


 A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

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