INTRODUCTION Onanie Master Kurosawa is a manga that explores the themes of bullying, social isolation, and redemption. However, while it effectively portrays the negative consequences of child bullying, the narrative suffers from a lack of consistency and authenticity. The following review provides a detailed analysis of the shortcomings of the story, and explores some of the issues with the characters, themes and plot development.
OFFSCREEN CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT The story heavily relies on time skips and fails to show character development through action. For instance, the author fails to build the chemistry between Takigawa and Nagaoka, leaving the reader to fill in the blanks that supposedly happened during the 40-day summer vacation. While the author may have intended to withhold information about their relationship for the sake of a 'plot twist' reveal, it feels like lazy writing, forced and cheap plot progression for the sake of shock value.
SELF-CONTRADICTORY The manga contains a number of contradictory messages, which makes it difficult for the reader to fully engage with the themes. For example, the author compares Kurosawa's situation to Kitahara's because both were bullied. However, Kurosawa was ostracised as a form of retaliation and several other students began to sympathise with him and assist him in overcoming bullying, while Kitahara had no one to support her. It feels like the story presents a double standard, asking the reader to be proud of Kurosawa for overcoming his adversity, while pitying Kitahara for not adopting Kurosawa's mentality and perspective on bullying.
HYPOCRITE CAST Onanie Master Kurosawa suffers from a lack of consistency and authenticity, especially when it comes to the characters. While Kurosawa had Nagaoka who supported him when he was bullied, Kitahara had no one. Not Nagaoka, not Takigawa, not even Kurosawa helped her at all. The narrative feels like it is showing that in the end, people are hypocrites and only look after their own safety. The 'answer' that Kurosawa gave to Kitahara was only gaslighting and sweet talking because it didn't solve her problem at all. While Kurosawa was bullied as punishment and was forgiven because he showed some change, Kitahara was bullied for no reason, so how does he expect her to change? This outright double-standard makes the entire cast hypocritical, and it's impossible to overlook.
BULLYING AS A THEME Sugawa is a two-dimensional bully tsundere bimbo who made Kitahara's life a living hell for several years. It's pretty unbelievable how (seemingly) overwhelming majority of the people seem to like Sugawa, despite them being fully aware of the damage she caused. Sugawa's bullying of Kitahara is never properly addressed, which is particularly bothersome because Sugawa is unaware that the cum-prank was commissioned by Kitahara. it is apparent that they constantly subjected Kitahara to bullying, resulting in her worsening social anxiety, truancy, and even suicidal tendencies. Despite this, Sugawa, along with the rest of the class, failed to take any responsibility or show any remorse by reaching out to Kitahara, Sugawa failing to take action against her gang of fellow one-dimensional bullies instead of just sitting back and leaving them wreak havoc like a pack of rabid hyenas, visiting Kitahara's home, or admitting their culpability for her behaviour. It is difficult to believe that they have truly matured when we are only presented with an off-screen apology. What happened to 'show, don't tell'? Sugawa only apologises to Kurosawa for the beating over the incident, yet despite clearly knowing how much damage her actions caused to Kitahara, no one ever brings it up. It's frustrating how the narrative ends with Kurosawa and Sugawa being together without addressing the white elephant in the room. The story would have been better served by addressing the bullying that Sugawa inflicted on Kitahara and providing a proper resolution.
After The JuvenileThere was a sequel light novel to the manga but unfortunately, it falls short of its predecessor. I wouldn't be delving too deeply into this sequel light novel as there is little of note or significance within it. Furthermore, it is worth noting that this review is mainly focused on the manga. While the story picks up two years after the events of the manga, the plot is lacklustre and barely worth mentioning. Kakeru Kurosawa reunites with his former schoolmates in Osaka, including the fat nerd Pizza-tan, the cheerful otaku Keiji Nagaoka, the bookworm Magister Takigawa, and the bullied timid Kitahara. Although the plot is mostly pointless, it does offer a relevant message about the consequences of leaving a love interest behind. While the novel is not remarkable, it does serve as a key plot point for Kurosawa's character development in the manga. Overall, 'After the Juvenile' is a forgettable addition to the series.
FINAL THOUGHTS Onanie Master Kurosawa is a manga that has an intriguing premise and explores important themes. However, the inconsistencies in the narrative, lack of character development, and the hypocrisy of the cast ultimately detract from the story. Despite these flaws, the manga still manages to be a compelling read, thanks to its unique take on adolescent struggles and its unflinching portrayal of the darker aspects of human nature. Fans of the genre may still find enjoyment in this work, but those looking for a more polished and well-rounded story may be left wanting.
