Debut manga "Drowning Fireworks" by Minenami Ryou (Shounen no Abyss) tackles various dilemmas regarding sexual frustration, intimacy, and the temptation of infidelity—which, in my opinion, is reminiscent of many Suizou Oshimi's manga.
Eita struggles greatly with the concept of "depth" in a romantic relationship, especially in the eyes of his bedridden girlfriend, Koaki. She believes that meaningful connections will always be limited due to her weakened and worsening conditions. Eita somewhat agrees but denies reality, thinking that a soul-to-soul connection is sufficient without considering material aspects, as people are flesh and blood.
Problems arise when he meets Koaki's cousin, Kasumi, who has returned home after a work transfer. He sees her as an identical person to Koaki but without any health issues; she is "normal." What unfolds throughout the story is intriguing to me for a few reasons. I appreciate that both female characters are antithetical to one another—Koaki is weak and frail but expresses a lot of love and politeness to Eita, while Kasumi is free and independent but does not reciprocate any romantic feelings towards Eita, which becomes one of many struggles.
There is also a lot of social pressure, worsened by the fact that nobody at his university is aware of his current status and keeps this information secret. Torn between his desire for sexual intimacy with his first love and a nearly identical relative whom he believed he loved, Eita becomes entangled in a web of secrets.
It's honestly quite tragic—venting one's lust on someone who looks exactly like the girl you claim to love, only to have your actions meet an unexpected ending. The cousin of the girl you thought you loved turns out to be the person you constantly needed to keep sane, while she herself has no concept of love.
One thing I wish was expanded upon within these characters is logic and reasoning, especially for Eita. Often, it seems as if he simply goes along with the scenarios to keep the premise going without much thought, which bothers me as this story could have had more depth and even been longer. Eita doesn't hesitate to be drawn into the lust of another woman, particularly in the second half of the volume when Kasumi becomes pregnant or when he becomes overly clingy with Sao. It's strange considering his sense of morals and his quiet and reserved nature. I think the biggest flaw of this series lies with Koaki—by the end of the story, she becomes an absolute mess and resorts to the lover's suicide yandere tropes... sigh.
The art style is fairly simplistic and easy to understand, and it's quite solid for their first work, all things considered. I believe Ryou also has a good eye for meaningful gestures and how they are framed on the page, which is best reflected in her current manga, "Boy's Abyss."
Overall, I still had fun and enjoyed this manga. For Oshimi fans, I suggest giving it a read if it interests you. It was a decent debut work and is short enough to read in one sitting, so you won't be missing out on too much!
