Once a child prodigy pianist, Shion Kirino is now a burnt-out, bitter shell of himself, lost in grief over his mother's passing and his own dying passion toward the musical career that had defined his connection to her. When he's approached by Kei Takase — a talented younger colleague who professes his admiration for Kirino — he ends up inviting him home, intending on toying with his feelings.
By Eiji Nagisa
Series Jealousy Blinds Love
Volume 1
Release Date 23.07.2024
Genre Yaoi
Age Rating 18+
Publisher Tokyo Pop
CW Death of family member
Rating ★★★☆☆
My Review
So, I actually pre-ordered this manga a while back, mainly because the cover art. I mean, the blonde on the cover reminded me of Bakugo so.. But aside from that initial pull, I was really drawn in by the promise of a angsty storyline. As much as I love fluffy tales and happy endings, I also have a soft spot for angsty stories—especially when it ends well.
First things first: the art. Wow. The artwork in this manga is stunning! The characters' expressions are so well drawn and full of emotion.
Now, about the plot. The story revolves around a relationship where jealousy plays a major role— career and talent wise.. But as interesting as the story is, it felt kinda rushed. The characters moved from being distant to “very in love” almost in the blink of an eye. It felt like one moment we were deep in drama, and the next, everything was all happy.
There’s also an argument scene that leads to a brief breakup, which is resolved rather quickly. And while I appreciate that they didn’t drag it out, it just didn’t have the impact it could have. The pacing made it hard to fully immerse myself in the emotional turmoil that the characters were going through. It’s like we went from zero to one hundred and then back to zero without enough time to process the ride.
I think the issue with this manga is that it needed more time, more chapters. The story itself is good and the psychological aspects are touching. But it felt like everything happened too quickly. I would have loved to see more build-up, more tension, and more exploration of the characters' emotional states before jumping to the resolution. The potential for an even deeper, more gripping story was there, but like I said, it needed more time.
In conclusion, while I did enjoy the manga, and the art was absolutely gorgeous, I wish the story had taken its time to let the characters’ journey unfold more naturally.
