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readwithjessj's review against another edition
4.0
I am feeling so many emotions right now. I’m feeling angry at the injustice of certain scenarios. I’m feeling angry at certain characters, but in turn feeling hurt for the same characters. I cannot believe that this series is on hiatus in Japan and I can’t continue to volume 3. I think that this series could be powerful if it was continued in the right way. I do hope it continues!
bunnypez's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
eldritchteacozy's review against another edition
3.0
A good second volume to an interesting series. Not Your Idol tackles the double bind girls are put in trying to navigating being sweet and accommodating and while still trying to remain safe. The tension between the protagonist and her rival is the most interesting thing about the whole story. The characters are reflections of each other and you see the ways the world forces them to contort themselves into different shapes to fit in it. It's also nice to have the caring, if bland, love interest there to keep them safe.
I'd recommend this for someone who enjoyed the first book for sure.
FTC disclosure: I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
I'd recommend this for someone who enjoyed the first book for sure.
FTC disclosure: I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
jilljemmett's review against another edition
4.0
Nina Kamiyama is a former pop idol, who left the group Pure Club after she was attacked by a fan. She disguised herself as a boy and started attending a regular high school. At the end of the last volume, someone threatened to reveal her identity. Her friend Hikaru had some photos of her in his bag, so Nina’s friends think he can’t be trusted. Another student at their school, Miku, is also threatened with someone sending her secret photos of her walking down the street. Miku doesn’t feel safe walking by herself, so she gets Hikaru to walk her home. However, he can’t protect her all the time.
This was an intense story. The themes of sexual assault were introduced in the first volume, but they became much more prominent in this volume. Nina is still recovering from the post traumatic stress of being attacked by a fan. Hikaru’s sister was sexually harassed by her teacher, but when she spoke up, she wasn’t taken seriously. Other students were randomly attacked as well, but they were shamed into keeping it a secret. This is a disturbing reality for many girls.
The sexual exploitation of girls was also an important part of the story. When Nina was in the pop group, Pure Club, they had to pose for lingerie photos to give out the male fans. They were young girls and it was extremely inappropriate to put them in these revealing outfits and positions. This has happened to many young female performers, and still happens today. These kinds of photos also make men think they have permission to do whatever they want to the young women. This story showed the aftermath of putting girls in these kinds of situations.
This is a great story!
Thank you Viz Media for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was an intense story. The themes of sexual assault were introduced in the first volume, but they became much more prominent in this volume. Nina is still recovering from the post traumatic stress of being attacked by a fan. Hikaru’s sister was sexually harassed by her teacher, but when she spoke up, she wasn’t taken seriously. Other students were randomly attacked as well, but they were shamed into keeping it a secret. This is a disturbing reality for many girls.
The sexual exploitation of girls was also an important part of the story. When Nina was in the pop group, Pure Club, they had to pose for lingerie photos to give out the male fans. They were young girls and it was extremely inappropriate to put them in these revealing outfits and positions. This has happened to many young female performers, and still happens today. These kinds of photos also make men think they have permission to do whatever they want to the young women. This story showed the aftermath of putting girls in these kinds of situations.
This is a great story!
Thank you Viz Media for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
fell4's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
vclairev's review
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Good continuation of the plot, was quick to read but doesn't feel like much happened. Would like to read the next issue and continue the series.
krys_and_books's review against another edition
4.0
Not Your Idol vol. 2 ups the drama from the previous volume.
Nina, previous idol star Karen, has been hiding in a high school after a traumatic event with a violent fan/stalker and events are beginning to unfold as the stalker has narrowed on her location and starts to toy with her and those around her.
***
You know what I like about this series? For all the drama going on in it, it has incredibly important discussions. It talks about bodily autonomy, how girls/women tend to be disregarded when they come forward about their experiences and how even when their experience is accepted the responsibility and weight of what happened to them is put on them and not the perpetrator of the acts. Their is a lot going on, and while I was worried about that disappearing after vol. 1 I feel hopeful that these incredibly important things continue to be a salient point in the series and doesn’t go away and just gets further explored and broken down. It talks about trauma and trauma recovery, and just, the things it talks about are so important. But, this series is full of things that people need to be aware of for their own mental health. Your mileage may vary and you know yourself best.
TW: assault (possibly implied rape depending on how you view the scene), sexual harassment, injury, stalker, women’s bodies and general existence being used against them, high school boys being gross and girls being unsupportive of their fellow beings, trauma and trauma recovery
Nina, previous idol star Karen, has been hiding in a high school after a traumatic event with a violent fan/stalker and events are beginning to unfold as the stalker has narrowed on her location and starts to toy with her and those around her.
***
You know what I like about this series? For all the drama going on in it, it has incredibly important discussions. It talks about bodily autonomy, how girls/women tend to be disregarded when they come forward about their experiences and how even when their experience is accepted the responsibility and weight of what happened to them is put on them and not the perpetrator of the acts. Their is a lot going on, and while I was worried about that disappearing after vol. 1 I feel hopeful that these incredibly important things continue to be a salient point in the series and doesn’t go away and just gets further explored and broken down. It talks about trauma and trauma recovery, and just, the things it talks about are so important. But, this series is full of things that people need to be aware of for their own mental health. Your mileage may vary and you know yourself best.
TW: assault (possibly implied rape depending on how you view the scene), sexual harassment, injury, stalker, women’s bodies and general existence being used against them, high school boys being gross and girls being unsupportive of their fellow beings, trauma and trauma recovery
magicalmartha's review against another edition
5.0
I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley, and will continue to request this series as long as Netgalley will let me.
Not Your Idol continues to thrill while also taking on the immense task of untangling issues of gender identity, feminism, gender expectations, and interpersonal relationships. Despite the issues being presented from a distinct Japanese point of view, American readers will find much to relate to here, as Nina and Hikaru figure out their relationship to each other and to themselves.
Not Your Idol continues to thrill while also taking on the immense task of untangling issues of gender identity, feminism, gender expectations, and interpersonal relationships. Despite the issues being presented from a distinct Japanese point of view, American readers will find much to relate to here, as Nina and Hikaru figure out their relationship to each other and to themselves.