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rereader33 's review for:
Call of the Night, Vol. 1
by Kotoyama
Wow, this was a pleasant surprise from start to finish! I'm glad I went out on a limb and purchased this, it was more fun than I anticipated!
Before I get in to my review, I want to address two common complaints I've seen about this series:
the age gap between Ko and Nazuna and the admittedly slow pacing.
First, the age gap. I will admit, I was stunned to learn that Ko is 14. The summary didn't give Ko's age and I can only assume this was because the publishers knew if they gave away that information, people would be hesitant to purchase this volume. And considering how many people gave this volume 1-2 star ratings because of the age gap, the publishers were right to be wary. Now, do I approve of this deception? No. Does the age gap bother me? Nope. Why? Because age gaps between supernatural beings and humans are so commonplace in media that unless something really problematic is happening, I don't care. And frankly, nothing problematic occurs in this volume. Yes, Nazuna wears a scantily clad outfit and makes a lot of sexual innuendos, but she never gropes or assaults Ko. In fact, the only time you could say Ko is in a vulnerable position is in the first chapter when she leads him to her place, but she doesn't sexually assault him. She bite his neck cuz, you know, SHE'S A VAMPIRE. And yes, to her biting a human's neck is considered sexual, but Ko doesn't see it like that and is clearly not bothered by it once the situation's explained, so I have a hard time being bothered by an age gap when nothing sexually problematic happens. But if this bothers people and they don't want to read it, that's fine. I can totally understand why this bother others and I don't want to shame them, it just doesn't bother me.
The second issue is the slow pacing. I have to agree that the pacing is much slower than in other shonen titles, but I actually like it here. There's such a heavy focus on the scenery and setting and it kind of gives the series a meditative feel. Not that I'm saying this is scholarly reading, but the slower pacing makes you take in everything and give you a chance to pause and think about what you've read. It certainly won't be for everyone and I'm sure it will put off most, but I liked it a lot.
Okay, with that out of the way, here are the rest of my thoughts on this series:
I really liked Ko's character, specifically his apathy and lack of motivation. I think it's great that we have an apathetic main lead who isn't really a dick, just a kid who's hit a rut early in life and doesn't know what to do about it. I also love how he's grappling with understanding friendship and love on an emotional and logical level. I can't really explain it, but it's refreshing to see a character honestly address the more complicated feelings surrounding these things in a time where kids are expected to just go with their emotions. But what happens when there's a kid who doesn't experience those emotions and has no one that is willing to take the time to guide him? That's Ko, and I'm glad we have a shonen protagonist who's dealing with these issues without being an ass about it.
As for Nazuna, I LOVE her design. It's so simple but works for her character and personality so well. I like how she can be, but she can restrain herself when she wants to. It's nice to see a vampire who is constantly trying to get into the main protagonist's pants. Also, she unabashedly drinks in front of Ko and blushes when love is brought up, but has no trouble discussing sex. She's just a lot of fun and I really like her.
Don't have much to say about Akira. Love her design, I think she's a nice, down-to-earth influence for Ko, and is just a genuinely good person.
I love the artwork and attention to scenery/setting. It really sells the "night life" vibe and how beautiful yet grungy it can be.
Okay, that's all I've got. So, do I recommend this? Absolutely! I think it was a lot of fun, even if it was slow. If age gaps are an issue for you, though, you might want to proceed with caution. If not, this was a fun start to a series and I'm looking forward to more.
Before I get in to my review, I want to address two common complaints I've seen about this series:
the age gap between Ko and Nazuna and the admittedly slow pacing.
First, the age gap. I will admit, I was stunned to learn that Ko is 14. The summary didn't give Ko's age and I can only assume this was because the publishers knew if they gave away that information, people would be hesitant to purchase this volume. And considering how many people gave this volume 1-2 star ratings because of the age gap, the publishers were right to be wary. Now, do I approve of this deception? No. Does the age gap bother me? Nope. Why? Because age gaps between supernatural beings and humans are so commonplace in media that unless something really problematic is happening, I don't care. And frankly, nothing problematic occurs in this volume. Yes, Nazuna wears a scantily clad outfit and makes a lot of sexual innuendos, but she never gropes or assaults Ko. In fact, the only time you could say Ko is in a vulnerable position is in the first chapter when she leads him to her place, but she doesn't sexually assault him. She bite his neck cuz, you know, SHE'S A VAMPIRE. And yes, to her biting a human's neck is considered sexual, but Ko doesn't see it like that and is clearly not bothered by it once the situation's explained, so I have a hard time being bothered by an age gap when nothing sexually problematic happens. But if this bothers people and they don't want to read it, that's fine. I can totally understand why this bother others and I don't want to shame them, it just doesn't bother me.
The second issue is the slow pacing. I have to agree that the pacing is much slower than in other shonen titles, but I actually like it here. There's such a heavy focus on the scenery and setting and it kind of gives the series a meditative feel. Not that I'm saying this is scholarly reading, but the slower pacing makes you take in everything and give you a chance to pause and think about what you've read. It certainly won't be for everyone and I'm sure it will put off most, but I liked it a lot.
Okay, with that out of the way, here are the rest of my thoughts on this series:
I really liked Ko's character, specifically his apathy and lack of motivation. I think it's great that we have an apathetic main lead who isn't really a dick, just a kid who's hit a rut early in life and doesn't know what to do about it. I also love how he's grappling with understanding friendship and love on an emotional and logical level. I can't really explain it, but it's refreshing to see a character honestly address the more complicated feelings surrounding these things in a time where kids are expected to just go with their emotions. But what happens when there's a kid who doesn't experience those emotions and has no one that is willing to take the time to guide him? That's Ko, and I'm glad we have a shonen protagonist who's dealing with these issues without being an ass about it.
As for Nazuna, I LOVE her design. It's so simple but works for her character and personality so well. I like how she can be, but she can restrain herself when she wants to. It's nice to see a vampire who is constantly trying to get into the main protagonist's pants. Also, she unabashedly drinks in front of Ko and blushes when love is brought up, but has no trouble discussing sex. She's just a lot of fun and I really like her.
Don't have much to say about Akira. Love her design, I think she's a nice, down-to-earth influence for Ko, and is just a genuinely good person.
I love the artwork and attention to scenery/setting. It really sells the "night life" vibe and how beautiful yet grungy it can be.
Okay, that's all I've got. So, do I recommend this? Absolutely! I think it was a lot of fun, even if it was slow. If age gaps are an issue for you, though, you might want to proceed with caution. If not, this was a fun start to a series and I'm looking forward to more.