Monday, July 29, 2024

Book Review: That Beauty is a Tramp vol. 1


Cool and tomboyish Nagi wants a boyfriend, but has one big problem - ever since an incident in college, her body reflexively rejects the touch of any man. That is, until she encounters the beautiful male model Aran, who uses his androgynous look to effortlessly model both masculine and feminine styles. She's shocked to discover that she can touch him without having a reaction, and when he asks her to join him in an upcoming photo shoot with a famous photographer, she agrees, on one condition - be her practice boyfriend for one month, and help her conquer her aversion once and for all.

That Beauty is a Tramp vol. 1 by Hal Osaka will be published August 13, 2024. Kodansha Comics provided an early galley for review.

When it comes to manga for me, an eye-catching cover or an interesting premise is usually what pulls me in. Both were present with this series, which was originally published in 2020 in Japan.

As expected, the artwork is fantastic. Since the story is centered in the world of photography and fashion, it is only natural to see the characters dressed in amazing outfits. Osaka conveys the styles and fabrics flawlessly with his linework and inking techniques. And, the character faces are just beautiful.

As for the story itself, it is very much an adult romance filled to the brink with sexual tension. The emotions and desires run high throughout. Of course, the plot tends to go down a typical path which sets up the stakes for the next volume. However, even if it is built upon narrative themes as old as time, it still manages to keep it fresh with the aforementioned style and fashion.

Since the story itself sets up a temporary time limit of one month, hopefully this story will not be drawn out too long before reaching its conclusion. I would be very happy for another couple of volumes at least as long as the quality remains at the high level of this first one.

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