Review: Links by Natsuki Kizu
April 12, 2022
If you're a fan of Given you won't be surprised when I say that Natsuki Kizu knocked this one right outta the park. Links is absolutely an amazing read from start to finish. I'll admit, I picked this one up because I am a big fan of the author's signature art style, but I was a little bummed by the synopsis on the back because I assumed it was basically an anthology of sorts - and if you've read any of my previous reviews you'll know I'm not the biggest fan of short stories because I'm always left wanting more. Links, however, doesn't really fit the anthology bill. At least, not in the typical way.
Links bills itself as a collection of intertwining stories and it truly is that - however it is done with Natsuki Kizu's uncanny ability to weave a story together with a natural fluidity and attention to detail that makes every piece of it fit together flawlessly. In Links we meet four separate pairings - Akiha and Yahiko, Sado and Nakajo, Shibata and Sekiya, and Kameda and Ogikawa. Each pairing is somehow connected to the pairing that follows, which really makes Links feel like one story instead of four. I absolutely loved that element!
As to content, it goes without saying that the art here is gorgeous and the writing is excellent. As an avid fan of Given, I have to say that Links did not let me down. In fact, it far exceeded my expectations. It also holds true to the (thus far) content we've come to expect from Given - there are some brief moments of sexual tension, a couple of coarse words here and there - but it is totally 100% a SFW read.
Basically, this one's a freaking gem. Do it. Buy it. You aren't going to regret it.
TLDR;
Read this one while you wait for your boba tea order, it's TEAM SWEET!
Publisher: SuBLime
Release Date: 04/12/2022
Page Count: 250
Rating: 16+