Review: sick by Tomo Kurahashi
April 15, 2022
TRIGGER WARNING: DUBIOUS CONSENT
KUMA never fails us. I didn't think I'd be writing these words again so soon but... this title... is UNCENSORED. Now, before you go getting too worked up.. this is not another Yoru & Asa. Yes, we are spared the lightsabers and not-really-fooling-anyone random lines, but so, too, are we spared major detail. It's sort of one of those middle-of-the-road versions of censorship. You look at it and... you know what that is, I know what that is, EVERYBODY knows what that is - but it's decidedly lacking in the sort of lurid detail that makes an uncensored manga TRULY spicy. As for the trigger warning, I wouldn't call it majorly prevalent, but it's definitely there.
Sick is all about golden boy Sudou, the good looking, intelligent, popular guy from a wealthy family, and his decidedly unkind interest in Kishi - his quiet, anti-social, and mostly unflappable fellow college student. For some reason, Sudou just can't help but mess with Kishi and it infuriates him that his meddlesome pranks never seem to get a rise out of Kishi. That is, of course, until one day... BUT WE DON'T DO SPOILERS HERE! We'll leave it to you to follow the breadcrumb trail of Sudou and Kishi's..er...romance?
Since Sick doesn't list a volume number I'm not sure whether this is where the story ends or if we'll one day see a continuation. A quick peek at google makes it look like this one will remain a one shot, however, there's definitely room for more. Only time will tell, I suppose. The volume itself is beautifully made. KUMA really does go the extra mile when it comes to materials - thick paper, a stunning matte-finish book jacket, this thing is so pretty!
The art style here is attractive, if spare. The focus is very clearly on the characters and less so on what is going on around them. There's nothing wrong with this, of course! It's just a little unusual these days to see so many panels with pure white background as opposed to screentone or background imagery. But what sick really has going for it is that this one's actually focused on the story and less on the physical relationship between characters. Yes, they're definitely gettin' it on, but it isn't on every other page.
This one's a solid read. It's a little bit refreshing that the (sorta) enemies-to-lovers theme here is so mild. Sudou's picking at Kishi in the beginning is honestly cute. It comes off much more as Sudou not being aware that he likes Kishi rather than any actual bullying. I'm almost tempted to consider this one as a sweet read but... it's spicy, too. Sudou's growth as a character is genuinely adorable. If you like a little bit of sweet with your heat, this one would be worth your while.
TLDR;
Look both ways before you turn the page, this one is both SWEET and SPICY!
Publisher: KUMA
Release Date: 4/26/22
Page Count: 186
Age Rating: 18+