Therapy Game: Volume 1

by Meguru Hinohara

TW: Flashbacks of a suicide

Rating: 18+ (NSFW) - NOT censored either

Length: 2 Volumes (though this series is continued in the Therapy Game Restart series)

Vibe: Ridiculous premise overshadowed by lovable characters

Star rating: 4.5/5 (for vol. 1 only)

Just a note: this is actually a spin-off to Hinohara-sensei's debut Secret XXX. I read this first, so it's getting posted first, but I will also cover Secret XXX. There is some clarifying background info and references included in this first volume in which it may be helpful to read the debut first. Ultimately, I'll leave it up to your preference of course, as I don't think the order is critical.

Another note: I pretty much love all their work and can see why my one and only favorite fantasy manga is on hiatus with the success of this series (more on that to come). Also, this mangaka knows how to write/draw a LOVE, SCENE. That is all.

I have been really excited to read this series for some reason - and volumes began to arrive at more doorstep this week and I just had to dive right in - and this did not disappoint!

Overview:

To start - the premise feels dumb: two guys wake up after a one-night stand and one of them (Ikushima Shizuma) doesn't remember the other (Mito Minato). Ego bruised (or maybe something deeper?) Minato vows to get revenge by getting Shizuma to fall in love with him so he can dump him. Hilarity, romance, and some heavy feels ensue, and somehow Hinohara-sensei makes is all work nicely. This is a heavy slice-of-life story full of cute animals (Shizuma is studying to be a vet and is an animal lover). The two MCs are GORGEOUS and full of charm.

Initial Thoughts:

I enjoyed that this is just a story about two (again HOT) guys falling in love. Doing so can be messy, scary, and overall overwhelming. Hinohara-sensei perfectly begins to peel back layers to our MCs that show their depth and ultimately dovetails a silly premise into something deeper. For those here for the smut, you're not going to get crazy smuttiness in this first volume, sorry. But trust me, I still think it is well worth the wait ;).

I would strongly recommend this first installment of the Therapy Game series! The reason why this isn't a 5/5 really comes down to the premise and the messy start most romcoms fall into. I will unearth a bias here: most romcoms are not my thing, so there's that - but it isn't like I haven't pre-ordered the next installment either.

Easy to find:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Crunchyroll