It isn't often I fall upon a psychological thriller in manga form, even more so when it is shoujo. Add in that this one deals with fan and idol culture and I knew I had to check it out. There are some great characters here, great build up of suspense, and cute artwork. I did think the attack on her would be... more considering the trauma she is going through, but I think I get it. The artwork is also... it is cute, but sometimes it doesn't feel right for what we are reading. Perhaps that is the point... 

Anyhow a great first volume!

I'm looking to improve our manga collection at my branch, and requested a few volumes to get some good ideas for titles. While I would recommend all of the titles I got through Viz for teens and for my collection, this was the one I will personally keep reading. I'm so interested in the exploration of gender identity, as well as the assault and its aftermath. Send in a request to add this to our collection!

I really loved this volume, I thought it was a very interesting concept and I was immediately attached to the main character. I really look forward to continuing the story in volume 2.

4 very enthusiastic stars!! I enjoyed this more than I even expected to (and I went in with high expectations)! Both the story and art are exceptional. The description doesn’t quite do it justice - while there are some lighthearted moments, this manga deals with some heavy hitting issues, and is extremely relevant and topical in today’s world. I cannot even WAIT for the sequel to see how this story continues!

Amazing graphic novel. Would highly recommend. Very detailed in the story as well as the details in the drawing. You felt draw into this novel.

I loved this. Absolutely intriguing. I loved the artwork and the storyline will be reading more manga for sure now

I was really excited to read this sadly it didn’t live up to my expectations. The story didn’t flow naturally it felt like it jumped from scene to scene. I was often confused.

Nina Kamiyama was a pop star in a popular group. They did meet and greets with fans, but one day Nina was slashed by a male fan. She quit the group and cut her hair, then started attending a regular school. Soon after school begins, there are reports of an attacker near school. The girls are restricted on when they can go outside to try to prevent more attacks. A student is attacked, but she brushes off the incident. Meanwhile, a popular boy at school has discovered Nina’s secret, that she was in the pop group. She has to witness these sexist acts at school while dealing with her own trauma.

This story shows the double standard between boys and girls. The girls are told they aren’t allowed to do after school activities anymore because of an attack, rather than prevent attacks or catch perpetrator. The city even creates a special train car just for women, so that they won’t be attacked. Instead of protecting women by punishing the attackers, they isolate them and make them appear more afraid if they choose to use that train car.

The boys were sexist and inappropriate, but it was realistic. The boys asked why the girls wear short skirts if they don’t want attention, as if that’s the reason they were attacked. They said the girls should wear pants if they don’t want to be attacked. The response that girls are “asking for it” when they are attacked is insane. It’s a crazy explanation that needs to be changed in society.

The ending of this book was very exciting. I’m looking forward to reading the next one!

Thank you VIZ Media for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!

I LOVED THIS! The art was done very well. I had no issues following the story line at all. I loved this book. The atmosphere was everything I wanted it to be. I loved the plot and storyline in the book. I loved the characters in this story. It gave me all the feels I was looking for when I started reading this. I highly recommend this author. I loved the writing. I will be looking for other works in the future from this author.

This is not my usual kind of read. I was apprehensive starting this but I actually really enjoyed it.
The storyline is deeper than I thought it would be and the subject matter is interesting.
I’ll definitely check out similar material in the future 😁

Like a lot of others reviewers, I was very surprised (in a good way!) to find that this manga was a psychological thriller. I loved the story and the characters and how I could really feel the pain alongside them. These are very real things that can happen to a person. The fact that our main character completely altered her personality after this one person assaulting her is unfortunately a very real thing that happens in life and I love that this story touched on it and brought it into the light.

Manga has been knocked for its portrayal of female characters, but Not Your Idol breaks the mould. I was pleasantly surprised at the treatment given to the storyline surrounding the main character, a successful and ultra-feminine pop idol who left celebrity life but remains traumatized from a violent "fan" incident. Author Aoi Makino attempts to shine a light on how negative stereotypes and attitudes can be held by any gender. In this first volume of Not Your Idol, Karen/Nina begins to navigate who she can trust, regardless of their sexual identity; it will be interesting to see if future volumes will continue with such insight.

(Longer review forthcoming elsewhere). This title is almost perfect, but I'm nervous about how the volume ended.

Well written and a little hard to read. Definitely worth a look though because it's a story worth reading. I definitely recommend reading this book. Worth a spot on your TBR stack. Happy reading!

First, the artwork is stunning. 10/10, leaves nothing to be desired. Just really aesthetically pleasing. Second, the plot. I need more volumes to be published already because I’ve already fallen in love with this manga and need to see where it’s heading.

I wasn't quite sure what to think about this one at first. It's not my general style of thing that I grab, but... I think this is the first thriller type media I've liked in a while. The topics are definitely heavy, talking about groping and idol culture to be precise, but they don't feel shallow or brushed over. The art is good, and conveys everything effectively. The characters, though... I'm not so sure about them. Karen, or Nina, is definitely the one I like the most. She's sympathetic, and I have a lot of love for characters who stand up for their beliefs. The rest of them, though, embody a lot of problems with thrillers in general for me. The other sort of "main" female character, Miku, isn't my favourite at all. She started off alright, but seems to be a really weird stereotype and I'm not a huge fan of it. Maybe she gets better? I'm unsure where she could go, though.

This one's a weird one for me to recommend, because it's kind of difficult to read but it's also really good.

Not Your Idol, Vol 1 by Aoi Makino Well-written and timely, this manga will attract fans even from those who have never read manga. The story and characters are real and deal with an issue so many women face today. This could easily be a cross-over/introduction novel for new manga readers. However, I do believe true manga fans will find it just as worthy a read.

Not Your Idol, Vol. 1 by Aoi Makino is a manga style graphic novel currently scheduled for release on June 10 2020. It is a psychological suspense series about a girl who has given up her life as an idol after being assaulted by a fan. After that day, she stopped being a girl. In the wake of an assault, Nina Kamiyama, a former idol in the group Pure Club, shuns her femininity and starts dressing as a boy. At high school she keeps to herself, but fellow student Hikaru Horiuchi realizes who she is. What secrets is she keeping? The shocking drama starts.

Not Your Idol is a well drawn and suspenseful story. I liked the pacing, including the action and the character backstory and development. I really enjoyed the character dynamics of Nina/Karen and how her life and perspectives have changed over time. The issues of sexual assault and related issues are handled very well, and how different people react to them is an issue we all need to think about. The story is very engaging, and kept me turning pages to learn more about the characters and what might happen next. It is not an easy read, as there are a number of tough moments and some things that survivors might find very triggering, and others will find upsetting. However, it is well written and I am very eager to see where the story goes from here, and learn more about the major players as the story continues. My only complaint is the cliffhanger that the volume ends in. Be prepared to be left wondering, and eager for the next volume.

Not Your Idol is an intense and engaging read. I look forward to seeing what happens next.

This was such a fun manga to read! The characters are genuine and real and the story moves along quickly. As someone who doesn’t read much manga, this was a good one.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

I thought this was a very well written Manga book. It's a short read you can read in one sitting. The graphics are beautiful. I love the look of manga animation and this book definitely did not disappoint me. I cannot wait for the 2nd series, plan on purchasing it.