I am loving manga at the moment. And this was just beautiful. I loved the graphics and the characters. It made me laugh but also cry. Just overall amazing.

This volume starts off interesting and ends strongly. Although I was expecting some drama and romance, this volume delivered even more drama than I was expecting, and some mystery along with.
To start, I was most impressed with the story’s questioning of and rejecting of rape culture. I’m not well-informed about most things going on in Japan with their women’s rights movements, but I was aware of the women-only passenger car debate and the backlash some men had about it being unfair to men. And this same topic comes out into the story! I really love when an author throws in current issues like this, especially one that was a big social issue when it was written.
My only qualm is as lovely as the art is, the composition can sometimes lead to some confusing sequences. Additionally, the story doesn’t remain too serious throughout but for the most part does. Excluding the few moments in-between in which the expressions of the characters shows the author's clear strength lies in the serious, more dramatic moments rather than the few side-jokes. However, that strength shines bright in this dramatic tale and at one point, the panels and unveiling of information was so well-done that I felt shivers along with the heroine!
When it comes to the characters, they seem a little too familiar but as I kept reading, the story revealed more background on at least the heroine that made her character make more sense to me. Although I can’t say I could fully understand the trauma she went through, I could imagine the lasting effects it would have on her. Unfortunately, that alone didn’t match up with how much she changed from how she appeared before to me. However, as the story continued, it elaborated on her more and it became more easy to see how she changed so drastically. I love how bold she is even if I don’t relate to her underneath the sympathy I have for her as a woman.
Overall, the story is entertaining and does well in demonstrating the flaws in thinking that promotes rape culture. It ended so strongly that I will be checking out the second volume!

I think the author did slpendid~
Five enthusiastic stars~Great new genre for me but I would recommend it to anyone!

A manga with an agenda. The characters were not as strong as I would've liked and the manga focused more on saying something about fame and assault.

I received this e-arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly started the read not fully understanding what story was about to be told but I knew I was intrigued by the premise of a former idol going into hiding and dealing with a traumatic past. What I got was 100 times better then what I expected.

It was extremely uncomfortable reading through this volume, seeing how objectifying and victim-blaming some of the characters were. But the way, the very human way, everyone else around them was dealing with those very same issues, kept me glued to the story. It was nice to see that it wasn't one-sided and people were being called out. Sexual assault is a hard issue to cover but this first volume is handling it in a way that starts a conversation that really needs to be had.

The artwork is amazing as well. Which helps with the storytelling. Most of the time that is what makes or breaks a good manga for me.

Then that ending. I started out on the fence about whether or not this would be something I would invest myself in, but now, I need to know what will happen next. Maybe I can hold out of the next part, impatiently. This is for sure a story I need sitting in my personal library to recommend out to others.

This is a really promising start to a series that deals with very uncomfortable topics.: assault, obsessive fans, sexual harassment, men's treatment of women and women's treatment of other women as well.
Nina, the main character is actually a former idol singer named Karen who quite her girl group after being attacked by a mysterious fan at a meet and greet. She cuts off her hair and starts dressing in men's clothing so as not to attract attention to herself from other men who might want to hurt her. Only one person in her school realizes who she used to be, a judo team member named Hikaru. As she starts to open up to him though, her trauma catches up to her, and she begins to suspect that he may not be the nice guy he seems to be. To make it worse, a creeper is loose in her neighborhood, sexually harassing girls in her school.

This manga isn't what I was expecting, yet at the same time, it is so much more. Perfect for K-Pop and J-Pop fans and avid manga readers, I strongly reccomend this book to anyone as it shows the often ignored dangers of being in the limelight, the misogyny that (unfortunately) still to this very day lives within our society, and one's journey on rediscovering themself.

Not Your Idol, a manga by Aoi Makino, confronts some pretty serious issues such as violence and sexual assault. I think this manga is socially important: it is part of the step of ending rape culture and exposing these people and issues so they get the sentence that they f***ing deserve.

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When I originally began to read this manga, I had no intention to continue the series. It was good but not one hundred per cent my cuppa tea.

Now that I have finished this volume, I am intruigued. I want to know what happens. I am invested into these characters and want to know what happens to them. I need to know if karma will severely come around to those who deserve it.

I strongly reccomend this manga to anyone who wants to be invested in characters and for a thrilling manga that reflects the struggles of everyday life.

I was provided with an Advanced Copy of this Manga by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this manga! Stylistically, the art was lovely, beautiful shading, and a subtle but distinct change in style for the flashback scenes.

Thematically, the story tells of a young girl who went from being an Idol to hiding in relative obscurity following an attack that left her too frightened to continue with that career path. It was really well executed, not at all heavy handed, and respectful of those who have experienced similar traumas. It didn't feel gratuitous in any way and presented balanced viewpoints, as well as the subtleties of harassment in society.

I will definitely be purchasing this when it comes out and cant wait for volume 2!

I loved the plot and so wish I had the next volume because I want to know what happens. I also love the characters and just everything with this story.

Review of 'Not Your Idol, Vol 1' by Aoi Makino, recieved in ebook format from NetGalley.

WOW. Just WOW.

I adored this, it packed SO, SO MUCH into one volume! I am itching to read the next one!! I loved the storyline, art, and all of the translations are perfect. If the second volume is available I would happily read and review it. Wow, that's just all I can say after that. I love the showcase of assault against women in everyday life, and the men that sexualise women's short skirts (and women in general). It just raises more awareness about the topic through a manga that can reach people in Japan and elsewhere.

5/5 🌟(i will definitely read the next one!)

Wow, this was so intense. Being assaulted is no joke, I think this manga makes a good point in that. I'm really hoping that Hikaru is not the one who assaulted Karen. It would just crush me if he was, especially since she is slowly starting to trust again.... Can't wait for the this and the second volume to come out! The cliff hanger at the end!

When I requested this manga, I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy it. I don't read a lot of manga, at least not manga that I haven't also seen the anime for, but the premise interested me. What I got was a story that, while a bit confusing in places (due to the positioning of text etc.) and wasn't very subtle in the messages it tried to get across, was also extremely interesting and I read it all in one evening. The ending surprised me, as it definitely did not go the direction I expected and now I really want to find out what happens next!

Not Your Idol (Volume 1) by Aoi Makino, 166 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. VIZ Media, 2020. $10.
Language: PG (10 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
High schooler Nina Kamiyama chooses to wear the male uniform at the school and doesn’t talk to anyone. With groping becoming a hot topic in the city, Kamiyama starts to get more flack for her decision to not wear skirts. Hikaru tries to befriend and help her, but, the closer he gets, the more nervous Kamiyama becomes.
While the whole story is shrouded in the mystery of who the antagonist is and how he’ll show up again, I was hooked by the first, quickly revealed mystery of what happened to Karen Amamiya. All of the little mysteries and reveals that are going on with the big mystery looming over the reader makes Kamiyama’s story difficult to put down. I love the ending of this volume and how it makes the overarching theme of courage clear to readers: courage to communicate when you’ve been wronged, courage to face your fears, courage to change your mind, courage to trust. I hope volume 2 becomes available soon. The mature content rating is for mentions of pornography and rape, groping, and sexual harassment. The violence rating is for stalking and knife violence.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Trigger Warning: Assault

This manga touched on and important topic that women around the world have be in fear of, and that’s not fair. Some of the views portrayed are controversial. The story line desk keep me sucked in and wanting to know what happened next

Wow. That ending.... I'm not sure if I like it or disagree with it. This Manga definitely has some trigger warning for Sexual Harassment and Harassment in general, and it shows many different views on the topic. It was a fast read and I didn't want to put it down! I am excited to read the Vol. 2 to see where to goes.

Not Your Idol is a manga that follows Nina Kamiyami, a former idol who gave up her life in the spotlight after being attacked by a fan. She has cut off her hair, changed her name and thrown out all of the girly fashion staples that she was so well known for. And it’s working for her. She’s finally settling in, realising that she prefers the comments about being the only girl in slacks than being everyone’s property, when everything starts to go wrong once again.

There’s a sexual attacker on the loose in the area and, as well as bringing back terrible memories, he brings back the fear for her life that she was so desperate to give up.

This is a tough read in terms of content and an incredibly easy read in terms of format. It only took me a few hours to get through and I found the layout to be very clear and readable. In addition, it really helped that the artwork was so incredibly well-drawn and beautiful to look at. The hard part was dealing with the troubling content. This manga tackles issues of stalking, sexual assault and harassment, all whilst shining a spotlight on the troubling Asian pop music culture that has risen to popularity in the past few years. At the moment, there is a lot of discussion over the mistreatment of idols, and this book provides a fascinating first-person insight into the struggles that real idols are constantly going through.

I liked the characters in this book a lot. Even though she is largely absent, Kamiyami’s best friend, Sara, is a truly supportive character. When Kamiyami is going through tough times, Sara is always there to support her through it. Likewise, I was impressed by how quickly I grew attached to Hikaru’s character too, as I knew so little about him and yet still enjoyed reading the sections that he is in. Kamiyami herself is incredibly strong as a protagonist, with a personality that shines through in both the flashbacks and the present day sections.

The story was very easy to follow and it really makes an interesting change to the light-hearted, sweet manga that I’ve read in the past. It took a surprising turn at the end and I can definitely say that because of that, and the easy-to-read format and important content, I would read the second volume.

I don't usually go for Manga but this being a physiological suspense about a idol names Nina that gave up her idol career after being sexually assaulted at a event. She has moved to a new town, has a new name and wears the boys uniform to her new school, where she gets teased a lot, if they only knew, but one boy does know.

I really like the book with all the suspense, however I felt like they just cut it off and now I have to wait for Vol 2 to come out, it just wasn't a smooth stopping place. But I also can't wait for Vol 2 now so please hurry.

This review will appear on my blog on May 5th.

We follow Nina Kamiyama as she tries to forget her life as an Idol, and to move past the trauma she suffered as one. Idol girls are forced to abandon a lot of things or they end up getting kicked out for not being everyone's idol. When whispers of a man groping high school girls starts going around it sends Nina into reliving things she's been trying to forget. She's not really popular in school and perfers to be left alone. When one of the girls she knows gets sexually 'attacked' and blows it off as nothing it makes Nina angry and upset that she acts like it's okay and that's how the world is. I do enjoy the story Aoi Makino is sharing with everyone and I think it reveals a lot in our world today as girls/woman of all ages are dealing with these type of advances. I can't wait for Volume 2 to come out!

Thank you to NetGalley, Viz Media, and Aoi Makino for the opportunity to read Not Your Idol Volume 1 in exchange for an honest review.

I like drama. When I read the blurb for this book, I figured it would be interesting. Yeah...well...I was ABSOLUTELY BLOWN AWAY by how absorbed I was in this story.

After Nina, an Idol in a major group, is assaulted with a knife by a fan, she leaves the group and changes her appearance to that of a boy to try and protect herself. The assailant is still at large, so she can't be too careful.

Her classmates know she's a girl, and Hikaru finds an interest in her choices of appearance..and more. His sister is a major fan, and even though Nina isn't going by her Idol name, Karen, Hikaru still recognizes her and praises her as an inspirational Idol on his sister's behalf.

When friend and Idol partner Sara mentions an anonymous envelope of photos having arrived at the agency, she contacts Nina to let her know to be safe. Coincidentally, Nina is starting to notice that Hikaru shares some similarities with the hooded man who assaulted her, but he's the first man she's ever trusted. What will she do?

This was an absolutely fantastic manga and I definitely want to continue this series.

Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault

I am very curious to see where this book is going. I finished volume 1 and feel like volume 2 can't get here soon enough.

This is a psychological suspense type of story. A girl gives up a life of being an idol after she is attacked by a fan.

One thing that did make this book hard to read were the scenes where boys at the school were justifying rape. There was a lot of talk about how girls dress and how they do it for the attention. The main character was amazing how she stood up to them.

The book explores gender identity and what roles everyone falls into. In the beginning the main characters is looked down on for wearing pants instead of the skirt with their uniform. There is a lot of potential and I can't wait for volume 2.

By Aoi Makino