4.5

LOL the plot for this had to have been a fever dream and I am HERE for it. Gay, furry/anthropomorphic , combat figure skating, +vampire speciesism, secret romance. I mean what? It works, why does this work? Why is this addicting, why is it so freaking cute! I have a feeling this was heavily inspired by Beastars but it’s very much a good thing imo. Blades of Furry is just super sweet and genuinely FUNNY. I was shocked how much I liked it and can totally see how this is a webcomic hit and was popular enough to get published. If you don’t mind weird I highly recommend picking this up.

I am a massive fan of the Webtoon series and to re-experience this world in collected form, is euphoric honestly and fulfills that desire to experience your favorite thing as if you’re experiencing it for the first time all over again!

Loved the dynamic between the main characters and how they showcased the precieved nature of predator versus prey

I don't remember requesting this if I'm honest. I don't think my kids would be interested in this book. Ice skating animals is a very specific reader base. I can't really figure out my opinions on it.

I’m so excited for this to get published! For fans of Beastars and sickly sweet romance!

Even though this first volume is sitting at over 500 pages I read it in just TWO sittings and couldn’t want to get my hands on more!

Low stakes sport romance with a taste of vampires and a whole heaping of blushing! The art style and story were just so cute and fluffy it left me with all of the good feels.

Thank you Netgally and the publisher for providing me with this arc!

Enter the high-stakes world of battle skating in this rivals-to-lovers romance.
Emile is an up-and-coming rookie in battle skating, a sport that combines the grace of figure skating with the high impact sparring of martial arts. Just as he is gearing up to fight in his next duel at the championships, there’s a change in the lineup! To his horror, he’ll have to face off against reigning champion Radu, the best battle skater in the world (and Emile’s longtime skating idol). 
I love the concept of this graphic novel! Figure skating mashed with fighting martial arts. I would pay to see this in real life. The skating is on point with some of the best routines ever and after they do the required elements of the skate, they have to take out their competitor ! Genius!!!!
And hey just for fun, lets make them cute furry animals...with secrets.
Can you tell I love this graphic novel?
I can't wait for the next volume to see what happens next to my favorite skating couple, Emile and Radu.

Highly recommended. Expected release date May 13, 2025

Thanks to @netgalley @ Little Brown Books for Young Readers for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Super cute and fun book with an interesting take on a new sport. I loved this and will definitely pick up volume 2.

This was a super cute first volume and I thought the art was well done. I like the relationship between Emile and Radu and I'm super curious to find out more about Radu's back story. I do feel the pacing was a little fast, but overall I think it was a decent series starter. I enjoyed the side characters, everyone felt developed and like they had distinct personalities. I could have used a little bit more in the way of world building surrounding the sport, but I think I got a general idea and the artwork did a clear job of depicting what was happening in the action panels. I think this would be great to recommend to anyone who likes Yuri on Ice/Sports romance or likes stories featuring anthropomorphic characters. So far it's very light-hearted and sweet with light drama.

When one of your favorite Disney movies is Zootopia and your favorite Winter Olympics sport is Ice Skating, the OBVIOUS choice is to fall in love with a book that is literally the best of both worlds, but MAKE IT GAAAAAAAAAY!🌈

An adorable deer fawn falls in love with a (secretly vampire) bat while they become rival ice skaters. There is a lot of angst and then a lot of secret smooching. I loved every second of the entire book!!

A Special Thanks To NetGalley and Little Brown Books for Young Readers for the ARC to Review.

I have been following this series ever since the first chapter debuted on Webtoons (which has over forty million views and half a million subscribers), and it’s perfect for fans of Yayoi Ogawa’s Knight of the Ice, Tsurumaikada’s Medalist Manga, and the TV Anime, Yuri on Ice, and Paru Itagaki’s BEASTARS. Here comes the anthropomorphic queer romance, Blades of Furry Volume One by Emily Erdos (Ellie & Emily) and Deya Muniz (Brutally Honest, The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich).

Our story begins with a rookie named Emile, who is part of a new sport called Battle Skating, a sport that combines the beauty and elegance of figure skating with the high-impact action of Martial Arts. Just as Emile finishes preparing for his big match at the Championships, there is a big change in the lineup. He is horrified to learn that his new opponent is none other than Radu, the reigning champ and best battle skater in the world (and Emile’s skating idol). Can Emile pull out an upset? Or will he go down in flames?

Blades of Furry is a fun, lighthearted story that has great potential to pick up a TV Animated Series, it has the elements that young and adult readers enjoy: romance, drama, dynamic action (in sports terminology), and suspense. Keep in mind that this first volume collects chapters 1-36, serving the purpose of watching Radu and Emile move up the ladder in a Battle Skating Competition, with them being rivals becoming lovers, even offering brief glimpses into their backstories as the story progresses.

As far as it goes for the story premise, I enjoyed watching Radu and Emile’s journey in terms of being rivals and gradually getting into a relationship. The way that Radu is written when it comes to his backstory is well done, having to guard a secret, that he is a vampire bat, the one species that is banned from the sport due to prejudice. Emile had an opportunity to turn him in, but he didn’t, he became his friend and you know the rest. Aside from being a Queer Love Story, it also offered other themes, such as the dangers of bigotry, prejudice, and having to deal with stalkers and harassers, something that has become a problem over the years for many. One other fun story that it offers is how Sal and Hana met, two other characters that play a bigger role in the story later on, which I won’t go into detail, due to spoilers.

Next, is how well-illustrated this story is. There has always been a certain beauty in figure skating, whether it be through skating in which the skaters have put their blood, sweat, and tears into their moves, and the outfits they wear in their performances, Emily Erdos and Deya Muniz did great work in creating these characters and creating this new sport. The way the characters were drawn (including their unique expressions) would bring a smile to each reader, not to mention the extensive research they have done in using different species in creation. Finally, the action sequences during their performances/battles were a neat treat, it wasn’t something you’d expect, but it was a treat to read.

The premise for this comic is honestly kind of insane. We have anthropomorphic animals, some of whom are vampires (Yes, you read that correctly), that participate in ice skating battle competitions that somehow never result in grievous injury, despite kicks with skate blades, wrestling moves that toss participants into the hard ice, and no protective gear. In spite of this, it still works. By keeping the rules fuzzy and focusing on the realistic romance progression of the protagonists, I was pulled into it's sweet, heartwarming story, and thoroughly entertained. If you're a fan of furry characters, lgbt themes, and/or Yuri on Ice (see if you can spot the brief in story reference) I thoroughly recommend it.

I received this book for free from netgalley for an honest review.
I think my son will definitely love this book and I know that I enjoyed it as well. The diversity in the book really sold me on the concept of this. I'm not into sports very much but I was able to grasp the overall effect.

This was a really cute, funny, and enjoyable read. I've read various M/M webtoons before, and I really liked this take on "battle skating" mixed with Furry romance. The art style and all the side characters were gorgeous and colorful.

What I liked the most was Emile's rise as a rookie skater and his rivalry-to-friends-to lovers relationship with Radu, Both of them are super cute especially all the blushing with Radu. I'm definitely excited to read more of their story in the next volume. I also really liked the bonus story for the side characters Sal and Hana.

I'd recommend this story for fans of Yuri on Ice mixed with M/M "Furry" tropes as well as lovers of sports M/M romances in general. Thanks Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for the e-arc.

5 stars - I loved it!

This volume contains episodes 1-36 of the Webtoon comic and includes a bonus story not found on Webtoon that features Sal and Hana.

Emile is a rookie in the battle skating competition, which is a sport that combines figure skating and martial arts. Just as he is gearing up for his next duel, there is a change in the lineup and he finds himself facing off against the reigning champion Radu, and Emile’s longtime skating idol. There is no way he can win but during a pivotal point in the match Emile accidentally discovers Radu’s closely guarded secret and it changes the course of both of their lives and careers.

This was an absolutely adorable graphic and a fantastic start for a series. Emile is a rookie skater but is very driven to make it into the series championship. During their competition, Emile accidentally finds out that Radu is a vampire, the one creature that is banned from the battle skating league due to prejudices. Instead of turning him in though, Emile keeps his secret and they end up becoming friends who help each other with their performances.

I really enjoyed the progression of Emile and Radu’s story and romance. They may be rivals but they are also friends and eventually lovers. It was extremely sweet watching both of them fight their feelings and blushing every time they were together. Just adorable. I just loved these two from the very beginning and can’t wait to see how their relationship progresses, especially since they technically can’t be dating due to the battle skate rules.

This volume is surprisingly long and we get a good chunk of story in these 36 chapters. We get to see Emile and Radu move up through the series by winning multiple battles; their progression from rivals, to friends, and then to boyfriends; Radu dealing with his secret and an attempt to reveal who he is; and brief hints at both of their childhoods. Like I said, I loved this and how the story is unfolding for us. There are still so many unanswered questions but the romance is fantastic.

Overall, if you like queer sports romances, I highly recommend this. I am enjoying this so much that I might continue reading on Webtoon just so I can find out what happens next for these two. I am so hooked on their story. Also the bonus story about Hana and Sal was just and I wonder if there will be a part two of it in the next volume.

TW: bigotry and prejudices; stalking and harassment;

Thank you Net Galley for the early ARC

Wow! This book is a whirlwind of emotions and deeper meaning. The pain characters have a lot of development and trails ahead of them.

I wasn't sure where this book was going at first but it is beautiful. It gives me Yuri on Ice vibes and I LOVED IT.

Picked this up since I really loved Deya Muniz's Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich. This one took a while to get into, not helped by the fact that the Netgalley Reader for graphic novels is really clunky. The rules of "battle skating" were kind of unclear for too long for me to understand what the stakes are, including the very light vampire element. The mish-mash of various fantastical elements were a bit annoying but at some point you start to care about the large cast of characters and the rules matter very little. I wish there were more evocative ice-skating images, because I'm trash for ice-skating narratives. That said, it was cute but entirely too long for one volume of a lot of franti competition jargon. This would be MUCH better as an anime!

I really enjoyed Blades of Furry! The characters are adorable, and I love when the main couple are just absolute cinnamon rolls. The story also surprised me, it didn’t go the way I expected, which was a pleasant twist. It definitely has a Yuri on Ice meets Zootopia vibe, but I’m not mad about it. The feel-good energy is also very reminiscent of Heartstopper, making it an easy and enjoyable read.

That said, I did find it a little disappointing that the only female character in the story is the villain, especially in a unisex sport. But honestly, battle ice skating itself is such a wild concept. These athletes are out here fighting while trying to land their routines, with actual blades on their feet, how are there not more injuries? And why aren’t they wearing protective gear? It’s giving The All for the Game series' Exy—a needlessly hardcore version of an already dangerous sport. But if you don’t think too hard about the logistics, it’s an incredibly fun concept.

I’m also loving this trend of publishing Webtoons in print format and making them more accessible to a wider audience. The comedic elements are fantastic, and even though this is just the beginning, you can already tell there’s more depth to the characters than what we’ve seen so far. The humor helps keep everything lighthearted and fluffy, and also balances out the intensity of the sport itself.

Overall, this was a great start to the series, and I’m excited to see where it goes next!

Thanks to NetGalley & Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was FANTASTIC. It's so lighthearted, hilarious, and so endearingly sweet! The art style lends itself well to the story and I love seeing all the cool animal designs throughout the book. The side characters are fleshed out and contribute so much to the couple's developing romance. I don't usually care about sports stuff but I love this concept of ice skate-fighting! It didn't overtake the plot and it wasn't boring/slow at all, I was completely enraptured and wanted Radu and Emile to win all of their matches.

I can't wait to read more--I'm excited to see more of Radu's family and vampirism in the next volume!

Definitely recommend for fans of Beastars.

This title is everything, and I MEAN EVERYTHING. For fans of Yuri On Ice and people chronically online in fandom realms, I cannot suggest a better title. Part Heartstopped, part Beastars, and part it's own thing. This is a recipe for success. I love that Webtoons are making a physical run. I have it on-order at the library, and it'll do well for Summer Reading. Love that escapism!

This is sort of like Yuri on Ice meets Zootopia meets Check Please and I'm not mad at any of that? It takes a little to understand exactly the structure of what's going on with the competition--and I do wish the only distinctly female character wasn't a crazy stalker, but, alas.