cyril

I can’t believe this is my first review ever, but I need to get this off my chest. A hot guy (Segasaki) tells a broke, low–self-esteem guy (Yoh) to move in with him, promising food and shelter in exchange for complete obedience—anything he wants. Yoh is desperate, so he agrees.

This is such a dangerous deal to make. What exactly does Segasaki want? How far is Yoh supposed to go? How could he say yes without knowing? Segasaki is manipulative to the core. He preys on Yoh when he’s at his lowest just to own him. His “love” is possession and control. He needs Yoh to depend on him, and Yoh accepts it, willingly, like so many trapped in abusive relationships.

Neither of them should be anywhere near a relationship, and together they’re a disaster. What frustrates me even more is the number of people who genuinely enjoy this dynamic. Being someone’s slave is not cute. It’s not romantic, it’s not sweet—no matter how many head pats Segasaki gives Yoh.

And Yoh? He’s painfully naive. He could leave, but he chooses to stay because he thinks he loves Segasaki. Honey, that’s not love. Even in fiction, an abusive relationship is still abusive. Romanticizing it doesn’t make it any less harmful.