モノトーン・ブルー

MONOTONE BLUE

MANGA

STATUS
COMPLETE
VOLUMES
1
RELEASE
February 27, 2021
CHAPTERS
11

DESCRIPTION

Hachi the cat finds most things monotonous, but at the top of his list is high school and all that comes with it. But when Aoi the lizard–a quiet, high-achieving transfer student–arrives, Hachi catches a glimpse of a brighter, more colorful life. If Hachi can help Aoi open up, unlocking new feelings in the process, maybe his life won’t be so bland, after all.

(Source: Seven Seas Entertainment)

CAST

Hachi
Aoi

CHAPTERS

RELATED TO MONOTONE BLUE

ONE SHOT RomanceEscalate

REVIEWS

FenrirBlack22
70/100
A Standard BL Romance with a Anthropomorphic Twist
Don't let the cat and lizard on the cover fool you, this is a standard high school romance that just happens to involve anthropomorphic animals in a homosexual relationship. The entire story is standard. The main character Hachi the cat is going through life with zero interest in anything around him until the unusual and unique transfer student, Aoi the lizard, arrives and catches his interest. Drama, cuddling, and feelings ensue and a plot is formed. While the story does qualify as "good", it doesn't do anything in its short span that does anything special or meaningful with the BL genre or story. The typical tropes are there that you would find in any high school drama you see on TV. The only thing that really makes this story stand out is that the characters are anthropomorphic animals. The series does take a few brief moments to delve into the world and its inhabitants which is a welcome edition to break up the monotony that is two dudes struggling with their feelings towards each other. The world-building is limited and brief unsurprising considering again this is a single volume manga.
The short length of the series is what probably inhibits it the most. The manga has all the energy of a side project the author made on a whim. There is simply not enough pages or space to delve that deep in the world, characters, or their complicated personalities. We only are given mentions of Aoi's home life and Hachi's is never mentioned. The secondary characters are cute, funny, and welcomed but their appearances only are tools for forced drama and high school tropes. There are also moments that touch on bullying, speciesism, and insecurity about one's body that naturally enhance the story. due to the anthropomorphic nature of the characters. The real essence of the story is in the small moments of anthropomorphization where the natural biology of the characters comes into play. This adds some originality to the standard relationship between the two characters. Between Hachi warming Aoi's body when it gets too cold to the opposite of Aoi's body acting as a cooling pillow for Hachi when its hot outside, its the differences between the two species that enhances their relationship and progresses it that one doesn't find in a story about two humans.
The comedic moments are good, the relationship between the two boys is as meaningful as it is touching, and the overall story is an appreciated edition to the small pool of anthropomorphic literature. This is a heart-warming story but one that has been told many times before. The only thing that makes this one stand out is the fact that the characters are animals which isn't a bad thing but could have used a lot more chapters.
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