“The orphaned Blondina lives a tough life on the streets, left only with a memento from her late mother—one that proves she is the child of the emperor of Ates. From the streets, Blondina moves into the royal palace where she lives a lonely existence…that is until she befriends a brash and surly cat named Amon. Not only can Amon talk, but he also turns into a cute boy! The truth is, Amon is no mere cat but rather a member of the Divine Leopard Clan, a group of powerful demi-humans often at odds with humanity. Will the two be able to stay friends despite all the conflicts?” (Ize Press)
One of the early titles to be announced and come out for IZE Press, “My Gently Raised Beast” is arguably the most niche and tailored manhwa to be issued by the Yen Press imprint. Notably, the series has a very particular aesthetic and flow that caters to those who favor ‘cuteness' to overcompetent storytelling. “My Gently Raised Beast”, unfortunately, has issues that make it fall short of anything else published through IZE Press, yet it still has the potential to reach many readers as what it does aim to do well in it, excels at doing so.
As stated, creating a ‘cute' product seems essential to the identity of the book with pages that are drenched in soft pastels and idealized visions of classic beauty standards. Furthermore, there is an emphasis on fashion and playful creatures that further establishes the ‘adorable vibe' of the book's visual direction and story. That is not to say the series is bereft of drama, and there are some darker themes within the work, but the primary focus seems more on establishing a certain aesthetic for a particular fandom. Consequently, the book will find a deserved audience that enjoys the pretty veneer and lighter fantastical story elements.
However, the content in the book itself can be as shallow as the titular character's name “Blondina” and the story makes it obvious that beyond its aesthetic appeal, it does little to distinguish itself from the slew of manhwa in the genre. Compared to the recently released “The Remarried Empress“, for example, “My Gently Raised Beast” fails to make that instant connection with the protagonist and proves to be a slight slog to finish the first volume by spending time with one-dimensional characters.
Despite the defined and welcoming aesthetic, the quality of the illustrations themselves does come into question. Notably, Yeosuelki seems to struggle with facial expressions as often wide-eyed open-mouthed characters come across as devoid of emotion. While this is only egregious in a few panels, these instances really take the reader out of the book when meeting with a dead-eyed and oddly proportioned face.
For those looking for a book that favors an adorable aesthetic and establishes a playful vibe, “My Gently Raised Beast” could prove to be a lovely escape. In addition, the lighter tone makes it a potential introduction to manhwa for younger readers as long as parents are okay with certain elements of the book (notably, a back story that involves abuse). There is, certainly, an audience for this kind of book, but for those more discerned and critical readers “My Gently Raised Beast” will come across as soapy drama at best and boring fluff at worse.
