“Thanks to Sasae's support from the shadows, his family is making real headway on the seemingly impossible task of becoming saviors of a ruined fantasy world! But even the genius Hatsushima women are pushed to the brink by the overwhelming hordes of deadmale monsters…! And when the king's army swoops in to save them at the last minute, an enraged commander reveals Sasae's secret tactic for negotiating with intransigent royalty: seducing the queen and running away with her! What could this self-proclaimed “average schmo” really be up to?!” (Yen Press)
The inaugural volume of “Game of Familia” evoked a sense of nostalgia for 90s shock OAVs with its graphic depictions of sex and violence, often merging the two, bolstered by a sharp artistic direction, which excelled in lewd and action-oriented scenes. However, once the excitement of capturing the energy of older extreme titles wears off, is there still value in “Game of Familia”? This is a bit tricky to answer, as while the manga still delivers on certain elements, it undeniably falters on others.
What remains is an undeniable edginess to the manga that will appease those who enjoy an unapologetic approach to content. While having a character openly announce their plan to r*** someone is ‘cringe,' it speaks to an era free of media commentary and acceptance of extremes in the medium. This makes it slightly humorous in how archaic and outdated such dialogue feels in a modern series. “Game of Familia” is shock value for the sake of shock value, and only a particular audience will appreciate the approach and overlook the problematic elements.
The visuals also stay consistent, with the second volume delivering more chaos than the first as the protagonist starts to flex his new abilities. Moreover, the art benefits from expanding the lore and introducing new characters and landscapes, showing D.P to be an immensely talented artist. Those attracted to the initial volume for the graphic content will be pleased to learn that the series doesn't skip on the erotic and gory details.
Where the series starts to falter is in its apparency that it aims to titillate above all else. The story from Mikoto Yamaguchi is already beginning to feel slightly stale and predictable in the second volume. This does not bode well for the series, which has been running since 2018 and, as of 2023, is still ongoing. The manga constantly reminds its readers that it is a power-driven masturbatory fantasy, and any other elements come second.
Ecchi titles that straddle the line of pornography are few and far between when it comes to published works. For collectors looking for more adult content in their collection, “Game of Familia” fits that niche nicely. However, the second volume shows that the series has little to offer beyond that. Those wanting a bit more meat in the story beyond a setup to the next instance of erotica or violence will find the work somewhat lacking.
