“When high school shut-in Raito Sasaki hires a pro gamer coach to help him hone his FPS skills, he never expected that the one knocking on his door would be Rion Suzuki—a cute and fashionable high-school knockout! With such a charming and supportive gal cheering him on, can Raito take his game to the next level, or will the pressure of being up close and personal with a bombshell like Rion lead him to throw?” (Yen Press)
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There has been a long-held misconception that ‘girl gamers' are not particularly welcome in circles. While some troglodytes see the medium as needing to be exclusionary (which the series briefly touches), the odd ones don't account for the general sentiment of the whole. “I Want a Gal Gamer to Praise Me” celebrates women in video games, in a way that is slightly undermined by the sexualization thereof. It is a tricky balance, and while it is hard to say which direction Geshumaro will take the series in, the optimist will find a lot to love in the inaugural volume.
The series starts on a curious note, with the first two chapters constructed for online release in a strip-like format. These chapters are divided into several sub-segments, offering short but humorous reflections on Raito's discomfort of learning under the attractive Rion while trying to keep his integrity and stay true to the lesson; think tension and comedy built by breast placement while coaching. The manga shifts after these chapters into a more long-form story format, with Geshumaro switching gears for a more traditional release. While this can be frustrating, the artist does an excellent job of keeping the flow and making the expansion natural.
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However, this further disallows the series from fully establishing its direction and whether the future focus will be on the fetishization of Rion or building toward a sincere relationship. Fan service is still often the gag of every encounter. Yet, protagonist Raito does not fall into the ‘perverted' tropes one would expect from other mature series that would overtly focus on eroticism over character development. “I Want a Gal Gamer to Praise Me” is geared toward romance with lewd elements in the first volume, which hopefully will stay consistent moving forward.
Visually, Geshumaro has a knack for drawing exaggerated female forms one would want from a fan-service-driven story. At the same time, the comedic timing and paneling work in the series work equally well. As highlighted above, this includes absurd moments such as Rion placing her own hand on her breast in the follow-up panel. Still, the work is equally memorable for its visual crassness as it is for its playfulness and interjection of the various characters with an abundance of personality.
Titles like “I Want a Gal Gamer to Praise Me” are bound to be immature and slightly masturbatory, and the reader must be willing to embrace said elements. However, there is a wonderful comedic charm to the series. It is undeniable that Rion is fetishized in both looks and personality catered to men, yet, the manga never feels malicious toward women, and protagonist Raito is respectful. Ultimately, the series is delightful if one can turn off their brain and indulge in Geshumaro's wonderfully lewd and comedic stylings.
