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Manga Review: My Oh My, Atami-Kun Vol. 1 (2024) by Asa Tanuma

My Oh My Atami Kun Vol 1 cover art
My Oh My, Atami-Kun will appeal beyond its BL label with a nuanced and sincere story of adolescent friendships.

“My Oh My, Atami-Kun” official synopsis from Yen Press: “Atami-kun has a gorgeous face. A romantic heart. And a steady stream of girls asking him out at every opportunity. Which is all wonderful, except…he likes guys, not girls. An upperclassman who enjoys reading, the long-haired boy who sits in front of him, the cute worker at the flower shop—each love fleeting but sincere, and just a bit complicated. Each bringing its own joy and melancholy. My oh my…even for Atami-kun, life truly isn’t easy.”

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My Oh My, Atami-Kun Vol. 1 cover artwork

“My Oh My, Atami-Kun” is a title that will become more fascinating after it is given time to resonate, or destruct, within the fandom. For a seinen ‘boys love’ title, the manga is painfully lethargic in its approach to romance, caught up in a malaise of aimless youthful desires. As a slice-of-life, the series flow doesn’t allow for that cathartic release that fans of the genre appreciate. It does not fit comfortably in any genre attached to it. However, there is something deceptively clever in this approach that resonates with the potential to make “My Oh My, Atami-Kun” a cherished series.

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The writing of “My Oh My, Atami-Kun” is infectious, but not in the titular character’s many attempted romantic trysts that would typically draw one to the BL genre. Instead, the friendships he builds around the awkward confessions become its most endearing element. This partly comes from Atami-kun being a blank slate, as even within the text-heavy volume, readers will be left with little substance to determine who Atami-kun is as a person. In some series, this could be a deterrent. However, Atami-kun’s persistent support draws out the best of the shy boy and offers a positive reflection on male friendships. This subject of boyhood comradery is seldom approached with such nuance and sincerity as in this case.

Of course, with an initial volume, it is hard to outline the complete direction of a series that stays perfectly aloof, and maybe romance will bloom and take center stage. Still, with what is presented in the inaugural volume, seems to have established a clear direction for the story. Perhaps the best way to approach the work is to look at “My Oh My, Atami-Kun” as a title for those who like romance stories aimed at and depicting adults. While this may seem contradictory with high school students at the center who display limitations of self-understanding, the writing is mature and contemplative beyond the years of the characters portrayed.

The visual style is laid-back and grounded in realism, reminiscent of the story. There is not much flash here, but it is not needed. Once again, those looking for sweeping romantic visuals found in other BL titles will feel uninspired, especially with the long slouching forms that Asa Tanuma favors to display teenage awkwardness. Still, there is a warmth to the visuals that works well when exploring comradery among adolescents. While, in this case, the extra-large edition adds little to the presentation, it is still welcome for a series that has the potential to become cherished.

“My Oh My, Atami-Kun” may be one of the breakout series of 2024, or it could fizzle into relative obscurity backed by only a few fervent fans. As someone who reads a lot of BL for reviewing but doesn’t always feel connected to the work, the ability to appeal beyond the label will be an exciting prospect for those who want ‘good’ manga and don’t care about the genre it falls under. Give “My Oh My, Atami-Kun” a shot; at worst, you will experience a unique, emerging voice in a medium you decide is not for you.

About the author

Adam Symchuk

Adam Symchuk is a Canadian born freelance writer and editor who has been writing for Asian Movie Pulse since 2018. He is currently focused on covering manga, manhwa and light novels having reviewed hundreds of titles in the past two years.

His love of film came from horror and exploitation films from Japan that he devoured in his teens. His love of comics came from falling in love with the works of Shuzo Oshimi, Junji Ito, Hideshi Hino, and Inio Asano but has expanded to a general love of the medium and all its genres.

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