The worldbuilding here feels really lackluster. It's hyperfocused on the Guide/Esper to the point where all the rest feels like hollow set dressing. I wouldn't mind if the characters were interesting, but something about the writing feels like it was done entirely on vibes and has very little substance. Apparently the novel is better, but this adaptation feels like a shallow skim of the surface. RIP because I generally like guideverse
First 30 chapters were a drag. Found myself skipping around a lot from the pace in general. The narrative clearly favors black hair as ML but it has a last second polyamory situation, which I would like a lot more if the two MLs were actually friendly instead of obviously competing for her affection all the time. (I preferred white hair tbh also)
For being a knight in the past the art didn't really know how to express sword fighting and I also feel like the random cutesy outfits from the mythical creatures were an aura downgrade. Hell, I don't even think they should've "healed" her past scar because people with scars should get to be happy and think they look good too.
The plot, if it can even be called that, is just do something risque but don't commit -> one of their exes appears and the other party gets jealous -> repeat FOUR times -> random side couple -> ML's mom is a jerk -> eh whatever let's get married
Lack of interesting character development. Basically just a lot of sexy teasing and repetitive stuff. Kusakabe's abusive mom got off wayyyyyyy too easy, made me annoyed
or to be more precise, two random second male leads for FL because she has never dated before this but two exes for ML. this is stuff you write when you're grasping for strings
Kusakabe is kind of pathetic lol
This series is just weird because it keeps trying to be randomly funny and it doesn't really hit. When Kusakabe says yet another cringe overly possessive line and everyone just takes it in stride and goes "haha isn't that guy crazy" it just feels... confusing.
I think it helps to keep perspective here. This arc basically started with chapter 148 and each chapter is like 4 pages. In other words, we're barely 3 manga-length chapters into this conflict (and not all pages were dedicated to this either). That's basically the equivalent of like 2 anime episodes.
I think the feeling of impatience comes more from the frequent updates with small pages which makes it feel more drawn out than it actually is.
There's basically no characterization (at least not the first five chapters). Every chapter is basically the ML acts like he's about to do something risque and the FL blushes and scrambles around and he only does something slightly forward. It's too formulaic and ML really doesn't feel like anything but a collection of hot perfect guy + possessive trope in a really boring way.
To find this cute or interesting im going to need something that implies the characters have individual thoughts and motives that don't all have to do with one another and then at least some friction/negotiation. Idk if it does in the future chapters but I doubt it and I'm not gonna stick around.
Very 2000s shoujo
This series tried to imply that trauma etc. informs the MC's actions, but really everything she does is just done in the stan mindset and then sometimes when she needs a little more humanity to her the writers say that she suffered abuse in her past life. I get that they're trying to add a little more glue but it's not gluing her character together enough. For all she says about being a teacher, I kinda get the impression that she was a mediocre one because she's barely taught anyone anything that wasn't just "stanning is good". Extremely weird. IDK even what to say about Citrine's abusive mom redemption because while I think the concept is interesting, the way it was done by "just stan me!" is really dumb.
I also don't find her constant nosebleeds funny or endearing, it's just weird and if I were anyone in-universe I would've assumed she had a legitimate chronic illness by this point.
L because I think ML is cute but whatever this all is, isn't it.
Also while I personally don't mind these stanning heroine comics (can I get one where she's actually right about who she pairs up tho), I think it's extremely weird to act like spending all of your money on a predatory gacha game is great for your mental health and should be recommended to everyone. This universe is lucky they don't got gacha because MC is so consumer-brained she would willingly go bankrupt.
You know what you could also spend that money on? Therapy
honestly i think it's boring that the guide folded so fast. like their interactions were a little funny and i get that the esper is a freak and all, but i personally need something besides just somewhat uncommon sex scenes for me to care.
so far it's just been the typical guide doesnt like super powerful esper, esper likes him and coerces him into sex, esper saves him from some jackass esper, guide falls for him... zzz
I'm not saying it's impossible for me to read these tropes but i would prefer a little more character work. alas. have fun, y'all