Publisher Summary
Let the games begin! Since childhood, Yukiya Asagi and Miku Sakura have played the Love Game, where they try to fluster each other with a simple “I love you.” But after falling in love for real and refusing to admit it, neither of them can afford to lose this battle!
After leaving behind his image as a quiet nerd, Yukiya’s ready to break hearts and take names with the ultimate high school glow-up. Well, he’s really just got one girl in his sights—his best friend, Miku! Using her favorite shojo manga as his weapon, he’s prepared to pin her to the wall and gaze at her with the perfect smolder! Will his advances get her heart racing? Or will Yukiya end up making a fool of himself?
Author: Yuki Domoto
Translator: Aleria Mei Amaral
Letterer: Elena Diaz
I received I Want to End This Love Game volume 1 as an ARC from Viz Media in exchange for an honest review
Background
In Japan, I Want to End This Love Game is serialized in Shogakukan's online manga reading platform Sunday Webry since December 2021. Viz Media announced that they licensed this series for an English release June 2023.
The series was nominated and ranked 12th in the NEXT Manga Awards under the web category in 2023, which is a feat since it's very difficult for series to get in the top 20. Usually titles that rank in the top 20 are top contenders for getting licensed in English. Recent titles that were in the same situation include Dangers in My Heart, Oshi no Ko, Spy x Family, and most recently, After God.
This was a series I heard a lot of praise for when Viz announced the license. I was curious to see what the big deal was and if it lives up to the hype.
Review
I Want to End This Love Game is a rom-com that has the romantic leads trying to "win" by making the other get flustered after saying "I Love You". If this sounds similar, you're not alone. This series definitely seems to be Shogakukan's take on Kagua-sama: Love is War.
Yukiya and Miku are the story's romantic leads. While the two have been playing this game for years, it seems like the actual words have affected them. Both are in love with one another but still want to win.
You're given the background behind the game's origin and why both continue to play, which gives the reader context and hope that their favorite (whether it's Yukiya or Miku) will win. You begin to see how both go even further where the game becomes secondary and the focus becomes wanting to give the other a romantic experience to express their feelings.
For Love is War fans, Yukiya behaves similar to Miyuki Shirogane. When Miku isn't around, he gets frustrated and frantic about his feelings towards her and how he's close in losing the game. he can't deny how he's fallen for her after all these years.
While he wants to win, he also wants her to fall for him so he tries to change his appearance just for that. It's not just about winning anymore but actually getting the girl. and he'll do everything he can to get her!
His attempts at keeping himself composed are funny because he caves so easily. He's fine as a lead but nothing to write home about. Since he is nearly a one-to-one clone of Shirogane, I haven't seen anything that makes him unique.
Miku is fine as the other lead. Unlike Yukiya, she is different from her Love is War counterpart (Kaguya) because she is approachable to anyone. Miku embodies the fun, "girl next door" archetype that many of her classmates like.
She is in love with Yukiya, but the reason for wanting to "win" is different. It's not that she wants to get him flustered to win the game; she wants Yukiya himself to confess to her. That key difference is why she continues to play.
I enjoyed the comedy in the series. Yukiya doing a wall slam (a traditional move from anime and manga that has the girl immediately fall for the guy) but causing both of them to freak out had me laughing. The mangaka continued to add to the humor by having Miku state how outdated that move is.
I like that the series has the two interact with their classmates. They have their own friend groups (well, Miku does at least) and are engaged with their other classmates. It makes the world seem bigger and more "lived-in".
What I don't like is that you might have seen a lot of these situations before. Whether it's from Love is War or another high school romance manga series. The author doesn't do much to make these situations or tropes their own. He doesn't give them a unique flavor.
Final Thoughts
Overall, if you are a fan of Kaguya-sama: Love is War, this is the perfect series for you. For others, this series is fine but you won't see anything that will pull you in.
Verdict: Pick it up on Sale
I Want to End This Love Game volume 1 from Viz Media is now available at all retailers