Marmalade Boy

(Tokyopop, 2002-2003)
™ and © Tokyopop

Poor Miki finds her parents have swapped spouses with another couple and plan to live together! Even worse, she’s attracted to her new, cute stepbrother, Yuu! It’s a premise perfect for a Jerry Springer segment on swinging, but, no, it’s all perfectly innocent — if grotesque and ridiculous.

Taking any of this seriously would be a terrible mistake, since it takes place in a fantasy world where none of this has repercussions — which is good, since otherwise the unbelievably selfish parents, interested in only their happiness, would deserve a good smack upside their heads. No, this is all window dressing; just a situation to keep the semi-sibs apart as their attraction grows ever so slowly.

It’s written and drawn nicely enough, but, after readers get over the “shock” of the concept, there’s nothing really special about the execution of this perfectly ordinary material. The scariest thing about this series is it isn’t the only “innocent incest” manga in Japan — the concept has become a genre.

— S.A. Bennett

Jump to issue:

Notes

Writer

Artist

#3

September, 2002
Cover Price: $9.99
1 copy available for $3.00

Wataru Yoshizumi

#4

November, 2002
Cover Price: $9.99
1 copy available for $9.99

Wataru Yoshizumi