Before I Forget Who I Am

Japanese reviews were originally posted on Comic C’moA. Some reviews may contain spoilers for unreleased content or topics unrelated to MangaPlaza services.

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  Posted by Readers in Japan

  May 27, 2025 (PST) | Translate to English
  よかった。時代ものBL
  That was great. Era BL
  見せ方が素晴らしかったです。哀しいお話でした。最初は失恋の未練かと思いながら読み進めて行ったら、そうじゃなかったのが、うん。よかったです。ネタバレなしで読んで欲しい。

  The way it was shown was amazing. That was a sad story. At first, I read on thinking it was a heartbreak, but that wasn't the case, but yeah. That was great. I want you to read it without spoilers.

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• 

  Posted by Readers in Japan

  Apr 05, 2024 (PST) | Translate to English
  全てを語らないことで一層強まる余韻
  The aftertaste is strengthened even more by not saying everything
  This review contains spoilers. 全103頁の中編。ある種のタイムトラベル的ストーリー。舞台は満州事変前夜の昭和恐慌後期の東京。実家の商店の命運をかけて商品開発にいそしむ実と、農村不況で押し出されるように上京し、実の商店で働くことになった三郎の切ない恋が、当時の時代風俗を背景に、鮮やかに丁寧に描かれています。彼らの仲は、２人が思ってもいなかったアクシデントに見舞われ、それにより前述の時間移動が始まることに。状況設定や２人の思いが深まっていく過程については実に細やかに触れているのに、終わり方は説明不足で唐突過ぎる印象もあり、もう少し２人の幸せな時間や、願わくばエロい情景も…と思わないでもありません。それでも、この作品はこれで十分完結しているように思います。というのも、本作品での２人の日常会話が「君、〜したまえ」「君が〜するのかね」などというように、当時の話し言葉を正しく踏襲して実に美しかったり、背景も含めた作画がこの時代に適合してどこかクラシックだったりと、元々、本作品は戦前の日本の凛とした品の良さを醸し出しています。主人公２人からして、本来はどちらも決してセクシーなタイプではありません。しかし、今よりずっと禁欲的な時代、制約多き社会の中で社会人としてしっかり自分を律して生きている一方で、思いのままに気持ちを大っぴらにしたりはせずに、お互いひそやかに相手を思い合っているその姿が、次第に魅力的で共感できるものになっていきます。そのような背景、人物設定のせいもあり、「秘すれば花」ではありませんが、何もかも全てを説明しきったりさらけ出したりせず、印象的な一言だけの唐突な幕引きが想像力をかき立て、切ない余韻が一層心に残るように思われました。BLのLにはこういう表し方もある。そういう意味では、行間を読ませて後は読者に結論を委ねる小説の様式に近い作品かも知れません。ただ一つだけ、最初と最後のプチ・オカルト風味、ちょっとこじつけすぎて私的には無くても良かったかなと?。あくまで好みの問題ですが。ちなみにこの作者様、他作品では全くクラシカルな絵柄だとは思いませんでした。状況設定次第で雰囲気までがらりと変える。凄いです。

  This review contains spoilers. The middle of the 103-page series. A kind of time-travel story. The stage is Tokyo in the late Showa Depression the night before the Manchurian Incident. The sad love between the fruit, who is involved in product development on the fate of his parents' store, and Saburo, who moved to Tokyo to be pushed out by the rural recession and ended up working at the actual store, are vividly and carefully depicted against the backdrop of the customs of the time. Their relationship was hit by an accident that the two had never anticipated, and as a result, the aforementioned time travel began. Even though the situation setting and the process of the two people deepening their thoughts are actually detailed, there is also an impression that the way it ended was too abrupt due to lack of explanation, and I don't think it's a little more happy time for the two or, hopefully, an erotic scene... Still, I think this work is complete enough. This is because the everyday conversation between the two people in this work correctly follows the spoken language of that time and is actually beautiful, such as “you do it,” and “you will do it,” etc., and the drawings, including the background, are adapted to this era and are somewhat classical, so originally, this work exudes the dignity and elegance of Japan before the war. They are the two main characters, and originally, neither of them are sexy types. However, in an age that is much more ascetic than now, and while living in a society with many restrictions, the appearance of people secretly caring for each other without showing off their feelings as they please is gradually becoming attractive and something we can sympathize with. Partly because of such a background and character settings, it's not a “flower if it's secret,” but the abrupt closing of the curtain with only one impressive word stirred up the imagination, and it seemed that the sad afterglow left even more in my heart. L in BL is also expressed like this. In that sense, it may be a work close to the style of a novel where you read between the lines and then leave the reader to make a conclusion. Just one, the first and last petite occult flavors, was a little too far-fetched, and I wonder if it was okay if I didn't have it for personal use? It's just a matter of taste. Incidentally, I didn't think this artist had a completely classical pattern in his other works. Depending on the situation settings, even the atmosphere changes drastically. That's amazing.

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• 

  Posted by Readers in Japan

  Oct 08, 2023 (PST) | Translate to English
  繰り返される想いが胸を打ちます。
  The repeated feelings hit my heart.
  表紙の表情が雪の中少し不安げに見えるのですが、次の見開きの表情では安心した表情に見えるんですよね。その手が繋がれているか否かで表情が全く変わってみえる。これ漫画マジックですよ。ストーリーは斬新というわけではないけれども、至る所にこの漫画マジック、コマ割りや台詞の演出に、あっと驚かされて面白かった。ラストの開かない扉をこじ開けたのは一体誰だったのか、考察するのも面白い。

  The expression on the cover looks a little uneasy in the snow, but the next look looks like a relieved expression. The expression seems to completely change depending on whether those hands are connected or not. This is comic magic. The story isn't novel, but it was interesting to be surprised and amazed by the comic's magic, frame division, and production of lines everywhere. It's also interesting to consider who pry open the last door that didn't open.

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