I don’t review manga very often, but I’m trying to get through my manga TBR and needed some posts to write…I thought, why not write a review of one of the manga books I read the other day?
The Dragon’s Betrothed is an M-Rated BL series that has just recently been released in English. Unfortunately, it turns out the series has been on hiatus in Japan for a couple of years, so this might not be a series that gets finished. But with its beautiful art and interesting storyline, it’s still worth checking out.
Chiharu Izunome is a struggling writer who, when he experiences writer’s block, decides to return to his childhood home, hoping to inspire himself. But when he gets there, he stumbles into a strange man claiming to be waiting for his wife. This man is a god, and Chiharu himself is the promised bride. When Chiharu denies him, Rin is determined to win Chiharu over, and their lives together begin.
Honestly, I was expecting even this volume 1 to get a little smutty, considering it was plastic wrapped. But nothing in this first volume would seem out of place in a 16+ book. There’s some suggestive content, but you don’t even see anything, so this is a volume you could read in public. That said, I know it will get more mature as the series goes on, so be prepared for that.
I’d read a single volume by Hinohara before this: Secret XXX. That was utterly adorable, but it was obviously a completely different story. So I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with this one. But by the end of volume 1, there was definitely the start of a more typical fantasy plot at play. Another god has made themselves known, and they’ve been disguising themself as others. I’m so excited to see where that plot could be going.
On top of that, Rin is entirely adorable. Yes, he’s clueless and a little pushy, but it doesn’t feel like he’s trying to force himself on Chiharu. He’s enjoying living with him and honestly wants Chiharu to love him. It’s sweet, and his design is absolutely gorgeous. I don’t know whether I want to be his bride or be him, ha!
This first volume also had plenty of humour and some tremendous found-family dynamics. I completely fell in love with this first volume, and I definitely need more of it.
If you’re looking for a fantasy BL series, this is definitely a great one to pick up.
5/5 Stars
Lace and Dagger Books 