The Sex Contract and H-mate (Manhua & Manhwa) REVIEW

This is the 1st post in this Wix account. In this post I'll give review to manhua and manhwa I recently read on Zingbox, those are The Sex Contract [Chunqing Yatou Huolala​] & H-mate [H메이트] by Turtle Feet​.

At first, I thought I would uninstall the Zingbox app as soon as I used and got bored of it. The fact is, I'm addicted to it because I can read manga/manhua/manhwa as I lay down on my bed which is my favorite place ever rather than sitting inconveniently for hours to face my PC for reading something.

Honestly, these two are the first manhua and manhwa that I ever read. Before, I don't like manhua and manhwa because of the differences in the characters design which is unpleasant in my sight. But, I tried to give it a chance lately for it.

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The Sex Contract [Chunqing Yatou Huolala​] is a manhua (Chinese manga) that, so far, I can be found in Zingbox only. I don't know if it's categorized as original or ever posted in some magazines before though. It's our cute smut-shoujo story. As my first time reading Chinese manga, which is so far I read only one-fifth of the ongoing chapters (when I first posted it), I have a good impression for it. Within a day, I managed to follow 'til its latest chapter (116 chapters). However, since I'm lack of knowledge of manhua's characteristics I can't tell much in my 1st time review of it.

STORY For the story itself, there are several cliches that are inbetween of called "expected" and "unexpected". It can be funny sometimes but just plain in another occasion. Still, it can be enjoyed and not boring.

A "pure" girl digs her own grave by mistaken a fucking handsome male who's actually the boss of Imperial Dragon Gangster as a host male and "invite" him to accompany her. This male, Aotian Yu, was intrigued by the pure girl, Yaoyao Luo, and wished to meet her again. This fucking rich man, of ​

​course, is actually your typical pervert male boss. By his wealth and fame, he is desired by women and making use of them well. But, Yaoyao is different. She is unwilling to satisfy Aotian Yu's desire in spite of her wrongdoing inviting him to accompany her, therefore, it makes him want her more. Our pure heroine mistakenly digs her own grave and gets into trouble of one of the most well-known merciless bosses in China who's not only conquering women heart easily, but also conquering other companies to give in and join him.

STORY IMPRESSION & CHARACTERIZATION It is actually funny how the story progress even after 2 years their first meeting at the club. Yaoyao is on the job training in Aotian Yu's company and they meet each other again. Yaoyao is still as "pure" as 2 years ago. And Aotian Yu still has the same desire as he felt 2 years ago for her. Afterwards, this boss teaches Yaoyao "lesson" to behave lol Yeah your mind must be wondering "something".

The development of the characters itself is not awesome at first. I began to think maybe because it's shoujo manga, the heroine is kept to be like who she was at the first time. The one who tries to tie the relationship closer is the male character. The situation provides make them easily to interact to each other, but sometimes it is pointless in the terms of the development. It will give us dokidoki feelings as shoujo manga should bring and still lack of development.

By the time goes, more and more chapters show how complicated their circumstances are. It's not focusing only to one or two major characters, but in more holistic way. It starts by money and social status becomes the social and economical background of this story. They are all enslaved by it, under the control of wealth, and get played with it. Another social background is also about the "gangster" status. As the bosses of the gangsters there, our major male characters have their own way and characteristics related to gangsters to solve things. We're getting spoiled by how terrific they maintain anything up to their own convenience. It can be shocking yet sweet and merciless so brutal that hard to imagine. It somehow gives me vibes how "scary" and "idolize" to be beside the (retired) gangster boss could be. Then, the story brings new realm of political view and other states of male characters. It's like whoaaa...this is so..cunning, sly, severe, but outstanding. In personal goal, we know more about the level of Aotian Yu's ambition also Chenyi Feng's feelings to Yaoyao.

By the 50 chapters, we already get the idea of what kind of characters are tried to represent here and I'm amazing by that progress (when it's hard to create such an image in manga rather than anime). It's more exciting to learn how they are "in love" because the romantic affair can lead to so many unexpected results here. They are developing and showing another side of them. The side in which the heart matter does really matter for them. This kind of love triangle in politic and business affair is hilarious. The risk and challenges are there waiting, but they keep on hitting on their best to do well in romance and business.

Regardless to the romance spice in this manhua, the business matter is still the priority for them. Maybe because their basics are all about the businessmen, therefore, it should be related and developed along with their companies too. How the secret is revealing made me feel dokidoki. It feels like "just it", that is clearly the right time! But, voila! The unpredictable happenings are there and it's getting more interesting like, "how can you make such story of business in romance spice so damn good?". Knowing this, you have to know that this story is alluring with such dirty tricks businessmen surely will do in their dealings. You have to be aware that their have their own way to settle things mostly with money.

Next, and maybe one of the most fascinating moment I wait for, is the truth of Yaoyao's intelligence and her previous life, which I expect quite interconnected with past events of Aotian Yu, including the lost memories of her childhood and scar on her left shoulder that I found tantalizing.

ART The art is...nice. I can't tell much about it since I don't have any comparison for art to other Chinese manga(s). But, in my point of view, this manhua has quite different taste with Japanese manga illustration. The characters design is more "pointy" like all of them only "edges". Less rounded than Japanese manga(s) characters design, but still quite round and has soft-outer line for female characters. The pointy element embeds on the male characters design. It's sharp, rigid, firm. The panel is numb because it too often just in full-view rectangle shapes in one page. It rarely has any different variation for the panels to make it more lively.

Rate: The writer successfully embeds the characterization to their characters by many ways and by time to time. From its status (way of life), others point of view, the characters habitual actions itself. It's clear that some characters really have that firm and clear as the blue sky characterization/traits. Some are poisonous yet has a good heart a bit in their hearts, some are more cunning than others, some just really innocent. I hope the story still has long way to go to the end because there are so many complicated and hidden events, both romance and business affair, that can be so exciting to follow. So far that I read, my rate to this manhua is 8.

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The next is a manhwa, Korean manga, titled H-mate [H메이트] by Turtle Feet. From the title itself, you must wonder on "something" NSFW. Yeah, it really is. The title says it all. The same with The Sex Contract manhua, I have no other comparisons for this manhwa. So, let me just give it my all since I'm a beginner in reading both manhua and manhwa.

STORY

Our female char and male char, for long time, keep their friendship together pure and with a lot of caring. One day, Jang-Mi is really depressed after broke up and she begins her life in Taebong's place because of the economic condition. A night of unexpected event happens, they both sleep together. Is it just Jang-Mi's way to forget her broken heart? Does Taebong really love her? Is it possible for them to stay be friends after it?

STORY IMPRESSION & CHARACTERIZATION

Yep! It's quite complicated one because it starts from the friendship tainted by their action of having sex. Jang-Mi and Taebong's friendship is shown so deep and pure even after that night passed. They want to keep it to their best, their friendship even they have their own "lust". But, words are only words. They can't keep it as long as their hearts interfere with the friendship.

It's so nice to know their ups-and-downs explains smoothly and sometimes in a rough way which is rather painful to see. There are other minor characters too to improve the plot. The minor characters, other than helping to develop the plot, they also give more and more details one by one nicely. We can find a confidant of the female protagonist as one of important keys of the plot itself. In some occasions we are given the flashbacks too when necessary. These backtrack moments left me amaze for awhile by knowing more about the characters. It spoils us just enough.

The development of the main character is not too fast nor too lame. It's just fit as it is. How they view themselves and others around them, how they decide something for themselves and take on someone's side for love affair. This kinda tense at times they have to choose which one they are going to be with. I, sometimes, couldn't expect things and even more things after the decision.

Ah..don't forget, it's not just adult-drama romance contains of​

​ NSFW scenes, it's also harem genre. Harem for the male characters I mean. Don't get yourself too fond of a female character because maybe...just maybe..you'll begin to have a desire to annihilate Taebong here lol. Warning for you it is, but a bit of information for you too that Taebong is not a player. He is just a "normal" male which has desire to women as a "normal". Ouch!

ART

Nah! Art...what should I say about art here. I have no comparisons and...pft! To be honest, I still feel somehow inconvenient to read manhwa because of its art.

First, its characters. The design is so freaking different from Japanese manga. It has so fucking detailed facial expression and the parts of the face itself are drawn so specific. We can see those beautiful eyelashes, variety of eyes shapes, the hair, even the body too. It seems more real than the Japanese manga which is...yeah you know...anime/manga-like. I can't say I dislike it, I just still need time to adjust to manhwa art like this because part of me like how superb the details of it.

Speaking of the detail anyway, I pay attention to for the panel. The second aspect in art that I do care is, panel. How the panel is arranged to make it comfortable to read, the composition of the panel itself. H-mate which is basically from Webtoons that you may be familiar before with its almost like "empty" page only has around 2-3 panels in a page. Furthermore, these panels aren't filled the page as we usually see in manga. Outer part of panels left blank. This is rather unbearable for me. I'm not use to this and can't grab the essence why it left blank when you can add something more.

Third, and maybe last, is the surrounding details. In this manhwa, the surrounding details are quite good. It's vary and manageable. Even just in Taebong's place only for a few chapters, we can know almost every part of Taebong's place. It is drawn neat and clear. It is also applied in other places such as cafes or other characters places.

Rate: The story is getting complicated and really portray the love life of adult in their mature age. The development too is nice and I'm looking forward more to their relationship one another. I like this in spite of the art aspect that I still need to adapt. My rate is 7.5.

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【増原 紀花】