Reviews for Gunjou

You are a veterinarian, who is afraid of animals. You are a calm sincere person, who just broke a beer bottle and threatened to rape someone. This story is one of the most twisted and beautiful stories I have ever read. Quite frankly, I hated the art at first. After getting lost in the story, I started to admire every single pen stroke that the mangaka made.

The cruelest thing about love is it can't happen with just anyone. For a happy-go-lucky Otaka Chiyomi, the person who seized her heart just had to be a classmate who was contrary to her in everything but gender, Ezaki Soko, whose smile was all it took for Chiyomi to throw away all happiness in her life for. That was only where this romantic heavy little series started. "Gunjou" explored the consequences of being overcome by intense love and pride, so much so that they fucked up your whole life. How can Chiyomi continue to love her old classmate after she heartlessly made her into a murderer,and without even a glimpse of being appreciated after all the dirts she went into for her? And how will the very proud and stubborn Soko take responsibility of having destroyed the life of the only person in this world who was ever truly kind to her? They both are walking on complete different grounds to each other and their contradictions will always hurt one another.

As depressing as the manga sounds though, I grew warmed up to the characters while reaching towards the final book. You will think Chiyomi is a fool and inconsiderate at times, but you won't be able to help but fall in love with her. And I personally disliked how conceited Soko was at first in spite of her misfortunes. She was a bitch to Chiyomi. However, the manga makes these two characters exist both to defame and compliment each other. It was because of Chiyomi herself that I eventually came to have high regards for Soko as the story ended.

It was a heavy read. Not to mention the art style is not the least bit to my taste. I found some important scenes to be so disgusting it made me thought the mangaka did it on purpose to scare readers off, since the story was kind of spooky. I meant she could draw decently for most panel, and this is a female's romantic series we are talking about. It made this manga appears distastefully unique though, I would give her that.

Nonetheless, I am glad I have completed it. When you are growing older and influenced by this distorted world you have lost your touch of genuineness, and having finished these volumes brought the touch back to me. It is definitely one of the manga that offers its readers more than the price they pay for.

This is one of the best mangas I read in a while. I enterd this expecting... Well, surely not expecting this. I don't want to spoil anything but if you like in depth characterization and genius writing of heavy themes you'll like this. Story is an 8 I'd say. It is fairly original but nothing too special. Although it is the perfect setting to reveal the psychological drama and turmoil in the characters. The art is ok. I'll give it a 6 although I did not enjoy it that much. You don't mind the art as the manga pulls you in and doesn't let yougo.

Characters... outstandingly fleshed out. A perfect ten. You'll see their thoughts, their feelings and weaknesses and small strenghts they have in them. 10/10

Overall it's not a perfect ten(because of the art mostly) but I'd give it a 9.9 if I could. I'm gonna read it again some time for sure

Doesn't Contain Spoilers! My god does this manga take you on an adventure. This was very morbid, has sex, has death, and lots and lots of violence. My expectation going into this was that it was going to be a lesbian couple going through some drama but MY GOD was I wrong. Had so much unexpected twists and turns. It was crazy but the story always drew me in. At first, it was boring and I didn't like the art, but then further in, it grew on me. I started reading for a few hours before realizing it lol. Story 8/10- The plot was a littleaverage, but the way they portrayed and drew out ideas were brilliant. And the descriptive writing made the story so much better.

Art 7/10- Honestly hated it but once you get into the story, it draws you into that type of art style and you don't even notice.

Characters 10/10- The characters and the development were absolutely original and amazing. The heartbreak and sadness were very well portrayed and, tbh, kind of left me empty. A really good set of characters.

Enjoyment 9/10- This manga left me reading for hours and I couldn't even tell. The story just left me wanting and wanting each chapter. I definitely, enjoyed this. Well, I wouldn't say enjoyed, I would say more like an emotional rollercoaster, whether it was sadness, anger, pity, grief, or being surprised. Took me places man.

Overall 8/10- Overall, it is an 8/10 because of how well they wrote out everything. I appreciated the entire thing.

My first impression was the resemblance to My Broke Mariko. The tortuous relationship between two women who have been intimate since adolescence, the distance established over time, the theme of suicide involved in the reunion. But Gunjou goes further; Gunjou gets entangled in the minds of those two tortuous souls, and brings up the theme of love, what it means to be a woman, what it really is to love, what it means to be loved by someone, the ideology of existing in society and forming bonds, family, and the contradictions between what actually happens in the heart and social conventions. Gunjou has deep charactersthat involve you and make you forget how dark the premise of the work is, in many moments. The plot cradles, like a sea, in very high waves, and calms down. A good part of the bitter dialogues of the two main characters make you swallow hard, forget to breathe. Perhaps it is not a work to please, or even to move; the script seems to have as main objective to involve you in those minds and make you forget any previous judgment, be it positive or negative. There are no good guys, or heroes, just the cruelty of reality and existence.

This story is not for everyone. First of all, as much as it falls into the GL genre, this story is above all a psychological drama, and does not follow typical requirements of a love story. The personalities and decisions of the characters are not intended for a healthy narrative, whose goal is to educate you about love or sexuality. It's also not about acceptance, and while this is briefly outlined throughout the course, it's not the focal point and I don't recommend it to people who have high expectations for it. The plot centers on Soko, the woman abused by her husband, and Chiyomi, the womanwho kills him. The narrative focuses on their individual motivations, as well as the psychological and physical consequences of the crime they committed. It is a raw and realistic story that chronicles the weight of the journeys and the bond between these two adult women brought together by will - or fate - and living in Japanese society.

It is important to point out the clear power imbalance between the two characters: they had very different upbringings, , which makes it difficult for them to understand each other at moments, but it's also a fuel to draw them closer: Even though the two of them pretend to accept themselves, they manage to see right through each other. They both have traumas, fears and insecurities that have never been addressed during their lives, and this social context plays a role in shaping who they are, especially their flaws. At many times, it is possible to be irritated by their actions and thoughts, and even wonder if these people are good or bad after all. But that's a possible coping mechanism for people in stressfull situations, especially when they've been suffering in silence for entire decades.

Still, even if it can seem like it, it's not entirely pessimistic. The author shows several times and with different characters that no one should be defined only by their past, and that even if it seems too late, it is possible to find yourself and move on while trying to find closure, even if it's an everyday task.

More than anything, it's a story about recognizing your own loneliness, and perhaps, learning to ask for help.

STORY: 4 The story revolves around two female protagonists and their relation. The first woman was abused by her husband and the second killed the husband although there is no love to be gained in return. There's three volumes showing the aftermath of that murder committed in the name of love. The atmosphere is heavy and tragic and tries to provide real-life in-your-face drama. Alas somehow dialogues always feel a bit off for a realistic story and prevent the reader to empathize with the characters. ART: 5 Art is not great compared to the average of the industry and you can find some anatomical mistakes here and there. However,character drawings immediately sets this manga apart because there is no lookism.

Lookism can be seen as a mechanism of social domination where the marker is beauty (instead of race for racism or gender for sexism). Cultural productions like Hollywood movies or mangas are full of it: if you were to pick a random person in the street a few times you would find a few people that are not 'attractive' in the eyes of society. But in stories it's extremely rare to find a main protagonist that could be perceived as ugly, even for average characters. On the opposite characters that are 'ugly' are never random but are defined by their appearance, which implies that good-looking people are the norm (while it's not the case in reality). This is similar to the way women (see the Smurfs) or black people (see the trope of the token black friend in TV) are essentialized in fiction.

Almost every single manga uses good-looking protagonists (especially in the case of women) by default and not-good-looking protagonists only with a reason (because they are dumb and funny, bad, to show they have suffered, or just because they are feminists..).

Gunjou does not follow that trap and the same character can be drawn either cute or hideous depending on their emotions like in real life, which does a good job at making the story feel real. Too bad though that the dialogues don't manage to serve the same purpose.

Moreover, those are women that can look unattractive and even their naked bodies are crudely realistic instead of being something erotic to gaze at.

POLITICAL POTENTIAL: 5

The interesting content is more about feminism than politics.

FEMINISM: 7

This title completely centers on two women and their complex relationship. They don't even desire a man. Patriarchy is present and responsible for a great part of the misery occurring. There's no man to save the day and characters are not sexualized, that's already so much for a manga that I guessed that the author is female. Apparently the author is a woman and gay, let's hope cis men can also tackle such works someday.

CONCLUSION: 5

A heavy drama that cares about women and has non-conventional art. It's a pity that the weak dialogues block a full immersion.

People, I can't tell you how twisted up this manga is. We watch two grown a** women quarrel and attack each other all the time, simply to show us how much heavy baggage they have to deal with! I mean guys… their relationship is pretty much toxic as hell, yet the author practically draws you into the story since it's so addictive that you can't put the manga down thanks to their unique reading style of luring you in... I have to agree with some folks that the art isn't fantastic, but once you get into the tale, you forget about the weird faces drawn bythe author. So, if you're expecting Picasso art, be warned that you won't get it with this one...

Also if you or someone you know are affected by the domestic abuse events happening in this manga, I suggest you call your own country’s national helpline by looking at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_domestic_violence_hotlines. Regardless of gender, no individual has to go through this, please seek help if needed and never feel silenced ❤️

The plot is about a woman married to an abusive man. He's abusive and beats on her, so she gets a lesbian to kill him. Now, they're on the run. The story is an exploration of sexuality and patriarchy. Of poverty and abuse. The MC goes through a lot. Her father was abusive and she followed the pattern by getting an abusive husband. She grew up poor and most people around her looked down on her and resented her. This made her cold and a hard shell. Not able to smile. Usher in the blondie!Blondie grew up wealthy and admired. It made the MC resent her, even if Blondie had a crush on her. It's after Blondie kills her husband that they're able to understand each other more. The MC realizes that Blondie being a lesbian made it hard for her, especially with a Christian family. They develop a sort of friendship and relationship, that's toxic and unhealthy but ultimately one with love.

What's refreshing is how raw it is. It's never feels too preachy, but very raw, gritty, and straight forward. It's juxtaposing the simple remarks of a guy with all the privileges, to characters with less privilege. He never seems to get it, but it's because he doesn't have to get it. He's in a bubble and it's hard for him to understand the struggles of women, queer people, poor people, etc., unless he makes an effort. Unfortunately, like most people in real life, he never truly makes an effort. Once again, he doesn't have to make an effort. He's the default, the normal, etc.

The ending wasn't left too open. It was a satisfying ending. Realistic, but also hopeful. I highly recommend this manga.

"A smile from you... can destroy my whole life." Gunjou is a dramatic, emotionally charged story of romance between women—volatile, tender, and at times destructive. The relationship at its core is intense and evolves steadily across each chapter, supported by an art style that feels grounded and fitting for the emotional weight of the story. Plot & Themes The central plot, as you may know from the synopsis, begins with a woman asking her former lover to kill her abusive husband. From there, they go on the run, bound by a shared crime and a complicated past. The story unfolds non-linearly, with flashbacks interwoven into the present timeline.This structure adds emotional tension and depth. Themes like queerness, trauma, mental instability, class division, broken households, and childhood scars are present—not as central talking points, but as layers that enrich the narrative.

Even without prior experience reading LGBTQ+ stories, the emotional beats land clearly and compellingly. It’s not hard to follow—it just moves at a slower pace, but it still makes for a satisfying read. The ending, especially, feels well-paced and conclusive.

Characters

The characters are one of the story’s biggest strengths, even if not all are equally fleshed out.

Given its relatively short length and limited cast, character development is impressively solid—especially between the two leads: the blonde and the one with glasses. Their psychological reactions to the murder, their guilt, their dynamic—everything evolves in a believable, emotionally tense way.

Their shifting emotions—from shock to denial to guilt—are drawn with nuance. The flashbacks give context to their relationship and add a rollercoaster of feelings to the present timeline. One protagonist’s traumatic childhood further grounds their emotional arcs. Even the side characters, though few, serve a strong purpose in pushing the narrative forward. Some are frustrating—intentionally so—which makes their roles effective.

That said, the pacing can feel slow at times. Long stretches of dialogue and dips in tempo can make some parts feel slower than they need to be. But maybe that’s just part of reading a drama-focused story—it’s not unusual for this kind of emotional narrative to take its time, and those slowdowns feel like a natural fit.

Art

I haven’t read many josei titles, but I found myself drawn to the art here. The character design—especially for the main leads—feels expressive and emotionally resonant. The eyes, in particular, often remind me of My Broken Mariko in their depth. That said, the art isn’t without flaws. At times, characters are drawn from angles that look awkward or lack polish. Some expressions miss their mark, and panels that zoom out tend to lose detail. There’s a sense of inconsistency that can break immersion.

Still, there are emotionally powerful pages. Painful moments, tender scenes, dramatic shifts—they’re portrayed with striking clarity and flow. One standout appears within the first few pages: the line, “A smile from you... can destroy my whole life,” delivered in a quiet, piercing full-page moment. Another is the riverside embrace, framed beneath a vibrant, living background—one of the manga’s most tender, cinematic scenes. The art knows when to slow down and let the emotion breathe—even if those moments feel like rare payoffs in a visual experience that often promises more than it delivers.

While occasional inconsistency might slow the reading experience, the emotional weight of the plot carries it forward. There’s a strange push-pull in how the visuals and story interact—it’s hard to tell sometimes whether the art elevates the narrative, or the narrative ends up carrying the art. It’s a bit of a love-hate relationship: the illustrations and opening pages of each chapter are eye-catching and full of promise. But at other times, the art falls short of that promise—like it’s teasing something more vivid than what it ultimately gives. Still, when the two elements do click, the result is striking.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I had a good time with Gunjou. I admired parts of the art, enjoyed the tension and flow of the plot, and felt emotionally invested in the protagonists’ rollercoaster relationship. It’s not a series for everyone. But if the first few chapters resonate with you—through the tone, the themes, or the emotional texture—you might find yourself unexpectedly drawn in. The way the manga opens—visually and narratively—can feel almost like a promise. The covers, title pages, and opening spreads are evocative and full of emotional charge. Sometimes, that promise is fulfilled. Sometimes, it’s the story that ends up doing the heavy lifting. But once you’re in, the emotional pull takes over.

Give it a try. Let it lure you in. And see if it stays with you longer than you expected.

It’s the kind of story that leaves an impression—and might just draw you back for a second read. (ngl, i can already see myself revisiting it someday.)

TL;DR:

Gunjou is a slow-burning, emotionally heavy manga about two women bound by love, guilt, and crime. While the pacing can lag and the art isn’t always consistent, the emotional tension, strong character work, and layered themes make it worth the read. If you’re drawn in by the first few chapters, chances are it’ll stick with you.