About:
Warning:
This review will contain spoilers for the manga and anime series The Demon And The Goblin's Love Story. While the manga may vary slightly from all other forms of media, it may have similar story elements and could be considered spoilers.
Content Warning: There may be references to prejudice, violence, gang activity, slut-shaming, power imbalance, sex work (sex in exchange for gifts), and littering, as they appear in the manga.
Synopsis:
Kurama is a demon who protects the mountain he lives on. His existence is a lonely one, as he’s often joined only by the animals that call the mountain home too. But he spends his time fulfilling his duties, patrolling the mountain, and ensuring everything is as it should be. On one such patrol, however, he finds that his mountain is not as it should be. There’s trash and garbage littering the mountainside. Enraged, Kurama takes his time to clean it all up, then he goes on the hunt to find just who caused it.
Much to his chagrin, he discovers a gang of goblins taking refuge in a cave on the mountain. Kurama has dealt with goblins before, and it has never gone well. Still, this is his mountain to protect, so he takes the bag of trash and confronts the goblins. Immediately, he’s introduced to their leader, Hijiri, who apologizes on his people’s behalf. They have no intention of harming the mountain and hope Kurama will allow them to stay. It’s a pleasant surprise, to say the least.
While Kurama is pleased that his mountain will be protected, he’s more taken by Hijiri. For the first time ever, Kurama is hopelessly in love with the goblin leader. But how can an awkward demon win over someone so charming?
Review:
The art style in this is very clean. I wouldn’t say it’s as captivating as the cover might suggest, but it’s not so disparaging. I’d say the characters look much plainer in the work itself, and I feel most of them have slight “same-face” syndrome, really only distinguishable because of their haircuts, clothes, and other adornments. But it’s otherwise clean and relatively consistent. It’s hard to complain about the art because, like the story, it’s quite simple, which makes it very easy on the eyes. If you’re looking for the quality the cover displays, you will be disappointed, but if you just want a clean, simple style, look no further.
Now, on to the story. This might be the shortest manga I’ve read in a long time. Admittedly, shorter works tend to make me sad. I’m usually disappointed and want more, but in this case, I was pleasantly surprised and ended up wanting more all the same. It’s clear that this isn’t trying to tell a deep or robust story. It’s truly as the title says: it’s a love story between a demon and a goblin, and it doesn’t get much simpler than that. It’s in its simplicity that it is so enjoyable. A demon protecting his mountain meets a goblin gang leader, inevitably falls in love at first sight, and does everything he can to try to win the goblin’s favor, only to find him having sex with another goblin. He’s heartbroken, but that leads to him finding another way to steal his unrequited love away. It’s very simple and very sexy, and though it ends much sooner than I would like, it is a rather satisfying ending nonetheless.
That said, in a perfect world if this were extended, I would love for it to have delved deeper into the background of the goblins and the demon. We get some hints and tidbits, just enough to keep the story moving and provide a foundation for how and why they interact, but I desperately crave more. I love that it seems to be a modern spin rather than going with a historical setting. The trash is all modern trash. Kurama goes to a bakery to get love advice. It’s a very interesting world that I would love to explore more, but we only get the bare minimum. If ever there was more, though, rest assured that I’ll be buying it ASAP.
Before I close out this review, I do want to talk about the characters. Their personalities are fun. Hijiri is a soft tsundere goblin, while Kurama is a silly golden retriever demon. They’re both very soft and sweet in their own ways, which I like. Admittedly, Hijiri can be a bit annoying with his lack of communication, but as short as this series is, you don’t have to wait long for his intentions to be made clear. They’re not the deepest characters in the world, but because they’re so easy to understand, it doesn’t take long to fall in love with them. They’re a fun little group, and I enjoyed them for the short time I got to experience them.
Results:
I wouldn’t call this a favorite, but it’s hard to fault it. It’s not exciting, super detailed, or intensely emotional. But it’s got fun smut, a sweet romance, with fun characters. How could you not like it? Plus, it’s only three chapters, so it’s a quick read for cheap. Do I wish there was more? Badly. Am I disappointed in how it all panned out? Not at all. I recommend this one.
Have you read The Demon And The Goblin's Love Story? If so, what do you think? Do you agree with my assessment? Do you not? Let me know, and comment below!