Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    EA Sports Madden NFL 26 Head Coach But Why Tho 5

    Dear EA Sports, Why Can’t I Make A Hot Coach?

    08/14/2025
    Blade in Marvel Rivals Season 3.5

    Blade Can Shut Down The Other Team In Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 If You Know How

    08/08/2025
    John Cena and Cody Rhodes during Summerslam 2025

    The SummerSlam 2025 Main Event Was A Fever Dream We All Needed

    08/08/2025
    Street Fighter 6 Sagat

    Sagat Brings Depth And Approachability To ‘Street Fighter 6’

    08/07/2025
    Battlefield 6 Classes - Support trailer image

    Battlefield 6 Really Wants You To Play Support (But Knows You Won’t)

    07/31/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » Manga » ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Haru’s Curse’

ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Haru’s Curse’

Olive St. SauverBy Olive St. Sauver02/14/20214 Mins ReadUpdated:11/20/2021
Harus Curse
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Harus Curse

Kodansha imprint Vertical Comics’ newest josei release is Haru’s Curse, a melancholic story of grief and love by Asuka Konishi. The manga follows Natsumi in the wake of losing her younger sister, Haru, to cancer. Struggling with the loss, she winds up in an odd relationship with Haru’s former fiancé, Togo. The manga is translated into English by Hannah Airriess, edited by Daniel Joseph, and production by Risa Cho and Lorina Mapa. No specific lettering credit was provided.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

The manga lets readers know right off the bat that it will go to serious places. Natsumi is mourning her sister, who was her entire world. Everything Natsumi did revolved around Haru, to the point where she even decided her career around her. Natsumi studied to become a nutritionist, inspired by Haru’s health issues. The loss is so great on her, that she even considers ending her life. When approached by her sister’s former fiancé, Togo, to enter a relationship, she agrees on one condition: that they only visit places he went with her sister.

Haru’s Curse focuses on both Natsumi and Togo’s complicated feelings, which are incredibly complex. Both are unpacking a lot of suppressed emotions, some of which stem from Haru’s death, and others that reach much deeper. Firstly, there is Natsumi, who is concerned that she may have been in love with her sister. It isn’t as salacious as it sounds. Due to their family situation, Natsumi and Haru depended on each other an immense amount. Haru’s Curse strongly gives off the impression that Natsumi latched onto her sister because she felt unloved by others in her family. Her initial resentment towards Togo is because she feels he was taking away her reason to live. While this may all sound unsettling, what saves it is that Natsumi clearly knows that this is unhealthy, and Haru’s Curse is largely about her trying to recover and move past this.

On Togo’s side, he is dealing with a lot more emotional abuse from his family. He is in a life he has never wanted. He has long held feelings towards Natsumi, but once again it isn’t painted as some affair. He does care for Haru, but their engagement was arranged and forced on him by his family. What is so compelling about Haru’s Curse is how Haru is a character in this story to whom the audience will also grow attached.

There is guilt between Natsumi and Togo as they realize they may love each other, but at the same time, there is a genuineness that makes you root for them. It isn’t unheard of for people to become romantically involved while grieving the loss of a loved one. The romance is secondary to the recovery in Haru’s Curse and that’s what makes it work. It is first and foremost about two twenty-somethings learning what it means to live for the first time.

Konishi’s art does a fantastic job of altering between comedy and drama. The more popular English josei manga releases often feature the extravagantly detailed, beautiful art also seen in shojo manga, with smolders and kabedons galore. To clarify: this is not to diminish those in any way, but it is what is currently most commonly seen in the English market. Haru’s Curse lines are heavy and bold, characters feel less larger-than-life in their beauty, and more realistic. Shading and heavy black ink carries the melancholy tone. Additionally, a huge focus is on eyes. The way the pupils and eye expressions change often will alter the entire tone of a panel from the previous one. It adds to the introspectiveness of the manga.

Haru’s Curse is a well-done English-language debut from Asuka Konishi. It is an introspective josei and a great example of the breadth the demographic has to offer. The series features romance but is ultimately a nuanced story of moving past grief and unhealthy family dynamics.

Haru’s Curse goes on sale February 16th, 2021 wherever books are sold.

Haru's Curse
5

TL;DR

Haru’s Curse is a well-done English-language debut from Asuka Konishi. It is an introspective josei and a great example of the breadth the demographic has to offer. The series features romance, but is ultimately a nuanced story of moving past grief and unhealthy family dynamics.

  • Buy now via out Bookshop.org affiliate link

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘Home Sick Pilots,’ Issue #3
Next Article REVIEW: ‘Transformers: Escape,’ Issue #2
Olive St. Sauver

Olive is an award-winning playwright with BAs in English and Theatre. At BWT she is a manga and anime critic, with an additional focus on mental health portrayals in media and true crime.

Related Posts

Wolf Girl and Black Prince — But Why Tho

REVIEW: Wolf Girl and Black Prince Volume 1

05/16/2023
hirano and kagura volume 2

REVIEW: ‘Hirano and Kagiura,’ Volume 2

04/25/2023
K-On Shuffle — But Why Tho

REVIEW: ‘K-On! Shuffle’ Volume 1

04/24/2023
Skybeams in the Sky — But Why Tho

REVIEW: ‘Sunbeams in the Sky’ Volume 1

04/24/2023
The Boxer Volume 2 — But Why Tho

REVIEW: ‘The Boxer,’ Volume 2

04/24/2023
Run On Your New Legs Volume 4 — But Why Tho

REVIEW: ‘Run On Your New Legs’ Volume 4

04/24/2023

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Still from Shin Godzilla
8.5
Film

REVIEW: ‘Shin Godzilla’ Is More Relevant Than Ever

By Sarah Musnicky08/16/2025Updated:08/17/2025

It is understandable how Shin Godzilla succeeded at the box office nearly a decade ago. The strength of its story still stands today.

Botanical Bliss Update Palia But Why Tho 5 News

Palia’s New Botanical Bliss Update Brings New Flora, Decorations, And Quest Mechanic

By Matt Donahue08/18/2025Updated:08/18/2025

The Botanical Bliss update adds new event, more plushes, and a host of quality-of-life improvements and more to celebrate 2 years of Palia.

BOOTS Netflix First Look promotional images News

First Look at Coming-of-Age Story BOOTS, Coming to Netflix This October

By But Why Tho?08/17/2025

Netflix is reporting for duty this fall with the new eight-episode series BOOTS, a comedic drama starring Miles Heizer and Vera Farmiga

Nuestra Magia Secret Lair Art Interviews

EXCLUSIVE: How The ‘Nuestra Magia’ Secret Lair Found Its Identity And Raised Over $1M

By Kate Sánchez08/15/2025Updated:08/15/2025

We spoke with Ovidio Cartagena about Magic: The Gathering’s Nuestra Magia Secret Lair drop, its impact, and the real treasure within.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here