The First Volume of Gyakko no Kuru-chan Has Been Released: "Invisible Abuse" and the Shaking Story of a Mother and Daughter

The first volume of the Gyakko no Kuru-chan (虐幸のくるちゃん) series, which has recently drawn attention in the manga world for its family dynamics and psychological depth, hit the shelves on May 13 under the Kodansha label. Written by Hinata Kokage, this work has quickly resonated widely, being described on social media as a "high-definition reality" and a "shaking family portrait." Serialized on the Comic DAYS platform, the series focuses on the theme of "invisible abuse," one of the greatest problems of modern society, rather than physical violence.

At the center of the story is 14-year-old Kuru-chan (Kumi). From the outside, Kuru is a very "lucky" child who lives in a wealthy family, eats delicious meals every day, and is loved by her friends at school. However, on the other side of the coin lies the tragedy of a young girl who has completely abandoned her own self to make her emotionally unstable mother happy. Kuru tries to endure every whim and silent pressure of her mother, believing that her mother's happiness is her own happiness and that she came into this world only to make her happy.

The creator of the series, Hinata Kokage, is a talented name who has made a very ambitious entry into the manga world. The author, who won the 87th Chiba Tetsuya Award (General Category) with her short story Tadashisa no Yukue, delves into the dark corridors of human psychology in this first series work as well. Gyakko no Kuru-chan, which centers on the concept of "doku-oya" (toxic parent) that has been frequently discussed in Japan in recent years, also draws attention with the wordplay in its name; this title, which combines the concepts of "abuse" (虐) and "happiness" (幸) in Japanese, summarizes the twisted nature of the story.

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