Synopsis:
Hakobe is a high-schooler who is quiet and mostly invisible, only known for never showing emotions, earning him the nickname “stone face.” His one escape from the monotony of his life is the social media star “Efa.” Her seductive, provocative selfies serve as an alluring fantasy that grips him completely. So when he learns Efa is actually his classmate Mitsuha, his entire world is turned upside down.
The Good:
Chapters switch the point of view between Hakobe and Mitsuha. This helps make Mitsuha into a real person with emotions for readers to be invested in and relate to, instead of just being a generic hot woman to be lusted after like many manga in this genre. One of those relatable things is why Mitsuha is taking these sexy selfies to share online. She used to be shy and reserved, and uses this as a way to help build self-confidence. I’ve known plenty of people who do the exact same thing. I like that a large swath of the seinen audience might be introduced to that fact—and the general concept that many women who do sex work of some kind actually enjoy doing it—through this manga.
Within the first volume, Hakobe has also shown himself to not be overly jealous or weirdly controlling either. He understands he’s just one of many fans that idolized Mitsuha’s “Efa” persona. I really hope this continues as it’s very emotionally healthy of him. Hakobe is also shown not being sure where boundaries should lie as Mitsuha comes onto him. He’s not confident he can just do whatever he wants now that he knows her secret and I rather like that. While this is still clearly written for the male gaze, it shows its protagonist acting honorably and reasonably. He’s a better role model for readers than most ecchi protagonists for sure.
The Bad:
Despite the positives, there’s still plenty of stereotypes in the story that will leave some eyes rolling. Yes, the extremely perfect hot girl also is really into playing video games, has a big anime backlog, and is the type who just doesn’t want to go out and prefers to stay at home. This is a specific fantasy playing out, allowing its intended audience of adult men to imagine their favorite instagram model who also shares all their hobbies being into them. I doubt this will be a negative to its intended audience of readers, but I personally prefer to have characters in a romantic story—even an ecchi one—feel a bit more “real.”
It’s also kind of sad that when Hakobe is being kind and mends her skirt, Mitsuha snaps a picture to make it look like he’s peeking under her skirt. I can understand why she might be nervous in that situation. Because she’s theoretically under the age of consent as a high school student, this information getting out could cause serious issues. However, there were zero signs he was going to tell anyone about her identity, and she took advantage of him while he was doing something kind for her. It also serves as an uncomfortable reminder that our main characters are theoretically minors, which is going to make some readers reasonably uncomfortable. I’d prefer in this kind of story to have it easier to get into a headspace where I’m imagining both of these characters are adults so I can enjoy the surrounding storyline.
My last issue may be nitpicking, but Hakobe figuring out Mitsuha is Efa because she literally falls shoving her ass right in front of his face is extremely lazy and boring as fanservice. This is extra noticeable when other scenes where Mitsuha is actually trying to be flirty or hot are done so much more artfully! Those scenes have purpose, pushing the story forward and revealing her motivations while still being titillating. I wish the inciting incident for the story could have been the same.
The Verdict:
The Girl Past the Filters leaves me with hope after its first volume that it can be a bit more than just a typical ecchi series meant for adult men to goon over. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to simply enjoy a sexy fantasy of course, but it’s always special to see stories like this dive a bit deeper to separate themselves from the pack. If the setup and its presented fantasy appeal to you, this one’s a no-brainer, and it’s especially great for ecchi readers craving something with more spark than the standard fare.
Where To Purchase: Available from the publisher Yen Press, Bookshop, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.
If you liked The Girl Past The Filters, you might also like…
- Mayo Chiki! by Hajime Asano
- Gals Can’t Be Kind to Otaku?! by Sakana Uozumi
- Tease Me Harder: A Sweet and Kinky Romance by Fumika Mikami
Credits:
- Author: Suzu Omi
- Translation: Ben Trethaway
- Lettering: Viet Phong Vu
Thank you to Yen Press for providing a review copy. Receiving this copy did not affect the reviewer’s opinions as expressed here.
The Good
- A surprisingly positive look at sex work
- A relatable lady lead
- A male ecchi protagonist that’s not just a skeezball
The Bad
- An extremely stereotypical fanservice moment as the inciting incident
- Obvious fantasy bait
- A theoretically underaged lady to lust after which may make readers uncomfortable.
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