Hate Me, but Let Me Stay

[reviews I am referencing can be found on mangaupdates] My favourite part of reading this manga may be that I stumbled upon the review written by WhiteIsBlack which takes the cake for being one of the most vitriolic and jabbering rants I've ever read on this site. "Kiraide Isasete" is memorable, with some rather good bits contrasting against the bad. The quality of the art can be shaky at times. Facial expressions can be distorted and off: one made by the alpha MC was highlighted in such a way that I wondering if it was intentionally derpy. The other MC apparently found it hot though? Interesting taste... Someof the other reviews mention that they found the romance contrived and mention of "soul mates" as being a lazy way to bypass the natural progression of a relationship, but that is sort of the whole point of the omegaverse genre. It is romance and lust that is completely, and immediately conspicuous. Based upon prior stories set within the omegaverse I was actually a bit confused as to how "soulmates" were represented in this one - usually there is a significant heat response for both parties upon first contact, but we don't get that here. Also, the story didn't seem to suggest that the omega can feel the biological drive towards the other MC? Obviously there is interpretation within the genre itself on how it's tropes are managed but there was no explanation in this regard. In contrast to WhiteIsBlack whose primary "trigger" with this manga seems to be the fact the MC kept the child bore from their sexual assault, I personally liked that. It provided a window into the omega MCs personal morals and provided a genuine reason that they would be struggling. Being a single parent isn't easy and it's nice to see a story that pays homage to that, and also comes upon with a happy ending in the constraints of the genre. I did have a personal gripe with the way in which the alpha comforted the omega about his trauma though... It effectively came down to a debasement of his own personage. Within this cruel and animalistic setting, where biological drive rules the roost, I think it would be natural to have some alienation with this environment if you were an empathetic person. But I don't tolerate cloying self-rebuke. I would have much preferred if Hazuki demonstrated he wasn't a complete piece of shit (as he does), and just left out the verbal signalling on the matter. As with so many of these one volume stories (why do I keep reading!!) they could use more time! I want family life and more depth and context surrounding the MCs! In conclusion this is a good addition to the omegaverse genre, if a bit janky at times. VOLUME 2 review: In my lackadaisical state of sleep deprivation I didn't even realise this story had a second volume until I had submitted my review. So, huzzah! Obviously expanding upon the family life and characters should be just part and parcel of another volume. It's a shame the central conflict was rather irritating... So firstly, I will state that the scan I was reading for volume 2 was noticeable poorer in quality. The translation and visual clarity of the art have been put through the wringer. Unfortunate, but it just comes with price of being a filthy pirate I suppose lol. However, I do question whether the writing quality would have been drastically improved by higher quality translation. Volume 1 wasn't exactly a literary classic after all, and it seems with the greater emotional stakes and plot complexity at play, the dialogue occasionally melts into irritating drivel. My biggest despair with volume 2 is that the titular rapist, responsible for the omega MCs trauma, is just a cardboard cut-out asshole. I personally found his existence paper thin and existing simply to act as a very reprehensible antagonist. He was practically cartoonish at points. There was a possibility here, in the same vein as Beastars (S-tier manga), to have some commentary on nature and natural urges. I'm assuming the reason that omegaverse is popular is because there is this deeply biological urgency and passion to everything. It's an extreme, stereotyped version of our reality. In Beastars, a large cast of characters is explored of both the carnivore and herbivore variety and the natural tensions present within this environment as a result of drastically different eating habits (with one side of the binary possibly on the menu). This is why omegaverse interests me as well. This setting is bountiful for interesting scenarios and commentary that just wouldn't happen in our own reality, but this story doesn't explore any of it. So volunme 2 would have retained it's score of 7 for me had it just stuck to the fluff and minor dramas of family life, rather than veering into a poorly constructed revenge plot against a cartoonish villain.