Honestly, I could take it or leave it. It wasn't bad per say, but it isn't something I'd like to read again. I'm not really into K-pop or idols, so maybe this just wasn't for me.

Thanks NetGalley, VIZ Media. And VIZ Media LLC for thus arc

3/5 stars

It took me so long to read through this manga bc Tamon being so down on himself was soooo annoying to read 😬 I'm really glad he started gaining confidence by the end and i hope the rest of the series get better for him

I loved this manga so much. I loved seeing both sides of Tamon's personality, and it was so much fun seeing Utage learn to differentiate between Hottie-hara and Gloomy-hara, while still liking both of them. This book was delightful and warm, a cozy idol romance that I couldn't get enough of. I can't wait to sink my teeth into the next installment.

I’m not quite the hardcore Fangirl that our female lead is in this BUT she’s still pretty relatable and provides a good look at fan culture! Honestly, this volume was a lot of fun and had me chuckling away, Tamon himself is even pretty relatable because who among us hasn’t come back from work and just laid there with no energy like a slug? :’)

I enjoyed the art, it was cute and the two different Tamon’s were drawn perfectly so that he’s ALMOST like 2 different people!

Ultimately though, this is such a fun first volume and I really enjoyed making my way through it! I can’t wait to see what happens next!

This was a diverting piece of fluff, but the one note "hot idol is critically depressed and scared off stage" was both a paper thin gag to base a series on and also borderline insulting to people who actually struggle with depression.

(Thank you to both Netgalley and Viz Media for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.)
I had such a good time with this manga! An idol with self-esteem issues, and his die-hard fan that won't let him sulk make for a really funny and cute combo. I think a lot of my students and friends would also enjoy this manga, as idol groups have continued to become more and more popular with the general public.
I really enjoyed this first volume, and it definitely made me interested to continue on and see where the plot leads this duo :).

I did think that the first volume was a little bit too fast-paced personally, but I did really enjoy this and would love to read more volumes!

This manga is a perfect dive into idol fandom culture. It's cheesy and cute and just spot-on. Every idol fan has dreamt of what it would be like to meet their bias offstage and this manga tackles this fantasy in a humorous and charming way. The art style is great and the story makes me want to read more.

K-Pop is super popular all over the world and with new YA books on the market featuring fans shipping on idols it is time to add some manga series to your shelves. Tamon's B-Side joins My Special One as my two picks for must have K-pop fan manga. When Utage meets her idol while on her part time job, he isn't what she expected at all. He is a hot mess and he needs her. Can she help him get on track so he can keep appearing as her favorite idol?

This digital ARC was obtainable via NetGalley for an honest review!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be around your favorite celebrity? In "Tamon's B-side, vol. 1" Utage Kinoshita ends up being a housekeeper for Tamon. There she finds out Tamon's true personality. This manga showed us how fans can treat "idols" as a religion and not just purely entertainment. Tamon was very cute despite his highly insecure and self-deleting traits.

Not really a huge fan of idol manga, but I wanted to give this one a try. I do think this one was better than the typical, but I can already tell it's going to head in the same direction as all the other ones. I am glad that I was mistaken about what the title meant, because B-side made me think something totally different.

If you like pop idol manga, this one will probably be a good read for you.

Thanks to #NetGalley for an e-copy of #TamonsBSideVol1 by Yuki Shiwasu to read and review.

I was enjoying this, until the end.

Then I fell in LOVE.

The characters are great, OTT but not in an annoying way. The storyline is completely in the realm of fantasy, but it's not difficult to go along for the ride. The artwork is appropriate for the story, being beautiful where it needs to be and being gloomy when the story calls for it.

And once you GET to the last few pages!?!? Chef's kiss, I was blown away! Highly recommended if you like OTT light romance high-school aged manga with a serious plot point involving depression.

TW: the MC H is severely depressed and talks SEVERELY down about himself a LOT. He even indicates suicide, so this is not all light and fluffy. It's also not really dealt with in an appropriate way (like therapy and perhaps medication if necessary), so that could be a big no for some readers. It didn't bother me, but YMMV.

5, I COMPLETELY did NOT see that ending coming and now I NEED the next volume like YESTERDAY, stars!

My thanks to NetGalley and VIZ Media LLC for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

A sweet and highly enjoyable first volume! I had a lot of fun with this and am definitely looking forward to more from the series.

I had fun reading this one. I've read stories before that sounds like K-Pop fantasies self-inserts, and they're not my favorite, but I thought the main concept of this one was very original and kinda refreshing. I would recommend to fans of the genra.

This was such a cute read! Thanks NetGalley and Viz Media for the ARC!

I've only indulged in a few idol stories, but I loved how opposite Tamon was from his idol persona. I enjoyed Utage's approach to uplifting him but also respecting him as a person. I find a lot of idol culture to be toxic because people get very possessive of these personas idols put out. But she quickly sees that he's just as regular as people come, with his own issues and insecurities. I also found it adorable that she's working to support her hobbies.
I kind of wish this won't turn into a romance (I feel like we need more friend based stories) but I'm excited to see where the storyline goes and I hope it keeps up the nice balance of comedy and cuteness.

Tamon is an idol and Utage Kinoshita is his biggest fan. When she unexpectedly becomes Tamon's housekeeper and gets a glimpse of his homebody self she starts to struggle between her identity as a true fan and Tamon's friend.

Great first volume. Probably perfect for manga lovers who are also into k-pop or idol culture. Cute and funny art.

This manga would be very popular at my library. I can't wait to order it and see it fly off the shelves. It was a very enjoyable read.

Tamon's B-Side brings a whole new meaning to gap-moe, the trait in having your outer appearance differ greatly from your inner self. This is a story about a high school girl who fangirls and fangirls hard. In order to pay for her fangirling, she takes up a job as a part-time housekeeper. Lo and behold, she subs in to her idol's home and meets new sides of him she has never seen before. This story captured the heart of a fangirl perfectly-- the dedication akin to religious fervor (Church of Tamon) but also the innocence of loving something or someone so unconditionally and wholeheartedly. The mangaka also doesn't shy away from tackling the issue of boundaries. All in all, this was a great depiction of fan culture and a cute story executed well.

This is cute and silly! Tamon's naturally gloomy/shy side is the complete opposite of his confident, sparkly idol persona. I liked that Kinoshita accepts him exactly as he is and doesn't pressure him to be his idol self outside of work. Instead, she gives him pep talks and advice for the challenges he faces in his job (meeting fans, picking out outfits, taking selfies). Just as Tamon sometimes switches from gloomy to idol, Kinoshita can switch from her friendly, helpful side to her extremely intense idol-worshipping side. She won't stand by and listen to anyone talk badly about Tamon - including Tamon himself! While this isn't my typical genre, I did enjoy it!

In another spin on the "girl-meets-idol" trope, Tamon's B-Side puts forth the following premise: Heroine's favorite idol is actually a mess whose off-duty demeanor is that of a black hole. Instead of just trying to cheer him up or appeal to his off-duty demeanor, she sells him on the concept that is idol-as-he-is-worshipped. It's absurdity all around, and it had its moments that made me chuckle. Do I want to read volume 2? Not really. Perhaps there are more in-jokes that I didn't understand.