Geungsi Kawaii (2023) Manga Review – Kawaii Desu Ne

Posted on by Jim Cox

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Geungsi Kawaii is an action thriller manga, written and illustrated by Singaporean artist Sean Lam, with additional writing from Junzi. The manga is part of Sean’s Geungsi series, working as a stand-alone story set in the same universe as the previous three issues, Geungsi Vol. 1 & 2, and its prequel, Geungsi Gangster.

Set amidst a Maid Cafes of Taipei, Taiwan, Vivi, a quirky and kickass kawaii princess described as having “a tinge of craziness,” embarks on adrenaline-fueled escapades determined to vanquish the supernatural threat of Geungsi, an ancient undead creature that has been preying on humans for centuries.

Further developing the scope of the foundations established within the first three volumes, Geungsi Kawaii’s narrative certainly fleshes out this well-crafted world created by Sean. It takes place outside of the original story, featuring an all-new cast of characters, reinforcing the gravity of the geungsi’s unseen stranglehold over humanity throughout Asia. While the previous volumes take place in Singapore and Hong Kong respectively, the story revolves around the inner workings of the slayer clan—causing the plot to feel slightly enclosed. However, introducing new protagonists situated outside the clan’s base location undoubtedly intensifies the scale of this centuries-long fight between good and evil. 

The manga’s artwork is, once again, impeccably expressive, intuitively capturing the kinetic fluidity of a scene expertly. Additionally, while the series has always been action-oriented, this volume significantly increases the detail in these scenes—displaying an intensified level of visceral carnage than before. That isn’t to say that the previous entries are devoid of violent scenes (far from it, in fact). However, those featured in Geungsi Kawaii feel more gruesome and macabre in visualisation.

Unlike the previous volumes, the character dynamics of Geungsi Kawaii are certainly more relaxed than featured before. Whilst Volumes 1 & 2 featured a tense and strained relationship between Shaun and Meng, and a formal family relationship between Meng and Violet in Gangster, the bond between new protagonists Vivi and her new partner, the badass tomboy Lara, has a more relaxed vibe of genuine friendship in their relationship (you can’t choose your family, and you sure can’t choose your enemies). Additionally, with the introduction of the friendly Xieshi, Daigou (he’s just a big puppy dog), who still retains the soul of Vivi’s boyfriend, Dabao, there is an extra depth added to the lore of bloodthirsty geungsi–possibly becoming a larger part of the main arc eventually.

A refreshing, similarly action-packed side story to complement the main series, Geungsi Kawaii is an intriguing addition to the overall universe Sean has created for his story to grow. With fantastic artwork, convivial characters, and breakneck pacing, it is interesting to see how this narrative will tie into the main series. The manga is perfect for those who enjoyed the previous entries and are looking to sink their teeth deeper into this alluring narrative.

Geungsi Kawaii is available to purchase from G&B Comics here or directly from the artist’s Geungsi Facebook page here.

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