For those who aren’t familiar with Higenamuchi (Twitter, Pixiv), you’ve been missing out. Known for drawing younger, incredibly cute characters, Higenamuchi’s third book release, Misdirection, consists of stories published in Comic Kairakuten and X-Eros between 2012 to 2015. It is, in my opinion, the best tankobon for readers looking for beautiful artwork featuring young characters getting into the antics they’re expected to get into. In 212 pages, the first eight of which are in full color(!), we get to explore seven different stories over eleven chapters, and it has a little something for everybody. Sounds like fun? I certainly hope so, and here’s why you should pick it up from J-List here.
Misdirection starts with a multi-chapter story that follows a trio of girls who get their kicks by fake reporting molesters and getting them into trouble. Problem is, their most recent target got off scot-free, and he’s out for revenge. Over the next three chapters, he gets each girl addicted to sex, creating a harem for himself. This, of course, includes group sex and a lot of commanding. A previous review of this tankobon commented that many of the girls go from pure to ahegao the moment anything lewd comes across, and I think that’s a quirk of Higenamuchi’s works. Maybe that’s just me…
The remaining chapters are one-shots, some of which connect to the main story at the beginning of the book. I found that pretty interesting in terms of world-building — not something you often get to see in tanks like these. I really enjoyed “Twins Twist,” which seems confusing for a moment until you realize that the protagonist is having sex with two sisters at two separate times, but the story presents them as if they’re completing each other’s sentences. From a storyboard standpoint, this is a difficult thing to do, especially when the characters are so different from each other (one gives me gyaru vibes, while the other is your studious type).
There are also one-shots that revolve around NTR, hypnotism, and public sex. The pure stories are balanced with the more risqué, which is why I think this book is a great entry point for anybody interested in art featuring younger characters. As with any FAKKU release, the entire book is fully localized and uncensored, and while Higenamuchi’s artwork is absolutely beautiful, I think the biggest draw is how connected these seemingly unconnected stories actually are. It’s a fantastic ride, and it’s definitely worth a spot on your shelf.
If this sounds interesting to you, and I hope it does, be sure to pick up a copy of Misdirection here on J-List!
