In a world where the human male is but a concept, Parallel Paradise delivers a story of elaborate twists and turns, carefully spun threads of compelling story elements, and a sense of invoking thought. Initially seeming like a rather cliché isekai, filled with tasteless fanservice, it does a brilliant job of subverting expectations whilst bringing a fresh new idea and expanding upon it. It raises questions, leading the reader to ponder upon the fine boundary between man and women, the freedom of one’s sexuality, and the cogs in the system, so to speak. In a world, filled entirely by women- young ones, no less, how does the society diverge from our own?

The sexual sequences of the manga contrast heavily with the bleak, looming undertones. It is a world of death, a rule that has always been, and will continue to be. Youta’s actions stop being comedic, rather they take a whole new turn. In but a single moment, he has been cursed with the burden of responsibility, struck with the Samaritan Syndrome. For each girl he saves, another dies. Being able to save a life means being unable to save another, and for each moment he falters, yet another falls victim to the curse. This realization clearly takes a toll on him, as seen in Chapter 10 where his eyes, once full of lust, are filled with nothing but pity, and to a lesser extent, guilt. He knows not if his feelings are genuine. He does not know if he is right. All he knows is that he must mate.

Whilst all this goes on, so does the advancement of the plot. We are introduced, just like Youta, to more and more of this strange new world. The blatant intercourse seems less and less like fanservice, and more like a mere genre of plot. If a fantasy story is able to contain ranges from comedic elements to chilling horror, Parallel Paradise is able to convey a vast range of sullen emotions. One thing that never fails to impress is how the author is able to send across his use of tone, and how the chapters grow more and more normal as time progresses, to the extent of resembling and surpassing a regular fantasy piece. Because there are happy, whimsical scenes, the darker scenes hit even harder. When a character passes, it really sinks in. There is no semblance of plot armor for any of these women.

And such is the beginning of Parallel Paradise, a true masterpiece written in the way only Okamoto Lynn could, a sexual, passion driven tale that slowly spirals into a gritty, realistic mess of emotions and responsibility. A tale of a boy who’d been forced to mature, unable to experience an ordinary life. But most of all, it is but an adventure in a parallel world, a true Parallel Paradise.