The Boy I Loved Became the Jaded Emperor Volume 1 Review
Once upon a time there was young boy named Prince Alexei, who was cast out and murdered by his step-mother, but by the power blessed to him by his deceased birth mother, he survived and began a new life in the forest. He met a strange creature, with green skin but a kind heart, and the pair lived in harmony, until the prince’s family came to rescue him and ended up killing his only friend in the process. Over the years, Alexei grows up to be a cold-hearted emperor, who holds humanity in low regard, unaware that his forest friend has been reincarnated as a noblewoman named Eleonora, with memories of her past life intact. Can the pair meet and reconnect, thawing the emperor’s cold heart once more?
This josei manga is an adaptation of a light novel of the same name, and according to Anime News Network, only one volume of the light novel has been out since 2021, and never licensed in English, so this is the only version of the story available to experience for us. Normally I save the negative for later in the review if I can help it, but if you’re the type to read the free excerpt on the publisher’s website before purchasing, I will say now that this manga has a pacing problem and it’s not a great opening. The first chapter has an issue of trying to cram in too much material. We get a quick glance at the monster and Alexei’s meeting and departure, then we jump forward to Eleonora’s future where we hastily meet her family, the knowledge that she knows her past, her new nickname in the present, and that her stepfamily hates her. Only to then jump again to Alexei’s present where he doesn’t give a great first impression, mocking his subjects, and the upcoming ball to meet his future bride. And THEN we jump back three months into HIS past where we get a brief glimpse into the trauma that still haunts Alexei, and his anger at anyone who tries to bring it up. It’s a lot, too much in fact, and I had to re-read the chapter a few more times to get my head around it. The pacing does slow down considerably after the opening chapter, to the story’s benefit, but I’m not sure if this is an adaptation error – trying to cram the story’s USP into the opening to grip the reader – or if it’s a direct copy of what happens in the light novel that they didn’t feel the need to correct.
When the story does slow down however, and allows the audience to seep more into its fairy-tale atmosphere, the positives of the manga are a lot easier to appreciate. After the whiplash first chapter, we get three and a half chapters’ worth of flashback, where we learn of Alexei’s abusive childhood, his attempted murder and eventual finding three years of peace of living in the forest living with the kind creature (whom he names Pie, and she names him Ham). We really get a sense that the pair loved and looked out for each other, but also Alexei’s inner darkness, how he’s unable to let go of the hatred towards those who hurt him, which is a completely understandable emotion given what he’s been through. But it’s contrasted with Pie, who has also had a horrible upbringing, but chooses not to live her life in anger, forgiving those who wronged her, and living a life for herself with other creatures, loving those who DO appreciate her. It’s a nice dynamic, that sees them helping each other as the years pass but also lays the groundwork for the way Alexei ends up where he is now. Because it’s not long before the peace is ruined and we see the boy who will become emperor with his heart blackened by tragedy. It’s a kind of Beauty and the Beast situation but in reverse: someone who was happier with the beast, but was ripped away by others with less compassion and only saw the beast for what they looked like. Whereas the beast ends up reincarnating as a new beauty, but keeping her memories so her heart is full of love for the boy she knew as Ham, and hoping to see him again one day.
The remaining chapters are set in the present, where the fateful meeting between the pair happens, but they’re not aware of it yet. It’s a simple set-up at a ball, but the spark is there and it’ll be interesting to see where they go from here and how they will eventually discover the truth. There are a lot of text boxes in the manga that tell the story in the third person, like a fairy-tale, and it’s easy to sink into its cosy atmosphere once the pieces have been set up.
Past the opening chapter, my only other criticism is the use of magic. This world has a magic system, important enough to play a key part in the backstory and is the reason why Pie reincarnates with her memories intact, and yet it’s somehow even less established than it is in series like My Happy Marriage. There’s no talk of how magic works in this world, how prevalent it is among the populace, how much it plays a part in politics (I assume it does, due to a few throwaway lines suggesting Alexei needs to get stronger when he returns home) or an attempt made to really weave it into the narrative until the plot calls for it. Like saying Alexei apparently has a seal on his powers, but nothing is elaborated on as to why or how that is, and Eleonora uses magic to turn a light on, just to demonstrate she has some to the audience, but nothing about how powerful it is or if it plays a part in why her step-family hates her. Again, not sure if this is a manga adaptation omission, or something that the light novel never really expanded on in the first place. Considering it’s so instrumental to the plot, I hope we get some more information in future volumes, and I would happily trade in the rushed first chapter for some better world-building any day.
Though pacing and writing may be wonky, the art definitely isn’t. Li Oshikawa produces a beautifully drawn manga, with lovely shading and designs to make each character stand out, and the moments where we get to see Alexei’s dark side are orchestrated really well with creepy panels. The split-face panels on the second page really do a great job of demonstrating the happiness and tragedy of Alexei’s past. I hope it continues into future volumes.
Translation by Jan Mitsuko Cash is a good read; Eleonora’s quirky ‘commoner’ accent is fun to read and to imagine hearing, with ‘fairytale-like’ wording within the text boxes that help push the story forward from letterer Dietrich Premier.
The Boy I Loved Became the Jaded Emperor stumbles at the very start but there’s enough really good material in there to forgive its pacing and world-building issues. Since there’s only one more volume, I hope it means we get to see the full story and the happy ending for this pair.
Preview the first chapter here on Kodansha’s website.
Our review copy from Kodansha was provided by Diamond Book Distributors.
