What is NTR? I’ve been hearing it since I started reading Mangas, Manhuas, and Manhwas
Essentially, it means cuckolding, but it can also mean cheating. t’s cheating in a relationship. The actual definition is cuckolding, where (usually) the male watches his significant other get railed with or without his consent.
But I’ve found it’s been more associated with cheating, and someone is taking one of the people in the relationship and ruining it. It’s usually the female.
It usually begins with nonconsensual intercourse (rape) but twists into a form of pleasure and brainwashing. It’s disgusting. Don’t read NTR. Don’t.
NTR, an abbreviation for “Netorare,” is commonly used in the manga, manhua, and manhwa communities. It refers to a specific storytelling genre involving infidelity or sexual betrayal within a romantic relationship.
In NTR narratives, one character, often the protagonist’s romantic partner, is seduced or taken away by another character, causing emotional distress and anguish for the protagonist. The focus is typically on the emotional turmoil experienced by the protagonist as they witness their loved one engaging in intimate or romantic acts with someone else.
NTR stories often explore themes of jealousy, betrayal, and the complex emotions that arise from situations involving infidelity. It has become a popular genre in manga, manhua, and manhwa, attracting readers intrigued by the dramatic tension and those who enjoy exploring the psychological aspects of relationships.
However, it’s important to note that NTR can be a sensitive and controversial genre, as it deals with themes that may be distressing or uncomfortable for some readers. It’s advisable to approach such content cautiously and respect personal boundaries and preferences.
What is NTR? I’ve been hearing it since I started reading Mangas, Manhuas, and Manhwas
Why is Netorare so hated?
Because it’s making people think that being cheated on or cheating with someone’s significant other is good and enjoyable. This makes most people hate or disgusted by NTR because they don’t want to lose their significant others.
People who enjoy NTR usually say, “aw c’mon, it’s just for fantasy,” Even though some can want to do something similar to NTR in real life. Those who like Netorare probably like Netori (where the MC takes someone’s important others). (I do not promote Netori, any cheating is just cursed on my brain)
I wouldn’t say I like NTR because it weirdly raises my anxiety in my relationship ( and makes my body feel like it wants to throw up); it makes me paranoid that my girlfriend will cheat on me even though our relationship is fine.
NTR is also spammed almost everywhere almost every time, and it’s just sickening how much NTR you can see daily uploaded on major doujin sites.
It’s like there needs to be more variety with the tags. Where the regular tag (vanilla) is losing its ground, I think for every 10 NTR tags, there would be just one or even 0 vanilla.
What should I do after being NTR’d in RL?
Speaking as somebody has been cheated on, here’s what you do. First, breathe and calm yourself. dont make angry decisions. They always need to work out better.
Second, talk to the other person in your relationship calmly. One, you won’t be stressed, and 2, it freaks out the other person by the calm tones.
3. Walk away from the relationship once a cheater is always a cheater. It will hurt, but you will be better for it, and four, if it comes up among mutual friends that the ex is with the person they cheated with, remind everybody of the offense again: once a cheater, always a cheater.
Ultimately, you will be in a better emotional and mental position, and the offender will get what is deserved.
What is the reason why people hate NTR?
“NTR” stands for “Netorare,” a genre of fictional media, particularly in anime, manga, and visual novels, that focuses on themes of infidelity, betrayal, and sexual relationships being taken away from one character by another. The genre typically involves a protagonist witnessing their romantic partner or love interest being seduced or stolen by someone else.
The reasons why some people may dislike or even hate NTR can vary, but here are a few common reasons:
Emotional investment: Viewers or readers often develop emotional connections and attachments to characters in fictional works. When a story involves NTR, it can be emotionally distressing or uncomfortable for those who empathize with the betrayed protagonist.
Personal values: NTR portrays infidelity and betrayal, considered negative actions in many societies. Some people may dislike NTR due to their personal beliefs and moral values, finding it offensive or morally objectionable.
Empathy and identification: Many individuals enjoy media that allows them to identify with the main character or project themselves into their shoes. NTR can disrupt this identification and evoke negative emotions by depicting a character being hurt or humiliated.
Disruption of idealized relationships: NTR often portrays relationships torn apart or damaged, which can be disheartening for those who value or idealize strong, faithful, and healthy relationships. It challenges the romanticized notion of love and can undermine trust and commitment.
Uncomfortable themes: NTR often explores complex and controversial themes related to sexuality, power dynamics, and emotional manipulation. Some may find these themes uncomfortable or disturbing, leading to a dislike or aversion towards NTR.
It’s important to remember that preferences in media can vary greatly from person to person. While some individuals may strongly dislike NTR, others may find it intriguing or even enjoy the emotional intensity and exploration of complicated relationships. Personal taste and individual perspectives play a significant role in shaping one’s reaction to this genre.
Read Also: Anime & Manga Guide
Why are some anime fans into NTR?
I have seen some NTR anime. My favorites are Golden Time and Scum’s Wish. I love them because when I was watching them, they reminded me of the girl I loved but was never able to confess.
I fell for a girl in the first year of my Diploma. I knew she was out of my league, but “Dil hai ke manta hi nahi.” So I started approaching her by doing small talk, asking for notes from her, etc. It was working, and we eventually became best friends.
But later in the Second year, she told me she had liked my best friend since the first year. I was mentally shattered inside, but I smiled and helped her propose to my best friend. My best friend first rejected her, and I was relieved, but she was very sad, and then all she talked about was my best friend.
So I started to say good things about her to my best friend. She was also trying her best to impress him. And after 6–7 months, he finally said yes to her. It’s been four years since I haven’t talked to her. After they became a couple, I could not talk to her normally, and I think she also realized that.
We have passed our Diploma and are doing our bachelor’s from different colleges. I talk to my best friend sometimes but don’t ask about her because I don’t want her to know I still care about her. But the reality is I still do care about her.
Phew… It was a long story; sorry if you got bored, but I went down memory lane, and it was hard to stop typing. Still, I missed a lot of details, but I just wanted to tell you that some people go through such situations like myself.
So when I see some NTR anime(not all), they remind me of my past, and I get hooked on them easily.
What are the differences between Manhua, Manga, and Manhwa?
Manga, Manhwa, and Manhua are all forms of graphic novella. The different names stem from their country of origin. Manga is from Japan, Manhwa is from Korea, and Manhua is from China.
Manga
- The source of some of the most popular anime, like Death Note, Naruto, Fullmetal Alchemist
- Read from right to left
- Black and white, often with full-color first pages
- Depending on the demographic, it can be categorized into Shounen, Shoujo, Seinen, and Josei.
Examples:
1. Death Note
2. The Seven Deadly Sins
3. Tokyo Ghoul
Manhwa
- It consists of computer-generated webtoons and traditional black-and-white novellas
- Read from Right to Left, Top to Bottom, like Western Comics
Examples:
1. Noblesse
2. The Gamer
3. The Breaker
Manhua
- Manhua is the word from which Manga and Manwha are derived
- Often comes in full color with realistic drawings of people and the environment
- Read from right to left
Examples:
1. Song of the Long March
2. 1/2 Prince
What’s the best manga you’ve ever read and why?
I’ve been reading manga for 15 years, so the question to nominate the best manga ever is really tough to answer. However, some of the manga carved a rather deep impression on me, and I’d like to share it with you.
Fuan no Tane (Seeds of Anxiety)
- Author: Masaaki Nakayama
- Genre: Horror
- Released: 2007
- Status: Completed
What better way to spook yourself than reading Japan’s horror manga alone in the dead of the night? If you liked the movie ‘The Grudge/’ Ju-On,’ you will get head over heels for this manga. This is an array of short stories, every story featuring a disturbing, enigmatic ghost/urban legend.
Yami no Koe (Voices in the Dark)
- Author: Junji Ito
- Genre: Horror
- Status: Completed
You can’t talk about horror manga without mentioning one of its masters: Junji Ito! This mangaka has such a unique drawing style I get anxious only by looking at his creations. Like ‘Fuan no Tane,’ ‘Yami no Koe’ is also a collection of short stories, some of them linked by a character.
Well, I will do him no justice if I go by without mentioning his other more well-known masterpieces: ‘Tomie‘ (a story of immortal super beautiful girl-monster driving guys crazy to death), ‘Hellstar Remina’ (a story of evil, predatory planet), ‘The Junji Ito Horror Comic Collection,’ ‘Gyo‘ (story of zombie fish) and ‘Uzumaki‘ (a story of a village cursed by ancient civilization marked with spiral).
Claymore
- Author: Norihiro Yagi
- Genre: Action, Fantasy
- Released: 2007
- Status: Completed
If you liked ‘Attack on Titan,’ you’ll find this quite good. Claymore is the story of female warriors trained by a mysterious organization to fight Yoma, a man-eating monster. The titular character, Clare, wants to be a Claymore after she is saved by Teresa, a first-ranked warrior who died after rescuing her from super-demonic Yoma.
Clare began her journey through the kingdom, village after village, slowly beginning to understand the origin of Yoma and the connection between Yoma, Claymore, and the Organization.
Not only is the story epic, but the art is mind-blowing with a series of amazingly—structured monsters like this one:
Otoyomegatari (The Brides’ Story)
- Author: Kaoru Mori
- Genre: Romance, Historical Drama
- Released: 2008
- Status: On-Going
By now, perhaps you are probably guessing that I’m a sucker for manga with beautiful art style—well, you’re right! Kaoru Mori is famous for her amazing style, great detail in her drawings, especially in clothes and background work, and in-depth knowledge of cultural presentation in her story. You can check some in ‘Emma’ (A story of late 19th-century maid-master romance).
I mean, look at this one:
The DETAILS.
Otoyomegatari circles its story around late 19th Century-Central Asia (mainly Turkey) and what is being a married woman (and unmarried ones) like at that time. The story follows several characters, but the most important ones are Amir Halgal, a 20-year-old bride, and Karluk Eihon, her 12-year-old husband. (Yes, he is younger! It’s interesting to see them overcoming the age gap.)
Oyasumi Punpun (Goodnight Punpun)
- Author: Inio Asano
- Genre: Slice of Life, Drama
- Released: 2007
- Status: Completed
I’ll give you a warning ahead—this one is depressing as hell. The titular character, Punpun, is drawn quite strangely—as a puny, bony bird (but he is a boy nonetheless).
The story itself follows the miserable life of young Punpun—as he copes with the divorce of his parents, the pain of experiencing first love with his schoolmate Tanaka Aiko (and also his first heartbreak that spans his whole life) and all that came with it which mold him into a sexually frustrated teenage boy, trying to find his way in this lonely, pathetic existence.
What I like about Inio Asano’s books is how well he pictured our struggle as youth in modern life. I find in him what kind of depressing reality of life a manga can show to its reader—in its purest, essential problem that even a child can feel loneliness and how it constructs everything inside him.
However, if you want to start lightly, try reading the not-so-depressing earlier work of Asano, like Solanin (a story of an easy-going young girl and her guitarist boyfriend living together in modern Tokyo).
Dungeon Meshi (Delicious in Dungeon)
- Author: Ryoko Kui
- Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
- Released: 2014
- Status: On-going
Have you ever wondered how cooking is done when your guild gets stuck inside a dungeon? How about monsters? Can you cook them? This manga may provide all the answers for you!
The story involves a certain human knight named Laios and his band of adventurer: Chilchuck—a hobbit locksmith and trap master, an elf mage, who try to rescue Laios’ little sister Farin, who Red Dragon ate inside a dungeon. Along the way, they meet Senshi—a dwarf warrior, who joins them after discovering that they will fight the Red Dragon. Why would Senshi join a fight against a dragon? Well, obviously, to EAT IT!
As an avid fan of games, fantasy adventure, and food, this manga offers a cornucopia of pleasures for me! The artwork, the storyline, the characters, and the painstakingly beautiful detail of the cooking process *slurp* left a vestigial slap of hunger as I went from chapter to chapter.
It’s a cooking manga triumphantly distinctive from any other cooking mangas I have ever read; it has a dragon, a dungeon, and all kinds of edible mystical creatures! What’s not to like?
Fumetsu no Anata e (To Your Eternity)
- Author: Yoshitoki Oima
- Genre: Sci-fi, action, drama
- Released: 2016
- Status: On-going
Yes, it is THAT Oima—the author of the critically acclaimed Koe no Katachi (A Silent Voice). This manga, set in an unknown time, follows a spherical Extraterrestrial who arrives on Earth and shift-shaped into everything it touches.
After it meets and imitates a dying wolf, it regains mobility and consciousness of its surroundings. One day, it finds its way to the wolf’s owner, a boy left by his tribe. The boy greets him warmly, unaware that it is not his wolf.
As in A Silent Voice, Oima delivers her deep understanding of the relation between psychological conflict and social issues, as well as intricate background and unique character drawing, like in this one:
Plus, we get to see some action!
Kurosagi (The Black Swindler)
- Author: Takeshi Natsuhara, illustrated by Kuromaru
- Genre: Psychological suspense
- Released: 2003
- Status: Completed
There are three types of swindler: 1) Shirosagi, a.k.a White Swindler, those who focus on defrauding others; 2) Akasagi, a.k.a Red Swindler, those who defraud others using love, sexual persuasion, and marriage; and 3) Kurosagi a.k.a Black Swindler, those who prey on other swindler.
The titular character is Kurosaki, a lone boy whose family was destroyed by the work of a legendary Shirosagi. He seeks revenge slowly by rampaging scheme after scheme of another swindler as he gets closer to his main target, the shirosagi who wrecked his life.
Edit: I’d like to add some more manga from time to time (hopefully, this list does not get too long)
Bokurano (Ours)
- Author: Mohiro Kitoh
- Genre: Mecha, Psychological Suspense, Drama
- Released: 2003
- Status: Completed
I thought I’d never find more depressed mecha manga after Neon Genesis Evangelion or Gantz, and boy, am I so wrong.
Imagine you’re in one summer camp at the beach with your friends when you stumble upon a questionable man named Kokopelli.
He said he is developing a brand new game—a mecha-fighting game that you control from the inside —like a GUNDAM, to be precise—and offered you to test it. Because it’s a game, you think there’s no harm to it.
Then you and your friend unsuspectingly sign a contract bounding you to the game. You think it’s all going to be nice and fun. And boy, could you be any more wrong.
It turns out, day after day, each of you has to take turns fighting a real robot, killing real people inside it. If that’s not much, even if you win the match, the pilot who controls the robot must die.
The future’s pretty bleak.
All You Need Is Kill
- Author: Hiroshi Sakurazaka & Takeshi Obata
- Genre: Mecha, Action, Drama
- Released: 2004
- Status: Completed
This manga, set in the future, tells the story of a soldier named Keiji Kiriya, who was killed in the field, battling against extraterrestrial troops known as Mimics. Seconds after he died, he gasped, waking up from his bedroom in the barrack hours before the intended battle began. He needed clarification.
Is it a mere dream? He thought to himself. But it’s not a dream at all. Every time he died—whichever way—he was thrown back into that bed in the barrack. He was trapped in an endless loop. What does it mean? Can he end it?
Edit: Just as Patrick Taylor stated, this manga is based on a 2004 light novel of the same name by author Hiroshi Sakurazaka. The story is so good it ends up adapted into that Tom Cruise movie, Edge of Tomorrow (don’t worry, they didn’t ruin it XD).
Kurosagi Shitai Takuhaibin (Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service)
- Author: Eiji Otsuka
- Genre: Horror, Drama, Comedy, Sci-fi
- Released: 2002
- Status: On-Going
The title explained it all: it’s the story of a service team whose job is delivering a corpse. No, not strictly as a funeral service. They first asked the corpse where they wanted to be delivered, then delivered them to the designated place. What’s that? A corpse who talks?? Oh, not only do they talk, but they also WALK!
Although the genre described it as a horror comic, it’s not scary. The service team is composed of 6 individuals: Kuro Karatsu, a Buddhist student who has the power to talk to and animate a deceased person; Makoto Numata, a pendulum user whose job is to find any potential client—corpses;
Yuji Yata, a puny guy whose left hand was inhabited by a puppet-masked alien named Kere Ellis; Keiko Makino, a professional embalmer whose job is mainly to reduce that stinky miasma from their client; and finally, the drop-dead gorgeous Ao Sasaki who undeniably is the brain of the company.
BLAME!
- Author: Tsutomu Nihei
- Genre: Sci-fi, Action, Suspense
- Released: 1998
- Status: Completed
Save the best for last! When I was twelve years old, my brother bought this comic. I was curious, and I didn’t understand the story at all. I mean, the majority of the manga contains this kind of illustration with little to no dialog at all:
What a view (!), but I still don’t get it. When I entered high school, I started going about my brother’s collection and re-read it. Only then do I understand the beauty of BLAME!
The main character, Killy, is set on an endless journey throughout The City in search of Net Terminal Genes, which humans can use to access The Netsphere, a realm that grants its user the power to control the reality of The City.
Along the way, he is accompanied by Cibo, who helps him get to his destination and fight against Silicon Creatures—who want the power of the Net for themselves, and Safeguard—who wants to protect the Net from outsiders.
The character and architectural design are just breathtaking; I mean, how can someone draw like this:
The way Nihei narrates the story—instead of words or lengthy explanations, he lets it flow with his drawing—was brand new to me, who used to talk like in Detective Conan or Nana.
That’s it for now; I hope you enjoy them! (If my list is too long, please let me know. I like to whine when it comes to manga ‘^_^)
Edit: I want to put some titles I rediscovered this year. I hope you enjoy it during this holiday!
Tongari Booshi no Atorie (Witch Hat Atelier)
Author: Shirahama Kamome
Genre: Fantasy, Magic, Adventure, Action, Drama
Released: 2016
Status: On-going
What if magic is not a genetically gained talent but more like a learned one? What would happen if the boundary between muggles and wizards were to disappear? Will there be chaos or blissful harmony?
That started the war between the Pointed Hat and the Brimmed Hat witch. One side wants to limit the practice and study of magic only to the selected few wizards, while the other one believes the study of magic is the property of all….or is it?
Unfortunately, one innocent (muggle) girl named Coco got caught up in the dispute. Having a secret admiration for witches and the practice of magic, she met a Brim Hat who gave her a suspicious book and told her to play with it a bit. Little did she know it would start her journey to the magic world…
I’m not going to lie; I fell in love with this manga the first time I saw the artwork. Look at this
SUCH BEAUT. My eyes are watery to see we have such talent. Kindly check it out, guys
Yugami-kun ni wa Tomodachi ga Inai (Yugami-kun Doesn’t Have Friends)
Author: Jun Sakura
Genre : Slice-of-life, Comedy
Released: 2012
Status: Completed
When I read the title, I got confused since it doesn’t correspond to the smugness of that lone boy in the middle of the cover, the story’s focus. What, he got no friend? But he seemed fine by it. What is it all about?
Then, I observed his behavior through the eyes of the transfer student Chihiro Watanuki, who had the misfortune of knowing the likes of Yuuji Yugami, an amusingly complex character, on several occasions. I mean, when Chihiro asked him to close the window of the classroom since it was too cold to leave it open, this is their exchange:
Not only that, but he’s always been consistently stubborn about almost anything; no matter how random, ludicrous, or absurd it is, he takes it on head first, leaving the people around him sighing in exasperation and annoyance.
The artwork is more heavenly and mesmerizing than the other manga I listed. Still, the story is so amusingly comical, not your run-of-the-mill coming-of-age shounen tale.
Hotel
Author: Boichi
Genre: Post-apocalyptic, Action, Drama, Sci-fi
Released: 2006
Status: Completed
What if I told you a non-living, immovable gigantic object could have wider, more fulfilling character development than your main character?
The story revolves around Louis, an A. I operate in Hotel, a huge fortress designed to save a bit of humanity after catastrophic events left the earth uninhabitable for a living.
As it combats the harsh environment of the destroyed earth, it recalls the moments it had with the creators, Dr. Kiera Knightly and Dr. Anno, and their struggle to finish Louis. But millions of years had passed since A.D. 2079, and Louis had been severely broken. Can Louis protect its ‘visitors’? Until when exactly?