Holiday Review: DO YOU LOVE YOUR MOM AND HER TWO-HIT MULTI-TARGET ATTACKS?

This year, the flood of isekai titles has continued unabated.  Luckily, most of this has stayed in the realm of light novels, but a few managed to make their way into the manga world on the backs of their animated adaptations such as this one.

DO YOU LOVE YOUR MOM AND HER TWO-HIT MULTI-TARGET ATTACKS? (Tsujyou Kougeki ga Zentai Kougeki de Nikai Kougeki no Okasan wa Suki Desuka?), based on the original novel by Dachima Inaka and character designs by Iida Pochi, with art by Meicha.  First published in 2018 and first published in North America in 2019.

PLOT:

One day, Masato and his affectionate, clingy mother Mamako are given an incredible opportunity.  They are thrust into the video game world of the MMMMORPG to both serve as beta testers and to improve their relationship.  That's easier said than done when Masato resents his mother for getting better stats, better weapons, getting final say on whom joins their party, and generally puncturing his dreams of the ultimate fantasy adventure.

STORY:

It's not surprising that we've reached the stage in isekai's popularity where the parodies and satires come out.  That's easily the most novel thing about Do You Love Your Mom....  The notion of using such a setting not to explore a male power fantasy but instead to explore and mend relationships between mother and child is an interesting twist.  I just wish I liked the leads more.

I must be blunt: Masato's an asshole.  He's not an extraordinary one, but an asshole nonetheless.  He's a sullen, resentful little shit who constantly rejects his mother's affections, resents his lack of power and authority, and basically pouts his way through the whole book.  As sweet as Mamako's affection for him can be, what he really needs is a swift kick in the butt.  That's why I was at least mildly relieved once some other kids showed up to start building up the party, even if Wise the mage is both an obnoxious, haughty tsundere and a blatantly telegraphed Future Love Interest.

As for Mamako, she's sweet enough but she's less like an actual character and more like an archetype.  She's very clearly poised as this ideal of motherhood: loving, nurturing, protective, and endlessly patient.  She's certainly more endearing than her son, which makes it easy to side with her when Masato starts acting bratty.  Yet even when interacting with other adults, she often feels less like a grown-ass single mother and more like a ditzy young girl.  I know it will never happen, but part of me wishes that the point of this plot wasn't just to send up isekai fantasies and ruminate on the nature of motherhood, but to also let Mamako discover a sense of self beyond being Masato's mother.  Letting her discover the ability to be the heroine of her own story would honestly be more subversive than anything on display here.

ART:

Meichi's art isn't going to make waves, but it's easily the most competent visual translation of a light novel I've seen yet.  They manage to stick pretty close to what I've seen of Pochi's original artwork (although what they do with Mamako's moments of sadness should not be so off-puttingly WEIRD).  They largely manage to avoid fanservice until the bonus chapter that focuses on Mamako alone.  While Masato thankfully does not want to bone his mother - that's not always a given these days in this sort of media - but the artist sure as hell wants YOU to want to bone Mamako.

RATING:

Whatever novelty and satire this series has to offer isn't enough to offset mediocre art and protagonists who are either too annoying or simply too good to be true.  Maybe this will work for isekai fans, but it isn't going to win over any skeptics.

This series is published by Yen Press.  This series is ongoing in Japan with 3 volumes available.  1 volume has been released and is currently in print.

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