STORY
From the title above, what's your 1st thought that comes to your mind out of the blue? Is it a real sensei, old enough, doing or working something related to manga which is so erotic? Maybe it will be the appropriate 1st thought according to the title. Half of it is right while the rest is surely wrong.
For the 1st volume, the LN is focusing on 3 characters, Masamune Izumi (main hero), Sagiri Izumi (main heroine, Masamune's lil sister), and Yamada Elf-Sensei. Sagiri becomes Masamune's lil sister (non-blood related) after his father married to Sagiri's mother. For unknown reason, not explained in the story, their parents are gone and they have to continue living on their own. A hikkikomori Sagiri never came out from her room 'til Masamune gives a name to her room as "The never opened door". Household stuffs are done by Masamune everyday while he also spares his time to his normal life like attend school.
These two are not unemployed even though their life sounds hard to bear. Masamune himself is an author, writes novel to afford anything. He is like a baby-boomer author but willing to work hard and seems going well with his works (I predict his author is a strict person from the explanation he gives in 1st volume LN). His editor pairs him with an illustrator, pen-named, Eromanga-sensei. Erotic isn' it?... and voilà! The true identity of this Eromanga-sensei reveals as her lil sister, the hikkikomori Sagiri.
STORY IMPRESSION
The part of the real identity of Eromanga-sensei is a bit expected yet still amusing and shocking as the truth. This disclosure is one of my fav part, especially when the illustration of Sagiri appears, so kawaii think that I could eat her all up. A part of me says it somehow resembles something in OreImo series. After this truth makes its debut to the surface, soon Masamune is trying like a crazy man using every method for deepening her relationship with Sagiri, at least talk directly with her without the wall, "The never opened door". His method is vary, sometimes it can be by silly way like knocking the door, tells her in shock tone if something is happening, or using the meal to motivate her for opening the doors. Rarely works, even it works, it won't work twice. Sagiri, who seems like doesn't have any problem with appetite, often will bring the meal in the front of her door in after takes some time. She makes sure that his older brother is not tricking her the same trick, by waiting Sagiri to open the door and pick the meal in the stairs lol Quite funny.
The first few chapters tell about how they develop their relationship to be at least proper big bro and lil sis with some methods that I found amusing. Not too long after this introduction to the main characters which is only take place in their house, another character appear that seems to be our another major character. She is the new neighbor. Skipping this and that, in short, Masamune then meets the new neighbor in person, shockingly the famous Yamada Elf-sensei―the best-selling author, a veteran in novel industry, a novelist whom the novel is getting animated. She is described as superb author, funny tho', she looks like having chuunibyou (eight grader syndrome / supranatural imagination) for bringing a novel made by her from Netherrealm. The progress of this new character feels natural, I like it. It makes us having another way to understand the harshness in LN industry, one compete with another, develop their ability in writing, in funny way.
CHARACTERIZATION
The characterization is showed to the readers often by other characters help, like others perception to another character habits or behaviour. Moreover for Sagiri, who's so rare to speak up, her actions can only be observed by Masamune's thoughts and her invisible action by description (like doing Q&A on somewhat-like her channel). In some other cases, there are also characters who act a lot and can be observed such as Masamune himself and Yamada Elf-sensei.
As romcom drama genre, a few female characters other than Sagiri are presented to get close easily to her big brother. But, I personally would like other characters to not get into lovey-dovey feeling / romantic scenes with Izumi Masamune. Other characters appearance feels so fast when Masamune still in his first step thinking and doing trials to get close to his little sister. As for now, I like Sagiri to be the only main heroine in this way. I think it is important for Izumi Masamune to improve and sharing about novel material with Sagiri for more. Also to bring laughter to us by Sagiri's silly imagination, professional way of thinking as author, and childish yet somehow mature trait.
I strongly feel the characterization of Yamada Elf-sensei more than Izumi's siblings. But I enjoy the struggle they both get through to make better interaction for their relationship. Nice ending for 1st volume, Masamune says out loud his thought, the dream he wants to achieve together with Sagiri and also for Sagiri, it's so sweet! And sweetened by Sagiri's action towards her brother dreams. This all happened after intense battle held by Masamune and Yamada Elf-sensei, the showdown is betting the better manuscript will get illustrated by Eromanga-sensei. One of limited moments which I can feel the progress and up-and-down of their feelings,
WRITING STYLES
I'm not an expert to score writing styles aspect. I'll just say honestly about it according to my personal opinion. For me, I find difficulty to grab the feelings of characters, the description of their inner is not enough to tell fully about it (I wish the facial expressions and other settings in anime will help us to see more sides of them). What appears on the surface is understood enough. I enjoy the explanation of exact things such as interior-exterior, placing, etc. I want something more for abstract thingy like the feelings I talk about. Simple and neat writing styles, so slice-of-life. It makes their everyday life is lighter when the burdens of people on it aren't something easy to face. It's more vague (their feelings), when it's entered the 2nd volume even with more characters involved and more happenings.
ILLUSTRATION
Nah! The illustration is one of the main reason I attracted to this LN at first glance. So, here few illustrations that I'm favoriting. From the illustrations here, those are made with thin line, and majority of round line, so soft and calming. Even if the characters aren't too loli, but this kind of loli they use here is so alluring. Young lil sister, indeed loli with short height and undeveloped bod. Yamada Elf-sensei who seems in the same age as main hero, quite short and talk like a kid with her laziness has her own uniqueness with hidden mature side. It's just me or for male charas of this author, there won't be any important things to make us need remember them. They aren't special, their appearances itself don't boost anything, so sad actually. So far, the illustrations are focusing on one or two persons only, I think I want more characters in a pic together and also beau panorama.
OVERALL (so far I read almost 2 volumes) Rate: 7.5
Maybe some of you who have read this LN thinks that it's going to be great because the author itself is the same with OreImo series. Honestly, I am on the opposite side, geez because I wasn't enjoy and somehow feel OreImo is not good to begin with (so sorry it is just my thought about the anime series, I don't want any quarrel here). I objectively decide to read Eromangassensei novel based on: 1) the super kawaii illustrations, 2) interesting title lol, 3) the summary of it. It was so otaku life, I mean the mangaka life and maybe I can grab more the roles behind manga industry. I assume it will not be just for fun to read it but also widen my mere basic knowledge.
I think my expectation came true here. We are offered by tons of words like deadline, editor, manuscripts, sketchs, explanation of connection between author and illustrator, editor works, make an outline for presenting the continuation of their works, and something like that y'know right.
Nice happy ending on the 1st volume, I recall the Izumi's siblings both share their dreams and want to achieve it together. Finally, after long time, it feels like a miracle that Sagiri told that much and positively support Masamune's dreams too. Apparently their relationship is quite stagnant. The fact Sagiri seemed so close to him after showdown felt like a dream. The story goes Sagiri is going to her real self, hikkikomori lil sister. But, it's such a waste! 'Til I reached 2nd volume, I still couldn't grab nicely the feeling on it even though since the 1st volume there are several severe problems the main hero faces. A bit self-centered or focus is just around the moe moe or loli of lil sister. From the LN, it seems that the dimension of bro-sis relationship and interaction is on another dimension from when the onii-chan is talking with others. it seems so far, far away (maybe because I imagine it in so many soliloquies). Since first also, the feeling of its harem is spread all over the story and the romance (onii-chan and hikki-imouto) is a bit unique since it's a feeling between a novelist and its illustrator. Two of those are the hard-to-handle hikkikomori little sister and the feelings of main hero either as author-illustrator or older brother to younger sister. The intense dialogues of the LN aren't enough to make the readers understanding their volatile emotions inside.
Eromanga-sensei QUOTES:
I got a strange feeling. Couldn't she see that reading each other's manuscript…it was something very erotic? The same as looking at each other naked. I couldn't help but think so.
"Huh? Isn't this basically the same as a love letter? A three hundred page-long love letter in fact ~ your love is burning sooooooooooooooooooooo hot."
Eromanga-sensei QUOTES:
An editor is someone who struggles together with the author in order to deliver the best possible novel.
【増原 紀花】