Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! Phantom of the idol was cute, but besides attempting to make the MC an idol, the story focused on nothing else. It felt at times a little repetitive and I skimmed over a few sections that seemed very familiar. The ending was good and left off on a cliffhanger, but I'm not sure if this is a series I would continue. This story did have a lot of funny moments and cute artwork.

Okay okay, I am officially intrigued! I loved the artwork and I love the premise of the book. It was absolutely hilarious. Yuuya was literally so relatable because I, too, would like to do the least amount of work to make money lol. I can't wait to see what's going to happen next, especially with that slight, unexpected, cliffhanger ending.

Thank you Kodansha and Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC

This was a nice funny comedy. I enjoyed the twist on the dead female idol taking over an uninterested male idol. It’s not everyday you get that plot line! There is definitely something about their dynamic that I like and it will be interesting to see how this continues!

The artwork is pretty standard but it is also very pretty. I like the differences between the good and bad Niyodo. The vibes are great!

I’ve read a few Idol manga but this is hands down the best one. It’s so unbelievably good. The characters are wholesome and I’m absolutely in love with each of them. Better yet, the story is addicting. I couldn’t stop reading it and I’m buzzing with excitement to get my hands on the next volume.

Also, anyone involved in idol culture, kpop, jpop, all of it, will relate to the fans. The fans in this are perfection. The drama around having a favorite group and trying to convert people to see your idols is hilarious, and thrilling, and this was so well done.

I loved everything about it and I can’t wait to buy a copy and reread it.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Kodansha for this ARC. And please publish the next volume soon. I’m gonna die if I can’t read it soon. This was too pure.

Phantom of the Idol 1 by Hijiki Isoflavone is a funny tale of a lazy idol and the ghost of a former top idol. The Main character Niyodo reminded me of Shikamaru the lazy Ninja from the Naruto series. He is a character I resonate with as my desire to do the bare minimum is much stronger than my desire to work. I found the conversations between Niyodo and Ashi Mogami really drive home the differences between both characters. My only real issue with this Manga was that many of the words were hyphenated so they could fit into the chat bubbles which I found a bit distracting. I realize this is because the book is translated from Japanese but I feel like the editing team could have found a better solution for this lack of space other than the constant hyphenation. Overall I did enjoy the story and the artwork!

Thank you so much to the author, Kodansha Comics, and NetGalley for the complimentary ARC!
This review contains my honest and unbiased thoughts and opinions. 🌸

This manga was interesting but did lose my attention at times. The male MC is an idol but doesn't really care too much and doesn't give it any kind of effort. He comes across this female idol who is the complete opposite, she comes alive on the stage and absolutely loves performing. One small detail... she's a ghost! Their encounter leads to her being frustrated by his laziness when it comes to being an idol so she possesses him and becomes the idol she thinks he should be while on stage.

I enjoyed the storyline but did get easily distracted and didn't stay completely focused/in the story. Normally, I finish a manga in just a few hours but this one I actually set aside and finished a few days later.

Interesting enough I will definitely continue with Volume 2.

Yuuya is half of the boy pop duo ZINGS, but he may just be the laziest pop idol in Japan. While his partner gives their all every night, Yuuya does the bare minimum to get by. Unfortunately, his popularity is taking a plunge and his career is in jeopardy. Enter phantom ghost, Asahi Mogami, a pop idol who's career was cut tragically short. Determined to keep performing, Asahi takes over Yuuya's body and suddenly it's like he's a brand new person. Yuuya and Asahi strike a deal where she can keep using his body to perform while he continues the life of leisure. But with Yuuya's personality seemingly flipping back and forth from half-assed to super pop star, how long before someone figures out their secret?

Adorable cutesy artwork, a humorous and intriguing storyline, and an interesting premise. The plot is moving a bit slow and things are taking a bit long for the story to hit it's stride, but I am looking forward to seeing where this goes. If anything, the artwork immediately attracts the eye even though the font tends to get a bit on the tiny side, making it a struggle to read occasionally.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of the first volume of "Phantom of the Idol" by Hijiki Isoflavone.

I ate this book up and fell in love with it. The concept was new to me but the further you delve into the manga, the more unique it became. The art style worked perfectly with the story and I just enjoyed it as a whole. I will definitely be buying my own copy and convincing my friends to fall in love with it too.

ARC Copy...I admit I was reluctant at first reading this but the sheer wackiness and bouncy idol energy really won me over and find it hilarious the "brooding" one in an idol duo is actually the shy + backseat type.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kodansha Comics, and Hijiki Isoflavone for the opportunity to read this manga in exchange for an honest review.

Cute story and cute art!

Yuya has the looks to be an idol. Thinking it's easy money, he joins Yoshio to form the pop idol duo, Zings. When Yuya finds idol work takes effort, he nearly gets fired! That is, until he meets the ghost of 17-year-old Asahi, a famous idol who dies in a car crash. Yuya doesn't want to do idol work, he just wants to sleep and get money, and Asahi wants the second chance at being an idol again. By possessing Yuya's body during practice and performances, it's a win-win situation! Yuya can make money without any effort, and Asahi gets to be an idol again!

This manga is quirky and light-hearted. It has great humor but also highlights how motivation can affect us in our lives. This is an excellent first volume, great for a quick, easy-going read, and the cliffhanger has me itching for more of this friendly, humorous phantom idol possession story!

This was quite a fun read. I didn’t really know what to expect but our duo of characters worked well.
We follow Yuuza who is an idol just for earning money, he doesn’t want to have to do anything and is very lazy. One day, after almost getting fired, he meets the ghost of Asashi Mogami, a very energic idol in her past life. The two have very different and opposite personalities, making this manga so fun to read. Mogami wishes to be an idol but she also wants Yuuza to succeed. She is very thoughtful; I like her a lot.
I recommend to people looking for a fun read
4/5

Thank you so much to the publishing company, Kodansha Comics and Netgalley for providing me with a copy!!!

I’m always thankful to Kodansha Comics for accepting my request for new mangas. I always manage to find some great reads. This was one with an interesting and unique premise. The summary really got me intrigued. I love how different both main characters are…Their interaction was funny. Yet, the storyline itself didn’t do it for me. I had to force myself to really get through and finish it.

What really got to me though was the artwork. I will admit the artwork is really done. I’m hoping in future volumes we get more character development on both main characters and more in depth plot development.

Phantom of the Idol is the story of Yuya, a very lazy guy that thought he could make easy money by being part of a band. He is one half of the boy pop duo ZINGS. And well, it does request more work than he expected. So, when his path crosses the one of a ghost that dreams to be a pop idol, he thinks that all his problems may be solved.

The story of Phantom of the Idol is quite original : while we discover the background of the musical industry, we also enjoy a very sweet paranormal adventure. Yuuya is an unexpected character, the kind you wish to shake to have him do something. I enjoyed reading about his unique relationship with Asahi Mogami, the ghost of a pop idol. The reactions of ZINGS’s fans is hilarious. This book is really a perfect read if you search for a light, fun and fast read that will make you smile. I cannot wait to read the next volume.

THIS WAS SO FUN!
I found it so easy to dive right into the story and suspend my disbelief, which doesn't often happen. I loved the characters and the unlikely alliance and friendship between them (as well as them individually!), and found this to be a perfect case of grumpy x sunshine dynamic. I loved the different kind of performers/idols encountered within this novel, particularly the ways in which our protagonists had such different approaches yet balanced one another so well.
This was a breeze to fly through and the ending most certainly left me dying for more!

This reminded me just how much I miss reading manga! If you love boy bands and the paranormal, then this is for you! Wholly entertaining and that cliffhanger leaves me needing Volume 2 yesterday!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for the early access in exchange for my honest review!

Yuuya is a part of the up and coming boy pop duo ZINGS. However, Yuuya is not pulling his weight on the journey of becoming an idol. He's just in it for the money and couldn’t care less about being a pop singer. Yuuya's apathetic stage presence leaves fans hating him, his stage partner concerned, and his agent looking for any opportunity to cut him loose.

After a disastrous performance, Yuuya has an odd encounter with a girl named Asahi. The energetic Asahi loves and wants nothing more than to perform. One problem, she died a year ago. Can these two pull a freaky friday possession act to get what the both want?

Phantom of the Idol (cleverly named btw) genuinely caught me by surprise. The concept of the manga is really unique. And I really love the artwork of all the panels. And the humor got me chuckling to myself at times. There are a few instances where the story gets a bit jumpy and hard to follow. But overall, I really enjoyed the story. I'm hoping in future volumes we can see Yuuya grow more and find motivation. I definitely see why people would find him annoying. Asahi is a good companion character to pull him out of his funk and I'm interested to learn more about her.

I will definitely keep up with this series and I recommend it. It is for sure a manga I can see being adapted to an anime. Phantom of the Idol Vol. 1 gets a solid 4 stars!

this one was a quick read for me. i had a lot of fun! amazing writing and storytelling for me. i'm not one for mangas but this was definitely a nice and fun read :-)

a book following the worlds laziest, most unenthusiastic idol who just so happens to meet the ghost of a female idol who passed before fulfilling her dreams? this is the one. super cute & funny, the concept was really cool & the cliffhanger was actually great too! looking forward to the next volume

This manga had a lot of energy in it I felt like some of the characters were practically bouncing of the page! It's a fun and likeable storyline and I liked the opposites in character personalities, it kept you on your toes. Look forward to seeing where the storyline goes.

I received an ARC of this ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had heard about this title before from a tiktok and it certainly lived up to the hype. Yuya Niyodo is a lazy male idol who only wants to make money and doesn't care about pop fans. Asahi Mogami is a hard-working female idol loves being a pop idol. The only problem is she is a ghost and he is the only one who can see her. But when Mogami discovers that she can possess Niyodo's body, they enter a mutually beneficial partnership. Mogami can continue being an idol, even in death and Niyodo earns money without doing any hard work.

What I love about this manga is that it not only follows Niyodo and Mogami but it also follows the fans of the group that Niyodo is a part of, The Zings. As a Kpop and Jpop fan myself, it was great to see the fans perspective; loved the use of "bias" and merch collecting and other things that exist in the fandom.

The translator's notes were especially helpful in learning all about the jokes that might have gotten lost in translation.

This is only the first volume and it ends in a cliffhanger but I will be adding this series to my must reads.