This was a sweet and short manga, with a cutesy and fun art style and equally cute characters.
Hashimoto has to be the most oblivious and dense character I’ve ever encountered, and all the misunderstandings were both extremely silly and really funny.
It read a little YA, but it was still pretty fun.

I love when I can enjoy good manga, and “Turns Out My Online Friend is My Real-Life Boss! 1” by Nmura was definitely entertaining. This manga revolves around Hashimoto, an average worker stuck in a cycle of repetitive tasks. His stylish, no-nonsense, authoritative, and perfectionist boss makes nothing he does seem good enough. Seeking an escape, Hashimoto finds solace in his online game and vents his work frustrations to his online friend, Uma. However, the real fun begins when he discovers that his demon boss and Uma are the same person.

Nmura has created a cast of eclectic characters who are not one-dimensional. Hashimoto’s struggle with his demanding boss is relatable, and the twist of his online friend being his boss adds an intriguing dynamic. The “miscommunication” trope is utilized in a healthy and refreshing way, steering clear of the toxic relationship progression that plagues many BL manga storylines.

One standout aspect of this manga is the character development, especially Uma's transformation. Initially uptight and emotionally distant, Uma's character grows significantly as he lets his guard down, becoming more emotionally available and softening up to Hashimoto. This progression felt natural and added depth to the story.

The artwork in “Turns Out My Online Friend is My Real-Life Boss! 1” complements the narrative beautifully. Nmura’s illustrations capture the characters’ emotions and personalities, enhancing the overall reading experience. Themes of work stress, online escapism, and unexpected connections are woven throughout the story. Nmura effectively conveys these themes, making the manga both entertaining and thought-provoking.

Overall, “Turns Out My Online Friend is My Real-Life Boss! 1” is a delightful read. Its unique premise, well-developed characters, and engaging artwork make it a standout in the genre. I would highly recommend it to fans of BL manga and those looking for a fresh and enjoyable story.

This manga is really fun, albeit a little frustrating for the way in which a lot of the characters are incredibly oblivious. At times I admittedly struggled to remember which characters are which especially compared to their in-game counterparts, though that could be an issue on my part.

It’s lighthearted fun with little stakes (unless you count being mistaken as a couple having stakes).

(Now for whatever reason and I’m not knocking Nmura or the publisher for this because it could be a range of factors but at the end of the book after the extra chapters it ended up crashing my ereader multiple times)

Hashimoto is adorably clueless to the fact that he has two guys interested in dating him. The misunderstandings as these three interact with each other irl and in game are so silly.

I received a free digital copy of this manga from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I started this I was a little unsure if I'd enjoy it - I was kind of iffy on the idea of an office manager having multiple ear piercings (like that just seems highly unrealistic, no matter what country the story is set in, for the dress code to demand wearing suits and ties to work every day but having no problem with long hair or piercings). The mechanics of the game they're playing were confusing to me (not knowing much about multi-player phone games), and all the "lololol" and "lmaos" in the text speech were annoying -- I think that's just a translation thing, because I know Japanese people use "wwwwwww" to express laughing, but to me "lololol" just sounds sarcastic or annoying instead of genuine (like the only guys I know who use "lololol" are 4chan creeps). The context of both expressions just don't match up to me, "hahahaha" would have probably been a better substitute.

But once I got further into the story I got really absorbed into it. I was expecting the online vs in-person thing to be drawn out way longer than it was, so when they met up IRL and discovered who each other was so early into the story, I was pleasantly surprised. There is also a lot of miscommunication going on, but I didn't actually mind it, and I do think it makes sense for the characters. There's also a love-triangle thing going on, but I'm sure it'll resolve itself in a satisfying way at some point. Miscommunication and love-triangles are two of my least-favourite tropes, but I think it works well here.

The artstyle is very cute too, and I do like the character designs even if I find Shirase's appearance to be a bit unrealistic for a work environment (we just gotta chalk that up the manga/anime rules and let it go). I like the character's personalities a lot too.

If you're a fan of Cherry Magic I do think this is a good one to pick up, because the humour and ridiculous situations are very similar, while still being completely separate stories.

I read this manga much quicker than I anticipated. This manga is a slow burn, however it'll make reading the following volumes more enjoyable. It follows three characters who have all befriended each other online in a popular mobile game. Two of the three are very close, and the one even rants on about his job and boss. They decide to meet up finally, and lo and behold his online friend, is his boss. The story is a little messy, but I have hopes that this volume set up the world, and the following volumes will give us more.

took a while to get into the story. so it's a sort of love triangle-ish type of plot? i mean, the miscommunication was kinda annoying but glad it worked well for them. just not what i was expecting, overall it was an okay story, cute art style though

I received a free copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

After reading some good graphic novels/ mangas earlier this year I decided to get a few more from Netgalley and this was one that caught my eye. I liked the premise and the way online gaming was part of it. It was a cute sweet read with some funny moments, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped.

There is a big misunderstanding that's part of the plot and the main character is super oblivious, which was kinda funny at times and other times it just felt a bit much. It takes a long time for the romance or plot points to develop. And while I usually enjoyed it while reading, I just didn't really have a strong urge to pick it up again.

I liked the art well enough, especially the character designs, although the art for the in-game scenes wasn't my favorite. I also would've liked to see a bit more of the game, but mostly there are some in-game conversations, not much about how the game actually works. The romance was sweet and there are some cute scenes between them, but I just didn't fully feel the romance. Probably also because the main character doesn't really think of romance and what it entails until they start dating, which is toward the very end.

To summarize: This one had a fun premise and was a cute read, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped. I enjoyed it while reading, but didn't really have the urge to pick it up. I didn't fully feel the romance and because the main character is very oblivious it takes a long time to progress. There is also some misunderstanding a big part of the plot, which could be kinda annoying as it dragged on pretty long. I also would've liked a bit more about the game as that was part of the premise that caught my eye.

Hashimoto, who is a normal worker dealing with a tricky boss, spends his free-time playing online games with a friend the made on there. When his boss and online friend turns out to be the same person, and Hashimotos two worlds collide, but things might change for the better.

Turns Out My Online Friend is My Real-Life Boss! by Nmura was a sweet and fun manga. Lighthearted and a quick read. There’s a bit of misunderstandings and miscommunications, mainly on Hashimoto part, but It didn’t make it an unpleasant read!


I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I would like to start out by saying that the bulk of the story is interesting, and the characters themselves are very endearing. Hashimoto and Shirase's relationship is the star, but it unfortunately never develops in any huge way until the very end. And even then you could argue certain points of how it's portrayed could be improved upon. This is in due part to Hashimoto being the most oblivious person in the world, which while sometimes endearing, does kind of grate on your nerves by the end. Shirase does even this out a bit, but you never truly feel any deeper feelings than those portrayed throughout.

Their main connection, friendship, and eventual relationship is explained by the title. Hashimoto has unknowingly befriended his "demon" boss, they both eventually realize and then become friends in real life. Eventually, of course, developing even deeper feelings for each other. While this is done fairly well I have seen other books/media do a better job of this dynamic. It was mostly surface level, and I honestly couldn't buy into the fact that either of them were so into playing the game that connected them (Nothing about the MMO they were playing seemed enticing).
 
My favourite character in the novel ended up being, the perpetual third wheel, Kumada. I thought his story and his misunderstanding of the relationship between Hashimoto and Shirase was the main entertainment. I can only hope that he gets a little more time to shine in the sequel.

One gripe I did have with the novel was that it's one kissing scene was kind of censored? The actual kiss was blocked out by a lamp post and it just seemed odd in context of the whole novel. And despite this book being billed as a BL it seemed hesitant to show that in the art and story.

Otherwise the art went from pleasant to servicable - though some of the items in the foreground and background need a little more work. One time this was always evident was how big the monitors of their computers at work were (It cracked me up everytime).

On an end note, I did enjoy my time for the most part. And I am looking forward to the next volume! (If only for Kumada)

Oh my heart. Super, super grateful for this ARC. Turns Out My Online Friend is My Real-Life Boss is basically the only miscommunication trope book that I have ever enjoyed. Absolutely giggling my way through.
The art was fantastic. And I really like the integration of the video game into the plot and story telling.
Already picked up the physical release and I’m excited for the upcoming second volume!
Thank you, Kodansha Comics!

I got to read this book through NetGalley and I really enjoyed it. I liked how the characters had a connection in real life and online and it wasn’t forced. I did struggle a bit with how many times the misunderstanding trope was used since it made the main character a little annoying. I also liked the characters designs in the game section. The romance was light and I liked that the boundary between being boss and worker and being friends and then boyfriends was very clear.

Turns Out My Online Friend is My Real-Life Boss! is a super cute and fun BL Manga. Hashimoto is a complete dolt but in a cute and funny way. He plays this online game and has a best friend that he complains about his boss to. Too bad this best friend is actually his boss, so when they decide to meet up IRL things may become super awkward.

This is a fun story about how our online personas can be a reflection of our IRL personas, a way to be “different” than we allow ourselves to be IRL, or maybe a bit of both.

Check out this super cute BL Manga now!
Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for providing me an eARC of this Manga.

This was a cute bl about two boys that are coincidentally online friends but also colleagues.

The 300 pages flew by while I was reading it and I definitely recommend it to people who love manga's!

The extra scene was very cute. I hope to see more couple stuff in the next volume.

I’m actually really shocked that this is volume 1, because this story has a pretty firm story arc and happy ending. Which…makes me nervous. So I’m definitely getting volume 2 when it comes out.

I appreciate that this doesn’t drag on the big reveal (online friends being coworkers) for too long. Maybe a third of the book? Enough to establish the dynamics and set up some awkwardness and panic when the reveal comes, but not enough to make you mad at constant rug-pulling.

If anything, the reveal allows for more drama, as Hashimoto (the subordinate) ends up unknowingly in a love triangle. But, somehow again, the love triangle doesn’t make me mad! It’s sweet, if anything, with both ends of the arc not even having so much a RIVALRY as a friendship with shared interest…it’s just that interest is a cute guy.

And there’s also no “I’m only gay for you” stuff! Oh, how far manga has come! :D Hashimoto shows interest in his boss’s physique, but it isn’t accompanied with panic or disgust by either. It’s indulged, even.

This scratched just the right itch for sweetness without syrup. Romance without schlock. I am genuinely looking forward to volume 2, and have put it in my release calendar!

Advanced reader copy provided by the publisher.

This was so fun!

Hashimoto is a quiet office worker who enjoys spending his free time playing online games. He games with two other players who he vents to - especially about his boss! His boss is a hard ass and Hashimoto feels like he is pretty hard on him. Eventually he and another player decide to meet each other in real life and to hashimoto’s surprise the friend he has been playing with has been his boss!

Will his boss hold his venting against him and still play games with him?

I enjoyed our main characters and the love triangle! I will definitely be reading another volume if there is one!

Wow, 300+ pages flew by as I read this all in one night. "Turns Out My Online Friend is My Real-Life Boss! [Vol.] 1" is a charming BL manga that many working adults and/or gamers would probably relate aspects to. Rest assured the gamer terminology is beginner friendly where I don't think you need a heavy "video game lover" background/lingo to understand the video game aspects of the story.

As others mentioned, the art style and the main couple's romance both have charm to them. The dynamic of the boss and the protagonist, Hashimoto, develop from an one-sided "enemies-to-lovers" relationship. The story leans kind of heavy on the "misunderstandings" from how Hashimoto and the boss's perspectives differ on a situation (hence the "one-sided enemies" outlook in the beginning for Hashimoto) and then without stopping throughout the story. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I agree with the majority sentiment that the "misunderstandings" and "dense protagonist" tropes are much better than other examples I could think of.

Minor gripe with the "rival in love" character being a high school student when the other two characters are adults. I could see if he was made as a freshman or early college student instead. But that didn't stop me from enjoying this character as a different "blunt" type of personality from the boss, playful, and youthfully headstrong.

I look forward to seeing what volume 2 would add to this romantic story, if given the opportunity. As it is, I'm grateful to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher(s) for this advanced copy to read. Thank you.

I loved the pixelated-style artwork for the 'table of contents' page! A very minor thing but I was looking at the page for about 3 minutes.

This is a very sweet romance and the leads are embarrassingly cute 🩷

This is pretty cute. A fluffy, bl, video game read with lots of humorous bits. The main character is a bit slow on the romantic uptake but it's embarrassingly cute.

"Turns Out My Online Friend is My Real-Life Boss!" is a sweet and fun romance with such lovable characters! The gaming sections were fun to read about too. I really enjoyed meeting and getting to know these characters. There are so many sweet and cute moments! This is a charming manga that will make you smile. So sweet, lighthearted, and fun! The miscommunication trope in this story was done well. Even readers who don't like that trope will most likely enjoy it here. It was really cute to see how clueless Hashimoto is sometimes! The art style is beautiful! I really enjoyed reading and will continue this series. 5 stars!!!

Thank you very much to the mangaka Nmura, Kodansha and NetGalley for the wonderful opportunity of reading this book and for providing me with a digital copy to read and review honestly.