THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS Spoilers will be contained in their own section. As a BL reader I have mixed feelings on Rumspringa no Joukei. On the one hand, it offers a unique and memorable perspective and relationship dynamic. On the other, there are some concerning tropes common to the genre present in this manga that was for me a main detractor from the overall enjoyment. CONTENT The story is obviously unconventional, but can be quite enjoyable. The conflict between the Amish world and the outside creates some unique plot points as well as a sense of direction to the manga that romance can lack. There is a clear question thatthe story asks near the end that increases the tension quite well. Though there are a few problems with the story in some places, mostly in that it is unclear why certain things happen or what the motivation for some actions are. Still, the story keeps the plot interesting and compelling.

The character dynamic is, similarly, interesting,
as it is based on the premise. There is a very distinct difference in worldview between the very cynical city boy Oz and the idealistic, Amish Theo that can be a source of investment, especially as Theo learns about the outside world. It was very sweet to see them reconcile their differences and learn from each other, and it was dramatic seeing them clash in their differences. They each have pretty well developed backgrounds and personalities, however the main pair sometimes falls into their respective roles a bit too hard sometimes. The character development was well handled and is a main attraction of the manga.

I also find it important to note that there are sex scenes that are important to the experience of the manga, though I do not enjoy these types of scenes and so I cannot really review them.

----SPOILERS----
The greatest factor, though, that impeded upon my enjoyment
(and I say this as an mlm myself) is the presence of abuse in this story. There can be abuse in a story, and there can be abuse handled well in a BL story, but there are certain parts of this portrayal that set me off. For example, the sexual nature of some abuse-- especially as it is shown gratuitously on the panel-- comes across as somewhat fetishizing and overwhelming. I won't get into more detail about the role of abuse here, but the telltale sound of BL abuse tropes definitely rung through this narrative, and it was very detracting from the experience.
----END OF SPOILERS----

STYLE

I did enjoy the art, but I don't have much to say about it. It was a more realistic adaptation of a typical shoujo or "yaoi" style. It generally gives you the atmosphere of the story, but also did not stand out to me so much as to be a very major part of this review.

Atmosphere and placement into a certain setting was also a strong point of the manga. As someone who was familiar with the setting, I enjoyed many of the accurate references as well as the backgrounds and stylistic choices that contributed to it. Similarly, it could be enjoyable even without this familiarity, as it is very immersive.

SUMMARY

Overall, with the interesting character dynamics, plot, and atmosphere of the manga, I found it to be an enjoyable and extremely unique entry into the genre. It was a substantial read that absolutely has merits and unprecedented concepts it brought with it, though the impact of what I mentioned in the spoiler tags should be considered on an individual basis. Though these things made me uncomfortable, and I feel that the manga would be better off without them, this story is definitely something that left a lasting impact on me personally.