마이X리포트

MY X REPORT

MANGA

STATUS
COMPLETE
VOLUMES
Not Available
RELEASE
July 4, 2019
CHAPTERS
55

DESCRIPTION

Seorim was working at a laboratory as a scientist, but…it turns out he’s not especially good at following directions. After exploding some very expensive equipment, his boss gives him the chance to make amends (read: pay him back) by working as a spy in a competitor’s lab. It’s a dream come true! Professor Gong is renowned as a genius innovator and he’s just hired Seorim to work in his lab. Part of his job is testing new products, but just what he’ll be testing in Professor Gong’s lab may be more surprising than the fact that he was hired at all.

(Source: Lezhin)

CHAPTERS

REVIEWS

GiantSpider
90/100
X Report gets an A from me
__SPOILER FREE__ or at least as best I can get it
The X Report is exactly what you expect from this genre of yaoi manhwa to emerge in recent years. What sets it apart, however, is how it presents itself. Rarely do you see a manhwa of this quality that is aware of its status as an online creation. Throughout the story, the love and care that has gone into this manhwa is clear. It is not a chore to read this manhwa, rather it makes you want to delve into the world further. Littered with likeable and believable characters, a plot that seems infused with admiration, altogether crafted by an author that has a clear passion and drive to create an entertaining narrative. That is not to say that there are no flaws, but there are definitely fewer completed manhwas that I would recommend to new readers of the yaoi or BL genre.

The first thing that stuck out to me, especially getting further into the manhwa, was the stark similarities between X Report and Welcome to the Yaoi Research Club (WYRC). The similarities are there, the influences that WYRC have on this manhwa are littered throughout. It does seem, on reflection, is that the author read WYRC and, upon seeing the short length of the manga, decided to try and flesh out the premise into a more substantial and well-rounded world for the characters to exist in and interact with. Please forgive the crude word-play. I would recommend reading WYRC first, primarily since it is shorter and if you are not a fan of the premise there then this manhwa is most definitely not for you.

The similarities include, but are not necessarily limited to:
- The main character being inexperienced but wanting to assist the other in pursuit of personal gain, be that monetary or pay off a debt.
- The premise itself, that being the testing of sex toys on an unwitting new hire for better understanding of their function and ideal reactions to their stimuli.
- The main character is at the whim of the other, mostly due to monetary differences.
- An unwilling main character that persists and begins to enjoy the experiences over time. This means that there is an element of dub-con, and the reader is left to accept this for the most part. There are inclusions that imply un-informed consent with both parties being given an out at various stages, but it is to be realistically expected to include some level of coercion.
- A comedic undertone that permeates almost all scenes that are not explicitly about sex.
- Using the image of mushrooms to represent a penis (when not blurred outright during the more explicit NSFW scenes. I do not recommend reading either publication anywhere near your workplace).
The differences are really what sets X Report apart from not only WYRC but other yaoi in general. While mentioning that there is a comedic undertone in both, it is far more pronounced in X Report and the author knows how to use this to their advantage. It creates a light-heartedness that is not to be expected, especially when paired with this premise. Aspects of the world are not explained, but this is not to the detriment of the reader. The main antagonist has a box over their head the entire time, save for some expositional scenes into the past of them as a student. It is a character choice that we are never given an explanation for, and I don't think that one is needed. It plays into how unimportant the character is in the grand scheme of things. This, coupled with an almost absurd and equally ill-explained reason to be the antagonist at all, and we realise how futile and insignificant the character is to the plot. We know going in that their plans will be for nought, and so instead of creating a well-fleshed out villain, it is cookie-cutter in execution. Not being given a face is the personification of that, and is hilarious to witness.

The comedy, however, is not always a positive aspect here. It is an inescapable aspect of this narrative, it does mean that it takes over the narrative at times. This, specifically, is evident in the final chapters. I found myself discovering that there were only five chapters left and wondering how all of the major conflicts were going to be resolved. They were, but it was not as satisfying as the rest of the story. It did not feel rushed exactly, but it definitely was a product of creating a comedic narrative with a villain that we know does not hold that much power over the outcome. When the stakes are raised as we near the end, it does make all the resolutions feel rushed in service of creating an enjoyable ending. With no extra chapters released or second seasons being announced, we are left with a somewhat satisfying end to the central narrative while the periphery is left incomplete.

Another issue is, while the characterisation is good and choices made a believable, there is little build-up from original concepts. That saying, two characters are touch averse and we are never given a concrete reason as to why. One is a very minor character and so can be excused, but another is just left, mostly, to the inference from the reader. We are never told explicitly why they do not like touching people. If anything, it is used more as a joke and as a way to explain away a preference for the company of androids. Of course, that is not the only reason that they prefer automated people, but it is certainly implied as one of the driving forces. This also extends to an obsession with cleanliness, which we are left to infer as another reason to dislike human touch. Again, this is not confirmed. The other main character can be grating at times, taking on the inexperienced soft boy that enters a world of wealth and inevitably ends up relying on everyone around them. This is more of a personal annoyance since I find it a very leech-like personality trait to just take from the other characters while giving them nothing more than happy smiles and physical comfort in return.

One thing that I really commend this manhwa for is the overall layout. The author performs a feat here that is rarely seen within digital creations. There are callbacks to previous chapters. While this is somewhat common in traditional print media, it is not as often presented in digital counterparts. That is because I believe, there is the understanding that the reader has access to the entire piece at hand, whether that be on your computer or smartphone. Therefore, there is little need since you have the chance to remind yourself of plot points or references to earlier scenes with more ease than with carrying around approximately 20+ volumes of a printed manga. However, it is a blessing in disguise. By including callbacks to previous chapters, reminding the reader where this was last mentioned or depicted, it encourages continued reading. You are given a helping hand from the author, not simply forced to recall all important information which can be a difficulty, especially when binge reading as I am prone to. That, coupled with the occasional fourth-wall jokes that are sparse enough to emit a chuckle, it is clear that this author's style is deeply ingrained in digital manhwa. Creating something specifically for an online audience, without falling into traditional print expectations is impressive and only goes to prove how this style elevates the creation as a whole.

In conclusion, there is something really special here that is rarely seen. It is an ideal entry point into the yaoi genre in general, with a creative and enjoyable premise that makes the reader want to explore the world and its characters. While there are aspects that could, in my opinion, benefit from a bit more expansion, it stands as one of the few manhwa that will remain locked in my brain for a long time. I highly recommend this to anyone that enjoys this genre, and if you don't then still give it a chance. You can always skip over the NSFW scenes.
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