Haro Aso, the creator behind Alice in Borderland, which received a hit Netflix live-action adaptation, recently wrote two incredibly NSFW manga series: Noyu Girl, released in 2021, and S*x-chan, released in 2022. It’s not entirely a surprise since his most famous series also involved adult themes, depicting s*x scenes, s*xual assault, and plenty of unnecessary and triggering panels.
In Aso’s latest works, however, the mangaka kicks it up a notch. Noyu Girl and S*x-chan revolve around the s*xuality of the characters, but with different approaches to it. It isn’t a black-and-white take, like we saw in Alice in Borderland. So, what are these two series really about, and what does Aso discuss through them?
After Alice in Borderland, Aso Made S*xuality the Main Theme of His Latest Works
Haro Aso isn’t a stranger to adult themes, so Noyu Girl and S*x-chan were right in his ballpark. However, these two series go beyond the common ways other series would discuss the subject. While it does still heavily cater to the male gaze, it doesn’t limit itself to being for the pleasure of men through the main characters.
Noyu Girl, which is also known as Natural Hot Spring Girl,
What’s unique about Noyu Girl is how brave the protagonist is. It’s a rather simple story about her love for hot springs, and nothing else. Hibari Otaka climbs mountains and doesn’t flinch at encountering bears, braves the dense forests, and crosses the seas. Many of her baths end with people on the same journey seeing her naked, to her embarrassment, but she grows out of it.
Haro Aso’s S*x-chan is significantly more uncomfortable, but talks about a stigmatized issue: s*x addiction. It also focuses on women struggling to find real happiness in the current dating environment. It’s quite rare to find a mangaka who will include those themes candidly.
S*x-chan doesn’t follow just one woman either; it’s an omnibus story about the s*x lives of women. The first one focuses on Fumie, who lives an active and uninhibited s*x life, but she notices it diminishing. She decides to go on dating apps to find more.
Surprisingly, this manga series gained enough popularity to earn a Netflix live-action adaptation, with a less direct title: Girl XX. This marks Aso’s third series that got a Netflix adaptation, the others being Alice in Borderland and Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead.
Who Is Haro Aso, and What Other Works Has He Created?
Haro Aso is a Japanese manga artist who debuted in 2005 with a one-shot story named YUNGE!, published in Weekly Shōnen Sunday Cho. Since then, he’s been consistently writing other manga series.
His best-known work, without a doubt, is Alice in Borderland. However, here’s a full list of his works that you can explore if you loved the Netflix adaptation:
As you can see, Haro Aso has no end to manga series that you can read. If one isn’t to your taste, he has written other genres too. The best part is Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is still ongoing and is a highly entertaining manga. Alternatively, you can rewatch and binge Netflix’s Alice in Borderland.
Were you surprised by the content of Aso’s latest works? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Alice in Borderland Season 3 can currently be streamed on Netflix.
