At first..I had a negative opinion.
Sure, it's supposed to be a h*ntai. I didn't know this when I first read it, but the fact that it's sexual is NOT THE ISSUE. I don't mind sexual content.
My issue WAS that the story is so fucking sad that the idea of it being made as a hentai is just disgusting.
The actual events are just depressing and painful to read. But the way it's written makes it feel like the author wanted us to be aroused by these tragic events.
But..then I realized..that probably wasn't the case.
Sure, some people would definitely be jacking off to this manga.
But I'm pretty sure the Shindo's intentions were to spread awareness about drugs and prostitution. If so, he did...sort of a good job????
Art can be disturbing. But disturbing art is made to disturb the right people. I'm glad he made this, because we need to be disturbed about this topic. A lot of media glamorizes prostitution. This one doesn't. The graphic scenes are not there to arouse you, they're there to disturb you.
I wouldn't read this ever fucking again, but I think it will stay ingrained in my mind forever.