Jul 2, 2026
This is a hidden gem among newly releasing manga. The myther opens up an interesting conversation about addiction and allows the readers to understand the reasoning as to why people become addicts.
Yuri originally created this device as a tool to treat mental health in controlled spaces by allowing the user to become their ideal selves. However as the device becomes increasingly popular its control slips through his fingers and more and more illegal users appear. People get addicted to this ‘self’ that allows them to be who the’ve always wanted, eventually succumbing and losing their minds
This manga explores the daunting horrors of technology, yuri originally
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created this device to help people get better however it has now spiralled out of his control. This is similar to the growth of generative ai in our current day society- something that was built to aid us is becoming scarier and unknown as each day progresses.
Kyo- our main character is a myther user who’s original ‘master’ had been lost, he is now just an empty shell with the data that is ‘if’ piloting his body. His desires aren’t his own they are manipulated by the scientist yuri and the government to keep yuri as a loyal dog to the higher ups, who are ready to dispose of him at a moment’s notice. We see the struggle kyo has about his sense of self and identity, as he realises all of his feelings and desires are manufactured.
Yuri- who we learn was genetically made to be extremely smart- bases his whole life on the myther, it is his life’s work, however he is being controlled by the government, not allowing him to research as he wishes, which frustrates him. There seems to be some deep history between him and kyo. Kyo notices he often looks longingly at him, noticing that this look must be for his original master not kyo himself. Due to yuri’s influence kyo is very loyal to yuri, his sole goal being to be no1 to impress him and help his research. Yuri however feels distant, telling himself that kyo is simply just data.
Through reading this we wonder what our true self is. Kyo’ senior, is revealed to have been secretly hiding that he still has his master’s identity and isn’t a husk like the others in the special service. In a confession of love, he reveals to kyo’s retainer that both parts are still him, and that his feelings for her transcend the ‘master’ and ‘if’ - being a feeling that he would have no matter what his self is.
In the newer chapters it is revealed that kyo and vanitas came from the same facility where they were experimented on as a child. Kyo’s master was the ideal subject for myther experimentation as he was a child who found pleasure in violence- so if he could be reformed by myther than it would prove the success of the experiment. Japan needed something that would prove them as a nation after the great blackout meant data and history was lost all over the world (this part is still unexplained well, but it shows that it caused architecture from different eras to be mixed up).
Vanitas who is the main antagonist is an myther user who can use multiple ‘if’, he seems to have switch roles with kyo and become the ultimate if user.
The art is extremely captivating and I am excited to see where this story goes!!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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