Therapy Game

Therapy Game (Japanese: セラピーゲーム, Hepburn: Serapī Gēmu) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Meguru Hinohara. Therapy Game is centered on Minato Mito and Shizuma Ikushima, two characters that were previously introduced as secondary and minor characters in Secret XXX, Hinohara's debut work from 2016. It was serialized in the monthly yaoi manga magazine Dear+ from November 14, 2017 to October 12, 2018. Following Therapy Game's end, a sequel titled Therapy Game: Restart is serialized beginning on October 12, 2019.

Therapy Game
Cover of the Japanese version of vol. 1 of Therapy Game, first published on December 1, 2018
セラピーゲーム
(Serapī Gēmu)
GenreYaoi[1]
Manga
Secret XXX
Written byMeguru Hinohara
Published byShinshokan
English publisher
ImprintDear+ Comics
MagazineDear+
DemographicJosei
Original runJanuary 14, 2016 (2016-01-14) – March 14, 2017 (2017-03-14)
Volumes1
Manga
Therapy Game
Published byShinshokan
English publisher
SuBLime
ImprintDear+ Comics
MagazineDear+
DemographicJosei
Original runNovember 14, 2017 (2017-11-14) – October 12, 2018 (2018-10-12)
Volumes2
Manga
Therapy Game: Restart
Published byShinshokan
ImprintDear+ Comics
MagazineDear+
DemographicJosei
Original runOctober 12, 2019 (2019-10-12) – present
Volumes1

Plot

Secret XXX

Shohei Ikushima, a university student, works part-time at Trois Lapins, a shop specializing in rabbits owned by Itsuki Mito. In love with both rabbits and Itsuki, Shohei hides his rabbit allergy from Itsuki in order to stay at his job, but an allergic reaction forces him to reveal his secret. Itsuki, however, reveals that he returns Shohei's feelings and the two become a couple. As their relationship progresses, the two learn more of each other's secrets.

Therapy Game

Following the events of Secret XXX, Minato Mito, Itsuki's younger brother, develops an interest in Shizuma Ikushima, Shohei's older brother, at a bar. After a drunken evening together, Shizuma cannot remember what happened the previous night, and as revenge, Minato makes a bet with his friends to make Shizuma fall in love with him and then reject him. When Shizuma develops feelings for him, Minato becomes conflicted, as he is forced to acknowledge his own feelings for him.

Therapy Game: Restart

Shizuma graduates from veterinary school and begins his employment as a veterinarian, but his job leaves him with less time to spend with Minato. After the two agree to move in together, Shizuma prioritizing his career, as well as his boss Yamamoto developing an interest in him, threaten their relationship.

Characters
Minato Mito (三兎 湊, Mito Minato)
Voiced by: Yūki Ono[2]
Minato is a photographer who also works at the rabbit shop Trois Lapins owned by his older brother, Itsuki. He and Itsuki were previously part of the wealthy Kirigaya family until they moved in with their maternal grandmother and adopted her surname. The collapse of his parents' relationship and their subsequent deaths in his childhood has traumatized him so that he cannot bring himself to trust in relationships.[3]
Shizuma Ikushima (生嶋 静真, Ikushima Shizuma)
Voiced by: Tarusuke Shingaki
Shizuma is a veterinary student and Shohei's older brother. He recently ended his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Yuka, after she cheated on him.[3] He identifies as bisexual.[3]
Shohei Ikushima (生嶋 翔平, Ikushima Shōhei)
Voiced by: Hiro Shimono[2]
A protagonist featured in Secret XXX, Shohei is a university student and a part-time helper at Trois Lapins. He has a rabbit allergy, which he attempts to hide from Itsuki.
Itsuki Mito (三兎 樹, Mito Itsuki)
Voiced by: Daisuke Hirakawa[2]
Itsuki is the owner of Trois Lapins. Unlike Minato, he is able to look at his past from a detached perspective.[3]

Media

Manga

Meguru Hinohara first published XXX Allergy as her debut short story in the February 2016 issue of Dear+ released on January 14, 2016,[4] which focused on the relationship between Shohei Ikushima, a university student allergic to rabbits, and Itsuki Mito, the owner of a rabbit shop. The story was then expanded into a series titled Secret XXX running from the November to December 2016 issues,[5][6] followed by a two-chapter story arc titled Relation XXX from the March to April 2017 issues.[7][8] The chapters were later released as one bound volume titled Secret XXX by Shinshokan under the Dear+ Comics imprint.[9]

Therapy Game was created as a spin-off featuring Shizuma Ikushima and Minato Mito, Shohei and Itsuki's brothers, who were originally introduced in Secret XXX as minor characters. It was serialized from the December 2017 to July 2018 issues of Dear+.[10][11] It was followed by a three-chapter story arc titled Therapy Game: Play More, which was serialized from the September 2018 to November 2018 issues.[12][13] The chapters were later released as two bound volumes by Shinshokan under the Dear+ Comics imprint.

A sequel to Therapy Game titled Therapy Game: Restart is serialized beginning on the November 2019 issue of Dear+.[14]

In August 2019, Viz Media licensed the series for North American distribution in English under their SuBLime imprint.[1]

Secret XXX
No. Title Original release date English release date
1Secret XXX
Shīkuretto Peke Peke Peke (シークレット×××)		October 2, 2017 (2017-10-02)[9]
978-4403665981		April 14, 2020 (2020-04-14)[15][16]
978-1974712410

Therapy Game
No. Title Original release date English release date
1Therapy Game vol. 1
Serapī Gēmu (Ue) (セラピーゲーム（上）)		December 1, 2018 (2018-12-01)[17]
978-4403666612		June 9, 2020 (2020-06-09)[18][19]
978-1974712427
2Therapy Game vol. 2
Serapī Gēmu (Shita) (セラピーゲーム（下）)		December 28, 2018 (2018-12-28)[20]
978-4403666667		September 8, 2020 (2020-09-08)[21][22]
978-1974712434

Therapy Game: Restart
No. Japanese release date Japanese ISBN
1 December 1, 2020 (2020-12-01)[23]978-4403667527

Drama CDs

Shinshokan released a series of audio dramas on CD adapting each volume. The drama CD for Secret XXX was released on March 29, 2019, starring Hiro Shimono as Shohei, Daisuke Hirakawa as Itsuki, and Yūki Ono as Minato;[2] the CD peaked at #159 on the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart.[24] Volume 1 of Therapy Game was released on March 13, 2020 with the cast of Secret XXX reprising their roles with Tarusuke Shingaki cast as Shizuma;[25] the CD peaked at #39 on the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart, selling 1,049 physical copies on its first week of release.[26][27] Volume 2 of Therapy Game was released on April 10, 2020;[28] the CD peaked at #32 on the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart, selling 1,215 physical copies on its first week of release.[29][30] Therapy Game: Play More is scheduled for release on December 18, 2020.[31]

Shinshokan also produced several mini-drama CDs with original story content that were included as bonuses for Dear+. A mini-drama CD for Secret XXX was released in the May 2019 issue; the issue also included a comic titled Secret XXX Side Story: Photo Shoot.[32] A mini-drama CD for Therapy Game: Restart was released in the November 2019 issue to promote the start of the series,[14] and a second mini-drama CD was released in the December 2020 issue to commemorate the release of its first volume.[33]

Reception

In 2019, Therapy Game ranked at #7 in the Best Comic category of Chil Chil's 10th annual BL Awards.[34]

Anime News Network praised Therapy Game for its development of Minato's character and realistic portrayal of LGBT issues, while citing discomfort with the non-consensual scenes in the early chapters.[3]

References
  1. Mateo, Alex (August 1, 2019). "SuBLime Licenses Given, Secret XXX, Therapy Game, Liquor & Cigarettes Boys-Love Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  2. "ドラマCD「シークレット×××」" [Drama CD: Secret XXX]. Shinshokan (in Japanese). Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  3. Silverman, Rebecca (November 17, 2020). "Therapy Game GN 1 & 2". Anime News Network. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  4. "ディアプラス 2016年2月号" [Dear+ February 2016 issue]. Shinshokan. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  5. "ディアプラス 2016年11月号" [Dear+ November 2016 issue]. Shinshokan. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  6. "ディアプラス 2016年11月号" [Dear+ December 2016 issue]. Shinshokan. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  7. "ディアプラス 2017年3月号" [Dear+ March 2017 issue]. Shinshokan. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  8. "ディアプラス 2017年4月号" [Dear+ April 2017 issue]. Shinshokan. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  9. "【10月2日付】本日発売の単行本リスト". Natalie (in Japanese). October 2, 2017. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  10. "ディアプラス 2017年12月号" [Dear+ December 2017 issue]. Shinshokan. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  11. "ディアプラス 2018年7月号" [Dear+ July 2018 issue]. Shinshokan. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  12. "ディアプラス 2018年9月号" [Dear+ September 2018 issue]. Shinshokan. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  13. "ディアプラス 2018年11月号" [Dear+ November 2018 issue]. Shinshokan. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  14. "ディアプラス 2019年11月号" [Dear+ November 2019 issue]. Shinshokan. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  15. Sherman, Jennifer (April 14, 2020). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, April 12–18". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  16. "Secret XXX". SuBLime. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  17. "【12月1日付】本日発売の単行本リスト". Natalie (in Japanese). December 1, 2018. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  18. Sherman, Jennifer (June 9, 2020). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, June 7–13". Anime News Network. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  19. "Therapy Game Vol. 1". SuBLime. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  20. "【12月28日付】本日発売の単行本リスト". Natalie (in Japanese). December 28, 2018. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  21. Sherman, Jennifer (September 8, 2020). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, September 6–12". Anime News Network. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  22. "Therapy Game Vol. 2". SuBLime. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  23. "コミック・ライトノベル（アニメイト特典付き）カレンダーまとめ一覧［11/20更新］". Animate (in Japanese). November 20, 2020. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  24. "ドラマCD「シークレット×××」" [Drama CD: Secret XXX]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  25. "ドラマCD「セラピーゲーム(1)」" [Drama CD: Therapy Game (1)]. Shinshokan (in Japanese). Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  26. "ドラマCD「セラピーゲーム 1」" [Drama CD: Therapy Game 1]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  27. "週間 アルバムランキング 2020年03月23日付 31～40位" [Weekly Album Rankings: March 23, 2020 #31-40]. Oricon (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 18, 2020. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  28. "ドラマCD「セラピーゲーム(2)」" [Drama CD: Therapy Game (2)]. Shinshokan (in Japanese). Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  29. "ドラマCD「セラピーゲーム 2」" [Drama CD: Therapy Game 2]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  30. "週間 アルバムランキング 2020年04月20日付 31～40位" [Weekly Album Rankings: April 20, 2020 #31-40]. Oricon (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 15, 2020. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  31. "ドラマCD「セラピーゲーム+PlayMore」" [Drama CD: Therapy Game: Play More]. Shinshokan (in Japanese). Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  32. "ディアプラス 2019年5月号" [Dear+ May 2019 issue]. Shinshokan. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  33. "ディアプラス 2020年12月号" [Dear+ December 2020 issue]. Shinshokan. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  34. Loveridge, Lynzee (April 16, 2019). "Liquor & Cigarette, Blue Morning, Banana Fish Top 2019 BL Awards". Anime News Network. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
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