Review: Lilith Collection

Lilith VNs and anime are some of my favourite works in their mediums so I am always anxious to see new material whatever it may be, especially so when they come along in the form of manga which is not too common with their works. This series of anthologies offers a wide array of one-shots based on numerous Lilith games but are they exciting enough?

As a series of anthologies there is no overarching story here but a collection of one-shots by a number of artists based on the VNs by Lilith. If you’re looking for a linear story then this is not the book for you. One of the biggest plus points about this is that you can pick up the books and read any chapter at any point without worrying. Considering there are 38 chapters this is a very good thing.

The first thing to note here is that there is a wealth of one-shots and each one about a certain game. Since there are a lot of Lilith VNs not all will be covered but the amount here is large and diverse. You have your staples such as Taimanin and Kangoku Senkan series covered but also much more from lesser known titles such as Hatsujou Exorcist!, Enzai no Koujo Aria and Kamen no Goumonshi.

Being such a large anthology at 4 volumes and 38 chapters in length there is a lot to cover here and that also means there is a lot on offer in terms of sexual content with the all one-shots being faithful in the content on the series they are based whilst adding their own unique spin. For example the Taimanin Asagi, Shion and Monster Survive chapters have their fill of rape, tentacle play, body modification and generally much harder content. Not all stick out but the vast majority does elicit the perversion you’d expect.

This was very enjoyable to me, the hardcore, nastier if you will content is what I have come to love most and here, throughout the numerous series is a joy to read. The body modification scenarios in Dore Maid Princess where Lotte is tortured sexually and she grows a penis were exciting, the sex slave play focusing of Soukou Kijo Iris as she pleasures a grotesque monster controlling her was enthralling and the enslavement and training of Misao from her self titled game was thrilling to name but three that stuck in my head that offered broader scenes.

Then you have the likes of Ane Haramix, Neko no Hime and Mizugi no Shimobe-kun which cover the more vanilla side of ero, filled with consensual, conventional sex scenes but filtered to have their characters in them. I am not one largely for vanilla content but the knowledge of the characters and games did allow me to enjoy these parts more than I would. You get the full gamut of plays from oral, anal, in their pussy and paizuri as well as maid scenarios, ahegao and exhibitionism all being suitably erotic if a tad stale in parts. Those who find this kind of content more to their tastes are sure to find it enjoyable.

One side effect of this is that if you lean particularly to one side of this content divide then large swathes of these books will be left unread. This is one of two main problems here. Recommending this anthology in its entirety is hard to do unless you’re very open minded and less likely to be put off by somewhat questionable content such is the sheer wealth and variety in scenarios here.

It also doesn’t help that the 4 volumes don’t fit a particular pattern of genre focus; they contain equally diverse sets of chapters covering all manner of kinks. This isn’t normally the case in anthologies as they are focused around one particular fetish such as NTR or mind breaking. When putting down your money for one of these books you don’t want to find that half of the book is not to your tastes.

The other issue is the familiarity with the series the one-shots are based on. If you have little to no knowledge about them then the setups, the characters and scenarios are going to make you feel a bit lost. Not all of them would have this effect but the majority do and this will lessen your enjoyment. Take for example the chapters on Shion or Ikusa Otome Svia. They both occur mid story with little to no back-story to them or the characters. It will make it harder to enjoy them or appreciate them but that is why fans of Lilith will find more enjoyment.

Similarly the art is going to be distinct and diverse. With the artist of each one-shot differing you will find a bevy of art styles to look at. Each captures their mangakas style very well though not all translate well when crossed over with the respective VN property. An example of this is would be the Kangoku Senkan 2 or Annerose chapters where the styles differ wildly from their original designs and can take you out of it as they don’t match what you know of the characters. Again this is coming back to the familiarity of the series; it is a key sticking point.

If you are a Lilith fan then this anthology is a must, you are sure to find the vast majority of this entertaining and incredibly arousing. You may even get to know about a few VNs you might not have otherwise known. If you only like a few of their properties or certain genres then it may be worth tracking down the individual one-shots if you can. For me though as a huge Lilith fan I cannot stop re-reading this and seeing all those wonderful VNs brought onto the page which is worthy of the highest grade.

Mangaka: Various

Release: 2008 - 2014

Length: 38 Chapters, 4 Volumes

Availability: Mandarake

10/10