620https://i.ur.com/uop0vEg.png Do you need a tissue? Bota Botas premise is far from peculiar entailing a 29 yearold single womans failing romantic endeavors only offset by Parus eccentric love for blood. Our heroine Mako possesses a bizarre medical condition. Even briefly coming into contact with dirty objects triggers ridiculous spurts of nosebleeds thatd put any ecchi harem protagonist to shame. As a result it prevents her from forming any kind of intimate relationship as her suitors run off in bewilderment and fear. However Makos desire becomes anything but listless and continues to seek out her fated partner. As the story progresses though it becomes evidenced that Makos condition is more emotional than medical. Her occasional flashbacks show that her mother had an unhealthy obsession with filth caused by her husbands affairs that extended not only to objects but men and intimacy. Thus Makos nosebleeds are suggested to be a defense mechanism against her subconscious molded fear of the latter two. 620https://i.ur.com/1FL4gCn.png Pinch your nose and hold your head up Bota Bota isnt about others understanding Makos condition and loving her however. Rather its about how others unintentionally help Mako understand herself. Each failed encounter while providing an amusing nosebleed end of rejection also provides Mako another bitter selfreminder about her condition. However Mako never blames it or has selfhatred despite it causing all her relationships to collapse. Her reactions at her failed romances range from apathetic and slight exasperation but never anger. Mako has been so far desensitized by the hindrances caused by her condition that she views them as merely a tedious part of her daily life akin to cleaning the house. For the majority of the story Mako simply sighs and shrugs her shoulders with a slight smirk in the face of her failed romances. However one of her failed romances finally breaks her lethargic attitude towards them and opens her eyes to its ugliness. Despite finally meeting someone who isnt fazed by her condition said individual rejects Botas love leaving her despaired and heartbroken. While drinking her sorrows away though she immediately encounters one more such fated partner who accepts Makos condition and reciprocates her love. However this time her nosebleeds stop. Again Mako has another epiphany. Though shes had an atypical attitude towards it up until now Mako frets over the silence of her nostrils. Her nosebleeds have protected her from men and conversely lead her to her fated partner and she now shes them as an essential part of herself. However as her newest suitor manages to overwhelm her fear with his smooth love lines Bota steadily places trust in him instead of her nose. Thisd be where the credits cue as the couple kiss in the sunset right? Well Paru fans know not to expect orthodoxy from her when it comes to romance. After her latest partner reveals to be no different from Makos father if not worse at the altar Mako explodes. Literally and figuratively. She explodes in emotional ecstasy upon realizing the fallacy of her filth beliefs. Filth isnt limited to sex kissing and the physical but the inside as well. While thisd normally be more of an upsetting truth Mako finds joy in realizing that the nose that she had unconditionally believed to find her fated partner was fooled. Now she doesnt feel the need to obsess over filth and her nosebleeds and simply live her life. Romantic huh? 520https://i.ur.com/dOvc8XA.png Did it stop? Being used to Parus love for anthropomorphism the human cast of characters was moderately offputting at first. However Parus artistic styles and subtleties still remained at large. Ive always found Parus anatomical sense a bit peculiar something she has common with her father mostly due to the different species in Beastars. In Bota Bota theres only humans but remnants of that offbeat sense still exist especially in the frequent nude scenes. Theres many other striking Paruisms in the character designs such as the bulbous and luminous or simple blackdotted eyes and suggestive and amusing facial expressions. Paru serves to reminds that humans are just another animal species as she draws them up similarly and just as well as her other characters of differing species. Another striking Paruism is her synthesis of love and blood. Only this time its to a much more comedic and lighthearted effect as literal waves of bloods infest the panels and drown Mako in blood from head to toe as she smiles ecstatically. Overall while I was initially wary of Parus transition to human designs they became enjoyable to look at as Parus peculiar and distinct art style was still strong. 520https://i.ur.com/huSelTe.png Conclusion Understanding and accepting is a challenge in any relationship especially romantic. Health conditions and past trauma are common issues in these processes that takes their toll on both parties. Paru Itakagi sets up a premise surrounding this interpersonal hurdle but with an unusual narrative and theme befitting her peculiarity. Rather than finding love in spite of ones own conditions Paru writes out her heroines brief whimsical journey of failed romances and realization all dyed in crimson red and smelling of iron. 420https://i.ur.com/whMCVjU.jpg