Let's Play (comic)

{{Infobox comic strip

| image = Let's_Play_banner_art.jpg

| caption = Let's Play banner art

| author = Mongie (Leeanne M. Krecic)

| current =

| owner =

| illustrator =

| website = {{URL|1=https://www.webtoons.com/en/romance/letsplay/list?title_no=1218}}

| status =

| first = 2016

| last =

| altnames =

| syndicate =

| publisher = {{ubl|Webtoon|Rocketship Entertainment}}

| genre = Romance

| language =

| rating = {{ubl|9.63 Stars on Webtoon|5.0 out of 5 stars on Amazon}}

}}

{{Infobox animanga/Header

| name = Let's Play

| ja_kanji = Let's Play クエストだらけのマイライフ

| ja_romaji = Retsu Purē Kuesuto-darake no Mairaifu

| genre = Romantic comedy

| creator = Mongie (Leeanne M. Krecic)

}}

{{Infobox animanga/Video

| type = tv series

| director = Daiki Tomiyasu

| producer =

| writer = Aya Matsui

| music = Conisch

| studio = OLM

| licensee = Crunchyroll

| network = Fuji TV (+Ultra)

| network_en =

| first = October 2025

| last = scheduled

| episodes =

| episode_list =

}}

Let's Play is a romantic comedy comic series by Leeanne M. Krecic, also known as Mongie, which is published by Rocketship Entertainment.{{Cite web|last=MacDonald|first=Heidi|date=2021-03-22|title=Newsmaker Interview: Tom Akel on publishing webcomics with Rocketship|url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/newsmaker-interview-tom-akel-on-publishing-webcomics-with-rocketship/|access-date=2021-09-03|website=The Beat|language=en-US}} Let's Play was published digitally on Webtoon from 2016 to 2022. It follows the romantic and professional life of Sam Young, who is discovering romance as she works on her video game development career.

Let's Play has over 7.5 million subscribers globally on Webtoon and was nominated for an Eisner Award in 2019. In May 2021, it was announced that the comic would be adapted into a live-action television series by Allnighter.{{Cite web|last=Salkowitz|first=Rob|title=Hit RomCom Webtoon 'Let's Play' Is Getting A TV Adaptation|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/robsalkowitz/2021/05/06/hit-romcom-webtoon-lets-play-is-getting-a-tv-adaptation/|access-date=2021-09-03|website=Forbes|language=en}} In November 2022, Krecic announced that the comic would be moving away from Webtoon, citing ongoing difficulties with the platform, and that the series will continue with season four elsewhere.{{Cite web|last=Burlingham|first=Russ|date=2022-11-11|title=Let's Play To Leave Webtoon Ahead of Season 4|url=https://comicbook.com/comics/news/lets-play-to-leave-webtoon-mongie/|access-date=2022-11-11|website=comicbook.com|language=en-US}}{{Cite magazine|last=Puc|first=Samantha|date=2022-11-11|title=Let's Play To Leave Webtoon Ahead of Season 4|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/lets-play-season-4-will-not-be-published-on-webtoon/|access-date=2022-11-11|magazine=Games Radar|language=en-US}} An anime television series adaptation produced by OLM is set to premiere in October 2025.

Premise

Let's Play is a romantic comedy. It follows Sam Young, a 22-year-old female software developer looking to get into video games, a passion she developed while sick in hospital. Sam's passion project, Ruminate, gets heavily criticized by a game reviewer going by "Marshall Law", and his many fans review-bomb it. After this, Marshall Law becomes Sam's new next-door neighbor.{{Cite web|last=Salkowitz|first=Rob|date=May 6, 2021|title=Hit RomCom Webtoon 'Let's Play' Is Getting A TV Adaptation|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/robsalkowitz/2021/05/06/hit-romcom-webtoon-lets-play-is-getting-a-tv-adaptation/?sh=11b9c4d22a30|website=Forbes}}{{Cite web|last=Ramsburg|first=C. M.|date=July 16, 2021|title=Let's Play & SubZero: Catch up on the Two Popular Series Returning to Webtoon|url=https://www.cbr.com/webtoon-lets-play-subzero-recap/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=CBR|language=en-US}}

Sam's father is the CEO of software company Young Technologies; he is overprotective of Sam and wants her to take over the company some day, but Sam would rather make video games. At the same time, Sam, who has never had a romantic relationship, starts to feel attraction. She considers dating an old friend, Link, though the two remain friends instead. She has romantic tension with Marshall Law, and becomes flirty with her manager at Young Technologies, Charles, who is teaching her to be more confident and business savvy. Charles also falls for Sam, despite her being his boss's daughter. Season two of the comic ended with Sam drunkenly trying to seduce Charles at his apartment.{{Cite web|last=Napier|first=Claire|date=2019-10-22|title=Insta Made Me Read It: Scorching Romance and Let's Play|url=https://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/2019/10/insta-made-me-read-it-scorching-romance-and-lets-play/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=Women Write About Comics|language=en-US}}

Let's Play explores and satirizes gaming culture and the male-dominated gaming industry.{{Cite web|last=Johnston|first=Rich|date=2021-05-06|title=Leeanne M. Krecic's Let's Play Webtoon Comic Now Live-Action TV Show|url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/leeanne-m-krecics-lets-play-webtoon-comic-now-live-action-tv-show/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=Bleeding Cool|language=en}} Storylines cover depression, anxiety, and family.{{Cite web|last=Hoffer|first=Christian|date=May 6, 2021|title=Let's Play Webcomic to Be Adapted Into Television Show|url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/lets-play-webcomic-television-show-webtoon/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=ComicBook.com|language=en}}

Characters

;Sam Young

:{{voiced by|Kana Hanazawa}}

;Marshall Law

:{{voiced by|Shimba Tsuchiya}}

;Charles Jones

:{{voiced by|Yuichi Nakamura}}

;Link Hudson

:{{voiced by|Tomokazu Sugita}}

Publication

Let’s Play is created by Leeanne M. Krecic, who writes and illustrates the comic under the pen name Mongie.{{Cite web|last=Dwyer|first=Theo|date=2020-08-13|title=Eisner-Nominated Webcomic Let's Play Dominates On Kickstarter|url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/lets-play-dominates-on-kickstarter-with-graphic-novel-body-pillows/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=Bleeding Cool|language=en}} Krecic has said that she created the comic "because I was looking for characters like me – die-hard gamers, heartfelt romantics, and young women with dreams of success on their own terms – but couldn't find them represented anywhere in the pop culture of the moment."

The comic debuted on Webtoon in 2016.{{Cite web|title=Let's Play|url=https://www.webtoons.com/en/romance/letsplay/list?title_no=1218|access-date=2021-07-26|website=www.webtoons.com|language=en}} It finished season two in August 2020 and finished season three in September 2022. Krecic said in a tweet that the start of season three was delayed by contractual negotiations.{{Cite web|last=Krecic|first=Leeanne M.|date=March 22, 2021|title=I'm seeing a lot of wild speculation as to why Let's Play hasn't returned. When I say it isn't back due to contractual negotiations that's the full truth. Webtoon and I want to protect our own best interests and as a result, it can take longer to come to an agreement on things.|url=https://twitter.com/mongrelmarie/status/1373751581754163207|access-date=2021-07-26|website=Twitter|language=en}}

Let's Play volume one was kickstarted for publication in 2019 by Rocketship Entertainment{{Cite web|last=Keith|first=Jed W.|date=2019-04-24|title=Leeanne "Mongie" Krecic on Her LET'S PLAY Webcomic Kickstarter|url=http://www.freaksugar.com/leanne-mongie-krecic-on-her-lets-play-webcomic-kickstarter/|access-date=2021-09-03|website=Freaksugar|language=en-US}} and volume two was kickstarted in 2020.{{Cite web|last=Keith|first=Jed W.|date=2020-09-02|title=Leeanne "Mongie" Krecic on Her LET'S PLAY Volume 2 Kickstarter!|url=http://www.freaksugar.com/lets-play-volume-2-kickstarter-interview/|access-date=2021-09-03|website=Freaksugar|language=en-US}}

In November 2022, Krecic announced that season four of Let's Play would not be published through Webtoon. Krecic cited age gates, a lack of marketing, and racial pay disparities among the reasons. Krecic said that they would, "when the time is right" announce when and how season four would be published.{{Cite web |last=Krecic (Mongie) |first=Leeanne M. |title=An Open Letter to Readers of Let's Play – Leeanne M. Krecic (MONGIE) |url=https://www.mongrelmarie.com/an-open-letter-to-readers-of-lets-play/ |access-date=2022-11-11 |language=en-US}}

Reception

= Readership figures =

Forbes described Let's Play as "megapopular"; according to Webtoon it had 3.6 million subscribers as of May 2021, and had received 145 million views by the end of 2019.{{Cite web|last=MacDonald|first=Heidi|date=2020-01-17|title=Sales Charts: The Top 30 comics on Webtoon in 2019|url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/sales-charts-the-top-30-comics-on-webtoon-in-2019/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=The Beat|language=en-US}} The comic has had two Kickstarter campaigns through publisher Rocketship Entertainment that in total raised nearly $1 million USD. It has been one of the most popular series published by Webtoon.

Forbes said that Let's Play was in a genre not well-served by "the traditional comics industry", and that works like Let's Play are "finding [their] way directly to a new generation of readers [through internet platforms], and [readers] are feeling seen and validated by those stories."

= Reviews =

A writer for Forbes said that Let's Play "takes a light but thoughtful touch on a hot-button issue, playing up the romantic comedy elements in the manner of a Friends or New Girl aimed at the generation raised on YouTube and Twitch." A writer for ComicBook.com said that Let's Play "deftly mixes Internet and gaming humor". A writer for Bleeding Cool said, "Krecic's engaging story, which is both romantic and funny, works in tandem with her anime-inspired art style to make readers all for her cast of dynamic characters."

In a review for Women Write About Comics, columnist Claire Napier called Let's Play "a responsible comic, and a compassionate one", noting the creator's personal experience in tech and on YouTube, and saying, "None of the characters exist to be hated or looked down on, and the founding premise, that joining a hate mob is being part of a harmful effect, is a necessary part of today's discourse." However, Napier felt that the comic lacked structural tension, saying that it "introduces itself as tightly-reined enemies-to-lovers with a strong #online flavour, but quickly relaxes into a three, four, or five-pronged friendship-group/colleague soap loosely centred upon one floppy character." Napier called the art "basically frictionless – Questionable Content meets seasonal anime", adding that "every gamer in this comic either has a Men's Fitness cover body or a huge, buoyant rack on a tall thin frame". She said that the dialog was often "quite explainer-text, but this does allow for absolute clarity of theme." She concluded that it was not a comic she loved, but said it had "some clever jokes and visual gags and it is agreeably bawdy at times", and recommended it for those who like soap operas or have "ever stanned a real life let's player".

= Awards =

Let's Play was nominated for an Eisner Award in 2019 for Best Webcomic.{{Cite web|last=McMillan|first=Graeme|date=2019-04-26|title=Eisner Award Nominees Revealed|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/2019-eisner-nominees-complete-list-1205156/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=McMillan|first=Graeme|date=2019-07-20|title=Eisner Awards: The Complete Winners List|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/2019-eisner-awards-complete-winners-list-1225835/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en-US}}

Adaptations

= Live-action TV adaptation =

In May 2021, studio Allnighter announced a development deal to adapt Let's Play into a live-action television series, with Krecic, Amanda Kruse, Dinesh Shamdasani, Hunter Gorinson, and Tom Akel serving as executive producers.{{Cite web|last=Johnston|first=Rich|date=2021-05-06|title=Leeanne M. Krecic's Let's Play Webtoon Comic Now Live-Action TV Show|url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/leeanne-m-krecics-lets-play-webtoon-comic-now-live-action-tv-show/|access-date=2021-09-03|website=Bleeding Cool|language=en}} A columnist for Forbes said that this was "another sign that the serialized GenZ-friendly comics published on mobile platforms such as Webtoon are a rising force in the media industry".

= Anime series adaptation =

In October 2023, at New York Comic Con, Mongie announced that Japanese animation studio OLM will be producing an anime television series adaptation of the comic.{{Cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-10-17/let-play-web-romance-comic-gets-anime-by-olm/.203515|title='Let's Play' Web Romance Comic Gets Anime by OLM|last=Pineda|first=Rafael|website=Anime News Network|date=2023-10-16|access-date=2023-10-16}} The series will be directed by Daiki Tomiyasu, with series composition handled by Aya Matsui, Ebimo as the original character designer, Saki Ebisawa as the animation character designer, and music composed by Conisch.{{cite web|last=Cardine|first=Kyle|title=Let’s Play Anime Announces 2025 Release, Initial Staff and Cast|url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2025/6/3/lets-play-anime-2025-release-cast-staff|website=Crunchyroll|access-date=June 3, 2025|date=June 3, 2025}} It is set to premiere in October 2025 on Fuji TV's +Ultra programming block.{{cite web|last=Pineda|first=Rafael Antonio|title='Let's Play' Anime's English-Subtitled Trailer Reveals More Cast, Staff, October Premiere|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2025-07-04/let-play-anime-english-subtitled-trailer-reveals-more-cast-staff-october-premiere/.226288|website=Anime News Network|access-date=July 4, 2025|date=July 4, 2025}} Crunchyroll will stream the series.{{cite web|last=Cardine|first=Kyle|title=Otherworldly Munchkin: Let's Speedrun the Dungeon with Only 1 HP!, Let’s Play and More Anime to Stream on Crunchyroll|url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/announcements/2025/6/3/otherworldly-munchkin-lets-play-anime-more-stream-crunchyroll|website=Crunchyroll|access-date=June 3, 2025|date=June 3, 2025}}

Webcomic's Inspiration

Ayres Andrea, from The Comics Beat, interviewed Leeanne M. Krecic, discussing her inspirations for making the story.{{Cite web |last=Andrea Ayres |date=2018-08-15 |title=Syndicated Comics |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/interview-how-leeanne-mongie-krecic-went-from-head-of-it-to-featured-webtoon-creator/ |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=The Beat |language=en-US}} Leeanne revealed that the concept of Let's Play was inspired by her watching a lot of YouTubers. More specifically, a video of a let's player playing an amateur fan game. The let's player was having a difficult time and shared his frustration. Leeanne stated that if the let's player and the game creator were to meet, what would happen? This gave Leeanne the idea to create a comic based on this thought. In addition, she wanted the main character to be a female gamer to promote representation as she is a female gamer herself. When Leeanne started developing her web comic on the Discover section of Webtoon, she used Twitter{{Cite Twitter profile|@mongrelmarie}} and Tumblr to help advertise it. Later on, the comic would become featured on Webtoon.

Publications

{{cite book|title=Let's Play Volume 1|last=Krecic|first=Leeanne M.|date=October 26, 2021 |publisher=Rocketship Entertainment|isbn=9781952126116}}
{{cite book|title=Let's Play Volume 2|last=Krecic|first=Leeanne M.|date=February 14, 2022 |publisher=Rocketship Entertainment|isbn=9781952126123}}
{{cite book|title=Let's Play Volume 3|last=Krecic|first=Leeanne M.|date=June 13, 2023 |publisher=Rocketship Entertainment|isbn=9781952126604}}