Never Hollowed By The Stare

Super Platonic – Ueda Niku

Takagi, the store manager of a flower shop, does a favor for his younger sister by going to an Idol concert to check out a man she met online. However, it turns out that this online friend is actually Toraji, a part-timer who works for Takagi.

Super Platonic is a sweet and gentle story about not judging people by their appearance.

Store owner Takagi hasn’t really been getting along with his big and scary-looking part-timer, a university student named Toraji. But he noticed the young man actually handles his flowers with a lot of care. And he makes really cute bouquets. After getting roped in by his sister to meet a man she was supposed to meet at an idol concert, he was surprised to discovered, it was Toraji.

I adore Toraji’s kind of seme!! A strong, silent type who’s super loyal and devoted to his uke. I loved the tiger reference in his name (tora = tiger). This fierce-looking cat is actually a kitten. His blushy face is everything!

Despite his appearance, he’s a guy who likes cute, girly things. He’s a huge fan of an idol group that Takagi’s sister also liked. He was upfront and honest about his feelings, point blank asking Takagi to go out with him.

The manga is from Takagi’s POV. I wasn’t too keen about Takagi at first. There was a misunderstanding about the identity of the person who was supposed to meet Toraji. He let this misunderstanding dragged longer than necessary. He also took his time sorting his feeling for the younger man. This part was understandable though. He eventually won me over when he became honest with himself.

There’s an age gap aspect in play with some scenes highlighting the age difference, making it seem Takagi is that old even if he’s only in his early 30s. Not too keen about this part either.

However, I really loved the vibe of the manga. Despite some of the negative elements, it felt soft and light. I especially loved the way the mangaka drew Toraji. I’m all about this boy here.

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