-
MANGA: Kimi to Koi ni Ochite Nakereba
Kimi to Koi ni Ochite Nakereba – Suji
Seiji Nono, a passionate Chinese cuisine chef who works at the food manufacturing corporation Yamato, looks like a punk, but he’s actually a first-class cook. The contrast between his appearance and his cooking has earned him many fans. One day, when Nono meets the newly transferred elite, Takeru Misato, he invites him to come eat in his cafeteria, but Miasto coldly refuses him by saying he “dislikes oily Chinese food”. With such strong personalities, there’s love and arguments abound between this cool inspector and gangster chef couple!
If I Hadn’t Fallen in Love With You is a cute story about hot-tempered Chinese chef Nono who took it upon himself to feed the cold and difficult Audit Department manager Misato upon learning the guy barely eats.
Nono’s fuse might be short but he is beloved by all. In contrast, not a lot of people liked the workaholic Misato.
The overall tone of the manga was humorous. It’s low-angst and slow-burn. It tackles body image and eating disorder. Misato has trauma with food. He was a pudgy child and was often bullied. Nono was determined to help him get over it by cooking for him.
As is usually the case, a deeper connection that goes way back twenty years was revealed. There was also a moment where we are teased with a love triangle but turned out differently. All their friends were rooting for them. Even the big boss was low-key helping them stay together.
They look pretty in the cover but it doesn’t really match how the characters were drawn in the manga itself. The art looked rougher and less polished but still goes well with the personalities of cast, especially Nono.
-
MANGA: Restart
Restart – Harada
A one shot about two fuck buddies and their complicated relationship.
Restart is a one-shot by Harada whose style I’m getting more familiar with. Like One Room Angel, this features MCs who are typically outside society.
Miki and his unnamed lover started off as a “make-believe relationship” or as Miki puts it “fashion relationship“. Then he dashes off to Thailand with the intent to become a woman because he wanted to bear children. He gets hit by a tuk-tuk and returns home with a faulty memory.
His lover started thinking deeply about their relationship when Miki got excited about Japan’s new same-sex partnership law. It was sweet how Miki’s lover takes care of him. He tries to maintain the carefree nature of their relationship and I love that he lets Miki be himself.
This is a deeply nuanced psychological story about homosexual relationships and being different. The art almost has an unfinished look to it. The characters are dressed with edgy fashion, tattoos and piercings, reflecting their status as outsiders. The two are seen holding hands in public and we see the reactions from other people.
The mangaka’s stories usually has shades of angst, sadness and bittersweet endings. This one is no different but has a lighter, more hopeful feel to it because the two lovers were happy and still together (and alive) till the end.
-
MANGA: Ginza Neon Paradise
Ginza Neon Paradise – Unohana
In 1940’s Japan during the war, long-time friends Aoi and Takahiko part ways as Takahiko is enlisted. For years, Aoi stayed in their hometown with the looming worry that his friend might not come back. He never received word from his friend and so he feared the worst. Now, Takahiko shows up all of a sudden and Aoi is not sure to what to make of this. Anger, relief, paid, all of these emotions overwhelm Aoi as he was certain his friend was gone because he never received a letter or any indication he was alive. Can the two reunite as friends or are they long past the point of friendship?
Ginza Neon Paradise is a historical, childhood friends to lovers drama set in post-war Japan with flashbacks to the war time period.
Aoi and Takahiko couldn’t be more different from each other. One was a serious bookworm who later became an interpreter for the American army, the other was a carefree womanizer who was disinherited by his grandfather.
The two were separated when Takahiko was drafted. After 3 years of radio silence, the solder finally showed his face and was now an actor.
I called Takahiko carefree but he’s really a callous good-for-nothing who trampled all over his friend. He lives with Aoi and frequently comes home smelling of booze and women’s perfume. He put Aoi through a wringer. The man was one of my least liked seme.
I preferred the kind-hearted American Lieutenant Walter, Aoi’s boss, to the deadbeat Takahiko but alas, Aoi’s heart was forever loyal to his friend. Takahiko did redeem himself at the end. But barely. There was even a ridiculous fight because he was jealous about Lt. Walter’s attention towards Aoi. Tsk! What an ass.
Unlikable love interests aside, this manga did a great job rendering a slow-burn, angsty, passionate love story amidst the backdrop of post-war Ginza. There were some liberties taken to eliminate homophobia but it retained most of the historical elements such as the bomb wreckage, poverty, shy interactions with the Americans, the glittering clubs, etc. My favorite part here was them walking around the city in the middle of the night just feeling the vibe. I always wanted to do that
All in all, this a sepia-tinted homage to a district that never lost its luster.
-
MANGA: Bitter Like Light
Bitter Like Light – Nago Nayuta
A Like a Sugar Spinoff featuring Morisaki and Taguchi.
Cheerful, soft-hearted Morisaki and cool, silent Taguchi have been friends and lovers since their high school years. While their relationship has not been without its challenges, they’ve managed to get past them and live happily together…
But they’re not actually “living together,” unlike their friends Yoshimura and Shima, who shacked up halfway through their college life. Will their friends’ decision inspire Morisaki and Taguchi to start thinking about their future?
The volume comes with an extra story of Morisaki and Taguchi getting it on in the hot springs!
Bitter Like Light is the spinoff of Like A Sugar which I have yet to read. It opens with an atypical third party POV where a young uni student frequently hears his next door neighbor having sex with his girlfriend. He secretly admires and cheers his neighbor on only to later discover, the girlfriend was a boyfriend.
Then the POV shifts to both MCs , two high school friends turned lovers. They had opposite personalities. Taguchi was impossibly cool and unflappable while Morisaki was the more excitable and blushy one.
The story depicts their relationship’s progress through day to day as they interact with friends, plot their future careers and internally agonize over living arrangements when they see their other couple friends from Like A Sugar moving in together.
Went gaga over Taguchi who looked like Kuroo from Haikyuu!!! His cool as a cucumber persona was virtually impossible to break leading his boyfriend to scheme how to break his composure. The great thing here is that while he is indeed super chill, he’s not a frosty asshole. He’s a really nice guy and you can clearly see he adores Morisaki. Because Morisaki IS adorbs!
The neighbor appeared a few more times in the story. He became friends with the couple and even offered support. I hope he gets his own gay-for-you moment.
I love the art, especially the character designs. It matches the character personalities. Overall, the manga was executed really well both visually and story-wise.
-
MANGA: Kimi ni wa Fureru to Naru Toko ga Atte
Kimi ni wa Fureru to Naru Toko ga Atte – Hayane Dento
Touji is an average high school student who is terrible at dealing with people and struggles with physical contact. On one rainy day, all of Touji’s struggles come to a head when he encounters Itsuki Yato, a fellow classmate who touches him casually even when they first meet. Even though Touji isn’t great at socializing, Itsuki goes out of his way to talk to him and spend time with him. Gradually, Touji starts to want to learn more about Itsuki…
Every Time We Touch, I Hear That Sound is a slow-burn, friends to lovers manga with a gentle, peaceful vibe of lazy summer afternoons.
Introverted, socially awkward Touji meets extroverted, touchy-feely Itsuki on a crowded train when Itsuki’s earbuds tangled with Touji’s button. The two struck up a friendship. Or more like, Itsuki decided to adopt the shy high schooler.
Itsuki’s sunny personality and talkative nature drew Touji to him. I love how he saw beyond Touji’s fumbling attempts to converse to the true personality hidden underneath. He helped give him the courage to come out of his shell.
The two lived near a mountain. Touji is most comfortable when exploring. His character shone the brightest when he is at home on the slopes.
I love how these two boys were connected by the local festival. This is where things came full circle and where Touji showed his mettle and Itsuki found his god.
-
MY TOP BL MANGA OF 2020
-
MANGA: Kitsune no Natsu
Kitsune no Natsu – Nacolat
Norihiro returns to his hometown during summer vacation with a lingering feeling that something is calling to him. On the way back home, Norihiro encounters a mysterious fox man in a wedding dress waiting for him. Who is this fox and why does he want to “consummate” their marriage!?
The Summer of the Fox is a cute paranormal tale between a young man, Norihiro and his childhood friend, the fox spirit, Tsunetsuki.
Tsune patiently waited years for Norihiro to come back to him and fulfill his promise. This one-shot is filled with melancholy, longing and yearning but also nostalgic joy as the Norihiro remembers playing with the fox during summers past.
It is an explicit manga. We get the graphic details of them consummating their marriage.
I like the artwork. Tsune is pretty. Even with only one chapter, the manga was able to tell a complete story. But it also left me wishing this is a full length volume.
-
MANGA: Doukyuusei Seikatsu
Doukyuusei Seikatsu – Kinoshita Keiko
Mizuno and Mitazon were middle school classmates with polar opposite personalities. One day, years later, Mitazon calls Mizuno up to help take care of some stray kittens. Mizuno agrees to stay in his house to look after the kittens for a short while. This is living together with a classmate!
Kinoshita Keiko has been mostly hit or miss with me. Classmate Living is definitely a hit. It’s a childhood friends to lovers story, a slow burn romance between two middle school classmates who somehow maintained a connection up to adulthood despite separate schools.
Mitazon is a poker-faced tsundere who is adorbs when flustered. Mizuno is the more outgoing of the two. I am so happy this was written in his POV. Typically, we get the story from the POV of the one pining for the other person. Seeing the romance unfold through the eyes of the one pined for is a refreshing take on the trope.
The atmosphere is gentle and the artwork matched that vibe. The pacing was great, never too slow or fast with each scene executed just right. For me, this is the mangaka’s best work to date.
-
MANGA: Falling In Love With The God Hotei Before I Die
Falling In Love With The God Hotei Before I Die – Hinagi
You’re gonna die anyway, so I’ll let you see the pure land of pleasures.” I’ve always been unlucky, and I get to have my first sexual experience… with a scary looking God Hotei!?
Takumi has been unlucky his whole life, and he has to have at least one accident every single day.One day, while getting groped on the train, he gets saved by a man with intimidating features. he goes home and greets his statue, god Hotei of fortune. Takumi believes that this statue is his one true ally. The next day, he spots the man on the train and finds out that he’s actually.. Hoteisson.
Not as smutty as advertised by that cover.
This is actually a cute story about perpetually unlucky Takumi who’s a devotee of the God of Fortune, Hotei. In his many unlucky days, he occasionally encounters a mysterious man who saves him from mishaps. He turned out to be none other than Hotei himself.
Takumi is a bit naive and clumsy. He gets treated like a doormat in his office. Hotei has the same intimidating air as Hoozuki from Reitetsu no Hoozuki. Looks like him too so I definitely like the artwork.
Their very slow burn romance developed over nine fast-paced chapters. I liked that the manga didn’t focus on the sex. The feels are very low-key with subtle expressions highlighted here and there. It’s like these two didn’t even realized that that they were falling in love. It ended just when Hotei’s heart skipped a beat which is argh!
-
MANGA: Kimi wa Samishigari ya no Hana
Kimi wa Samishigari ya no Hana – Nomori Mina
One evening, Hisanaga approaches Morio at a bar with just one thing in mind. However, Morio is looking for a deeper relationship. Can Morio break through the wall around Hisanaga’s heart to get something more than empty sex?
You Are The Loneliest Flower is a story of university student, Morio, who developed feelings for his on-again off-again hookup, an aloof salaryman, Hisanaga.
This has a not so common set-up of characters openly admitting they’re gay and regularly hooking up at gay bars. Most of the time, BL manga characters just fall into relationships without even realizing or acknowledging their sexuality.
Morio knew Hisanaga is a self-centered, lonely man who pushes people away but it didn’t stop him being drawn to him. Morio is a natural do-gooder who can’t help but dote on the difficult and blunt Hisanaga. I liked his dedication and that he didn’t cross the line to pushy. Although I did wonder what was so attractive about the older man other than his looks. I didn’t connect with Hisanaga. I think his character could have been developed more.
The manga had a mature vibe. The premise is good but the way it was delivered wasn’t that convincing. The pacing and the scenes felt awkward. It closed in an open-ended but hopeful note where Morio hopes Hisanaga would eventually open up to him.
