Udon no Hito
The Lady of Udon

Edit

What would you like to edit?

SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links  

This takes about maybe 30 minutes to finish and it's a real gem. It's like a good snack.

While there are already a lot of romance mangas that infuse food into them, this just uses udon. How udon is used to show their motivations and inner monologues as well as fantasies is really fun. Even until the very last chapter, udon is still somehow involved. Not only is the presentation creative but effective as well. Now I'm craving for some.

Not too much comedy but what little it has is very effective and got some giggles out of me. No drama at all unless you choose to ... be pretty sensitive. The presentation of the romance aspect is I have to say pretty unique as well, opting for something very minimalistic, and it works in the sense that it goads the reader to often make their own monologues for the characters because there is very little dialogue.

All in all, if you have 30 minutes to spare, this would be a good way to spend that.

A true gem: Its unorthodox art style and experimental telling of the story - constantly blending alternative fantasy scenarios that allow us glimpses of the characters psyches - are an absolute joy. The realism in the portrayal of human doubt, worry, sex drive are all beautifully rendered in tiny details that let you guess, rather than be told. This realism and the tiny details that let you understand the inner worlds of the characters through glimpses make for a titillating read that feels rather sensual in nature without ever giving too much away.

The only complaint that someone may have from this story is that it ... could have been extended to a longer work. However, in my eyes that would only detract from its beauty. The way it is, it captures a moment in time for the two main characters. The rest, is rightfully left to the imagination. However if you fear that this has a vague ending, this is not the case. The story feels complete.

Story:
It's not bad, but it's not amazing either. The romance is somewhat superficial and based solely on fluff, and there's really no complicating incident or event to look forward too. It's a cute little romance with no real grounding in reality. Nothing all that exciting takes place and nothing all that offensive does either. It's just a very basic premise with no real value beyond a simple, cute romance.


Art:
Not all that excellent, but there's definitely a style. It feels very western, almost as if it were in the Sunday paper. It's very rough sketch, but at one point I wondered if the mangaka's intention was ... to make every line look akin to a noodle with odd, almost random bends.

Backgrounds are barren and vacant. The world is very limited. There's nothing particularly pretty about the work.


Character:
Just enough to keep someone reading for 8 chapters. There's not much of an agenda and there's no real conflict other than the simplest of issues that is, more or less, ignored. That said, it didn't particularly need to be anything special. The narrative is linear, incredibly linear, with zero sub-plots and very little characterization other than our leads falling in love.


Enjoyment:
I'm sick, super drowsy, and I didn't want to fall asleep just yet. Due to Udon no Hito's length, as well as it's inoffensive nature, I can say without a doubt that this wasn't a waste of time. It wasn't, perhaps, the best use of my time, but the work itself is still somewhat interesting, despite it being more akin to a fanfiction with cutesy romance than a unique narrative.


((If you liked this review, friend me for new reviews on other works, both manga and anime!))