Nov 2, 2024
This is one of those calming cooking mangas that revolve around people just living life. If you're a fan of works like Shinya Shokudou with changing foci, then this is a good work for you to consider trying. Unlike Shinya Shokudou, Izakaya Bottakuri does invest a bit more in certain conflicts or issues and isn't afraid to dwell on them for more than one chapter. The pacing is laid-back and individual character problems are tackled in a sort of realistic but not overdone way. In some ways, it feels like a restoration of the status quo when an issue is solved, rather than anything big
...
change.
The art for this manga is great. Anatomy is very well-done and characterization is especially distinguishing for elderly characters. The younger characters are a bit more generic, with many of the same facial shapes and eyes, with differences being hairstyle. Some expressions can look the same on characters, like if one person looks happy, you could literally copy paste it onto another head and it wouldn't look out of place.
A unique thing about this manga is the showcasing of various real-life liquors from Japan. Unfortunately, a lot of them seem to be out of production.
The main gripe I developed for this manga is the underlying romantic storyline. I won't get into details, but the characterization for the characters involved seemed to change and ramp up just for the sake of advancing the relationship all of a sudden. As a result, a character feels like they became someone else and also showed a more dislikeable side. This might just be preference, though.
Overall, the manga feels like a sommelier telling you a long story about what sake goes well with your meal courses. It's a relaxed tone save for some of those sudden speed bumps that try to sell you on certain forced conflict resolutions.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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