- Last Online3 hours ago
- LocationDuck Pond with Wifi
- JoinedMar 8, 2017
Also Available at
My YouTube Channel (Not Anime related, but open to anime conversations) Only gaming and electronic dance music making
Old: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEOeC-CkU52D7DXeA_Lr8JQ
New: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyiHWb7p9yxDH1vaYZPdo9w
RSS Feeds
|
![]()
Jan 5, 2025
Bar Flowers is a manga about a male protagonist Igarishi Hiroki. He lost his job since his prior company went bankrupt. His I assume brother or a friend he gets on with, as the owner of a girls bar customers drink with the employees and play games like cards or whatever with them, a social and drink type bar, the owner offers him a job as the manager of the bar. He manages, steps in when need be but most of the girls guide him on details about how the bar works.
Sometimes off work parts, other times have to come in and balance situations. Relationships
...
are tested but it varies. Most of the girls are pretty good about the work side and interest in Hiroki/male MC and sometimes over do it with drinks in front of customers and dynamics vary.
From there you meet Sakura Harukaze.
Tsukishiro-san the glasses one with social skills to build up.
Aiba Nazuna-chan who speaks her name in third person, twin tails and is pretty open about what she says at least in her introduction to the new manager/male MC.
And Kaede the short hair fair one but gets embarrassed by some things in later chapters.
We see the owner, male MC's friend, Sakura's old boyfriend, Kaede's mother and more on occasion but not often.
That's all the core character so far.
There are some ecchi moments, they vary. Many scenes are very good and flow well of events in the bar. Others can be very annoying and turn out like shock value or drama for the sake of it then having any actual valid value. Even the ecchi scenes, some seem very fine, others just unnecessary and too strong and 180 the other way.
More a relationship dynamic change that isn't really necessary but is pushed anyway, especially compared to the other characters who act more normal.
End of non spoiler/enough details while saying vague things of what the series is about. Onto spoilers further down and determine how some chapters can make readers continue or just give up.
==================================
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
=================================
Spoilers:
The easiest way to sum up this manga is some good regular moments and shock value/drama from Sakura while the other girls interest in him is a bit tamer and differently paced and Sakura can make many decisions that are just really strange. The ecchi scenes can vary of cosplay or what Sakura is going to wear to a movie with the manager they want to see after some customers mention it. But otherwise Sakura makes a lot of strong moves after her boyfriend left her and she wants to clearly fill that gap (time length is not clear of events either so it chapter wise can feel too soon/early and very strange).
Chapter 1 or 2 easily first girl (Sakura) is very drunk and goes a bit far.
Chapter 3 he goes nah not putting up with that in a typical doesn't want to make a move dense way but he also doesn't want to breach what the owner asked of him so I find it makes sense then just a dense response and a following what is told by business authority, the customers aren't allowed to, he wants to keep his job why not. Sakura should know better the rules of the business besides a work relationship dynamic then seeking more/too emotional (or creator forcing her to be this way)yet she keeps gets annoyed when all he did was respect her boundaries and she is fine to open up but it seems she is for excuses and she goes nope emotions first after her boyfriend got annoyed by her.
The rules are clear but still she is too focused on other factors.
So with him following the rules/policy the owner has and to respect her then her throwing herself. Which besides not coming onto an employee which she should know besides state of being. Sakura goes well thanks for helping and those are my true feelings.
He is dense but I think it's fair. But respectful as should be.
Later chapters more girls we meet, they get drunk and so on solving things.
Managers drunk sometimes and the girls help out.
Sometimes there are customers that are particular and either employees or manager steps in and they solve it even if angry as he is still learning. The girls are willing to risk it for the money sometimes.
Chapters around Glasses girl, his friend catches up with protagonist and he talks about his work and also an app he uses.
Otherwise he goes for dinner and sits next to a girl and doesn't realise it's one of his employees without her glasses on.
It can be unclear with some character designs angles/details.
So besides the girls bar she does some app related 'connection' stuff. By that meaning there is an app to meet people or show themselves. She uses it as a way to get used to people as she was used to an all girls school, it has some plausibility to it even if strange and fit an ecchi goal I find but it works still.
They work out things.
You get basically a starter arc and Sakura briefly then next girl then meet Nezuna third person speaking one.
Volume 2 starts here.
Nezuna is fine. Sakura warns she needs to be watch over when she drinks.
She looks quiet and looks at him for help a few panels later when drinking with a customer. Manager helps her and it's fine.
Nezuna kisses him thanks after a customer does the same after being drunk. Whatever the situation there is what it is she mentions he tried to a priorities that customer. So it makes sense they need a watch over for sure to intervene with customers sometimes and customers try to overstep their bounds or its allowed I assume not but they try.
From there we have a Sakura/Manager hear customers mention a movie they saw and don't want spoilers and they make a Meetup plan.
So he wants to see a movie he planned on, they set it for 10pm after a work shift, and well Sakura wants to go to the movies with him. Clearly pushing her true feelings detail even though he goes sure.
Even though it's a few chapters and no idea how much time has past either especially compared to the early chapters it felt like the next day and it's like wait what but don't know the time period of the events.
The owner is about to return, glasses employee is on shift, manager says he has to deal with a shift so he does the responsible thing and informs Sakura. He plans to get to it still besides informing and maybe changes.
She is still excited/planned what she will wear and still plans to go to the movies.
Customers get pushy, glasses girl isn't doing well with her limit and manager helps her out.
Customers leave, he helps her and owner comes later and Sakura goes oh no reply better check up on them. Glasses girl trips and oh no shock value moment.
Even though besides the transitions and cliffhangers they are pretty eh to me at least. Pretty simple shock value but I find it gets worse as it goes on.
From there she misunderstands because of course she does, typical anime/manga tropes, doesn't ask or care to because of course why would you after a shift with an employee and a lot of drunk customers, like duh. Sven she should know their relationship and she focuses too much on oh seeing this and how she feels sigh.
Either way owner comes, helps glasses girl and he goes after Sakura.
From there she goes to her house, she sulks.
She says he has reasoning, she says to go away. He stands outside, she goes oh can't bother the neighbours.
Let's him in.
He explains the exact details, she goes eh who cares.
He goes to leave, no public transportation is running because sure makes sense due to time it's 11pm or whatever and also plot convenience as well.
The couch/bed question after the shower. We don't see a shower scene which I'm surprised due to how particular some ecchi scenes are but it's 20 pages per chapter and minimal dialogue so it's not surprising. Besides odd bath shots but that's minor.
Anyway.
She says no it would get cold go to the bed. He goes alright better then making a fuss.
She takes a shower and then he goes nah changed my mind for sure a situation him being a typical protagonist and respectful sure.
But she is like nah stay. So lay in bed and she goes for to shock value you and he is like value yourself more I am not doing this.
She gets annoyed because he said no.
There is no owner told him that. There is no intelligent thoughts about she should know the rules. If Idols do why is a girl's bar employee not. In this manga it seems pretty weak in that regard for plot convenient shock value ecchi and dialogue or misunderstandings worse than many others.
Now we get to she is mad. She goes oh if he doesn't ring now when I feel like it then give ip.
He doesn't and the split second he calls her about something, she says she gives up besides whatever actual context it is. Sure as if an employee should know better, how trained she doesn't seem to be acting in the scene for the sake of personal feelings ok.
She meets her old boyfriend or whoever, looks like owner or isn't don't remember they look similar in scene he is prior in.
Then from there I get why the other reviewer gave up.
Yeah..... Shock value nonsense happens, he goes a step too far. She goes no (like in any Hentai) then goes nah give in ( because of course they do like in Hentai give up because reasons because why escape just give in, it's ridiculous) and it's like this is just forced writing/fan service and stupidity for shock value it's so dumb.
Like the relationships are paper thin and the justification for actions are so weak.
After that we get Kaede's mother and her and manager drinking. As expected the boyfriend like question comes up, she is drunk so of course.
Other details and by the end of that she goes don't say she hasn't done it. For the sake of purity sure. It's an overused trope/joke in anime/manga.
Depends on the audience/reader.
Or their endings.
Either way that's 1-16.
Currently up finished a employee outing, Nezuna reveals she kissed him, Sakura gets annoyed. By chapter 18.
Tsukishiro/glasses girl gets ready for the cosplay type event a customer requested, manager says yes and they go to a cosplay hotel (seems convenient to have cosplay and hotel then a store browsing scene and a hotel). She says about her living and goes a hotel like this worked out.
Whatever dynamic happens from here till next chapter. Typical each girl gets her chance to be with manager but in what way?
If they all throw themselves I think it's a bit ridiculous and out of character, but if they don't then it could/would balance things out better for each of the characters.
It's a mess with emotional rollercoasters that make up scenarios for the sake of it. XD
Would recommend reading for the work/personal and customer scenarios but otherwise it has some forced shock value that can go either way for audiences or dumb character decisions.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
What did you think of this review?
Nice
 0
Love it
 0
Funny
 0
Confusing
 0
Well-written
 0
Creative
 0Show all
![]()
Sep 16, 2024
Saeki-san is a series about Tokimiya and Saeki-san as deskmates where Saeki-san loves to sleep and works out crazy sleeping methods but tries to look convincing during the 5th period class with a ruler to level her head. From there in the first few chapters to the rest of the series Tokimiya has a fondness for her, they have a secret of her sleeping and typical slice of life, romantic sub-text events play out.
It's an enjoyable time. Tokimiya's friend or Agari both students that get fair time in some scenes, student council members briefly during some later chapters, the teachers on occasion for certain classes
...
some scenes are set in, parents aren't really that common in scenes other than Saeki's father in backstory/childhood Saeki moments but it's mostly focused the friendship/sleeping secret Saeki has yet her family knows about and her sister appears in a few scenes and has some fair moments.
Light Spoilers
There isn't much to be said about the series really just some fair thoughts Tokimiya has about Saeki, typical scenes of sports festival with some fair differences and using the romantic subtext well, some fishing during holiday periods, gaming during Tokimiya and his friend's talking scenes/some glasses trying on Saeki got an idea for, seat changes, science project/going into others room, cultural festival, among others. It's an enjoyable series of sleeping, fair friendship and every day high school stuff.
Besides the character designs there is no fan service, or it's very subtle. Like is the ruler where it's positioned something sure. But it doesn't go beyond that. It's very on point with it's slice of life moments/sleeping secrets and other dialogue.
That and no they don't get together even though Saeki's sister does see things, and no Saeki's sleeping in class doesn't get seen through either. So you mostly read it for the moment to moment not a conclusion.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
May 26, 2024
A manga with different scenarios a male lead has glasses and over time sees the female characters or key ones in a certain way then changes back to reality. Probably when moments are very intimate or close they see them in a certain light and the fantasies happen. Just guessing.
The art is good, a fair amount of chapters are monochrome/black & white besides odd colour pages. There are later chapters (chapter 10+) that offer colour throughout the whole chapter.
So scenario vary, it can be the office kouhai, a festival, nurse with a patient, swimming club classmate, highschool teacher, kindergarten teacher, a maid cafe where
...
she struggles to serve the customers but keeping up her spirits up, it can be on a field trip it, or can be seeing a classmate from a long time ago and meeting again just to name a few, they all vary per chapter. Having only read 20 chapters each chapter is pretty good of the different scenarios.
Think of a fantasy and it might have it. I can't say more than the field trip 21st chapter really.
Some do end up not how intended and believing the fantasy too much like the one at the ski resort in an igloo, while most are pretty much just visually seeing the fantasy and either seeing from afar or them falling on each other by accident.
Other times like the ski resort one it can be their fantasy is a bit too far to help them. Such as when painting a model in art class (a funny ending to this one) or trying to get closer to the apartment neighbour and getting the wrong idea. Situations vary for each character that is or isn't more eager then the others.
The characters fit the situations, the stories fit for the ecchi moments and that's about it there isn't much story other than the scenarios playing out, they are fun and silly or appealing ecchi comedy moments without going overboard just visual and dialogues conveying what it needs to. It's subtle and that's what makes it great.
So it varies between teens and adult character situations but still just subtle ecchi moments. Sometimes falling on the characters or just seeing them from a far.
In-between chapters there is details related to the female lead characters of previous chapters like name, sizes, hobbies and birthday just because.
So while reads like an anthology is done by the one mangaka then multiple.
The ecchi moments are brief and they only show off so much really. It's more so the male leads have a brief look in an x-ray sort of way. It starts with just some situation happening or they get close/the male lead thinking about the female leads and then it goes to underwear and then skin shots before returning back to normal again.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
May 26, 2024
A manga about a girl (Azusa) who has to balance school and running a store her family owned. Which the male lead and her friend help with running (or us readers seeing their high school lives) among a number of other characters appear to help promote the store, a look at some customers and the relationship between the male and female lead.
The character details are fair, very appealing. The backgrounds do the job or have a fair amount of different things to present the store or fair camera angles/angles the panels show.
The male/female lead relationship doesn't seem much, the side characters to liven up the
...
story and feel like besides the topics covered the ones to really read for, the similar looking girl that promotes the store (looks like the main female lead but couldn't be far from personality wise different) or works at the store that 'looks like the female lead' has some good moments with the main cast and the differences are pretty funny besides being a good insight into her profession and the ero world or of the products and what the store offers.
The main female lead may be a moral student but does try to hide she works for the ero store/family business. Moments of misunderstanding happen but not in typical ecchi ways it's more still clean unless it has to come aspects of the ero world. It fits with what the mangaka usually does, have ecchi moments but still give it context
So in this case to do with the ero store/ero jobs, while in another of theirs modelling (Schoolmate), another being seeing women with magic glasses, another with a friend and a family dynamic.
They are all very clean or slight skin/ero topics (in the case of this manga) but nothing overly done it's very much on the light end of the ecchi spectrum then more involved and that's why I like this mangaka's work the stories are good and the themes/characters are well handled.
I wouldn't expect much from the main male/female lead of a romance just close friends at least for 38+ chapters in.
It's a good read, like many by the same mangaka the characters are very interesting to read what happens next, the ecchi moments are more contextual in this manga because of the themes (to do with the store then modelling in Schoolmate or other ecchi possibilities they usually write that aren't just typical ecchi tropes/ecchi comedy but ecchi with a purpose) then other works by them.
If you want a fair story set in highschool but with a good mix of ero world details that's still clean I'd recommend it. I really like the characters and events that play out on the topics it covers.
Sorry for the repeats, going off memory and been a while since read this, and wanting updated chapters for a while now. But as a general overview from what I remember like many from this mangaka they always stick with me.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
May 26, 2024
A manga that's about protection and an educational guide (like Asoko de Hataraku Musubu-san sponsored or guidance from a protection product company) about the body for high schoolers/setting than the education but average couple of Futari Ecchi or the animals/parts about the body like Mimibukuro-san or Kemokko Doubutsuen.
Spoilers/brief breakdowns (or other thoughts they could have changed things) of each chapter (like done in my anthology reviews) in interested, at end of review with = or line to make clear spoil space.
Each chapter focuses on a different student with a problem and the school nurse gives some info on things while also having no experience only
...
books/knowledge. It varies of those just curious, those with high school relationships, those sleeping around, those that have strange quirks of seeing people a certain way, misunderstandings with the equipment (demonstration objects).
There are 5 to 6 chapters per volume and the chapters are very large. Some are around 70 pages others more closer to 30-40. So in scanlations they split them up into smaller portions yes even the 30 pages ones so they end up probably a few pages in the second half while larger in the first.
Some scenes have the other teachers or the nurse's sensei appear or a family member when they are off school periods so a mix of other characters then just the students are there so it does expand a bit then just students talking to the school nurse.
Or just the nurse in the sick bay solving problems for students besides the during class bits, others are focused on the education part, others on the fantasies the students have then zone back in to the educational part.
Some conclusions in the education parts seem odd then they eventually come to a fair solution.
It's a fair ecchi but with education in it. Asking valid questions about many different subject matters. I'd recommend it.
The art is good, very suited to the type of topics it's covering, the characters seem to fit some tropes or 'educational tone' while others can be pretty standard they aren't all amazing.
Some there is repeats of characters but usually a new one every time asking a question of what they think about things they don't understand or think they know and they end up with an awakening of the answers or yes the fan service fantasies.
(Besides the 10/38 chapters listed in the initial review I'll expand with more from other chapters and what good or probably too late of chapters I think they presented some chapters).
Edit for future review/spoilers space giving details sort of per chapter like an anthology even though the series isn't an anthology besides other details.:
======
I think each scenario does a fair job and I'll brief a few to highlight the themes they cover as each chapter is different.
Volume 1:
1.A male student that wants to build a family (he has appeared twice so far, 1st chapter and again in Volume 2 chapter 6).
2.A couple and how people see the differences or need for pleasure or normal between genders.
3.Messaging to students the importance besides a gym teacher/school nurse drink scene (it's been then not knowing the dangers to inform about or not at all and how to reproduce at all).
4.Getting fantasies/struggling to control it and then re-balancing it or reworking it to not be as much an issue with every day life on in this case studies.
5.Old school nurse and backstory about new school nurse (the one giving the lessons to the students), we see the old school nurse appear a few times. So we find out where part of her information comes from while being a studious type then changing her appearance and having no experience but still giving knowledge from the books/her older guidance. That and telling a student why the pleasure didn't feel good and explaining how different it feels with 3 main areas to feel pleasure then just the guy going for it and explaining the organ a bit more.
Volume 2:
6.Equipment demonstrations about protection and perception especially if viewing fantasies that aren't a representation of the reality of it.
7.A guy thinks he can sense people that have or haven't done it yet doesn't see through the nurse due to her careful wording.
8.Drinking and taking care of the liver, showing the brother/family member, equipment prep/the new nurse being way too into the subject she teaches.
9.Sleeping around and what can come from that
10.Misunderstanding where the nurse talks to a human body dummy/statue and the student fantasizes what is going on behind the curtain in sickbay.
Volume 3:
11.The girl thinking having fantasies of other people even AV is cheating when it just isn't. Just using it as something to do as it's fiction not reality of cheating on someone else behind their back (in the way of not multiple wives/girlfriends angle just the girl getting jealous).
12.Not taking a test, gets checked, has no issues of a pregnancy, having more awareness and protection use cases.
13.
14.Hiding that has cramps and the use cases for pills/solutions that many girls go through. Because wants to look pure when natural things happen so why hide it.
15.Both having different expectations/feelings for doing it.
16.
Volume 4:
17.
I think the mix of scenarios and information presented is pretty good. Some about pregnancy, some about certain body parts differences and internet versus medial professionals information and people misunderstanding, also just beauty perception then the actual use cases/more suitable option.
In Volume 3 I think the social media harassment chapter should be in Volume 1 as not everyone will read further on and some messages need to be put first (sure you can find many like this message in other places but still) due to how important it is for the audience it's intended for even if many are of relevant even if not body related but just perception not being clear always. I'm not one for social media/current era things but it has relevance and needs to be covered in some form besides all the other relevant topics.
======
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
May 23, 2024
The manga focuses on the characters at a shrine, some ecchi moments happen and some threats do appear to bother the people at the shrine. That's the easiest way to sum it up. The art is really good, the colour pages as brief as they are, look great early on.
The ecchi moments are good, fair camera angles/positions the characters are in and the character designs look appealing, fair action scenes in the last few chapters and the regular moments of working at the shrine are pretty fair.
The threat in the later chapters don't remember that well it was passable but not memorable.
The dialogue is pretty
...
alright between the characters. It's pretty silly as many ecchi series can be. They fit their tropes/character types well enough.
If interested in the ecchi moments I'd recommend it, for anything else the rest isn't too much to go on for the shrine living side of things even for how short it is.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
May 14, 2024
Yuiko-san is a manga about tsundere, her boyfriend and her friends/family at times. I don't remember a sport festival chapter but there was a culture festival chapter. There is 5 volumes and around 10 chapters per volume but with 48 chapters (a 10.5 so around 47) it fits a fair amount in it's less than 20 page per chapter moments.
The manga focuses on relationships (friends and GF/BF), part time job and thoughts/emotional barriers, having fun, studying and I think it handled each of these moments well. Getting used to intimate moment barriers whether they would in public. Whether they would go on dates, make gifts
...
and so on. Thoughts about different things.
It felt it had an interesting direction and knows what it wants to tell it doesn't feel formulaic. Sure its very focused on romance and I guess youth which is fine.
The way it goes about it was fair. I'm not one for teen to college types in an IRL sense but in a story it's fine. The moments are enjoyable to read.
Kind of like After The Rain (teen learning from an adult at their work) or Boku Yaba (teen relationship angles besides fun moment) it wanted.
Reading it feels not just because it's older as an early 2010s (could be a factor then more repetitive series in later years too but I think it's mostly because of it's demographic) but also less formulaic it has the themes it wants to tell and it's enjoyable when it does so of fun moments or fair serious moments.
It had more of an 'oh I did this in high school or felt this in my first part time job' then just a gimmick with a character, insert typical moments with friends, culture festival/sports festival here and so on. It made it's character moments clear of it's goal. Like I can easily go oh Shikimori and Kubo both up to sports festival arcs in Volume 5. They have their differences but many beats end up checklists. This manga didn't feel like a checklist at all.
I'd say if you want a straight romance but it starts with them as a couple even from the first chapter/page mentioning it. It's kind of like Horimiya. They have their friends and their moments but also the main couple and their moments. But less of the family parts of Horimiya as Tadano and Yuiko's friends aren't seen at her house it's more at the friends house for some studying or fun moments.
So in some chapters you will come across her friends or her big sister getting their own single chapters from time to time and they are enjoyable to read.
The ending chapters make sense for what they are going for but I found the build up and end chapter to be a bit 180 and rushed. It felt weak and too focused on emotion or hitting the beats then good writing.
Spoilers:
Yuiko-san herself get more open about her feelings, but at times she is still a tsundere and in others is very dere and acts like her friends.
So when chapters presented of what Tadano sees in her, his friends see her as just a tsundere but he sees her as more than that or I guess maybe the girls see her more in her non-tsundere moments and the guys just forget or suit the scene for the type of topic/thoughts it presents in the chapter referring to.
So some chapters if you don't think about it feel fine. If you question it too much you could go hmm it feels like a setup to present this sort of theme but it still feels natural enough while highlighting the themes/topics it wants to. I mean people not seeing a relationship/other sides of people does happen but if they don't remember some moments which does happen with a level of closeness or what they mostly see they mostly remember but in other cases it can be just the themes they want to tackle. Just the most recent chapter I remember that's why focusing on it right now and thinking it over.
She is very much about being pure, she is up tight and gets good grades, very determined, not the always trying to be mature as does have her normal hanging out and having fun moments but she gets past certain intimate relationship barriers of holding hands and kissing. Being wary of the public perception she usually gives off in front of people or saying they are dating when the friends already know. She isn't a one note tsundere she does still question things, she does question the relationship barriers over time. Treats her friends well and has fun.
The typical handh holding, kissing, lap pillow. Not much more. There is brief moments of near exchange but nothing much. By that I mean like lap pillow looking up or skirt during sports but nothing ecchi trope drawn out moments really.
In most cases Tadano is very typical. He does at times make it clear what he thinks, him wanting to be more close with her. He does snap at her for oh he got a 70 range mark and she got a 90 even though he messed up on some questions they practiced for studying as a group. So he kind of changes but most focus is on Yuiko and the single chapters for her friends do a better job. So in later chapters they are exploring it but in earlier ones it is just them getting used to each other and Yuiko is still very tsundere and up tight about school rules besides the relationship closeness barriers.
We do get internal thoughts from each character for certain things even if most are from Yuiko-san herself.
Some of the friends get their backstory chapters of childhood or the what they think of someone and needing help, or Yuiko's big sister helps out with hiding her acne or her own story with an older teacher.
It has a very reflection and in the moment angle to it, covering relationships, a Xmas cake part time job chapter and missing her Christmas present giving (chapter 38).
Getting ready for college and what classes. What memories they have even if they can't do certain moments anymore. Some tennis then nope got to focus on study and they won't have moments like that anymore.
The cooking and making valentines/Christmas stuff (and past memories) for them or the oh cooking is a good skill and such. Many tropes situations do find there way into this manga but I think the way they are present is fair enough besides being clear yep this moment, that moment of cooking class, pool, studying and more. There is only so much a slice of life romance will cover and what things in their town they have I guess or whatever locations/themes they wanted to present.
Past memories appear of Valentine's, or meeting at the train station at the same cram school. Keeping secrets of certain moments.
They go on movie dates, aquarium, at home movie, going to the pool as friends and the whole swimsuit seeing or hiding it with a jacket, there is the friend is fond of a guy in their friend group during bowling, he breaks the ice with a bad joke and may be of consideration still or not.
Staying over after studying as a group the night before. Going over to another 's house and closeness. Being unable to be a good house host but just talking things out.
Culture festival moments and getting it prepped but also having a date and wanting to hold hands in private.
It's a very interesting thoughts and emotion type of manga. They have fun but they also cover some fair moments.
The illustrations at the end of each chapter with each character usually Yuiko are pretty enjoyable too and relate to each chapter.
To me I don't find the emotional moments are annoying which in some series can be the case. I think it's presented well to make each emotional moment or thought have some value to it and not just drama or feel this emotion type of presentation that can be jarring, it doesn't feel like that at all and I am totally fine with that. I am very picky with media and emotions/drama so when I find ones not as annoying I enjoy them. The feel old, feel this thing, remember this, remember that. It's just annoying.
I don't relate to Yuiko or her relationship or the ones the other characters experience but that's what makes it great is I find the situations engaging. Even if I did find them relatable I wouldn't take it that seriously of accuracy to my experiences or oh it's a tiny bit close. I just enjoy the moments as they are.
Emotions I find presented in some media can be very 'feel this now' and it ruins things. This being a slice of life romance helps so it doesn't have much of a world to worry about but I find those worlds so good and the romance/drama to just take up so much and a sense of 'messages to be pushed listen to this' and i"m like eh no thanks. You can have them but better present them. This series does a fair job with it's focus on them but also still fun from time to time to break things up and also just feel natural with the characters having their moments when it counts.
It feels even if during under 20 page chapters that each moment it skips to showcase or play out that they work naturally and highlights those moments well slowly but well enough across 5 volumes then dragging it out.
The ending was very unfortunate. You have some new classes for year 3. Yuiko struggling to make friends and questions being around her old friends. She on occasion talks on the phone to Tadano.
A quick culture festival and mentions some other guy that's good in the dance the class does.
More flashbacks that are fair then a 'with they break up or stay together' scene that was just weird. Or the earlier chapter probably Volume 4 or early Volume 5 where it's oh Yuiko questions the closeness to another classmate and says something different when there are no festival committee tasks anymore but yet Tadano and some of Yuko's friends help this classmate with her studies. Because I get the way girls perceive things or how they do it in stories but it was a bit of a pointless fake mystery or stretching of their relationship. The emotions make sense the writing is very rushed and not good. It hits the beats but the build up of the chapters doesn't work.
The flashbacks I get are supposed to highlight things but I don't always find those really do it for me to care enough. It's just a trope I find yeah ok sure whatever. Whether it be old scenes which in this case it isn't it's new flashback scenes to further explain why I find it's a bit weak even if good new content.
But I find the we may or may not break up and the we need to be closer and question the way the world is a kids like what kind of weird writing is that. Not for authenticity of what teens would say as some may do that but it's just weird writing of possibilities and tone I find kind of odd. It WORKS but I just questioned it after these really brief culture festival, making friends chapters besides the more normal flowing chapters prior of Volume 5.
For some people it might work but for me it was a weird rushed ending that felt more checklist like by the end of the ideas they had left and didn't connect well with the rest. The year 3 part sure I guess makes sense but the rest was so brief it wasn't that great at landing things.
I don't expect chapters to always connect or be longer covering moments but I felt it could have made it just that bit better then start of year 3, culture festival and ending and new flashbacks. Yeah it's that jarring.
Overall enjoyable but rushed ending and fun moments. It highlights fair bits of teens and their future, their friends, changes and relationships. Sure. I don't care for these usually. I don't care about authenticity at all. But it did a fair job of it I guess.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Apr 24, 2024
Gotou-san is a manga about Maeda and Gotou-san. Maeda being the typical shy/embarrassed guy and Gotou-san being the supposed idol but she sort of just acts as a very confident girl.
Spoiler is marked further down so you have a fair amount to read that is general then a bunch of spoilers if you want to past the spoiler lines/large gap.
In the various chapters which are very 5 page long (the odd 1 page if a special) and instead of being just brief scenarios expand into longer scenes over time.
Gotou-san early on tries to show interest in Maeda such as his isekai manga, or a smartphone
...
game early on (first few chapters).
On occasion Gotou-san gets bothered by some other male classmates, or you see some of her other friends/female classmates but they are either background or brief in a scene. So it is mostly 95% of the time Maeda and Gotou-san scenes.
That's the general premise is Gotou-san getting closer to Maeda because she likes him. That is the case from the beginning, we do see things from Maeda's point of view but also a fair amount of Gotou-san's as well. So it's pretty well balanced then 1 sided which was nice to see.
It is that sort of manga, takes many chapters but I will say even for 55 chapters as of this review, very few events have happened but a lot has been well spent then dragged out. That's what I like about this manga.
Things go quickly of her attempts to do things instead of other manga it dragging out each chapter feels like it's on point of trying to have him respond to something/making the most of it's time/5 page chapters/further scene carrying per chapters and gain confidence or her attempts at getting him to notice. That or her just going no I'm going to make the decision and not give up, it not only helps her character of each barrier to connect with Maeda but also not delay anything.
I am enjoying it a lot so far. Definitely recommend it.
In a way you could compare it to Boku Yaba. But in that series a lot more happened or is happening by 55 chapters onwards. The characters have a difference of emotional or even just closeness that isn't the case here. Neither is worse. But I mean from the closeness or Gotou-san's job that gets mentioned about 2-3 times, so there are similarities but major differences both have.
It's like comparing the 2 Rent A Girlfriend/Rental Girlfriend manga as well they have a similar mix of themes. But they go very different directions. Some go further with the drama, others stay on track and pace out their silly or serious moments.
Spoilers below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
--------------------------------------
Spoilers now, events in no particular order just going off a handful of situations across many early/middle/current chapters:
Asking what does he think of this, can I borrow that book, getting interested in what he is interested in. Making decisions of going places then going nah I'll wait, she wants to further the relationship instead of it being yep lets just delay it a few chapters. Time is well spent.
Most of it is set in the high school but over time they do go places like the pool or are seen walking to school or in their home talking.
During the art project trying to get him to not be shy and they try a staring contest or try to focus better when drawing each other.
Getting his line number. Going school/out somewhere together. You have a few typical locations but as chapters expand on scenes there is very few places they go. So enjoy what is available as each one is pretty enjoyable and sweet/charming.
Maeda does question some things, but he is still typical/dense, shy or pure for most of it.
Sometimes but very few times it will mention she is modelling for a job (probably 2-3 times). Sometimes Gotou-san messes up ending the video call (Xmas or other outfits that can be a bit showy or her about to change outfit) and Maeda has to end it, to avoid his embarrassment and to also save himself from her mistakes of showing what she didn't intend on.
So you don't really have ecchi in this series. You get in say one extra or some main chapters a few looking at the girl in a bikini but to turn away, or you get the odd embarrassed moments. Well Maeda not Gotou-san. She does try to question is he interested in that and she is kind of forward with the idea of showing her chest but it isn't pushed further than that just minor and brief. Maeda is very shy and pure so it stays to that.
But she is working out the limits as she goes and is very fair about things (and it will usually happen once and move on to other important scenes of them going places and doing things instead even if it's mostly walking to school, the pool then the going to the other's house, not a lot location wise has much changed just certain social moments or scenes being longer across a few chapters). But that's about it. Or is in a sometimes 'look at only me' kind of mindset at times but it's very brief. That's about as far as it goes.
I like the way she went nah it's ok we can do something another time. Then she goes nope I'm going to make this happen and set this event up (pretty sure it was going to the pool).
To me it was great to see instead of dragging it out and it helps her character. Most manga would go nah we will drag it out further more in an excuse way. Granted this is from classmate to friend status kind of thing so to me it being delayed would have been a bit annoying.
As things go on they go places and around chapter 55 it gets to going to her house, the brother has seen the photo they took at the photo when it wasn't as good as the water slide photo.
The brother seems kind of defensive, but in a few chapters later goes wait I know you from somewhere and it involves the MMORPG Maeda played a earlier before that school day. He then sets up a situation from them to play games together rather than not trusting him as much. That's where I'm up to at Ch55. So the manga is still going.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Mar 10, 2024
The series of episodes (4) focus on a cosplay store and different costumes the main female lead wears.
The female main character doesn't fit into the cosplay club at her Uni and sees a cosplay store. She picks a cosplay and male MC is the otaku/assistant staff member.watching the store.
The intro scene is repeated each time every episode which can be a recap reset for the next cosplay (2 minutes ep3&4), intro scene (4 minutes for episode 2 recap) to lead into the next cosplay scenario.
The male lead will say about the costumes if it rains, it doesn't rain and he has his cosplay that stays
...
the same every episode, while the female lead is somewhere around the store and the set pieces change based on the cosplay she is wearing.that are different each episode.
The art style is fair, the roles and dialogue work fine with each scenario. Some parts can be funny. The assets are fair.
The roles do change during the action scenes, a few different positions and the dialogue depending. Some roles change depending on the episode and cosplay or how into the characters are.
The first time and blood happens, but over time it gets to more getting into it then just trying to deal with it and not wanting any of it.
Episode 1 is pretty sure a detective assistant or so or some girl. Fairly showing.cosplay. The fantasy desert or so location is alright for the scene to take place and the actions are alright.
Episode 2 is more a dom/tor/interrogation
scene kind of one. The baton was ok. It's ok. Wasn't for me. It seems like a continuation of episode 1 but besides the blanking each time exits (more relevant to episode 3 & 4 as resets) the cosplay store. It's got the 4 minutes of recap of episode 1 then continues to the interrogation.
Episode 3 the female MC is a flashy vampire in a lair but some odd Futa and a drill move. It's ok, wasn't for me.
Episode 4 is a Sailor Moon cosplay parody and a pretty fair one, the setting and actions get better. Also the first time more people appear but only to say things not engage in the fantasy they are just part of the fantasy dialogue wise.
The actions in the store are a bit odd. The touching and food is very ok then but enjoyable enough of a scenario for how weird it gets.
I'd say Episode 1 & 4 were more my type of locations, cosplay acting and action scenes.
It's an enjoyable watch. The displays were appealing and the gimmick is creative and full of possibilities. Each one makes sense on the actions they wanted to go with.
Episode 1 I see as more yes not just the character but her breaking character but episode 2-4 more getting into it.
Instead of role playing normally I think at the store and with the various cosplayed it adds a bit more to it and the scenarios they try to create are pretty good and varied while matching what the actions would or fair dialogue.
This one is one of my new top series alongside the Eroge one, Showtime and the Agent one.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Dec 13, 2023
A series about 2 agents dealing with drug situations.
There is 2 arcs, 1 per 4 episodes each. You do see some of the others in the agency but mostly the main female lead and main male lead. They investigate situations, try to blend in and then solve it. Some things do change from their blending in. Whether feelings or well the villains plans furthering and the agents trying to keep up.
The first arc was pretty alright, it was predictable and the villains weren't as stupid as I thought they'd be they knew things so that kind of surprised me. The connection with the two leads
...
is pretty good and the way each episode goes keeps it entertaining on story front as much as it does on an action scene side of things.
The second arc was fine as well. More of a party drug focus (think it was or just a more powerful drug and the people were just 'at the venue' but the villains have more).
Then a (overhearing and trying to be convincing that they aren't) and shipping the drugs/villains talking about their plans then dealing with the agents in such a way (without saying much) of the first arc if remembering correctly. It does just seem like it could be related of same people involved in it of villain group still but I forget if they are probably are, probably aren't. Or just generic villains.
The characters look the parts to blend in and the situations are engaging to watch. There is some interesting dynamics with other characters. At least in the second arc that I was like oh ok didn't expect that. The behind bars but getting the attention scene was really good.
The action scenes were good and as fair as a 8 minute episodes allow for, with a 1-2 minute ending song goes. The endings have different attire for the female lead each time so that's something I guess besides the song.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
|
