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Jan 7, 2023
This manga seriously deserves more attention. It's pretty rare to find a LGBT+ manga with no romance, but this one manages to tell a compelling story that represents a diversity of experience without relying on a romance plot or other overdone tropes.
The story is entertaining and manages to discuss serious topics in a relatively lighthearted way, without taking anything too lightly. The art is relatively standard in terms of style, but it does a great job of integrating the more sci-fi elements with the realistic setting. I especially appreciated the way the author switches between the kaiju and non-kaiju version of the protagonist.
The
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story mainly centers around internalized homophobia and transphobia, with a lesser but relatively realistic representation of external homophobia. However, unlike most stories centered around this type of internalized self-hatred, these characters are not perfect tragic victims. They're mean, they're vengeful, and they take joy in discomfiting those who have hurt them. If you're tired of woe-is-me gay characters in every homophobia plot line, this is definitely worth a read.
In terms of LGBT representation, there are multiple LGBT characters, straight characters, homophobic characters, and characters who consider their identities in ways that may or may not fall into these discrete categories. As a trans person, I also appreciated the inclusion of LGBT-friendly doctors and treatment in this manga. The fact that this was written by an actual gay person rather than a straight woman definitely shows.
**SPOILERS START HERE**
To address the other review on this manga, while there is sexual harassment, it is fully recognized as a bad thing done with the intent of making the victim uncomfortable. The main character acts with the intent of causing harm and exercising power over this person who has hurt him. Both the protagonist and other characters explicitly state that it is an awful and unacceptable thing to do in any situation, with the protagonist referring to himself as a monster and "the worst person ever" at the conclusion of the scene. The story as a whole addresses the balance between wanting to take revenge on those who have hurt you, and wanting to be a good person (or at least, not do things that would throw more guilt onto the existing pile of self-hatred). If "good gay representation" requires every gay character to be a good person who only ever does good things, then no, this manga doesn't do that.
**SPOILERS END HERE**
Overall, I would definitely suggest reading this. It's a short, self-contained story that manages to discuss various LGBT experiences in a realistic but entertaining way without relying on a romantic plot -- there aren't too many stories out there like this.
T/W for suicidal ideation, sexual harassment.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 4, 2022
I have trouble conveying what it is exactly that I love so much about this manga, but it's one of my absolute favorite volumes and I find myself coming back to it again and again so I will try my very best.
The visuals overall are great, but I especially appreciate the commitment toward a unified aesthetic theme. There is also a great deal of detail put into the backgrounds and interior design, which was a really nice touch. I loved the antique-based interior of the tailor shop, the lush garden, and the plant-filled home. The clothing and suit design was also very aesthetically pleasing.
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The characters are great in so many aspects. They both have fun personalities, but more than anything, the chemistry between them is incredible. Their dialogue, expressions, and behaviors play off each other so well. I think a big part of what makes the story so enjoyable to read is the fact that the characters seem to genuinely click and enjoy each others' company. I find myself getting caught up in their conversations, smiling when they smile, feeling the passion that they feel for their work. Honestly, one major reason I keep rereading this may be that I enjoy the company of these characters as well. I also appreciate the way the characters stumble through communication -- I love seeing them cringe at having to say things clearly but pushing through it anyway. The character design is also incredibly visually appealing and fits with the "distinguished" aesthetic of the story.
One thing that always stands out to me is how natural the pacing of the story and the development of the characters' relationship feels. On the first read, I had trouble thinking back to where they went from strangers to friends to dating, but I hadn't even questioned the progression while reading -- it just felt completely natural. The extras help to fill some gaps, but the main story moves comfortably without leaving you hung up on conflicts or bored with stalls in development. It feels like the author uses every second of the story to the fullest.
Overall, I would absolutely recommend this manga. It's worth the read, every single page.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Nov 17, 2022
I skipped over this manga more than once because of the cover art, so I wanted to write a review to encourage others not to make the same mistake.
Right off the bat, this manga is beautiful. Don't let the cover art fool you -- the art style is very different than it appears there. The characters are beautiful, the movement and action shines through so many scenes, and the backgrounds are consistently pulling so much more visual weight than you expect from a background. This is an artist who focuses on all aspects of the art as one, pulling together these scenes that are absolutely
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bursting with life. Combine that with the visual noise and energy of the live music themes, and you get more than a few spreads that make you stop and stare.
The characters are pretty interesting, but that does come with the caveat that only two are really explored in the story. We get a prequel about two more, but the two characters I found most interesting never got much stage time. That does mean the story gets to take its time in developing the story of the main two, which I would say is decently well done. The prequel is also pretty solid, and had a refreshing pace that set up the rest of the story well.
Overall, the story is pretty good, it has a few good quips and jokes, and it's a little inspiring; but more than anything, the way the art and energy come together make it worth the read.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Oct 30, 2022
I honestly cannot believe there are no reviews on the manga already.
The story is formatted as a series of short chapters about individual characters that all interact with each other through food. It features kids, elders, young adults, families, single folks, etc. but every story centers, in some way, on food. There is also a running story in the end cards for each chapter that has a cute turn at the end. Each chapter also features a recipe, with full instructions on how to produce it as well as various other ideas for reusing the "side dish" of the chapter (as well as plenty
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of great food illustrations). The manga is also in full color, which definitely adds to the imagery of the foods.
The stories cover a variety of topics and themes across the different "sub-stories" of the chapters. Regardless of where you are in life, you will likely find at least one to connect to in some way. While there is loss and loneliness and all sorts of other negative stuff (more than one story had me in tears), food continuously serves as a positive element in these characters' lives. If you're someone with an uncomfortable relationship with food, seeing these characters find joy and comfort in food time and time again might be something you need.
Overall, I would absolutely recommend this manga to just about anyone considering it. It was an absolute pleasure to watch the characters come together over good food in this manga, and I cannot wait to read it again.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Aug 24, 2022
I'm honestly stunned that there aren't any reviews for this series, so I felt like I had to add one.
This is a basic slow-burn romance between a middle-aged man and his work subordinate. The romance progresses slowly, but the plot never feels slow -- the actual events of the story are well paced and fall into line with the heightening tension. It feels good, it has a satisfying ending, it's just overall nice. While the plot isn't necessarily stunning, it's pretty good.
The art is absolutely amazing. The backgrounds are consistently gorgeous, without being overwhelming or distracting. The way the author illustrates food is incredible and
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consistently amazes me throughout the story. While the character design is nothing crazy, the characters' expressions are unique and well, expressive, and the art style really suits the way they are executed. I also love the way clothing is drawn for all the characters, even those in the background.
The characters were also a big draw for me. The main character consistently plays on his age, but rather than it being "I'm too old to be embarrassed about these things," it's "Oh my god this is so embarrassing I'm too old to be doing this," which creates a really fun energy. His loud, difficult characteristics play well off of the love interest's more subdued personality. Their dialogue also works very well together.
One thing that surprised me a bit was the humor -- it was subtle, but consistently made the story more enjoyable and the characters almost felt more real for it. The dialogue is full of quips, sarcasm, and other expressiveness that I wouldn't typically expect from the genre (though it's not unwelcome!). It's not overplayed or heavy handed, but rather lightens the story as a whole and breaks the tension after heavier scenes.
Just a more personal slant, but as a trans person, I actually read the main character as trans. He regularly expresses desire to have grown up as a woman, and multiple times starts thoughts with "If I were a woman..." This lead me to read this story as an older person, who has accepted that they will never actually transition, gets to live out some of the aspects of girlhood they have always wanted. I understand that this was probably not the author's intent, but it made the story that much sweeter to me.
Anyway, I'd definitely recommend giving this a read. Even if it's not your style, it's short, sweet, and pretty to look at.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Aug 11, 2022
Read the prequel, not the story.
The prequel alone is a 10/10. It's short, sweet, and legitimately took my breath away. The art is just simple enough to play up the story without being distracting, but there are certain points where it does shine. One of the chapter covers of the main story actually shows this off pretty well too. The story is short, sweet, and bittersweet. Anything longer than one chapter of that would probably be a bit heavy on the grimdark, but it's just enough for a oneshot. The characters are exactly as developed as they should be for that length, and I'm honestly
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in love with all of them. One of the best one-chapter oneshots I've read.
As for the actual story, it's not great. The POV character is completely out of place in the rest of the story. It feels like the POV character is in one story and the rest of the characters are in another, which just comes off as him worrying about his little crush while all the other characters have actual plotlines. He feels like a comic relief piece taken out of a high school romance and thrown into an entirely different genre without changing anything about him. If you can read around him it's halfway decent, but since the plot hinges on the romance aspect, there isn't much of a resolution unless you care about his romance. Carve around him and you get a decent story (hence, the great prequel).
I quite literally wrote this review because I can't rate the prequel separately from the rest of the story, and I want to acknowledge that it deserves so, so much better.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Aug 7, 2022
The premise sounds pretty typical, but I promise this one is worth a read.
The plot does have a pretty standard setup, but it really takes its time in setting up and following through with a variety of different threads. It doesn't do anything too out there but everything is incredibly well executed. It also does a great job in balancing story elements so as to keep you invested -- there was no point in the story where I felt bored or lacked the motivation to keep reading. It takes a lot for me to read anything more than one volume, but I knocked out
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all seven of this in one night. The final chapter was a bit messy, but it gives the closure and payoff that the earlier chapters promise.
All the characters in this story are pretty well executed without falling into major tropes. There are definitely times where it feels like a character might fall into some one-dimensional trope, but they are continuously fleshed out and broken from the standard formulas. The characters also consistently act their age, which is refreshing for this genre. The protagonist is especially endearing, which makes reading from her POV even more enjoyable.
The art is cute, simple, and used well in the story. The author does a very good job of conveying focus, emotion, and tone through the framing alone, which works well for subtle foreshadowing. There are also a lot of comedic elements that come through well with the art. My one complaint would be that the author de-stylizes a character as they become the main love interest, taking away the uniqueness of their character design in order to make them more generically attractive. As someone who enjoyed the original facial design of the character, this was a bit annoying.
In terms of overall tone, this is a great story for anyone who has dealt with loneliness. It hits a few different kinds -- the "everyone has a history without me" kind, the "everyone has a group except me" kind, and the "everyone is pairing off around me" kind especially. The author balances the sad parts with (tactful) comedy, and makes the lows pay off. I would consider this a feel-good story overall even with the less feel-good themes.
I think I'd probably give this an 8.5/10. The premise, art, and characters are nothing you couldn't find elsewhere, but every element is so well executed that this average story pushes above the rest.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 4, 2022
If you're looking for something deeply unsettling to be presented in a soft, comforting way, this might be the story for you.
This is a single story told through a series of smaller, almost fable-like stories. The individual chapters each make a point about life and purpose while the larger story lives out these concepts. The plot description certainly does not to it justice, but I honestly would not recommend looking for more -- this story is clearly meant to be experienced piece by piece. There is a certain value in moving from the description as this site gives it to the actual first chapters. If
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you read this looking only for the core plot (which doesn't pick up until about a third of the way in), you likely won't enjoy what this story has to offer.
I wouldn't necessarily consider this a feel-good story, but every element of it feels soft and deeply wise. The emotional impacts of each element of the story mix oddly, to the point where I can't really pinpoint how this story feels. The actual plot almost conflicts the style and feel of the story's world as a whole. The art style is simple, somewhat cute, and very straightforward. The setting begins in a similar way, but gains depth and detail in a way more in line with the plot.
One of the most unique things about this manga is that the story is told by everything except the characters. The last few chapters try to make this into a "greater purpose" type of message, but it did feel a bit heavy handed in my opinion. The author does do an impressive job of building complex, empathetic characters with visuals alone. I don't really feel that the namelessness and voicelessness of the characters do much for the messages of the story, but they shape the feeling of the story's world as a whole in the same way as the minimalist art and initial setting.
Overall, from the first to the last chapter, this story had me saying "huh." It will not necessarily be making my favorites list, but it's special in a very special way.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jul 22, 2022
I really think this author has mastered the short story format. This collection has similar themes to Mushi to Uta with a more explicitly optimistic tone. The stories hold together well without sacrificing their individual charms, making for an engaging, thought-provoking collection. I feel that the order also suits this well, with the first story’s scientific fascination with the Other setting the stage for the later stories as well as the back half of its own.
The plots focus largely around the relationships between characters and their finding roles within a larger world. The author regards the characters with an almost scientific distance, allowing them
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to reveal themselves as the story progresses. I think the diversity of characters is a strength of this manga, though the author certainly has some recurring types.
The blend of fantasy and realism works well with the simplistic art style. The art is nothing special but does a good job of playing up the themes. Some panels are difficult to parse, but it typically suits the story when that is the case. The “weirdness” also helps to set these stories apart from the basic short story, while still working within that format. None of these stories would work well in long form, because the ephemerality is the point they make. You encounter this new world, study it for a bit, discover what makes it special, and then it’s gone.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jul 22, 2022
My first reaction to this manga was something of a “huh…” but I really do think it’s worth a read. The stories all explore the fragility and transience of life, but at the same time the way life stubbornly appears again and again and strives to remain. This is not a happy manga — there’s sadness and loss and loneliness — but the stories feel good, fulfilling almost.
Visually, the manga is nothing special, but the beauty of the stories themselves more than make up for it. The blending of fantasy and realism is smooth and quickly established, allowing for character and plot focus
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more than worldbuilding (which is a strength with such short stories). The collection as a whole holds together well in the forms of life it addresses, although I feel it could have been better ordered.
As for the individual stories:
1. This one was my least favorite, and honestly felt a little creepy throughout. While it did make an interesting point about women’s roles in society, the less wholesome elements had me a little on edge when it came to female characters in the later stories.
2. The innocence of the characters and the progressive introduction of fantasy elements really made this one stand out. It feels like a child’s first experience playing with something fragile.
3. Plot-wise, this one was definitely the least out-there. It follows a traditional short story structure pretty closely. It also does the best job of representing the themes and mood of the collection as a whole, bringing loneliness, loss, and sacrifice into something that actually feels hopeful.
4. I felt a little thrown around with this story — it felt like a lot of twists for a single story, but it was still very enjoyable. It wrapped itself up well (although I certainly would not choose it for the final story of the collection).
Overall, I think this is one of the better story collections out there, both in terms of individual stories and the collection as a whole. Definitely worth a read.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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