First off, a warning for adult concepts ahead.
So yeah, I know I mentioned a book review for my next post but I'm a lazy ass and since I've already read the manga, I thought why not just make a review out of it.
Today I'll review Ninomiya Hikaru's Honeymoon Salad published from February 29, 2000 to March 29, 2002. The manga has 5 volumes and 41 chapters and to be quite honest, you can actually read the whole of it in just one sitting. Anyway, I'm still kind of thinking if I like this manga or not but if you're into an emotional junk roll then you can probably add this to your reading list.
The story basically revolves around 3 main characters: Natsukawa Minori was your average salary man. He's quite a level headed guy even if he's already angry. And like any other cliche, Minori's story started on a pretty normal day with him running late and accidentally bumping to the meek Saito Ichika, his soon to be complicated love affair along with his first love and ex-girlfriend Saito Youko.
To give a brief summary, Minori was running late for work and he fatefully stumbled upon Ichika, with the latter wrongly accusing him of having pushed her at the stairs of the bridge they are both crossing. Minori, uncommonly level headed for a guy who's suffering from a really bad day, explained that she came from above before stumbling forward bumping into him (not to mention grabbing hold of his jacket's sleeve and naturally ripping it, oh the poor guy). Anyhow, after an awful day at work trying to elude the calls from a former colleague asking for help on his previous job, Minori went home to find Youko waiting for him at his front door. Albeit reluctant, Minori let Youko stay in his home until she can move in to a new place. After a few rounds of shouting and rehashing the past, it was then revealed that Youko's mother recently passed away though not without leaving her a small fortune to get by. Since she usually exudes an attitude of self confidence and pride, we can see how her mother's passing has badly affected Youko and since Minori can't really get mad at her for too long, he let her stay with him for an indefinite period of time. A few days passed, Minori and Youko accidentally met Ichika who's nursing a broken arm and bruised cheek where we find out that she's actually trying to escape a violent ex-boyfriend. Minori and Youko then talked to her about her plans and she told them of getting a smaller place since she can't really afford her current one. Youko, the ever rash and excited, proposes that they just move in with her so as to help pay her monthly mortgage. And of course, that's when our gratifyingly complicated love triangle story began.
From the summary though, you might be thinking what adult concepts was I warning you about. Well, to put it bluntly, there were sexy and compromising scenes every so chapter of this manga and even the first few covers (consisting of Youko and Ichika only in their underwear) is already telling of its adult content. I like how the love scenes are drawn though for the fact that you actually see the guy's face. Most of the adult mangas I've read will only focus on the body and face of the woman during sex but this one doesn't, though the woman was still emphasized greatly, it made me not think of how men were only perused as tools for sex during these types of scenarios.
In any case, the totality of the manga has a serious tone where each character find their way to overcome lust, regret, fear and love. The concepts involved were more or less faithful to reality although I might admit that Ichika's lack of jealousy towards Minori and Youko's relationship seem to be off. If I were in her shoes, I would've been a jealous girlfriend ready to tackle off any woman, specially ex-girlfriends, out of my then fiance's face.
Youko's character though is a bit annoying and very manipulative in my opinion. She knows for a fact that Minori's still not completely over her and she used that to wiggler her way back into his life only to find Ichika who's a completely lovable woman any man can fall for there already planted at the back of his mind, if not his heart. She may seem like an outrageous kind of woman with a little to no care for the world but I guess in a real life situation, at the back of her mind Youko may have already devised a plan to get Minori back despite her big pride. The manga almost proved to have done the same though in the end, Youko all but gave up if not for Ichika raising the white flag first.
Ichika was quite an interesting character. A bit unrealistic if you will think about her as a real life person since she displays an unnatural kindness and selflessness all throughout the story. She's every man's dream girlfriend/wife. Meek and proper but with a secret stash of sexiness once she gets down to dirtying the sheets. And because of those characteristics, I can't blame Minori for choosing to marry her instead of Youko. It could still be a case of guilt for not being able to give her his whole heart though. Men and how their brain works, I'll never understand.
Minori was a likeable guy from the start and he has garnered most of my pity votes from the time I realized how he's struggling to forget his first love to move on with his life. But a guy of my age (26) isn't supposed to act like a teenager in heat whenever he sees Ichika. Really now, having sex almost every chapter is just too much though I must admit I really like them together. I did expect them to end up together but I guess giving up on Minori first is being true to the author's portrayal of Ichika's persona.
To be quite honest, I would've rated this manga 10/10 for being true to reality if not for the ending. I don't seriously believe that Youko's pride would have allowed her to be a stand in bride on the day of the wedding. That's just ridiculous even for Youko. At most, she would have been rounding up the crowd for order even though she herself is panicking and just drink the day away with Minori. She still won't get back with him though because that would be like betraying Ichika and she's the closest Youko has to a best friend.
In conclusion though, I would still recommend reading Honeymoon Salad if not for the bits of adult humor and smile inducing dialogues though they may depend on how good the translation is of the scanlation you will be reading.
You may read it here though if you want to support the mangaka, you may also opt to buy it at any leading online or local book/comic store available to you.
So yeah, I know I mentioned a book review for my next post but I'm a lazy ass and since I've already read the manga, I thought why not just make a review out of it.
Today I'll review Ninomiya Hikaru's Honeymoon Salad published from February 29, 2000 to March 29, 2002. The manga has 5 volumes and 41 chapters and to be quite honest, you can actually read the whole of it in just one sitting. Anyway, I'm still kind of thinking if I like this manga or not but if you're into an emotional junk roll then you can probably add this to your reading list.
linked image credit to owner
The story basically revolves around 3 main characters: Natsukawa Minori was your average salary man. He's quite a level headed guy even if he's already angry. And like any other cliche, Minori's story started on a pretty normal day with him running late and accidentally bumping to the meek Saito Ichika, his soon to be complicated love affair along with his first love and ex-girlfriend Saito Youko.
To give a brief summary, Minori was running late for work and he fatefully stumbled upon Ichika, with the latter wrongly accusing him of having pushed her at the stairs of the bridge they are both crossing. Minori, uncommonly level headed for a guy who's suffering from a really bad day, explained that she came from above before stumbling forward bumping into him (not to mention grabbing hold of his jacket's sleeve and naturally ripping it, oh the poor guy). Anyhow, after an awful day at work trying to elude the calls from a former colleague asking for help on his previous job, Minori went home to find Youko waiting for him at his front door. Albeit reluctant, Minori let Youko stay in his home until she can move in to a new place. After a few rounds of shouting and rehashing the past, it was then revealed that Youko's mother recently passed away though not without leaving her a small fortune to get by. Since she usually exudes an attitude of self confidence and pride, we can see how her mother's passing has badly affected Youko and since Minori can't really get mad at her for too long, he let her stay with him for an indefinite period of time. A few days passed, Minori and Youko accidentally met Ichika who's nursing a broken arm and bruised cheek where we find out that she's actually trying to escape a violent ex-boyfriend. Minori and Youko then talked to her about her plans and she told them of getting a smaller place since she can't really afford her current one. Youko, the ever rash and excited, proposes that they just move in with her so as to help pay her monthly mortgage. And of course, that's when our gratifyingly complicated love triangle story began.
From the summary though, you might be thinking what adult concepts was I warning you about. Well, to put it bluntly, there were sexy and compromising scenes every so chapter of this manga and even the first few covers (consisting of Youko and Ichika only in their underwear) is already telling of its adult content. I like how the love scenes are drawn though for the fact that you actually see the guy's face. Most of the adult mangas I've read will only focus on the body and face of the woman during sex but this one doesn't, though the woman was still emphasized greatly, it made me not think of how men were only perused as tools for sex during these types of scenarios.
In any case, the totality of the manga has a serious tone where each character find their way to overcome lust, regret, fear and love. The concepts involved were more or less faithful to reality although I might admit that Ichika's lack of jealousy towards Minori and Youko's relationship seem to be off. If I were in her shoes, I would've been a jealous girlfriend ready to tackle off any woman, specially ex-girlfriends, out of my then fiance's face.
Youko's character though is a bit annoying and very manipulative in my opinion. She knows for a fact that Minori's still not completely over her and she used that to wiggler her way back into his life only to find Ichika who's a completely lovable woman any man can fall for there already planted at the back of his mind, if not his heart. She may seem like an outrageous kind of woman with a little to no care for the world but I guess in a real life situation, at the back of her mind Youko may have already devised a plan to get Minori back despite her big pride. The manga almost proved to have done the same though in the end, Youko all but gave up if not for Ichika raising the white flag first.
Ichika was quite an interesting character. A bit unrealistic if you will think about her as a real life person since she displays an unnatural kindness and selflessness all throughout the story. She's every man's dream girlfriend/wife. Meek and proper but with a secret stash of sexiness once she gets down to dirtying the sheets. And because of those characteristics, I can't blame Minori for choosing to marry her instead of Youko. It could still be a case of guilt for not being able to give her his whole heart though. Men and how their brain works, I'll never understand.
Minori was a likeable guy from the start and he has garnered most of my pity votes from the time I realized how he's struggling to forget his first love to move on with his life. But a guy of my age (26) isn't supposed to act like a teenager in heat whenever he sees Ichika. Really now, having sex almost every chapter is just too much though I must admit I really like them together. I did expect them to end up together but I guess giving up on Minori first is being true to the author's portrayal of Ichika's persona.
To be quite honest, I would've rated this manga 10/10 for being true to reality if not for the ending. I don't seriously believe that Youko's pride would have allowed her to be a stand in bride on the day of the wedding. That's just ridiculous even for Youko. At most, she would have been rounding up the crowd for order even though she herself is panicking and just drink the day away with Minori. She still won't get back with him though because that would be like betraying Ichika and she's the closest Youko has to a best friend.
In conclusion though, I would still recommend reading Honeymoon Salad if not for the bits of adult humor and smile inducing dialogues though they may depend on how good the translation is of the scanlation you will be reading.
You may read it here though if you want to support the mangaka, you may also opt to buy it at any leading online or local book/comic store available to you.
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