This volume was just as wonderful as volume one and I am so excited to say that!! This was one of my most anticipated releases this month and I was desperately hoping volume one wasn't a "one-hit-wonder" despite that there is nothing groundbreaking about this series. It's a fun and feel-good time, and that continues to be very true with this volume too!
!!SPOILERS AHEAD!!
I honestly was very surprised that by the end our leads were dating as a couple!! I was fully prepared for the drama to unfold with Mio, but it was very short-lived, and loved how the biggest "problem" of our leads dating is that their parents don't know Senpai isn't actually a girl.
This of course DOES come out and it was hilarious! In fact, seeing Moemi's dad on page was my favorite part, and laughed out loud a lot! I have major respect for Senpai trying to honor Moemi's Dad request while they are dating and living together, but I can't help but feel like Moemi and want to see a few kisses between our new couple. Hehe!
Something I continue to appreciate about this series is that the miscommunication (or lack of communication in general) is always short-lived. We really see more into Senpai's actions and why he said one very upsetting thing in this volume, but that was shortly followed by WHY he said what he did. Senpai's best friend may annoy me with how much of a gossip he is, but he IS a really good friend to him and was thankful for how he encouraged Senpai to tell Moemi what he was thinking.
Speaking of Moemi, I loved all her super funny expressions and how earnest she is! She continues to be a really fun heroine to follow!
Overall, this continues to be such a gem to read if you're looking for a cute series to read! I can't wait to read the next volume!
This series makes me feel like I either got Stockholm Syndrome from so many volumes of Rainbow Days or have had a concussion. It is undeniably dumb in places, yet incredibly enjoyable.
Some of Mizuno’s older stylings do creep back in here - there are some dead stupid jokes in this one that strain the series’ already tenuous grasp on anything approaching reality. I think Moemi’s dad could have been held back until later. Or maybe until a different series.
The relationship, or not, between Moemi and Hiiragi is actually rather enjoyable. He’s very reticent for a couple reasons, one of which is his godawful ex, Mio, who shows up to be a real pain in the ass and doesn’t have a lick of ability when it comes to being a rival. Nice touch.
Of course, sometimes love is a bit of a hard road even without rivals. For the parts of this that didn’t work, there are more than enough that go to some real interesting places.
Ema, Moemi’s friend, is really great. I laughed hard at the one shot of them framed in lilies, plus Ema really steps up when her advice backfires in the face of Hiiragi’s brutal forthrightness.
There are actually a lot of unexpected swerves here that make up for some of the lesser ones, as I alluded to. Plus, the romance game is real strong. Hand-holding has rarely gotten that out of hand, bonus points for creativity.
For the most part, this is a fairly strong execution on a premise that is beyond preposterous. Hiiragi really causes a mess when Moemi does the right thing and admits her feelings, but when you live with the guy you’re crushing on, who apparently doesn’t return the sentiment, what exactly are you supposed to do?
Despite having some fun bits, Moemi’s dad showing up and realizing his daughter has been living with a hot manga guy is a lot of time expended for little return. It’s not a total waste, but it is more waste than I’d like.
Her nonsense scheme to win him over is funny, but this is drama that doesn’t work because bringing the parents back into the equation injects real life into an unreal situation. Better to have left well enough alone, especially when it was doing fine generating awkward situations without dad’s help.
Once that is resolved in as silly a way as possible, it does lead into a running theme of the manga, which is Hiiragi being super dense about his actions having consequences. A lot of the time he thinks he’s doing the right thing, but he forgets to actually talk to Moemi about it (although at least one is her dad’s very believable fault and I was pleasantly surprised at how quick it was resolved).
Sometimes this has some real zingers and there are a lot of points that I’m rather in favour of. The friends are decent enough, it doesn’t feel like the same old same (for better and for worse), and it’s as likely to go for a dumb gag as a clever one. The joke that closes the volume is the perfect example of a great outcome based on the character.
4 stars - it’s a really good read, albeit not perfect. Still, it is light years beyond Mizuno’s earlier work and I’m sticking with this because it’s genuinely solid and not because I’m feeling like a masochist, which is a heck of a welcome change.
Home Sweet Home is at its core a pretty standard shoujo manga; Moemi is used to transferring to new schools due to her father's job. This time she's had enough and and wants to stay - her parents agree as long as she doesn't live by herself. It turns out that her father's boss also has a child in the same position so the parents agree that they can become flatmates and no longer need to move around with them. Moemi was pleased until she realised her new flatmate is actually a boy - Ryouhei.
Unexpected co-living is a pretty common trope but I quite liked that this one is based on more than the usual rather far fetched rental contract stuff up. I really like Moemi - she feels well balanced and I like that she's neither hostile nor head over heels about Ryouhei. She genuinely wants to get along with him as a friend and flatmate and that allows for a nice and steady development between the two. Besides that, she has a best friend who, while not super developed, makes for a nice girl friendship addition. The rest of the supporting cast is also not overly developed but they fulfill their purpose; they're supportive and help the main characters figure out their wants and needs. Even the rivals and apparently less likeable characters were pretty neat additions.
The plot is otherwise pretty basic but it feels pretty wholesome and sweet. The drama is fairly low and I think it's really nice how they do have misunderstandings but they always talk things through and find a way to work. There is no massive jealousies or serious arguments. We also occassionally get Ryouhei's point of view which also helps to see how things developed from his end.
The art is simple but super cute, I really like it. The one downside is actually its length; I love a nice high school romance on the shorter side but this one could really have had another volume or two. Don't get me wrong, it's neither axed nor underdeveloped as such, but I did feel like the final volume didn't quite hit any climax. It's a romance but due to how well the leads manage their relationship, it has a bit of a slice of life feeling and technically one could have finished the series at almost any point. As a result, the final volume didn't leave anything open as such, but it doesn't didn't feel like you've reached the end of a journey. It's a shame, but I'd argue that it doesn't take away from the series overall; it's simple but really cute and I think a good read for anyone who just wants an easy time with a cute high school romance.
much better than first volume😌 i can't wait for moemi to stop overreacting and for their relationship to start being more "adult" (not adult adult but just less childish lol)
I love how light and sweet this story has been so far. Getting to share a house with a cute boy and fall in love? Sign me up ❣️I enjoy how awkward they both are with learning to express how they truly feel. Cant wait for Vol. 3!
3.5 stars. Cute. I like the openness and innocence of the main girl, her supportive friend has a lot of energy, and the main guy's steadiness. There are pieces that feel weird next to the two, more wholesome, leads, like his pervy friend, the overreaction of the dad with ridiculous expressions and poses, and her friend's interfering (asking the lead dude things, bringing up things just to tease her friend). I think the manga could be great if it maintained a consistent tone--either go all in with the wacky or tone it back to be more subtle and a nice foil to the leads. Nice art, cute main story, likable leads, but uneven tone.
I was so happy to read this volume! I loved how they managed the situation with Moemi’s father, Hiiragi is such a nice boy and he likes Moemi a lot, even if at first he didn’t express it. Hiiragi is always caring for Moemi, and Moemi is really funny. I want to see how their living situation continues.
10/25 2.5 Stars. A sweet but common teen romance setup with passive MCs that sadly has yet to offer anything new. May try another volume but not expecting much.