Drops of God: Mariage Vol. 1

Les gouttes de Dieu, mariage #1

by Tadashi Agi, Shū Okimoto

One last challenge stands between Shizuku Kanzaki and his father's fortune-to identify the wine his father called “The Drops of God” in his will. Problem is, he's up against Issei Tomine, a famous wine critic his father adopted shortly before his death. Alone and penniless following his journey around the world to gain knowledge and train his senses for the final showdown, Shizuku stumbles into a western-style izakaya to work for food and a place to stay. But when Shizuku uses his newfound smarts to save the struggling business, a competing chain launches an identical menu and enlists the help of a rising sommelier to go head-to-head with them. In order to stay on top and survive this brutal business, it all comes down to perfecting the food and wine pairings-the blissful mariage of flavors which delights the senses.

Genres: Manga, Food, Comics

197 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 10, 2023

About the author

Tadashi Agi, 亜樹直, is the penname of Yuko and Shin Kibayashi, a sister and brother team of Japanese manga storywriters. Shin Kibayashi also uses the pseudonyms Seimaru Amagi and Yuya Aoki.

Reviews

[Mizuki · Rating 5 out of 5]

During the 2021 Lunar New Year holiday, I read this series from vol. 1 up to vol. 17 in a friend's home. I'm not really into wine all that much, but this is an interesting series about drinking and different brands of fine wines and liquors.

[Irene ➰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

- Thank you to the author and the publisher for putting this title as a "read now" on NetGalley. -

This is definitely something different in the manga industry and was interesting as well to read.
The author definitely loves food and wine and it totally appears while reading this volume.

The topic tho is so heavily used that I got bored at some point following the whole food and wine combos, but I can definitely see many people loving it instead.
For my personal taste there was too much of it inside the plot that I lost interest towards the end.

Luckily the cliffhanger kept the finale alive.
Definitely something new to try out.

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird, kind of funny at times, with some solid art. I can't say this one was made for me. The idea of Shizuku having to become a wine master does seem like it could be a good idea, but I'm not much of a wine person so my interest kind of diminished semi-quick after that. Still worth checking out for others who like food/drink type mangas.

[Despina · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like Food Wars!, and want a slightly more restaurant-based version of it, this is the series for you. A young man becomes part of the staff in a restaurant, but quickly his knowledge and expertise in wines becomes apparent and he becomes a key member of the team, working out pairings, or marriages, between foods and drink. Helping with a rivalry of a newly opened chain restaurant across the street, there does actually appear to be some storyline behind this despite the story focusing a lot on the lyrical descriptions of the wines and dishes they are paired with, so I think future volumes will flesh that out a lot more as you go through. Genuinely enjoyable, highly recommend if you are a food person - but don't read on an empty stomach!!

Thank you to Kodansha via NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this volume in exchange for an honest review, which I leave voluntarily. All opinions are my own.

[Valérie Harvey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Si j'ai adoré la première série "Les Gouttes de Dieu", celle-ci me plaît moins. La supériorité de Issei est trop évidente, on s'attarde beaucoup moins aux failles de ce personnage, ce qui lui donnait une certaine humanité. Les juges sont détestables et critiques, sans profondeur. Et même Shizuku perd au change: comme on passe moins de temps dans sa vie personnelle, on s'ennuie un peu de sa bonne humeur, de sa légèreté.
L'exploration des vins devient le sujet central (l'unique sujet!), cette fois en alliance avec les mets français. C'est intéressant, mais c'est moins habilement brodé que dans les 44 tomes des Gouttes de Dieu.

[Liz (Quirky Cat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars rounded up.

Summary:

Shizuku Kanzaki is down on his luck, to say the least. He's penniless and just in desperate need of a meal. While most places aren't willing to give him a chance, he finds one kind of family restaurant willing to take his work in exchange for food and a place to sleep.

Little did he know that he'd be walking back into the fray as the family restaurant battles a chain restaurant in food and wine supremacy. Luckily, they have a new ringer, thanks to Shizuku.

Review:

Drops of God: Mariage Vol. 1 is a different manga, at least for me. It's perfect for foodies or (especially) people who love wine. The core concept is interesting, and I loved rooting for the smaller family business to win.

That said, it talks a lot about the intricacies of food and wine. And I do mean A LOT. So, if that isn't your cup of tea, it might be too much. I know it made my brain sleepy on more than one occasion (and I hate saying that, sorry).

I love seeing a manga series trying to do something different, so credit is due here! Drops of God: Mariage Vol. 1 is an interesting and highly informative read if that's what you're looking for.

Highlights:
Manga
Foodie/wine lovers

Will I continue the series? Probably not

Thanks to Kodansha Comics and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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[Diandra Knutson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Drops of God: Mariage, Vol. 1
Author: Tadashi Agi
Rating: ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ✩ ✩
Release: October 10, 2023
Genre: Fiction, Manga
Format: Ebook 📱
Length: 197 pages
Start: October 1, 2023
Finish: October 1, 2023
Series: Drops of God
Favorite character: Shizuku
Would I read again: Yes

Thoughts:

For over a two decades I have worked in the Food and Beverage industry. For over the last 12, I have worked a lot with wine and had to retain knowledge of champagne, orange wines, difference between Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. I had to learn why Chablis is Chablis compared to other whites like Chardonnay. I have watched a Sommelier make her beverage program and pair them with food menus. It’s amazing to see! So I was super excited to check out this manga.

I believe this has a prior series and this is a new ac, but I really enjoyed this introduction to Shizuku and his amazing God-Tongue (iykyk!). Having faith in a restaurant slowly going out of business due to competition, we watch Shizuku build the confidence of the team around him and teach them about the “Mariage” between food and wine and when done right can create an experience that can not be copied.

It was a cute and wholesome quick read! I enjoyed the constant wine knowledge portrayed in each page. It really had me googling wine and vineyards! It was also fun to see the wines being poured and remembering when I last tried it and the notes I remembered. This will be a fun series to continue.

If you like Food mangas/animes like Food Wars, Isekai Izakaya, Campfire Cooking In Another World, or Restaurant To Another World, you will definitely enjoy the essence and story of this manga. I’ll probably pick up this series and start from true beginning next year!

*Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the chance to read this ARC.

[Becks Fiser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll admit, when it comes to wine I usually just grab an affordable bottle and no nothing about wine at all. So I wasn't expecting to fall in love with a wine manga.
Shizuku takes our hand and leads us into this beautiful world of taste with the wine he pairs with the struggling restaurants food and what unfolds is a beautiful combination.
The worlds described by the mariages of food and wine were beautifully detailed and the story was a very interesting read. Not only is it explained why they work together but what works with what. I really enjoyed that because it felt like I was starting to understand how wine can pair with food.
If you're a fan of food related anime and manga this is going to be a good read for you.
Watching Shizuku work his magic in this small mom and pop restaurant was enjoyable from start to finish and before I knew it I was at the end of it.
Honest the family vibes swept me up into this beautiful story and it has quickly joined my forever growing "I need more of this" list.

Thank you Tadashi Agi, Shu Okimoto and Net galley for allowing me to read this arc. I really enjoyed it.

[Siina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just loved the original Drops of God and this continuation is surely good too. Perhaps this is still trying to find its form on some level though? As the Twelve Apostles mission was a draw, it seems the competition is still on - aka who inherits everything, Kanzaki or Tomine. It would do good to read the original series first, so that one can get anything out of this. The story starts right away. Kanzaki ends up working for a restaurant that has competition problems and of course his experience on wine saves the place. What I still love about this is the fact that the wines are real and that the mangakas have actually put effort into presenting them and that they work as promised. The series is full of information, it's hectic and moves fast - it's good, but may be hard to grasp for many.

The art looks nice once again and very realistic, which works well. The wine looks like it's alive and all in all the viewangles are interesting. I don't even drink wine and this series is just so interesting that I had to read more about wine. Only good series do this.

[Willow field · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drops of God: Marriage vol 1 was a surprising delight to read and I cannot recommend the start of this series enough. I'll admit it I thought it was going to be romance even if it wasn't the main focus, but it truly is food and I think will have a good amount of Drama in later volumes. I highly recommend it for anime/manga foodie lovers, but I have a feeling that more mystery and dynamic in future vol. will bring in more readers.


This truly gives a wholesome/mature story to the life of a Young man with a true gift of wine to a small restaurant's doorstep. When that restaurant gives that beaten-up a chance, he changes their world. I feel like we will get more competitive /drama in future volumes, and it gave me some Chihayafuru vibes from the ML.

The artwork also, I believe, targets an older audience and is truly beautiful when you encounter the wine-pairing scenes. And the translations felt smooth and easy to read.

[Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shizuku Kanzaki has been wandering the world for the past year learning about wine, food,and everything he can think will help him win control of the"Drops of God" left in his father's will to the one who can answer the proper questions. On his return to Japan, he stumbles into a western style mom-and-pop restaurant across the street from a chain restaurant. Not caring fro the attitude of the chain's manager or the food, Kanzki helps by showing how to pair wine with food in a blissful marriage that brings out the best of both. Despite all the changes the chain makes, they just can't compete with good food and the right wine combinations. but then Kanzaki get the call he has been dreading. Off he goes to face the The Order of the Drops of God in a cliffhanger ending. Looking forward to volume 2!

If you enjoy Otherworldy Izakay Nobu, do try Drops of God!

[E (manga_runner) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rate: 3.5/3.75
So for me this one is a bit hard for me to decide if I liked it or not, I think if I liked wine and knew more about it then I would have enjoyed it more possibly. It is a unique idea since I don’t think I have read a series that is focused on wine and at the end of volume one it did leave me wanting to know what they were walking into.

The art is good and there are many points where they go into detail about the different wines and it pairing with the food. At one point it did remind me of food wars, when they eat & drink something then it gives them the feeling of being somewhere else or having a memory.

[Alisa Zav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, eat it, give birth to it.

No, but the research that went into this?? The it factor screaming through when you’re just a few pages in? I need more, and I need wine 😂

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC of this book.

[Zephorah Dove · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

This volume completely blew my expectations. Going into it, I was confused and kept thinking the title was about actual marriage, but boy was I wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed this volume and although I am not a big wine drinker, I felt myself being immersed into the storyline and cheering for the crew when they one upped the neighboring restaurant. I'm curious to see where the series goes and what else our mysterious wine enthusiast gets up to.

[Sassy Sarah Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

That wine was so good that when a man took a sip of it a swan embraced him. LMAOOOOO I know food manga gets a rep for being dramatic and comedic. This definitely has a ton of those elements. Apparently, this is a spin-off series, but I didn't feel like I needed to go back to know what was going on and I thought it was entertaining. I'm not sure if I'll continue with the series because I wasn't gripped, but it was a lot of fun.

[convertingtobooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

This manga was certainly different to what I was expecting but it was still a fun read nonetheless.

In this manga you explore “marriages” between different foods and wines whilst two restaurants are in rivalry with one another. This was a pretty cozy read, I wouldn’t mind reading on in the future!

Thanks NetGalley & the author for an ARC.

[Kiki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This manga was certainly different to what I was expecting but it was still a fun read nonetheless.

In this manga you explore "marriages" between different foods and wines whilst two restaurants are in rivalry with one another. This was a pretty cozy read, I wouldn't mind reading on in the future! Thanks NetGalley & the author for an ARC.

[Catherine Bond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bon. Le début me plaisait bien, on revenait à Shizuku et ses aventures de petit pitou du vin, c'était mignon... mais je ne suis vraiment pas convaincu.e de l'intérêt de cette Confrérie des Gouttes de Dieu, qui semble moins vouer un culte au vin ou à Bacchus qu'à Kanzaki père. Vraiment décevant, mais j'ai acheté le 2e tome, je vais leur laisser une seconde chance de m'impressionner. On verra ben!

[yamzreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌟
This manga was an interesting one and I know those who are foodies will love this! Wine and dining in manga was an interesting take and it was an enjoyable read! This manga got me hungry 😭😭.

Thank you netgalley and Kodansha Comics for this copy!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this better than the first series. That's not saying much.

[Anders K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed, cried, and gasped. So exhilarated to finally get part 2 in English. Frankly 6.5 stars. Grand Cru reading.

[Evee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Kodansha Comics and NetGalley for the ARC!

3 out of 5⭐

I began reading Drops of Gold: Mariage 1 without reading the original series, so this was my first introduction to the manga's overarching plot. I found the slice-of-life feel to the manga for be charming if a little anticlimactic. The connoisseurship on the wine was enlightening as I am rather ignorant on how to properly enjoy wine as someone who is sensitive to tannins, and the mental journey that each of the characters envisioned made me very envious of their wine tasting experiences--what an enthralling way to experience food.

The plot was charming but not very engaging even when the stakes were high and established, and the art is rather standard for the industry--nothing that makes it unique or stands out about it.

I would continue to read the series if I came across it at the library but would not seek it out otherwise.

[MaguiWorld · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tal vez sea un poco mala con el puntaje pero la verdad es que no me interesó ni me llamó la atención ni me gustó realmente PERO OJO, YO CREO QUE HAY GENTE QUE SÍ LE GUSTARÍA.

Si sos de las personas que busca un manga que combine a la perfección las historias con el vino y las comidas (y de paso uno aprende un poco sobre ellos), te vendría genial. Pero claramente no es algo que disfruto leer.

Por eso si bien le di dos estrellas creo que hay gente que le gustaría y le interesaría mucho leerlo. No quiero que mi reseña los desanime porque realmente no es un mal manga, simplemente que yo baso mi puntaje a partir de si me gustó o no A MÍ.

Gracias Kodansha Comics por el ARC que leí en NetGalley a cambio de una reseña honesta.

[Margaux Lakiere · Rating 5 out of 5]

La suite des gouttes de dieu. Ça commence à devenir un peu long.

[Emir · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cliffhanger!! why???

Lovely engaging story that is easy to follow with some good character development.