Nos rendez-vous gourmands

by Gengoroh Tagame (Drawings), Alexandre Goy (translator)

En pleine crise sanitaire, Akira, un commercial contraint par sa profession à travailler à l'extérieur de chez lui, se voit offrir des choux de la part de clients qui souhaitent le remercier. Ne sachant pas cuisiner, il les apporte à Kôji, l'un de ses amis pour lequel il éprouve plus que de l'amitié.

Genres: Manga, Graphic Novels, Queer, LGBT, Romance, Comics, Fiction

181 pages, Paperback

First published June 23, 2026

About the author

Gengoroh Tagame is a Japanese manga artist who specializes in gay BDSM erotic manga, many of which depict graphic violence. The men he depicts are hypermasculine, and tend to be on the bearish side.

Born into a family descended from samurai, Tagame began his career as a manga artist in 1982, while he was studying graphic design at Tama Art University (多摩美術大学). His works have been published in several Japanese gay magazines, including Sabu, G-men and SM-Z. Since 1986, he has used the pen-name Gengoroh Tagame, and since 1994 Tagame has lived off the profits of his art and writings. In recent years, Tagame has edited a two volume artbook series about the history of gay erotic art in Japan from the 1950s to the present, 日本のゲイ・エロティック・アート (Nihon no gei, erotikku āto, Gay Erotic Art in Japan) volumes 1 and 2.

All his works contain "virile males, or youths, and their apprenticeship of physical and mental submission". Works of his include: Jujitsu Kyoshi at B Product; Emono, Shirogane no Hana (3 vol.) and Pride (3 vol.) at G-Project.

His manga Gunji (軍次) was translated into French in 2005, followed by Arena in 2006 and Goku in 2009. An artbook of his works has also been published in France by H&O Editions. An exhibition of his works was held in France in May 2009. Tagame is openly gay.

Tagame has been called the most influential creator of gay manga in Japan to date, and "the most talented and most famous author of sado-masochistic gay manga". Most of his work first appeared in gay magazines and usually feature sexual abuse. Tagame's depiction of men as muscular and hairy has been cited as a catalyst for a shift in fashion amongst gay men in 1995, away from the clean-shaven and slender bishōnen stereotypes and towards a tendency for masculinity and chubbiness. Tagame's work has been criticised by notable gay manga writer Susumu Hirosegawa as "SM gekijō" (S&M theater) for its violence and lack of complex storylines.

A small amount of Tagame's work has been licensed in English; a short story, "Standing Ovations", was included in the third issue of the erotic comics anthology Thickness, and in July 2012, Picturebox announced a short story collection, The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame, for 2013 release, which will be the first completely bara work published in English in a print format. The book will collect short works spanning 15 years of Tagame's career, including a new story commissioned especially for the book by book designer Chip Kidd.

(notes : everything else can be read on wikipedia)

Reviews

[gracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Fish and Water' is exactly what it's advertised to be, a sweet romance between a man who loves to eat and occasionally works with farmers, and a man who loves to cook. They're both lonely and decide to make a routine of sharing meals together and that's how they begin to fall in love.

It was a quick and sweet read. The translation flowed smoothly and I loved it so so much.

[Elizabeth A · Rating 2 out of 5]

Translated from the Japanese by Anne M. Ishii.

I've really loved some of the manga by this author but this one didn't work as well. It's the story of two men - one who loves to cook and one who loves to eat - and the very slow burn of maybe a romance. Very slice of life with lots of panels of food prep and meals which made me quite hungry. While I wish the guys all the best I wasn't invested in this tale.

Rating for Gengoroh Tagame books:
My Brother's Husband, Volume 1 (Books 1 & 2) - 5
My Brother's Husband, Volume 2 (Books 3 & 4) - 4
Our Colors - 3
Fish and Water - 2

[Nicholas Krochta · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 close to 4. Honestly could read a bunch more of these two. Chapters were like slices of life with lots of food.

[Imanewreader ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

manly man, a mlm romance made by a man for men. i appreciate it!!

they were actually absolutely adorable, and i loved how the main focus were the local products and how to prepare them.
a development to their romance (bonus short story or second volume) with more recipes and their relationship could have been such a nice addition. but this was already so good !

[Chris Metts · Rating 5 out of 5]

An utter delight.

[Jake Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certainly not as deep as My Brother's Husband, but a sweet little love story easily consumed in an afternoon. And as always with Tagame, the men are easy on the eyes :P

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy!

[gabymck]

Sweet love story. The aftermath of the Pandemic is featured. Food making is a big part of the love language.

[Nicolas Lontel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Troisième mangas de romance alimentaire gai/lesbien que je lis après She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat, Vol. 1 et What Did You Eat Yesterday?, Volume 1. Ça n'innove pas la recette narrative: les ingrédients sont un peu les mêmes (c'est même très similaire à celui de Sakaomi Yuzaki que j'adore):
- Une personne qui adore cuisiner et qui trouve encore plus de bonheur à cuisiner pour un deuxième personnage qui adore, compliment et apprécie à fond sa cuisine.
- Une certaine idée d'une complémentarité entre les personnages, une personne qui cuisine, l'autre qui va aider d'une autre manière.
- Une romance qui cuit lentement au fil des rencontres, qui permet de faire des introspections.
- Des recettes détaillées dont on voit souvent la préparation et le résultat final bien identifié et toujours bien apprécié par la personne qui est invitée.
- Pas vraiment de drame entre les deux personnages sauf la crainte d'être perçu comme quelque qui s'impose. Ça veut rester cozy (bien que des éléments extérieurs peuvent affecter les personnages de manière plus significative ou traumatique, mais dans celui de Tagame, ça reste toujours très calme)

Le manga de Gengoroh Tagame nous sert deux hommes gais bien en chair dans son style narratif et ses dessins tout public qu'on lui connaît depuis Le mari de mon frère, Tome 1. On a seulement droit à quelques doubles entendre et plusieurs torses nus pour le "piquant". C'est un manga agréable, je suis content d'avoir un manga qui est bien contenu dans un seul volume, on aurait pu étirer la sauce, mais on a finit par nous le servir en une seule portion (pour les gens qui n'ont pas suivi la série en feuilleton).

Dans l'ensemble, une bonne romance, quelques bons plats (et recettes), une narration simple, deux personnages attachants. Une bonne recette bien exécutée.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

No notes. Just a quick appreciation post here for Gengoroh Tagame and Fish and Water (thanks for Pantheon for sending me a copy too).     

     While this deals with pandemic/covid times, it manages to be light and uplifting. Little vignettes of time spent between two friends, Koji and Akira. Tons of food referencing, which I looove. Fun cheeky references here and there as well. A few will they/wont they moments. This could go on and on and I'd keep reading. 

     I've read My Brother's Husband and Our Colors, and Fish and Water gave me the same feelings. Hope, happiness and a glimpse into a world that feels like I want to spend more time in it.

[Lainy122 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very slow burn, no spice, friends to lovers.
This was such a sweet slice of life story, and all the food looked absolutely delicious. I was actively eating my lunch as I read the manga and it still made me hungry! lol
It was interesting to read the pandemic glimpses as well, as obviously each country experienced COVID in a different way, and I liked how the author layered hope and pragmatism over everything, it made it all very real but also not too grim.
I also thought their meet cute in the epilogue was adorable!

[Lucille · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super mignon, un manga en un tome qui se passe pendant la pandémie Covid. Akira est commercial et les clients lui offrent souvent de la nourriture, qu’il ramène chez son ami Koji qui lui travaille à domicile et adore cuisiner. On suit leurs petites soirées cuisine, Netflix & chill et on voit doucement les deux hommes se rapprocher petit à petit et apprécier de passer du temps ensemble ! Tout simplement adorable, une lecture super cosy 🩵

[chromAyshan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Nos rendez-vous gourmands" en français. Une bromance post covid entre deux amis qui s'invitent à manger de plus en plus régulièrement, jusqu'à ce que...

Comme d'habitude je suis in love du travail de Tagame, voir naître l'amour de manière aussi mignonne et bien écrite entre deux hommes adultes c'est tellement rafraîchissant en manga.

[tillie hellman · Rating 4 out of 5]

quite different then most graphic novels i read (also more on the manga side of things, which i haven’t read many of) but i enjoyed! very slice of life, loved all of the food stuff. kinda reminded me of haley and i LOL even tho this turned romantic. cute

[Beau Manglass · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Otto saw me reading this and towards the end asked me to read it out loud to him, so we're going to be grateful this was a sweet rather than spicy Tagame work!

Otto's verdict: "Are they both grown ups? Oh, so they can get married! ... That was a happy ending!"

[Doyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sympa car de belles recettes (moins détaillées que dans What did you eat par contre) et une romance progressive. J'ai été contrarié par la représentation négative en Bonus d'un mec gay efféminé.

[Joanie Ferron-Beaumier · Rating 3 out of 5]

J'ai préféré son autre série "Le mari de mon frère". C'est une histoire soft sur les relations durant la pandémie.

[Annie Laflèche · Rating 3 out of 5]

J'ai vraiment préféré Le mari de mon frère et Our Colorful Days, mais ça reste un manga mignon en un tome qui tourne autour de la nourriture tout en se déroulant durant la pandémie.

[Larakaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a lot of cooking and eating in this. It's like a gender flipped version of "She likes to cook and she likes to eat". It's lighthearted, but the fact that it takes place during the covid pandemic dows give it a grounded element.

[Ken French · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet gay love story and delicious-looking food?! This book was perfect for me!

[Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The world needs more sweet stories like this. Delightful

[Sachi Argabright · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wholesome and quick read. It’s very slice of life with delicious looking recipes. My only complaint is that I wish it had a little more plot to it.

[DannyReadsThings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fish and Water was my first full manga read, and I have Gengoroh Tagame and the team at NetGalley to thank for that introduction. I was immediately drawn in by the cover and the synopsis, and the story absolutely lived up to that first impression.

This was such a cute, warm, and genuinely enjoyable read. I especially loved how much of the story centers around food and the way it becomes a quiet but meaningful bridge between the two main characters, helping to shape their connection in a really tender, human way.

Overall, this was a fun and quick read that left a lasting impression. I would happily pick it up again and revisit this story.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ik leerde Gengoroh Tagame kennen via zijn Japanse pornostrips. Google de naam en je vindt wel een en andere met zijn signatuur, met potige kerels in en uit maatpakken en uniformen, waarbij het niet ongebruikelijk is dat er één ingepakt is in touwen en er gepenetreerd wordt op fantasierijke wijze, geween en tandengeknars inbegrepen. Tagame heeft inmiddels ook al enkele reeksen waarbij de personages doorgaans hun kleren aanhouden. Bij ons recent uitstapje naar Parijs, in de heerlijke LGBT-boekhandel Les Mots à la Bouche, ontdekte ik een nieuwe Tagame: 'Nos rendez-vous gourmands' (2023). Kôji is bezeten door voedsel en koken, Akira door eten. De twee vinden mekaar toevallig en Akira loop Kôji's deur plat om er te eten. Vrijwel alle actie speelt zich binnenskamers af, buiten heerst corona, en de actie beperkt grotendeels zich tot voedsel kopen, bereiden en opeten. Niet echt verheffend, tenzij wat betreft buiken, maar in de blikken en onder de woorden kan je voelen dat er wat groeit tussen de twee. Zal dat gebeuren? Wordt dit een nieuwe reeks van Tagame? Wordt misschien vervolgd.
(Ook een aanrader van Tagame is de reeks 'Le mari de mon frère' (2014, ook verkrijgbaar in Engels), over een man, zijn kleine zusje en zijn echtgenoot/haar schoonbroer.)

[Adri Holt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covid destroyed a lot: lives, relationships, how we interact with the world, and so much more. This story is about two guys, Akira and Koji, getting to know each other despite the obstacles that COVID threw at them. They bond over food and fill in one another’s shortcomings. It was an enjoyable experience to watch these two.

#ThxNetGalley #GengorohTagame #FishandWater

[Natalie S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super adorable and such positive vibes. Brings your focus back to appreciating the moment your in. I felt the romance was lacking though.. and the story was a bit confusing.
However, I absolutely adored the food segments, I feel like getting back into the kitchen and trying something new!

[Dontaná · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Tagame's slice of life mangas. this is no exception. it's so simple and pure. Just two (muscular) friends realizing they might like to be more than friends. and there are several food layouts and a few easy recipes

[Alexander Almeida · Rating 4 out of 5]

ler isso com fome foi a pior coisa que eu poderia ter feito

[jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

[Alessandro Parisi]

La storia è ambientata durante l’anno della diffusione del coronavirus.
Akira è un venditore, un uomo schietto e diretto. Un giorno riceve in regalo dei cavoli ma, non sapendo come cucinarli, decide di andare a casa del suo amico Koji. Koji è molto timido, lavora da remoto ed è un grande esperto di cucina, capace di preparare moltissimi piatti.

Tra i due nasce subito un forte feeling: entrambi sono gentili, premurosi e a loro agio l’uno con l’altro.

Koji si offre di aiutare Akira ogni volta che ha bisogno di cucinare, anche perché Akira, per via del lavoro, finisce spesso per mangiare solo cibo dei konbini.

Il secondo ortaggio portato da Akira è la melanzana. Koji propone diverse ricette: una versione estiva saltata in padella con miso, peperone verde e maiale; una variante fritta piccante in stile cinese; oppure una versione al forno con pomodori e formaggio, accompagnata da piccoli contorni che completano il piatto principale. Alla fine scelgono di preparare la moussaka greca. Mentre Koji cucina, Akira piega i vestiti del padrone di casa e i due iniziano a fantasticare insieme su un viaggio in Grecia.

In un’altra occasione, Akira convince il riluttante Koji a guardare un film horror insieme, a patto che cucinino il pollo al riso singaporiano. Durante la visione si spaventano così tanto che Akira chiede di poter rimanere a dormire da Koji.

Tra crocchette e carrot râpé, Akira e Koji si rivedono dopo una giornata fuori che aveva fatto preoccupare Akira su cosa mangiare per cena. Ancora una volta, Akira resta a dormire da Koji.

Un giorno Akira, sorpreso dalla pioggia, trova riparo a casa di Koji, che gli presta dei vestiti asciutti e gli prepara la cena: baguette e ratatouille.

I due escono poi per una passeggiata al giardino botanico e Koji prepara un bento apposito con degli onigiri. L’uscita ha il sapore di un vero e proprio appuntamento.

Koji scopre infine che una coppia che conosceva ha tragicamente perso la vita. Per rilassarsi e ritrovare un po’ di serenità, prepara un pasto per sé e Akira: okra e una zuppa di seafood gumbo. In questo momento di intimità, Akira si dichiara, rendendosi conto che il calore che Koji gli trasmette è qualcosa di davvero speciale. Koji, da tempo attratto da Akira, ricambia il suo amore.

[Eu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating 3.5/5.0 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pantheon for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fish and Water is Gengoroh Tagame's latest work to be translated into English, a one-shot bara BL romance set during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. Akira and Koji, who met at a mutual friend's wedding, bond over cooking and meals as they endure the uncertainty of the times. Gradually, their friendship begins to blossom into something more...

Gengoroh Tagame has been on my radar ever since I came across his series My Brother's Husband. Tagame is an #ownvoices creator, publishing stories about gay men and their experiences primarily for gay male audiences (among others). I was very excited to see this new publication, a slice of life story that was relatively light, given the time period in which it is set. Originally just a single chapter written for a food magazine, this story seems to be Tagame's contribution to the recent trend of (queer-themed) cooking stories, though rather than full step-by-step recipes, he chooses to instead showcase a multi-dish meal themed around one key ingredient. The romance is slow-burn as well, with most of the overtures occurring in the final chapter. I appreciated that the "questioning" phase and realization of a queer identity was taken in stride, though I was disappointed that they defaulted to "gay" without considering a "bi" identity in certain parts of the story. The relationship pacing also seemed to swing between platonic and semi-U-Hauling to a confession/kiss squished in at the end. Had the pacing been a bit more even, I would have enjoyed it more. The characters could also have been a bit more fleshed out--the reader learns very little about them outside of their feelings for each other. That said, this story is less potentially controversial than Our Colors, but doesn't measure up to the success of My Brother's Husband. Still, I look forward to his next work and will keep his future books on my TBR.

Readers who enjoyed this manga may also like: Gengoroh Tagame's other works, What Did You Eat Yesterday? by Fumi Yoshinaga, She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat by Sakaomi Yuzaki, Confessions of a Shy Baker by Masaomi Ito, and Chef's Kiss by Jarrett Melendez, among others.