Let's Eat Together, Aki and Haru, Volume 2

Let's Eat Together, Aki and Haru. #2

by Makoto Taji

Two boys who share a room and love to make and eat dinner together. Aki is in charge of cooking, and Haru is tasked with cleaning up, and despite their personality differences, they come together over their love of food.

Genres: Manga, LGBT, Food, Romance, Yaoi, Cooking, Graphic Novels

144 pages, Paperback

First published May 21, 2021

Reviews

[Sol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sweet, caring vibe, where two people orbit each other so closely without even realizing that they're falling in love, is just so cozy and nice. Can't help but smile while I'm reading!

I think this manga captures really well this era when you're in college, very free and having fun, but there's this looming nervousness about graduation and dread for your future hanging around... it's so nerve-wracking. This manga contrasts that worry for the future with the comfort and constancy of a close group of friends, which balances out so well. This volume is just really nice and filled with gentle yet sincere emotion, and the assured feeling that everything is going to be alright no matter what.

I also really liked the one-shot at the back of the volume -- I mentioned in my review of the previous volume that I'm not the type to get together with friends but this book makes me wish I did -- the protagonist of this short story is much more my speed, drinking beer in the bath and coming home to hang out with her cat. As such, I very much enjoyed it. XD

I docked a star because I noticed two errors in chapter 3 which bothered me (I hope it doesn't make me sound stuck up, but it always bothers me when I see errors in books, tbh). The text cuts off in a dialogue box on the Tomato Cheese bake page, and then in the recipe at the end of the chapter, it incorrectly calls the cilantro salad "Meat wrapped veggies". C'mon, Tokyopop, get it together! XD

[Marius Paulsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Narune · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.75

Reached the end of this volume before I knew it. Just as entertaining as the first one, with a little bit more character developments.

[Heather D-G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aww…this is really sweet. Each chapter centers around some kind of dish that the roomies are eating together—usually prepared by Aki. There’s maybe the tiniest hint of romantic feelings, but they’re never overt. Mostly it’s just the boys distracting themselves from impending college graduation with delicious food.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably more like 3.5 stars, but it's such a warm, cute story I'm bumping it up a little.

The recipes still make me laugh; one was largely made in a microwave, and one chapter is just "canned corn soup" from a vending machine, to keep the food theme going while the friend group is on the road to watch the new year's sunrise. I was pleasantly surprised, though, that (spoiler I guess?) Aki's career choice isn't going to be a chef. I'd assumed it was going to head that direction, but he's not really that creative or elaborate in the kitchen. It's just cozy home cooking that he does because it makes him and the people around him happy. And that's more the theme of this story.

There still isn't much (any?) progress on the romantic front, although Haru's sister does show up to give them knowing glances and to compare them to her relationship with her live-in boyfriend. And Haru is definitely struggling a good amount with the idea of a future that might not have Aki in it. It would honestly be pretty easy to keep reading this as just a solid friendship thing, if it wasn't labeled BL. But the author's note indicates they're happy to keep this on a slow, steady pace for a while. I wonder how long it will take to get there.

The art seems to have improved some in this volume - Haru seems a lot more attractive, anyway, and flashier than I remember him from the first volume? So the pages are fun to look at. And I'm also experiencing a good amount of Haru's photography professor's nostalgia for how great college life was. There was a lot of schoolwork and stress about a variety of things, but it was also just really, really nice to have that many friends all engaged in the same sorts of things, and spending a lot of time hanging out, eating, and talking about the future. It's a nice little escape, although it makes me a little sad. Like Haru thinking back to flashbacks of his friendship forming with Aki, I suppose.

There's a random bonus story at the end of this rather slim volume, which honestly just kinda seems like a portrait of the author...a bit pointless to include here, but I suppose it was a space filler.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love this series of cozy food manga. There's some LGBTQ+ rep as well with some covert slow burn romance-y sprinkles here and there. This picks up from volume 1 - and easy going Aki has mastered affordable home cooking (he enjoys it so much) to keep his good friend Haru motivated throughout his college school year. So much food & recipes is depicted so you will get hungry and want to munch. This time we are introduced to Haru's sister and she is going through it with her slob boyfriend. Deep discussions about life paths are had (Aki has no idea what he wants to do after school) and Haru has an idea for his career as do most of their other friends. A very fun and cozy slice of life about issues that crop up when you're newly adult.

[Morthos · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

This is just more of volume one with a little bit more 👀🏳️‍🌈? going on so nothing's changed. Anyway, here's my united notes for this volume because it's not worth structuring them out.

Doesn't... doesn't Aki have a job? Didn't he just get promoted?

1. You spelled glompping wrong and that hurts me more for some reason.
2. WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE USING GLOMPPING IN A POST 2018 MANGA?!

WASH DOWN THE BEER! GUYS, YOU HAVE TO WASH DOWN THE BEER! Did you wash down the beer? Have you try washing down the beer, yet?

Yuki & Rikka be like 🤨🏳️‍🌈?

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

las amistades que hacen los pequeños retos de la vida. me sigue encantando la comida uno en el micro y otro toma su tiempo va avanzando muy poco en la parte de romance pero igual este manga se volvió uno de mis favoritos y que quiero tener físicamente para estar hojeando a cada rato y ver el arte que me ENCANTA.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

it's just such a nice, comforting and natural story! the feelings realisation is starting veryyyyy slowly in this volume, but I really like that. all the recipes seem like fun and not too difficult, the food looks delicious and the art is gorgeous 😍 can't wait to read the next part and keep seeing how their relationship develops!

[Jessica Huynh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a warm, cute story! I like that they delved into a little more of their daily lives and serious-ish topics like thinning about the future and post graduation. Also the meals got upgraded because I did save those cheese potsticker dak-galbi and soy milk miso butter ramen recipes…

[AP · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - I need half stars!

Still enjoyable middle of the road cozy read. I'm not that much into food as such and that's why this is not rounded up to 4 stars.
Also this volume seems to broaden out a bit so you get to know a bit more than just about food.

[Kyrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aki and Haru are finishing their 3rd year of college, trying to decide what careers they want to pursue. Their friends and shared meals help them get through the stress. I can see the appeal of the simple recipes.

[Darcy Roar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eheheheheheheheheh! Read back to back with book 3, head there for a gibberish review!

[Mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5/5*

These books continue to be all vibes and I continue to eat it right up!

[Kit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this, it’s so cute and the art is adorable, and I love the characters and their designs, ugh. It’s so good, just perfect slice of life slow burn love story.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The recipes sound so good but I wish there was a little more progress on their relationship. At this point I feel like it’s pretty much just loving glances.

[Shawna (endemictoearth) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the english version on hoopla, but it doesn't have a listing yet? This one was a bit too short and even more unfocused than usual for me, but I still had a good time.

[Spudpuppy]

Snzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Keeper313 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[Georgia · Rating 5 out of 5]

these are my favorite

10/10

[Brenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable friendships, delicious food, and a dash of oh god what will I do with my life.