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イケオジモンスターと絶対零度男子 [Ikeoji Monster to Zettai Reido Danshi] #2
The Dashing Zaddy and His Icy Protégé 2
Takanashi, Itsuboshi Trading's flawless sales team leader, has a secret-He has ED, and it just so happens that the only one who can make his tower stand is his merciless and cold subordinate, Hiwatari! Yet rather than be turned off by this shocking revelation, Hiwatari-a diehard fanboy of Takanashi's-seems turned on if anything. Following a wild turn of events including a nude showdown at a bathhouse, Hiwatari makes a daring proposal that brings the two of them even closer together. Now, as Takanashi makes progress with his ED, it's Hiwatari's turn to work through his own shortcomings. Things heat up, and Hiwatari's icy exterior melts!
176 pages, Paperback
First published March 11, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 13, 2025
3.5✨
Gotta love a slowburn and hilarious BL
Not quite as good as volume 1 but still pretty good
Gotta love a slowburn and hilarious BL
Not quite as good as volume 1 but still pretty good
November 25, 2025
Hiwatari is so painfully awkward, I adore him.
Overall though, this series is a mindless, huff out a laugh by expelling air out of your nose while you hold a straight face, type of read. I'm mildly entertained but also bored.
Recap: Takanashi makes Hiwatari a boxed lunch and it's amazing, Hiwatari fanboys with coworkers and they're like omg you're so fun. Hiwatari and a coworker are sent to the factory to work and that coworker is the same one who filed a harassment claim. They end up making up and that guy rescinds his anonymous complaint. End.
Overall though, this series is a mindless, huff out a laugh by expelling air out of your nose while you hold a straight face, type of read. I'm mildly entertained but also bored.
Recap: Takanashi makes Hiwatari a boxed lunch and it's amazing, Hiwatari fanboys with coworkers and they're like omg you're so fun. Hiwatari and a coworker are sent to the factory to work and that coworker is the same one who filed a harassment claim. They end up making up and that guy rescinds his anonymous complaint. End.
May 4, 2026
3,5 ⭐️
July 11, 2025
This is one series where I think I keep trying to like it more than I actually do. The main issue for me is that the whole central joke premise of the series feels...kind of stupid and unnecessary. The erectile dysfunction thing hardly makes sense within the plot and detracts from the actual emotional development between the characters. It's something that must've come up during brainstorming sessions but then didn't work very well once the actual writing began.
There isn't too much of that in this volume, fortunately, although it would be nice to have more of a focus on what it is that's making Takanashi feel drawn to Hiwatari. Beyond the physical reaction in his pants, obviously. I liked the scene where he packed Hiwatari a lunch and then chuckled quietly to himself while reading the super long, very awkward thank you / food review that Hiwatari enclosed when he gave the washed bento box back.
Hiwatari's backstory gives this volume some really necessary depth. It explains why he has the icy exterior that makes everyone fear/dislike him, including the coworker who'd gotten drunk and submitted an anonymous complaint about him abusing his power.
Takanashi...kind of abuses his own power by figuring out who the "anonymous" person was - this is why you should never trust those kinds of work submission forms! - and then sending him and Hiwatari to do manual labor together at a warehouse for a week. "To help out" he says, but in reality it was just an emotional boot camp. And it works; once Nakaido's forced to spend all day working directly alongside Hiwatari, he's able to see how dedicated he is and also how kind and considerate.
Loved the intense awkwardness of Hiwatari buying tons of drinks from the vending machine to give to Nakaido as his weird gestures of attempted friendship. Loved the angsty scene of him overhearing Nakaido confessing that he'd been the one to submit the complaint - and realizing that he and Nakaido weren't becoming friends at all.
His backstory is basically that after he lost his dad, and then Takanashi moved away for work, Hiwatari spent most of his non-school time taking up odd jobs to help pay for his mom's medical bills. That meant he had no time for clubs or sports or activities at school, and no money to hang out with his friends outside of school. There was one guy who was always nice to him, and insisted that Hiwatari came along regardless of cost - we'll cover for you! - he'd say, genuinely meaning it.
But not everyone in their class was as generous or understanding. Hiwatari saw them complaining about him in a group text thread - annoyed that he came along as awkward dead weight, only ordering a drink that he could barely afford, and making everyone else feel uncomfortable. I...understand that, as someone who used to get really stressed and frustrated by joining group outings where everyone split the bill evenly at the end, regardless of income level or who'd actually ordered significantly more items...
Hiwatari's hurt by the gossip directed towards him, of course, but he's more bothered by the fact that some of it's blowing back on the classmate who's been nice to him and dragging him into these outings. So he defends both himself and the guy who'd stood up for him by icing everyone out and refusing to ever be included in their group plans again. Which meant he effectively cut off any further attempts at friendship, and lost the ability to interact with people on a more natural, casual level.
That's the moment where he froze himself in a block of ice to stay safe from the harsh outside world, and to keep others safe from him. And he didn't defrost until Takanashi came back into his life and smiled at him and told him he believed in him and saw past that icy exterior into the very lonely guy who'd always very much wanted to be a part of the chatty crowd.
Those parts were all really good, and I'm intrigued by Takanashi accidentally going viral as a hot zaddy, due to videos of his participation in a cooking exhibition for work. Hopefully that goes in a fun direction.
The romance is honestly the least effective part of the story for me right now, but I am willing to ride it out and see if it begins to develop a bit more naturally.
There isn't too much of that in this volume, fortunately, although it would be nice to have more of a focus on what it is that's making Takanashi feel drawn to Hiwatari. Beyond the physical reaction in his pants, obviously. I liked the scene where he packed Hiwatari a lunch and then chuckled quietly to himself while reading the super long, very awkward thank you / food review that Hiwatari enclosed when he gave the washed bento box back.
Hiwatari's backstory gives this volume some really necessary depth. It explains why he has the icy exterior that makes everyone fear/dislike him, including the coworker who'd gotten drunk and submitted an anonymous complaint about him abusing his power.
Takanashi...kind of abuses his own power by figuring out who the "anonymous" person was - this is why you should never trust those kinds of work submission forms! - and then sending him and Hiwatari to do manual labor together at a warehouse for a week. "To help out" he says, but in reality it was just an emotional boot camp. And it works; once Nakaido's forced to spend all day working directly alongside Hiwatari, he's able to see how dedicated he is and also how kind and considerate.
Loved the intense awkwardness of Hiwatari buying tons of drinks from the vending machine to give to Nakaido as his weird gestures of attempted friendship. Loved the angsty scene of him overhearing Nakaido confessing that he'd been the one to submit the complaint - and realizing that he and Nakaido weren't becoming friends at all.
His backstory is basically that after he lost his dad, and then Takanashi moved away for work, Hiwatari spent most of his non-school time taking up odd jobs to help pay for his mom's medical bills. That meant he had no time for clubs or sports or activities at school, and no money to hang out with his friends outside of school. There was one guy who was always nice to him, and insisted that Hiwatari came along regardless of cost - we'll cover for you! - he'd say, genuinely meaning it.
But not everyone in their class was as generous or understanding. Hiwatari saw them complaining about him in a group text thread - annoyed that he came along as awkward dead weight, only ordering a drink that he could barely afford, and making everyone else feel uncomfortable. I...understand that, as someone who used to get really stressed and frustrated by joining group outings where everyone split the bill evenly at the end, regardless of income level or who'd actually ordered significantly more items...
Hiwatari's hurt by the gossip directed towards him, of course, but he's more bothered by the fact that some of it's blowing back on the classmate who's been nice to him and dragging him into these outings. So he defends both himself and the guy who'd stood up for him by icing everyone out and refusing to ever be included in their group plans again. Which meant he effectively cut off any further attempts at friendship, and lost the ability to interact with people on a more natural, casual level.
That's the moment where he froze himself in a block of ice to stay safe from the harsh outside world, and to keep others safe from him. And he didn't defrost until Takanashi came back into his life and smiled at him and told him he believed in him and saw past that icy exterior into the very lonely guy who'd always very much wanted to be a part of the chatty crowd.
Those parts were all really good, and I'm intrigued by Takanashi accidentally going viral as a hot zaddy, due to videos of his participation in a cooking exhibition for work. Hopefully that goes in a fun direction.
The romance is honestly the least effective part of the story for me right now, but I am willing to ride it out and see if it begins to develop a bit more naturally.
June 30, 2025
Looks like I got lucky on almost my entire manga haul today as this manga hit the shelves a few days early as well.
So volume 2 has confirmed it that this is going to be a very SLOW burn for the two MCs romantic AND physical relationships but honestly I’m so invested that I’m in it for the long haul. If you hate slow burns where you have to wait months for the next volume to release and that will cloud your enjoyment I’d recommend waiting til you have all the volumes before you dive in.
For me it’s still worth reading them as they are released as I’m enjoying the character development. I especially love how awkward and intense Hiwatari is in this one as he tries to interact with his coworkers and we see the flashbacks of why he started distancing himself from friends in school. Writing what looked like a short novel as a thank you to Takanashi for making him lunch and going into great detail about each item on how it tasted/looked was precious and hilariously awkward. Or getting caught practicing how to smile in the bathroom by a coworker? How could you not fall in love with a precious MC like that!!
I also am enjoying Takanashi’s existential crisis he’s having internally as he slowly processes his feelings towards Hiwatari throughout this volume.
So volume 2 has confirmed it that this is going to be a very SLOW burn for the two MCs romantic AND physical relationships but honestly I’m so invested that I’m in it for the long haul. If you hate slow burns where you have to wait months for the next volume to release and that will cloud your enjoyment I’d recommend waiting til you have all the volumes before you dive in.
For me it’s still worth reading them as they are released as I’m enjoying the character development. I especially love how awkward and intense Hiwatari is in this one as he tries to interact with his coworkers and we see the flashbacks of why he started distancing himself from friends in school. Writing what looked like a short novel as a thank you to Takanashi for making him lunch and going into great detail about each item on how it tasted/looked was precious and hilariously awkward. Or getting caught practicing how to smile in the bathroom by a coworker? How could you not fall in love with a precious MC like that!!
I also am enjoying Takanashi’s existential crisis he’s having internally as he slowly processes his feelings towards Hiwatari throughout this volume.
November 10, 2025
Takanashi seemingly has everything on the surface, but privately, he has a huge secret: he’s struggling with ED! For some reason, the only thing that makes his power tools work like they used to is Hiwatari. While confused and dancing around the truth, Takanashi is determined to help Hiwatari become friendly with his coworkers all while resolving an HR issue in the most unexpected ways.
The first volume was absolutely hilarious, but this time around, things get a little more serious as we get more backstory for Hiwatari. I totally understand why Hiwatari is the ice king, and I loved seeing him slowly try to open up and give people a chance in his own way. Hiwatari was the star of this volume, but we do see some interesting things happening with Takanashi in the process!
It was great seeing the story expand and include more characters. As predicted, the romance is a slow burn, but it’s a funny and heartwarming one. While this volume wasn’t anywhere near as hilarious as the series opener, it still contains a lot of humor. We just have a lot more heart behind it! Plus, I loved the extra comic at the end and the notes from the author. I’m excited to check out the next volume and see where the story goes from here!
The first volume was absolutely hilarious, but this time around, things get a little more serious as we get more backstory for Hiwatari. I totally understand why Hiwatari is the ice king, and I loved seeing him slowly try to open up and give people a chance in his own way. Hiwatari was the star of this volume, but we do see some interesting things happening with Takanashi in the process!
It was great seeing the story expand and include more characters. As predicted, the romance is a slow burn, but it’s a funny and heartwarming one. While this volume wasn’t anywhere near as hilarious as the series opener, it still contains a lot of humor. We just have a lot more heart behind it! Plus, I loved the extra comic at the end and the notes from the author. I’m excited to check out the next volume and see where the story goes from here!
July 31, 2025
OBSESSED with this BL age gap office romance series since before its release! He is 40 and his subordinate is 26. This Volume 2 touched on some tender moments and character growth. Things are budding between our icy monster and his dashing zaddy! The author’s afterword said to expect some spice and more illustrations with nipples in volume 3. I look forward to that and it’ll be very much appreciated. End of review.
July 6, 2025
Das ist schon eher eine BL-Love-Story nach meinem Geschmack. Sie entwickelt sich zwar sehr langsam, aber man lernt dafür die Charaktere richtig kennen und schätzen. Man wünscht ihnen, einen Weg zu finden, glücklich zu sein.
Ich mochte den zweiten Band sehr und werde mir mit Sicherheit Band 3 vorbestellen.
Ich mochte den zweiten Band sehr und werde mir mit Sicherheit Band 3 vorbestellen.
December 10, 2025
I’m torn on this series. I really like the art (especially the background details) but the story is… off-putting. In particular, I hated pretty much everything regarding how the HR complaint was handled. I don’t know if I should continue the series—we’re past that stuff now thankfully, but I don’t know if I’m going to hate the next plotline just as much…
April 6, 2026
Aunque el romance es muy (MUY) lento, estoy disfrutando de la historia porque los personajes son entretenidos más allá de la atracción. Y no esperaba que este tomo tocara un tema más serio y con una linda resolución entre dos compañeros de trabajo que partieron con mal pie pero ahora se tienen mucho respeto y admiración.
October 18, 2025
3.5 rounded up
So we didn’t really get any more information on the connection between Hiwatari and Takahashi when they were younger but setting that aside I did enjoy this volume a lot more than the first. I felt like we got to see more character depth and some nice emotional beats.
So we didn’t really get any more information on the connection between Hiwatari and Takahashi when they were younger but setting that aside I did enjoy this volume a lot more than the first. I felt like we got to see more character depth and some nice emotional beats.
November 23, 2025
Really liking how it's a slow-burn between Hiwatari and Takanashi. Also, how the whole HR case was handeld.
Might not have felt like a lot of things happened in this one, since I'm not really used to reading slow-burn romances, but I did still really like it (*^-^*)
Might not have felt like a lot of things happened in this one, since I'm not really used to reading slow-burn romances, but I did still really like it (*^-^*)
January 2, 2025
Rating: 3.5*
July 6, 2025
Eh. This was a bit of a let down - missing the charm of the first one and was not focused on the main couple, which is a mistake.
July 10, 2025
This series is the best. Funny, adorable, sensitive, and entertaining. I love it all.
Can’t wait for the next one!
Can’t wait for the next one!
July 11, 2025
Their relationship is very very very slow to develop, but I'm enjoying seeing them slowly learn more about each other while at work, and how they sort of misunderstand each other a bit.
July 15, 2025
4.25 stars
Another fun volume with some more backstory. The bento storyline was well done. Hoping for more time between the main characters in the next volume.
Another fun volume with some more backstory. The bento storyline was well done. Hoping for more time between the main characters in the next volume.
July 21, 2025
We got back story for our Kohai. I liked it but it’s not giving me a lot of feels. I still want to see what happens next so I will hope my library continues to get these books in.
July 22, 2025
This was all about the icy protege and less about curing zaddy’s erectile disfunction, which is what I was hoping. 😭
September 8, 2025
This one did not really move the story much as the focus was not on the main couple. I like learning the backstory of Hiwatari. I am hoping we get to see more on Vol 3
September 24, 2025
It has its moments but I found myself spacing out while reading… Also, no relationship progression in this volume so this will probably be a slow burn…
April 26, 2026
Sadly this is ridicules and not great. To be honest it's a bit over the top and rude to 40 year olds. Very unrealistic and no growth or real chemistry.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews