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Suzuki-kun’s Mindful Life, Vol. 1
Looks can be deceiving. After all, one glance at the towering and intimidating Kaoru Suzuki is enough to send people packing…and get others riled up for a fight. But the guy’s actually a softie inside, as well as a flower lover and an avid baker, to boot! When Suzuki gets harassed on the train, a delicate but unexpectedly tough boy swoops in to save the day. This unlikely duo kicks off a friendship that proves that what you see isn’t always what you get!
160 pages, Paperback
Published July 22, 2025
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76 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 25, 2025
FIRST IMPRESSION VIDEO HERE: https://youtu.be/TjbFEqE1mMM
What a sweet, precious, and wholesome first volume!
I wasn't overly fond of the "sensei" aspect of this story, but everything else I deeply loved! I was especially touched by the family aspect of this first volume and how actively involved Suzuki is with his mother and sister. It honestly feels really rare in manga to have so many moments like this where Suzuki is shown actively talking and helping his mom as well as wanting to be a big part of his sister's life. I feel most manga will show families having meals together, but I feel for Suzuki, his family is his entire world! It was a very special part of this story, and I deeply hope that continues because those were easily my favorite parts!
Not just those parts though, because I love seeing Kaoru slowly grow more confident as this volume went on! Haruna was a HUGE part of that growth and loved how he liked ALL of Suzuki and "praised" him for the things he liked, especially in light of how worried Suzuki was in coming across as a "creep"! Haruna even went further and really nudged and flat-out told Suzuki that he's great just how he is and really helped him to bridge that gap with his classmates. It was wonderful!
Overall, I would definitely love to continue reading this series and would recommend it to fans of Otomen! It has a softness that's really relaxing to read, but also very exciting because I want Suzuki to continue to grow as the awesome young man he is! So cheers to him having the best high school life!
What a sweet, precious, and wholesome first volume!
I wasn't overly fond of the "sensei" aspect of this story, but everything else I deeply loved! I was especially touched by the family aspect of this first volume and how actively involved Suzuki is with his mother and sister. It honestly feels really rare in manga to have so many moments like this where Suzuki is shown actively talking and helping his mom as well as wanting to be a big part of his sister's life. I feel most manga will show families having meals together, but I feel for Suzuki, his family is his entire world! It was a very special part of this story, and I deeply hope that continues because those were easily my favorite parts!
Not just those parts though, because I love seeing Kaoru slowly grow more confident as this volume went on! Haruna was a HUGE part of that growth and loved how he liked ALL of Suzuki and "praised" him for the things he liked, especially in light of how worried Suzuki was in coming across as a "creep"! Haruna even went further and really nudged and flat-out told Suzuki that he's great just how he is and really helped him to bridge that gap with his classmates. It was wonderful!
Overall, I would definitely love to continue reading this series and would recommend it to fans of Otomen! It has a softness that's really relaxing to read, but also very exciting because I want Suzuki to continue to grow as the awesome young man he is! So cheers to him having the best high school life!
September 3, 2025
This has my very favorite trope of “the scary character bakes cakes and sews dresses.” Buuuuut I fear there’s going to be an age gap romance moment sooooo… :(
(I would rate this a lot higher if it didn’t have the age gap thing in it,,, as more volumes come out, we’ll see what happens)
(I would rate this a lot higher if it didn’t have the age gap thing in it,,, as more volumes come out, we’ll see what happens)
July 19, 2025
I liked this one. Suzuki starts in a high school and dreads the first day. He’s bigger than all the other kids and looks permanently scary. On top of that, he was bullied in his previous school for liking to clean and bake.
On his way to school he meets Haruno, a small and delicate looking boy who nonetheless saves him from a bully, as he’s stronger than he looks and knows judo. The two hit it off, and it doesn’t take long for Haruno to figure out Suzuki’s self-confidence issues. Little by little, he draws Suzuki out with kindness and inviting others to admire what Suzuki can do.
This isn’t a boylove story. On the contrary, Suzuki falls head over heels with his little sister’s kindergarten teacher. And Haruno has his back there too. I don’t know if there’ll be any romance—she’s much older after all—but it’ll be fun to follow. And Suzuki’s road to opening up is interesting. Art was good. I’d like to read more.
I received a free copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
On his way to school he meets Haruno, a small and delicate looking boy who nonetheless saves him from a bully, as he’s stronger than he looks and knows judo. The two hit it off, and it doesn’t take long for Haruno to figure out Suzuki’s self-confidence issues. Little by little, he draws Suzuki out with kindness and inviting others to admire what Suzuki can do.
This isn’t a boylove story. On the contrary, Suzuki falls head over heels with his little sister’s kindergarten teacher. And Haruno has his back there too. I don’t know if there’ll be any romance—she’s much older after all—but it’ll be fun to follow. And Suzuki’s road to opening up is interesting. Art was good. I’d like to read more.
I received a free copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
September 30, 2025
In Summary
If you like your protagonists big and scary-looking on the outside yet sweet and sensitive on the inside, give Suzuki-kun’s Mindful Life a try. Kaoru is adorably awkward as his meek personality and domestic pursuits clash with his gangster appearance. While it looks like he may have to face some old demons in the future, the other characters create a wonderfully supportive vibe, which makes for a positive, heart-warming story.
The Review
Kaoru Suzuki spent his middle school years as an outcast. Although he looks like a thug with his gargantuan body and intimidating features, he’s actually a softy who enjoys baking and home crafts. Unfortunately, that combination got him branded as a creep by schoolmates. So when he starts high school, he anticipates more the same. However, his social life takes a radical turn for the better when diminutive classmate Arata Haruna bails him out of a tight spot. Like Kaoru, Arata has an appearance that does not match his personality, and not only does he befriend Kaoru, he helps their classmates see past Kaoru’s scary exterior to the nice guy inside. Will Kaoru finally get the school life that he’s always dreamed of?
Suzuki-kun’s Mindful Life reminds me of the Otomen series from the aughts, which also has a macho-looking main character who loves girly things, and a feminine-looking costar with a very masculine personality. But whereas the Otomen costar is a female love interest, Kaoru’s costar is a guy friend whose small stature and cute face belie his judo skills and confident personality. Also, Otomen‘s Asuka gives off more of a maidenly vibe, but the impression Kaoru gives is that of a stay-at-home mom.
And no, it’s not a BL. In Chapter 2, Kaoru develops a crush on Sakurako, a teacher at his little sister’s preschool. It’s completely innocent, one-sided, and what you might expect from a boy his age. And when Sakurako-sensei joins Arata’s dojo, he is also overwhelmed by her pretty looks.
If I had to classify the title, I’d say it’s a lighthearted high school slice-of-life with characters whose outward appearances give other people the wrong impression about them. Overall, the vibe is positive and funny. Although Kaoru is essentially friendless until he meets Arata, he has an extremely supportive family. His mother encourages and appreciates Kaoru’s domestic pursuits, and little sister Tamako absolutely adores her giant big brother. And once Arata befriends Kaoru, Arata gives him the push he needs to break out of his shell. Plus, Arata bridges the gap between Kaoru and their classmates when the situation calls for it. And as Kaoru shows more of his true self to his classmates, the juxtaposition between his appearance and the strong “mom” vibe he gives off is pretty funny. The contrast between his tough, mature looks and his innocent crush on Sakurako-sensei is also hilarious.
By the way, Sakurako-sensei, like the two boys, is not all she seems. She is a hard-drinking, hard-core gamer. Not that that’s illegal, but because her job entails childcare, she doesn’t want her students’ families seeing her as anything but wholesome.
Right now, it’s uncertain what the overarching arc of this series is. However, Kaoru is definitely a protagonist that I can root for. The interactions he has with his family and with Arata are fun and engaging, and the accompanying visuals are entertaining.
Artwork is about average, generally speaking, but expressions are on point for the comic scenes. Extras include a preview of the next volume and translation notes.
For more manga and book reviews, drop by my blog Keeping It In Canon!
If you like your protagonists big and scary-looking on the outside yet sweet and sensitive on the inside, give Suzuki-kun’s Mindful Life a try. Kaoru is adorably awkward as his meek personality and domestic pursuits clash with his gangster appearance. While it looks like he may have to face some old demons in the future, the other characters create a wonderfully supportive vibe, which makes for a positive, heart-warming story.
The Review
Kaoru Suzuki spent his middle school years as an outcast. Although he looks like a thug with his gargantuan body and intimidating features, he’s actually a softy who enjoys baking and home crafts. Unfortunately, that combination got him branded as a creep by schoolmates. So when he starts high school, he anticipates more the same. However, his social life takes a radical turn for the better when diminutive classmate Arata Haruna bails him out of a tight spot. Like Kaoru, Arata has an appearance that does not match his personality, and not only does he befriend Kaoru, he helps their classmates see past Kaoru’s scary exterior to the nice guy inside. Will Kaoru finally get the school life that he’s always dreamed of?
Suzuki-kun’s Mindful Life reminds me of the Otomen series from the aughts, which also has a macho-looking main character who loves girly things, and a feminine-looking costar with a very masculine personality. But whereas the Otomen costar is a female love interest, Kaoru’s costar is a guy friend whose small stature and cute face belie his judo skills and confident personality. Also, Otomen‘s Asuka gives off more of a maidenly vibe, but the impression Kaoru gives is that of a stay-at-home mom.
And no, it’s not a BL. In Chapter 2, Kaoru develops a crush on Sakurako, a teacher at his little sister’s preschool. It’s completely innocent, one-sided, and what you might expect from a boy his age. And when Sakurako-sensei joins Arata’s dojo, he is also overwhelmed by her pretty looks.
If I had to classify the title, I’d say it’s a lighthearted high school slice-of-life with characters whose outward appearances give other people the wrong impression about them. Overall, the vibe is positive and funny. Although Kaoru is essentially friendless until he meets Arata, he has an extremely supportive family. His mother encourages and appreciates Kaoru’s domestic pursuits, and little sister Tamako absolutely adores her giant big brother. And once Arata befriends Kaoru, Arata gives him the push he needs to break out of his shell. Plus, Arata bridges the gap between Kaoru and their classmates when the situation calls for it. And as Kaoru shows more of his true self to his classmates, the juxtaposition between his appearance and the strong “mom” vibe he gives off is pretty funny. The contrast between his tough, mature looks and his innocent crush on Sakurako-sensei is also hilarious.
By the way, Sakurako-sensei, like the two boys, is not all she seems. She is a hard-drinking, hard-core gamer. Not that that’s illegal, but because her job entails childcare, she doesn’t want her students’ families seeing her as anything but wholesome.
Right now, it’s uncertain what the overarching arc of this series is. However, Kaoru is definitely a protagonist that I can root for. The interactions he has with his family and with Arata are fun and engaging, and the accompanying visuals are entertaining.
Artwork is about average, generally speaking, but expressions are on point for the comic scenes. Extras include a preview of the next volume and translation notes.
For more manga and book reviews, drop by my blog Keeping It In Canon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2025
I wasn't totally sure about starting up a preorder for this series, since the genre wasn't super clear. After reading the first volume, I'm still not sure if there's going to be any romantic element (it is tagged as shoujo in some spots), or if it's more just an ongoing slice-of-life experience. Honestly, I'm kind of hoping for the latter, but we'll see.
Suzuki is a trope I tend to like: a scary-looking dude who can't help that his physical appearance doesn't match his very gentle heart. It's actually that disconnect that led to bullying in middle school, pretty much all stemming from a former childhood friend who seems to resent Suzuki for some as-yet unexplained reason. He led the whole "ew, isn't it creepy and gross that Suzuki is a big hulking Frankenstein's monster who likes flowers and baking, what a weirdo" campaign that resulted in Suzuki being ostracized at school.
When he starts high school, Suzuki is determined to start over, and is helped by an unexpected encounter on the train, with a short, slim, pretty-faced classmate who's a judo expert. The chemistry between Suzuki and Haruna is significant enough that this would've been a VERY easy setup for a BL.
Haruna is depicted as very delicately attractive, to the point where Suzuki initially thought he was a girl, but quickly realized he's a very tough guy (a lot more so than he is). He's also outgoing and encouraging, putting in a lot of effort to make sure everyone at school understands what a good guy Suzuki is. They compliment each other a lot. Suzuki bakes fancily wrapped treats for him and frets over how and when to give them to him, then gets embarrassed when he thinks Haruna might find it creepy. He even blushes at points while talking with or thinking about Haruna and how amazing he is.
Instead, though, Suzuki is currently in the throes of his first straight crush, on his little sister's kindergarten teacher, a charmingly beautiful woman with a second life he doesn't know anything about. While Sakurako loves her job, she gets worn out by the cheery work persona and always stops off at the store on the way home to buy booze and snacks so she can game online all night with her friends. (When she runs into Suzuki in the store, she lies about the bottle of alcohol in her basket and tells her friends about the awkward encounter. Suzuki, meanwhile, gets so overwhelmed he can barely stand in her presence.)
That's the disconnect that could, I guess, lead to an interesting romance down the line? But I also don't think it would start at this stage with their ages and life experience. So maybe it'll just stay a one-sided crush, with Suzuki developing a fuller portrait of the world and how different and complicated people can be?
I'm enjoying it very much for now, and I'm mostly hoping for more of Suzuki and Haruna's friendship. Excited to see Haruna meet his family and to find out more about why Suzuki's ex-friend is so mean to him.
Suzuki is a trope I tend to like: a scary-looking dude who can't help that his physical appearance doesn't match his very gentle heart. It's actually that disconnect that led to bullying in middle school, pretty much all stemming from a former childhood friend who seems to resent Suzuki for some as-yet unexplained reason. He led the whole "ew, isn't it creepy and gross that Suzuki is a big hulking Frankenstein's monster who likes flowers and baking, what a weirdo" campaign that resulted in Suzuki being ostracized at school.
When he starts high school, Suzuki is determined to start over, and is helped by an unexpected encounter on the train, with a short, slim, pretty-faced classmate who's a judo expert. The chemistry between Suzuki and Haruna is significant enough that this would've been a VERY easy setup for a BL.
Haruna is depicted as very delicately attractive, to the point where Suzuki initially thought he was a girl, but quickly realized he's a very tough guy (a lot more so than he is). He's also outgoing and encouraging, putting in a lot of effort to make sure everyone at school understands what a good guy Suzuki is. They compliment each other a lot. Suzuki bakes fancily wrapped treats for him and frets over how and when to give them to him, then gets embarrassed when he thinks Haruna might find it creepy. He even blushes at points while talking with or thinking about Haruna and how amazing he is.
Instead, though, Suzuki is currently in the throes of his first straight crush, on his little sister's kindergarten teacher, a charmingly beautiful woman with a second life he doesn't know anything about. While Sakurako loves her job, she gets worn out by the cheery work persona and always stops off at the store on the way home to buy booze and snacks so she can game online all night with her friends. (When she runs into Suzuki in the store, she lies about the bottle of alcohol in her basket and tells her friends about the awkward encounter. Suzuki, meanwhile, gets so overwhelmed he can barely stand in her presence.)
That's the disconnect that could, I guess, lead to an interesting romance down the line? But I also don't think it would start at this stage with their ages and life experience. So maybe it'll just stay a one-sided crush, with Suzuki developing a fuller portrait of the world and how different and complicated people can be?
I'm enjoying it very much for now, and I'm mostly hoping for more of Suzuki and Haruna's friendship. Excited to see Haruna meet his family and to find out more about why Suzuki's ex-friend is so mean to him.
June 15, 2025
Thanks to Yen and Edelweiss for the ARC!
What a cute start to the series!! I love how Suzuki is growing to share more of his lovely personality and overcoming some of his past trauma of being bullied for being a softer person. His sister, mom, and new friend are really wonderful and I look forward to seeing more of them as the series progresses. I'm a little unsure about his crush on his sister's teacher (I know he's in high school, but it's his first year so he's a lil too young for anything to really happen and I hope it stays that way).
The first volume was endearing, funny, and very sweet. It really has the feel of the fresh-baked goods that he makes when he's happy. I also couldn't stop laughing when he showed up to pick up his sister in the pigeon mask! Really looking forward to the rest of this series!
What a cute start to the series!! I love how Suzuki is growing to share more of his lovely personality and overcoming some of his past trauma of being bullied for being a softer person. His sister, mom, and new friend are really wonderful and I look forward to seeing more of them as the series progresses. I'm a little unsure about his crush on his sister's teacher (I know he's in high school, but it's his first year so he's a lil too young for anything to really happen and I hope it stays that way).
The first volume was endearing, funny, and very sweet. It really has the feel of the fresh-baked goods that he makes when he's happy. I also couldn't stop laughing when he showed up to pick up his sister in the pigeon mask! Really looking forward to the rest of this series!
June 10, 2025
Thanks so much to Yen Press for the DRC!
This was so stinking adorable. Seeing Suzuki-kun come out of his shell and share his interests with others had me tearing up. He is so precious and and needs to be protected at all costs.
The exploration of his relationship with his little sister was adorable and I'm glad he has a strong support system from his mother and sister. I fear his little sister would fight anyone who spoke bad of her oni-chan that cooked better than their mom. Also, his mom energy is truly pulling people into his circle. I'm curious how he feels about being so prepared each day.
I'm excited to see where this story goes and cannot wait to buy all the volumes. July can't come fast enough.
This was so stinking adorable. Seeing Suzuki-kun come out of his shell and share his interests with others had me tearing up. He is so precious and and needs to be protected at all costs.
The exploration of his relationship with his little sister was adorable and I'm glad he has a strong support system from his mother and sister. I fear his little sister would fight anyone who spoke bad of her oni-chan that cooked better than their mom. Also, his mom energy is truly pulling people into his circle. I'm curious how he feels about being so prepared each day.
I'm excited to see where this story goes and cannot wait to buy all the volumes. July can't come fast enough.
September 10, 2025
It’s a cute premise, but there is nothing going on in this book. There’s barely even any conflict (there’s his crush on a teacher, but that hopefully is a dead end, so no tension there) until the very end. Everything just feels very… surface-level. Each character feels less like a person and more a list of tropes, and the book does very little to begin their development.
This is like a mild version of Otomen.
This is like a mild version of Otomen.
August 3, 2025
Quina cucadaaaa!!! Un noi amb aparença rude, però que en realitat és un tros de pa a qui li agraden les plantes, la cuina i la rebosteria ❤️❤️❤️ arrossega una mala experiència a l'escola mitjana, però ara a l'institut troba un amic i una colla que l'accepta tal com és. Té un crush amb la profe de preescolar de la seva germana, ja veurem com avança!!!
July 23, 2025
This is sooo sweet. Haruna validating Suzuki and making him feel better about his hobbies made me want to cry. So adorable. I hadn't really planned on continuing on with the series, but now I'm curious about what will happen with the bully.
August 17, 2025
Thank you to Edelweiss and the Publisher for a Digital Review Copy!
3.99
Definitely charming, I just struggled to stay engaged with the story.
It's not for me, but it is for someone as it is incredibly earnest and has a lot of heart and they characters are great. And I teared up at the end.
3.99
Definitely charming, I just struggled to stay engaged with the story.
It's not for me, but it is for someone as it is incredibly earnest and has a lot of heart and they characters are great. And I teared up at the end.
November 12, 2025
I am OBSESSED with this volume!! It’s super sweet and endearing. The most wholesome thing you’ll ever read. It’s the perfect thing to read when you want to unwind. I am anxiously awaiting the next installment!
July 24, 2025
These characters are so sweet! I love them all
July 28, 2025
3.75⭐️
October 18, 2025
4.25 stars
January 13, 2026
Too cozy for me
January 27, 2026
so cuuute
November 5, 2025
This was so cute! Just a delightful little read.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews