きのう何食べた? 10

きのう何食べた? [Kinō Nani Tabeta?] #10

by Fumi Yoshinaga, よしながふみ

今夏の『きのう何食べた?』は

コロッケパン
タイカレー
おうち焼き肉
リコッタチーズのパンケーキ
カレイの甘酢あんかけ
白菜とホタテのクリームスープ
豚バラキャベツにら春雨のモツ鍋風
まぐろの山かけ
‥‥などなど

コロッケパン、タイカレー、おうち焼き肉、リコッタチーズのパンケーキ、カレイの甘酢あんかけ、白菜とホタテのクリームスープ、豚バラキャベツ、にら春雨のモツ鍋風、まぐろの山かけetc.……

Genres: Manga, LGBT, Comics, Graphic Novels, Food, Slice Of Life, Fiction

160 pages, Paperback

First published June 23, 2015

About the author

Japanese: よしなが ふみ

Fumi Yoshinaga (よしなが ふみ Yoshinaga Fumi, born 1971) is a Japanese manga artist known for her shōjo and shōnen-ai works.

Fumi Yoshinaga was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1971. She attended the prestigious Keio University in Tokyo.

In an interview, she said that "I want to show the people who didn't win, whose dreams didn't come true. It is not possible for everybody to get first prize. I want my readers to understand the happiness that people can get from trying hard, going through the process, and getting frustrated."

Little is known about her personal life. She mentions that her favourite operas are those by Mozart in the author's note of Solfege.

She debuted in 1994 with The Moon and the Sandals, serialized in Hanaoto magazine, but was previously a participant in comic markets.

Of Yoshinaga's many works, several have been licensed internationally. She was also selected and exhibited as one of the "Twenty Major Manga artist Who Contributed to the World of Shōjo Manga (World War II to Present)" for Professor Masami Toku's exhibition, "Shōjo Manga: Girl Power!" at CSU-Chico.

Outside of her work with Japanese publishers, she also self-publishes original doujinshi on a regular basis, most notably for Antique Bakery. Yoshinaga has also drawn fan parodies of Slam Dunk, Rose of Versailles, and Legend of Galactic Heroes.

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

The guys are getting older -- baldness threatens!
And more seriously, Shiro's parents have increasing health problems.

We touch base with several repeat characters: Shino the law office admin is engaged, Kayoko is helping raise her grandson, Kenji's boss Hiro is once more in trouble for his endless cheating on his wife, Kohinata still spoils Wataru, and we find out why Wataru is called Gilbert -- he was 12 when Kohinata met him! Kohinata was in college and his tutor. Kenji and Shiro fail to hide their scandalized expressions.

And of course, delicious-sounding food! I want to try a few things.

Pressed Tofu with boiled komatsuna greens seasoned with ground sesame and white dashi

Yam with seaweed and umeboshi dressing

Pork with Chili, garlic, and glass noodles

Creamy Cabbage and Scallop Soup
Mince ginger and stir-fry in vegetable oil.
Add sliced napa cabbage
One can water-packed scallops
1 c water (or a little less)
dash of chicken bouillon.
Simmer
1 c milk
Dissolve 2 tbsp potato starch in 3 tbsp water
salt and pepper

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kenji's cut his hair short and dyed it blond because he's thinning on top. (A coworker does this, too, less the dye job, and I think it's a nice look for people who have male-pattern baldness.) Shiro's mother has had her cancer surgery, and his parents have set up a support bar by their toilet, and they're starting to clear out their living space of photo albums and similar items in preparation for the eventual and inevitable.

Shiro is faced with the fact that he's just as unambitious about his career as Kenji is. Not everyone can be a go-getter. It's okay to let the type As bear the stress of that, and enjoy the life you're living, in my opinion. It's sad that Shiro can't come out to his boss.

It's nice to read a manga like this in between battles, teenaged romance, and isekai.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like many other reviewers have mentioned, this is a perfectly cozy volume of the series. I love whenever Kenji cooks for Shiro because he does it with such love and excitement. It makes me sad that Shiro keeps his personal life a secret but then again, I also get it’s nobody’s business.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 Stars
There were some super cute chapters in this volume. I particularly loved narratives involving making pancakes and sharing chores.

[kutingtin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shiro is lucky because wd Kenji he is loved and cared for, does the laundry, ironing and cleaning all around the house (and hey free haircuts 💇🏻‍♂️ for life!)

Kenji is lucky because with Shiro he has a handsome, laywer boyfriend who cooks delicious meals for him everyday and teaches him how to save money :,)

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this was my favorite volume so far--there's just so much that's endearing! Shiro and Kayoko's friendship, and his relationship with his parents, his dad freaking out about mushy food and Shiro's unexpected desire for a griddle, the pancake fight, Kenji's hair, more Kenji cooking, and the disastrous New Year's dinner and what resolves it... Plus there's this quote: "I didn't like you back then because you were hot, you know! I liked you because you made me so much delicious food!!" Haha, well said, Shino! This manga is pure comfort and perfect for today.

[Phobean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of drama in this edition, including pancake drama. 4.5 as always

[Loz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stuff. Lightly touching and gut-wrenching. Comfort and revel in food.

[Sho · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has become one of my favorite slice of life manga series. I didn't think it will be so long and still entertaining. But it turned out to be one of the steady entertaining manga that I can actually recommend to anybody who is ok with BL.Though the main characters are a gay couple, the central theme throughout the manga is not about romance or about being gay, it's about life after forty and everyday living with your partner, mainly "what do you eat for dinner?"

Yes the food! Dishes introduced here are not fancy and difficult to make but rather surprisingly ordinary and easy to prepare and at the same time appeal very very appetizing. I actually made some of the recipes introduced in the book and some had become my favorite. In fact about a week ago I made the ricotta cheese pancakes included this 10th volume for my friends and they LOVED it. Don't know how much of the cooking will translate into other culture, but if you read this series I think you will have a good idea of a middle class Japanese households' everyday meal.

As the main character in this book actually ages unlike some of the mangas, he is 50 in this volume, so difficulties and issues with his parents and life in general subtly change. Those issues he has to deal with really resonated with my own aging situation. I think by making the character a gay couple and not a family with children, Yoshinaga sensei was again able to realize her brand of unique characters and story telling that is wonderfully entertaining and sometimes poignant.
http://www.moae.jp/comic/nanitabe
( don't know if you can see it outside of Japan, but it's episode eight from volume two)

[Mauri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot more dealing with ageing, both of oneself, plus Shiro's coworkers and both of their parents.

Also, one holy-fucking-shit reveal regarding the other gay couple in their social circle, Kohinata and Gilbert, casually left in the fourth chapter.

Cut for spoilers and discussion of pedophilia:

Gilbert and Kohinata are a couple that were introduced in the series probably further back than I want to think about. I don't think either Shiro or Kenji considers them "friends," but they are a gay couple that they can...be a gay couple around? Without needing to pretend or tone themselves down, particularly Kenji. Gilbert is a spoiled awful brat who always demands his own way and delights in embarrassing and pissing people off. Kohinata just drifts along in his wake, apologizing. I've been wishing he'd dump Gilbert and find someone else for awhile now, he deserves better.

Except we find out in this volume that Kohinata and Gilbert met when Gilbert was TWELVE and Kohinata was tutoring him as a part time job in college. Shiro and Kenji are horrified at first, but reassured when Kohinata says they didn't "do anything" until Gilbert was 17. He'd just take him to the movies or to amusement parks or for tea.

I had a brief moment (.0000001 seconds) where I was worried that this was some sort of American homophobic-pedophilia freakout I was having, but no: adult in a position of authority over a child, who then grooms said child until they're old enough that it might not seem like a crime if they have sex. ::throws Kohinata onto the compost heap, rinses hands with bleach::

[Miss Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

tfw you haven't cooked in over a week and you read what did you eat yesterday? all ...that sounds so delicious...why can't i have food that isn't cheese sandwiches and frozen pizza...why am i like this...feed me shiro...

4 stars

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this series. It's fun and light and as you read on, tells a good story. I love the food. Volumes 11 and 12 not available at our library. Unfortunately.

[Rebo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I skim re-read to remind myself where the story was and forgot to mark this as currently reading… so idk when I started reading but it took me a little while to get through this, since it can be a bit wordy so if my head isn’t great it’s difficult for me to follow.

Anyway, this wasn’t my fave volume. The episodes were a bit too episodic for me, in the sense that there weren’t really any consequences or much follow through to anything. Like his mom’s cancer or even the subject of getting older, etc.

I mean I know the food is the main course here, but even so, I would have preferred a little character development like we’ve seen in some of the other volumes. Like, for example, when Shiro realizes that he comes off as irresponsible about the future, I was expecting that to be a conversation that came up with Kenji— like, yeah there is no gay marriage in Japan and all but how does Kenji feel about the convo he had with his boss, for example?

Anyway, ofc I’ll keep reading especially since I have the other volumes already, but this was definitely not a fave of mine.

[Rocky Sunico · Rating 4 out of 5]

More strange milestones and events in the lives of our characters! We still haven't resolved Kenji's potential job opportunity that would cause them to move to Shiro's mom being diagnosed with a serious medical condition, not everything is going 100% well. But that doesn't change the overall tone from being rather light and casual and still very much focused on the many, many recipes.

I love this book so much.

[Mandy! · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love this series and its characters so much. This volume was particularly cozy; like a perfect cup of coffee on a cold day. Shiro's development is becoming more obvious and I enjoy his sweetness. I hope this series never ends, but at the same time, I wonder what sort of people Shiro and Kenji will be when it happens.

[Bryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is not plot, exactly, but there is character development over the many volumes, and the characters themselves are so very real and charming that I have become fond of them and thus coming to this volume there is that feeling of meeting friends again after absence. I am thinking I might wish to go back and read from the beginning, and perhaps this time even try cooking some of the food.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love watching Shiro and Kenji throughout their daily lives. My only issue with this manga is a formatting preference, I wish it would have the recipes at the end of the section. I want to make some of these recipes and I like a list recipe so I can follow it.

[Ruz El · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is so good it's ridiculous. The recipes will leave you starving hungry but it's the subtle depiction of the relationships that really hold it together. It's an incredible accomplishment.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

:) :) :)
Ah, Kenji!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

love this series- it makes me want to eat.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like it.

[Jillian -always aspiring- · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh, still not sold on Shiro and Kenji as a couple.

[小さな N (.❛ ᴗ ❛.)⊃ [_|_] ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars..?

[Fiza]

KENJI’S NEW HAIR STYLE

[brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this old man cooking manga so much

[Marisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cheating is treated way to lightly. The one guy sounds like a pedophile which is terrible since the author is implying that gay men are pedophiles.

[Kay Jackson]

All I can say is I absolutely love this series and can't wait to finish the other books.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

No matter how nice you are, that would probably be considered grooming.

[Carina Stopenski · Rating 4 out of 5]

not the most relatable volume to me as someone in my late 20s but still super cozy and sweet!

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still obsessed with both the characters and the food? Yup.