安藤なつみ, Andō Natsumi is a Japanese manga artist. She is best known for Zodiac P.I. as well as Kitchen Princess, for which she won the Kodansha Manga Award for children's manga in 2006.
Favorites: Donald Duck Favourite manga: Ossu! Ichijin and Kimagure Orange Road Favourites: meats and fruits Hobbies: shopping, reading and watching TV
No because at this point I don’t like anyone! Like what the hell?! How much more can Nao deal with? And that woman…that woman is VILE. I have never wanted to throw hands with a manga character as much as her. She can’t do a damn thing with any honesty. Ugh! I’m aggravated but on to volume 10 I go!
NOOOOOOOO WHAT THE F IS THAT CLIFFHANGER? I'm literally losing my cool over this series!! Just wtf I can't keep calm!! Kogetsuan indeed is cursed. It turns all its inhabitants into rotten souls. Also the Wakura trip is making me scream lol!! This is all so intense! It's half past 3 AM and here I am still wide awake because this volume is literally tearing my body apart releasing my ever-energetic soul to endure. Lol!
Great continuation of the story. Honestly, not chill that it’s going down a “cheating” route. But love the potentially fake pregnancy that’s getting tossed into the mix. 😅
Omg, the drama!!!! I love this series, it’s so fun, messy, and I really needed the delightful (and stressful) reunion of Nao and Tsubaki. I need volume ten, now!
Content note for the SERIES: murder, death of a parent, violence, unfair loss of job/firing, domestic violence, abuse, involuntary confinement, attempted murder
Okay, I don’t wanna spoil anything, so I’m only going to give a vague-ish review of the first couple of books in the series! First, let me assure any of you who might not be interested in NSFW material (or disappoint those of you who are lol)– this isn’t that spicy of a comic. There are a few panels in each book so far that include very brief allusions to sex but don’t show anything outright.
Y’all. This series had me in a VISE GRIP!! It’s SO GOOD. It’s incredibly well written, and the art is just so beautiful and elegant, matching the subject matter perfectly. The number of kimono and wagashi illustrated in here alone is so satisfying.
This series is the kind that gets better and better with each volume, and that’s not something I can usually say about much these days, so I was so, so happy to read this. It unfolds throughout and never lets you rest on your laurels, thinking you know for sure what’s going to happen or who will be unveiled to be involved with the main plot or any number of subplots going on at the same time. Beautiful!
I love the characters, and I love how the creator develops their relationships across so many volumes. I felt so fulfilled watching these characters’ arcs unfold the way they did. I want to say more, but I would be spoiling SO MUCH if I did! Just, trust me, you need to go give this series a read, it’s fantastic. It’s no wonder they got a tv adaptation!
I disagree a bit with the jacket copy on this series, describing it as spine chilling. Maybe I’m desensitized by all the horror movies I watch (lol jk it’s a lifetime’s worth of trauma 😂), but this was actually much more of a wagashi-centric drama, romance, thriller for me than a spine chiller. And that is not a bad thing at all! I think this series is so successful in part because of how fluidly it combined so many genres into a seamless and engaging story.
My point is, the jacket copy doesn’t quite do it justice. If you like comics that introduce you to artisan crafts and what goes into making them, this is a comic you want to read. If you like enemies to lovers and/or enemies to friends, this is your comic. If you like mystery and thrillers, this is a comic for you. If you like attention to detail and well designed plots and other aspects of writing as a craft, this is definitely your comic! Odds are very good you’ll like this comic, my friend!
Now, lemme give you a couple warnings, though: there is a lot of showing of abuse, violence, and manipulative, if not gaslighting, behavior in here. There is murder, attempted murder, child neglect, the loss of parents, etc. There are some topics I wish the creator had addressed better, such as the domestic abuse aspects, especially earlier in the series. But I promise you, the story is worth it.
Overall, I love this series so much! I’m in pain waiting in line for books 17-19 from my library right now, and I can’t wait to see how it continues. Please read it so we can talk about it!
Tsubaki sets up a new job so he's working with Nao instead of against her, much to the dismay of his mother and Shiori's distress when she learns the two of them are now at a hot spring resort alone together. She seems to be taking lessons from Tsubaki's father in deceit and tricks, especially with this new claim that she's pregnant. While she's been shadowing Tsubaki, there has been no hint or indication that he's actually started a relationship while there has been mention a few times that he's still looking for Nao. Even when it looks like he may be slightly affectionate with Shiori, he looks to be pained or reminded of something and pulls back, making it hard to believe these new claims, especially with this tinge of desperation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This is mildly predictable but so good I don’t care.
RECAP: we learn about Nao’s days after the fire. Takigawa-san helps her find a workplace in a secluded area and she does well there until police come and inquire about the fire. Flash forward to present where Tsubaki goes and finds Nao. Then another tasting selection. Nao’s bean supplier drops her, she still manages in the end. Her existence is revealed and mom and other shop confectioners see her again. Tsubaki and Nao go to a hot spring, Shiori finds out Tsubaki knows Nao’s back and then says she’s pregnant with Tsubaki’s child 💀
From the first volume, I thought his mother was a vile woman and she's only gotten worse. I have to admit that was dreading more flashbacks, but this is really a fantastic continuation in tone, content, and pacing. Can't wait for 10.
Oh awesome, now I have to deal with a bitchass mother and a jealous baker? Leave Nao alone goddamn. But also? Tsubaki obviously has some tender feelings left towards Nao with how that last chapter ended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This volume was goooood! But the next one is going to be Ben better with all the drama that’s stirring. This is a series I’d LOVE to get animated or even a live action.
Whew, this one was tough. Seeing Nao finally face to face with Tsubaki again is tough. That ending has me very much question what else is gonna happen to Nao.