Something's Wrong With Us, Vol. 3

私たちはどうかしている [Watashitachi wa Dōka Shiteiru] #3

by Natsumi Andō

CONSUMED

The proprietress has caught onto Nao's true identity, and will do anything to kick her out. But one day, a woman appears, claiming to be Nao's mother and covering for her. As Nao chases the bare threads of connections to her real mother, Tsubaki remains close behind. The two grow further intertwined after overcoming the Shirafujiya incident, incurring the wrath of the old master, and sharing a room... But trust is far from the Kogetsuan home where Tsubaki admits to Nao that if he ever saw Sakura again, he'd make Sakura disappear.

Genres: Manga, Romance, Mystery, Josei, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Thriller

160 pages, Paperback

First published September 13, 2017

About the author

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

Reviews

[vin .ᐟ (hiatus)]

when i'm in a serving cunt competition and my opponent is this manga: ( ꩜ ᯅ ꩜;)

[Dilushani Jayalath · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story seems so mediocre. I was hoping for something of a mystery romance but what you get is a typical manga with a storyline that has been used and reused.

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ya'll....it's the damn tension for me and the twists and turns. Who the hell was the woman who popped up!? And now I'm so indecisive about who really killed that man's father. At this point, I feel as though it could be anyone. This series is going to keep me on the edge of my seat. I see that now. I'm not really sure what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't this. There is so much tension between Nao and Tsubaki. It's clear that their feelings are teetering from being fake for the grandfather to being real. And don't get me started on the food included in each volume. I'm loving that readers get to learn so much about Japanese culture while reading this manga. That isn't something that always happens and I'm glad that it shows up here.

[Mizuki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like the part when the heroine's supposed 'mother' shows up out of the blue. Lol


Plus I guess at this point it's rather obvious who the real murderer is, but the heroine has no way to prove that person guilty.


Then there's another plot twist! This time you wouldn't have guessed this person is the traitor! I even like the person's reasoning and backstory!

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really dislike stories built around a big lie, especially when the creator is constantly putting the lie in jeopardy of being exposed.

While the first volume had some energy, the ongoing series seems to have settled into generic soap opera ridiculousness.

There are some plot points I find intriguing with the supporting players, but the main couple isn't particularly special, so I'm going to cut my losses here.



FOR REFERENCE:

Contents: Chapter 11. Spring, 15 Years Ago -- Chapter 12. The "Mother" -- Chapter 13. Trapped in a Room -- Chapter 14. Sweets for a Tea Ceremony -- Chapter 15. The Tea Room -- [Acknowledgments] -- A Short Story: The Kitten and Tsubaki -- Translation Notes

[Cristina Patón · Rating 4 out of 5]

mc: something is wrong with me

me: that's right!

[✶meow for heals✶ · Rating 4 out of 5]

30 Nov. '20
This is a rating and review of the first three volumes.

Story: ☆☆☆
Art: ☆☆☆☆

Sakura's mother worked as a live-in confectioner for the famed Kogetsuan wagashi shop until she was accused of murdering her employer and owner of the family business, Takatsuki Itsuki, leaving her daughter orphaned(?) when she dies before her trial.

Fifteen years later, Sakura has changed her name to Nao Hanaoka, and as fate (or meddling parties as of yet supposedly unknown though I may have an inkling) has it, crosses paths with her childhood friend--Takatsuki Tsubaki--the boy who accused Nao's mother of murdering his father.

Long story short, Tsubaki proposes to Nao as an excessive way of cancelling his existing wedding plans. Nao, who's set on clearing her mother's name and finding out the truth, obviously agrees to this charade.
Three volumes later, they are battling against both Takatsuki and Kogetsuan politics where everyone seems to hate everyone, and battling against their own growing attraction to each other.

The story is so far promising, and our main lead Nao at least attempts to dig into the past and follow-up on clues pertaining to her mother's time working for Kagetsuan. I would not say her plans have (so far) been particularly clever (I mean, faking an order from an important and loyal customer and expecting no one to find out that it's a fake order? What the actual f*ck?) but at least she drives the plot forwards, and you can't say that about a lot of protagonists in this genre.

Of course as is typical of this genre (and mangas in general), there are still conveniences that test my patience--such as the fake mother coming in and saving Nao just as she's being interrogated about her parentage and childhood. My issue is not so much that there's no way Nao's unknown helper could know she would be interrogated about her parentage, but more the convenient timing of it all.

Minor as they may be, things like this are still worthy of an eyeroll and a -1 star deduction in my book.

That said, I'm still looking forward to the next volumes, and to the inevitable moment Tsubaki discovers Nao's true identity.

[Kira Thebookbella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a genre I didn't know I wanted. But really enjoying these.

[Keiko, the manga enthusiast ♒︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, this is getting better and better and I'm hopelessly hooked. Also, I loved how detailed they are about food and its cultural meaning and value. This series screams authentic japanese. I mean, it literally took my appreciation for the country in a whole new level. It's actually what I find most fun in this manga. And I like the main couple's love and hate relationship. Tsubaki's unpredictability may somehow get on my nerves, but I love how the story goes.

[Shae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I continue to really enjoy the journey of this series, and each volume leaves me wanting more from the next one. I am truly on the edge of my seat!

[givememycheetos · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️
AAAAAAAA BUENÍSIMO, todos estan mal de la cabeza

[Ａｎｔｈｏｐｈｉｌｅ 🪴 · Rating 4 out of 5]

You gotta know him to know the truth Sakura. "I think i'm starting to fall for you as a woman". Am i getting close to the truth? This moving at a good pace, so many things about wagashi and tea plus dark thrilling romance. Tsubaki had a rough childhood, poor him. Sakura also had a rough one plus false accusations of killing.

[Pretty Book Guardian · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 an asshole with bad communication skills that knows how to make tea

[Hisgirl85 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. After a very fast paced two volumes this meandered. I'm almost on the fence with this one and am kind of over the whole Nao vs. Ssakura thing. Sure, dude...you admire and love Nao but if she is Sakura she can gtfo. Fickle and stubborn to a point of stupidity...a dude that may be tstl? Meanwhile the mystery in the background which felt intriguing is now annoying. I blame the expectations of a third fast read after two fast paced volumes, but getting a steady and wandering pace instead. Things that didn't annoy me b/c it was so quick now have me saying "you do this again and I'm out."

[✮Octjillery✮ · Rating 3 out of 5]

We're getting somewhere, I guess.

So far, a lot of this has been predictable. I hope it throws me for a loop when it's revealed who actually murdered Tsubaki's father, because it's been hella obvious since the start.

[Ardin Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to get my hands on the next volume. I'm loving this series so much. I'm a sucker for mysteries as it is...but like the plotting, the tension...I don't want to give any spoilers!
This is so good! I highly recommend.

[marlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whiplash

They are growing closer as a couple, but this guy needs to learn how to communicate OML

Thoughts while reading:

- BRO SAY SOMETHING
- Who is this women
- ARE YOU SERIOUS
- He got worrieddd as he should
- Dammm he protected her
- AHHHHHHHHHHHHH WHAT IS SHE GOING TO SAY

[Librarian Jessie (BibliophileRoses) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This screams potential yandere vibes. Dude legit locked her in a closet like Cinderella to protect her from her evil mother in law.

[Katya · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALL THIS DRAMA! I love it ❤️

[Jessi · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[faatima]

This will be a collective review of the first through third volumes.

As a fan of Natsumi Ando's attention to detail with the variety of desserts she's illustrated across the course of her career, when translated scans of this series were finally available, I couldn't resist! Something's Wrong With Us follows Nao, the daughter of a traditional Japanese pastry chef accused of murdering her employer fifteen years prior by none other than his son, Tsubaki, a boy whom Nao befriended in at the time. In the present day, Nao coincidentally crosses paths with Tsubaki when they compete to provide pastries for the same client, and Tsubaki, incredibly intrigued by her, offers Nao a wedding proposal. Despite all of her apprehensions, Nao takes the offer and goes undercover, determined to uncover the truth behind her mother's framing while keeping her real identity a secret, and desperate not to fall for Tsubaki all over again.

TW's: physical and verbal parental abuse & parental death.

PROS:
- The set-up. Obviously, there's plenty of media out there about women marrying into families due to ulterior motives related to revenge, but I like how Ando cleverly weaves this premise with the very real hierarchy of the world of wagashi, or traditional Japanese sweets. There are specific rules regarding etiquette, seniority, and succession that further ground this story in its setting and distinguish it from others with a similar emotional premise, and I appreciate that!
- The sweets! As a tangent to the first point, I also love that Ando never fails to leave sweets as a secondary side piece to the plot. The intricacies of wagashi are always prevalent throughout the course of the narrative, and we learn about how these pastries are made, what they signify in terms of cultural motifs, and how they're properly served so as to honor guests. It's even better that the use of wagashi parallels directly to plot progressions and motifs.

CONS:
- Pacing. This is a problem I see in a lot of shoujo series that I think can be attributed to the fact that it's not as well-marketed a genre as shounen, so mangaka have less of a guarantee that their series will be allowed to survive for long, hence their plots are often straight and to the point. I personally like to see characters marinate in plot progressions, though, so the quick pacing and escalation of events here was somewhat jarring and made me feel unable to connect strongly to the characters, despite their circumstances and motives being fairly compelling.

FINAL RATING: 3

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of the time in a romance, the characters having sex seals the deal, but the deal feels much more tenuous here, especially since Nao continues to keep her secret from Tsubaki and the rest of the household. Her ability to think--and tell lies--on her feet does her well when a woman claiming to be her mother arrives at Kogetsuan's door.

Things between Nao and the proprietress are getting more intensely personal. That scene with the kimino with the camellia motif was chilling! Still, without a good idea of why the proprietress is acting this way, this reader mostly finds her to be a flat, ornamental comb-twirling villain.

The wagashi-centered foodie manga aspect of the story is kept in the background in the first half of this volume, but comes to the forefront again as Tsubaki is specifically called upon to create otoshibumi (a specific type of wagashi) for a tea ceremony. The old master tells Tsubaki he has been invited to the ceremony, and will refuse to eat the sweets that Tsubaki has created. Since Tsubaki's dominant hand has been injured in a trope-y "flowerpot dropped from above" incident that was aimed at Nao, she offers to work together with Tsubaki to create sweets that will be irresistible to the old master despite his determination.

This is quite unusual among the foodie manga I've read so far, which have placed a good deal of emphasis on sympathy as a component that's just as important to food preparation as good ingredients or technique are. That does exist here, too, but nestled close to the idea that hatred can be swapped in for sympathy depending on the circumstances. Nao's fighting a war on a couple of different fronts: her love for creating wagashi, and whatever she's aiming for in inveigling herself into this household. The date for her marriage to Tsubaki on the 23rd--a butsumetsu day of bad omens--is approaching, and maybe it will help her get closer to both of her goals.

I'm waffling between three and four stars for this one. I enjoyed a lot of it, but feel the storytelling could be both denser and more intense, and the art is slightly sloppy at times.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today’s post is on Something's Wrong With Us, Vol. 3 by Natsumi Andō. It is 160 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover has Nao and Tsubaki on it looking up at the reader. As it is the third in the series, you need to have read the first two volumes in the series to understand the story. There is mild foul language, mild sex and sexuality, and mild violence in this volume. The intended reader is someone who likes dark, mature thriller love stories. The story is told from third person close of the main character, Nao. There Be Spoilers Ahead.
From the back of the book- CONSUMED

The proprietress has caught onto Nao's true identity, and will do anything to kick her out. But one day, a woman appears, claiming to be Nao's mother and covering for her. As Nao chases the bare threads of connections to her real mother, Tsubaki remains close behind. The two grow further intertwined after overcoming the Shirafujiya incident, incurring the wrath of the old master, and sharing a room... But trust is far from the Kogetsuan home where Tsubaki admits to Nao that if he ever saw Sakura again, he'd make Sakura disappear.


Review- Nao is getting really over her head with this family when someone, probably Tsubaki’s mother, tries to kill her. Tsubaki is now starting to trust her but he doubts himself more than he doubts anyone else and that is impressive because he really shouldn’t trust anyone in that house, not even Nao. But Nao has someone on the outside helping her and covering for her for some reason and they are still a mystery as of the ending of this volume. Tusbaki’s mother is much more complicated than I first thought as she is scheming something that she can only do if Tsubaki gets control of the house. This is a very intense thriller with everyone lying to everyone for their own secret needs from revenge to power. You can’t help but be drawn in.


I give this volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

So plot twist. It seems like Tsubaki's dad was the one having an affair. With Nao's mom!!! So if they were messing around, did she kill him because he wouldn't leave his wife? Or did Tsubaki frame her? Plus my mind automatically went to what if Tsubaki and Nao are siblings?!? I can't remember if Nao's dad was ever mentioned. Or how long her mom worked for Tsubaki's family. But I'm not gonna lie it'll be a nice and juicy twist if they are related since they seem to be developing feelings for each other.


Now there was one trope that happened that I didn't care for. And it's the "I'll do something terrible to you because you are in danger. But I won't tell you, you are in danger. Which causes you to run off straight into said danger. And I'll have to save you and get hurt instead" trope.
It plays out like this: Tsubaki finds out that Nao is in danger which I don't believe happens on screen. But he locks her in a room at the far end of the house which of course no one visits. He planned to keep her there for week under the guise that she was visiting her mom. She of couse freaks because she's been locked away and because she thinks he's figured out who she really is. She manages to get past him when he brings her food. She runs right into some shadowy figure trying to drop some heavy pot or something of the like on her head. Tsubaki shields her in time only to get injured himself! And of couse she feels terrible and must be by his side and nurse him back to health.
Why he didn't just tell her what was up I don't know. Since at first at least, he didn't have any feelings for her. People tend to fall into line and do what they are told when they know what is going on as opposed to when they are kept in the dark.

[Gita Karmani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yaa makin menjengkelkan sih ya 😂

Ibunya Tsubaki berusaha utk mengintimidasi Nao utk spill identitas aslinya, dgn memakaikan kimono berwarna merah darah dgn motif mawar, yg mengingatkan Nao dgn traumanya, sekaligus phobia yg dia alami.

Nao berkata kalo ibunya udah meninggal karena kecelakaan lalu lintas, tp tiba2 ada perempuan misterius yg mengakui dirinya sbg Ibu kandung Nao--yg ternyata seorang pemilik kedai pub di Shirafujiya, mengaku kalo dia disuruh oleh customer nya (om2 yg memberi Nao harapan ttg kebenaran kematian ibunya) utk berperan sbg ibu Nao. Dia memberi Nao sebuah kartu nama (identitas aslinya) jikalau Nao ingin bertemu dgn om2 yg di balik bayangan membantunya. Tp sayangnya kartu nama itu ketahuan oleh ibunya Tsubaki yg diam2 ngacak2 kamar tp ketahuan sama Tsubaki. Yg bikin Tsubaki ngurung Nao di ruang peralatan, sekaligus menantang Nao jika dia memang menyukai wagashi, dia gak seharusnya pergi keluar kogetsu-an. Nao awalnya panik tp menikmati dikurung di ruang peralatan, dia menemukan alat2 pembuat wagashi, sekaligus buku resep yg ditulis ibunya.

Ibunya pny rencana besar yaitu menjadikan Tsubaki pewaris kogetsu-an, shg dia menghalalkan segala cara. Tsubaki mulai kelihatan kyk benci ibunya, dan tiba2 menentukan tanggal pernikahan dgn Nao sekaligus meminta Nao belajar seni upacara minum teh, sbg prasyarat kalo mereka menikah Nao harus melihat dunia yg dilihat oleh Tsubaki. Dan gak direstui sama kakeknya dong 😂

[Carissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The lead characters are both definitely messed up. I was very worried when the ml held the fl hostage. That was not ok. I wish he would have to told her why and I think she would’ve understood. They both hold secrets from eachother and lie, but are clearly falling for eachother. I’m not a fan of building a relationship on lies and distrust, but they think it’s ok because of circumstances. This spells trouble and I hope they change for the better soon or there will be some hurting.
The ml’s mother is conniving. I’m not sure why she is so hateful but I am curious about it. I can understand why she wouldn’t like the fl’s mother but I don’t understand why she hates the fl or it seems people in general.
The ml’s grandpa is also really mean. I know he doesn’t think the ml is his grandson by blood, but still, I don’t understand why he is so mean.
The mystery of this story is alluring and keeps me wanting to know more.
I like that there is illumination of an art form in food that’s incorporated in the story. It’s interesting to learn about something I didn’t know anything about. Now I want to eat some haha

[Jasmin Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diese Manga-Reihe ist quasi eine japanische Telenovela in Comicform. Japp, genau das habe ich geschrieben. Intrigen, Mord, Selbstmord, Affären, Sex, Freiheitsberaubung, Körperverletzung und versuchter Mord und das bisher nur in drei Bänden. Man kann diesem Manga nicht vorwerfen, dass er mit seiner Geschichte nur so vor sich hinplätschert, ganz im Gegenteil. Es passiert so viel, dass es einfach kitschig unrealistisch wird.
Nao will ihre Vergangenheit ergründen wird dabei aber immer weiter in das Netz von Intrigen der Takatsuki Familie gezogen. Tsubaki, Naos Verlobter, ist dabei eher ein Antiheld. Er selbst ist grausam, tief verletzt, ehrgeizig und unnachgiebig gegenüber Nao. Ich würde diesen Manga definitiv nicht als Shojo einstufen, fast schon eher Drama oder Thriller.

[Jess | jadecanread · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yeah, I can't put this down now haha.

RECAP: Mom is about to call out Nao's secret but a random ass woman shows up saying she's Nao's mom and gives her legitimacy. Tsubaki then locks Nao in the storage room and she's stuck there at his mercy. Then she seduces him to run out but the moment she's out, someone tries to drop a pot on her and Tsubaki takes the hit to keep her safe. He injures herself, she finds out he locked her away for her safety. Then his dominant hand is out of commission and she accepts an order on his behalf. He teaches her the way of the tea ceremony, she figures some things out about him, and volume ends with him asking her if she's Sakura.

[Kye · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume took an interesting turn. Especially in light of the way volume 2 ended. While still mostly unlikeable, Tsubaki is growing on me. He's still mossy but I'm enjoying watching him learn to express his emotions and sus out his feelings for Nao. Nao on the other hand is still mostly tiresome to me as her transition from friends to enemies to friends is not following the most logical path in my mind. It draws away from the story at times for me, but it's a josei so I'm ready for the real romance to start to blossom.

[R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not too surprising they can work well together making wagashi, though Tsubaki doesn't let Nao have much voice in the final decisions and seems to be educating her more than working with her. Meanwhile they continue to gravitate closer together and now she's being asked from multiple people to confirm if she's the Sakura of their childhood. Might be a bit of out of the frying pan and into the fire.