ロマンスには程遠い

by Amamiya, アマミヤ

田舎の港町にある小さなＩＴ会社「KAMOME」に、ある日、英国人エリートＳＥ・ルイスが入社してくる。古株の営業マン・新（あらた）が面倒を見ることになるが、海向こう式スキンシップや、甘い見た目に反してストレートにものを言うルイスに面食らってばかり。そんなルイスからの視線が気になっていた新だったが、痺れを切らしたルイスから「オレのことまだ思い出せないの？」と言われて……!?　英国紳士部下×平凡リーマン！　田舎の港町で巻き起こる、極上再会ラブ!!

Genres: Manga, Romance, Queer, LGBT, Yaoi, Boys Love, Comics

175 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2021

About the author

Amamiya (アマミヤ is a Japanese author of Boys' Love manga.

Reviews

[Phu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arata Toono - chàng nhân viên văn phòng bình thường, sống và lớn lên tại một thị trấn gần cảng biển hẻo lánh. Thế mà một ngày nọ, tại cái nơi khỉ ho cò gáy đó lại xuất hiện một người nước ngoài, Louis Carter - người đã được nhận vào làm việc và trở thành đồng nghiệp với Arata.



Okay, điều khiến mình hoang mang ở đây, là Louis vốn là "mối tình đầu" của Arata và cả hai vốn đã gặp nhau từ trước Σ( ° △ °|||) Mọi thứ sau đó được lý giải về quá khứ khi cả hai lần đầu gặp nhau (dù đáng yêu nhưng mình vẫn thấy khó tin chút...). Điều mà mình thích thú ở đây chính là Louis - một người với tính cách cởi mở của người phương Tây - sẵn sàng giúp đỡ, luôn hòa đồng cùng với mọi người xung quanh, và Louis cũng luôn yêu mến Nhật bản.

Đây là tác phẩm thứ ba của Amamiya mà mình đọc sau khi ấn tượng với ぼくらのつづき Bokura no Tsudzuki , và thất vọng về 恋だ愛だはさておいて Koi da ai da wa sateoite ; khi đọc xong ロマンスには程遠い Romance ni wa hodo tooi mình mới thốt lên "Đây mới mà Amamiya mà mình muốn đọc!". Bởi quyển này, Amamiya giữ được nhiều sự dễ thương, nhí nhảnh mà không đưa vào nhiều phân đoạn tình dục; vẫn là nét vẽ cute và mình thích nhìn ánh mắt bơ phờ của Arata, các nhân vật phụ cũng đóng góp không ít phần hài hước cho diễn biến ~(‾▿‾~ )  



Thú thật là dù bản thân mình không hẳn thích sự phát triển trong mối quan hệ tình cảm của Arata và Louis. Tác giả đưa vào rất nhiều thứ về văn hóa, ăn uống, công việc một cách dễ thương gắn kết cả hai, nhưng mình cảm thấy chuyện tình của Arata và Louis thiếu chút gì đó... dù họ luôn quan tâm lẫn nhau. Nhưng vẫn chắc chắn và rate 4☆ cho quyển manga nhẹ nhàng và ấm áp này. Mình ấn tượng đoạn Louis chào hỏi bố của Arata, mình vẫn muốn biết thêm về Arata và gia đình.

[Sparkling Lemonade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chinese title: 還算不上是愛情

This has 神率 of 55.3% on Chil-Chil!
4-4.5 ⭐️

I’ve re-read this manga a few times and each time I’d discover some new clues and interesting details left by Amamiya-sensei. The vibe of the story is a bit similar to Blue! Blue! Blue! I read it calmly tonight sitting in my sofa while burning a scented candle.

For sure it’s a more mature BL story, touching on many facets of life outside of your typical romance plot.
- Many foreigners are attracted to Japanese culture from watching anime/reading manga.
- It’s very difficult for foreigners to plan a travel itinerary when the websites are all in Japanese.
- Otakus are going on anime pilgrimages at lesser known locations in Japan away from the big cities.
- Isolated small towns have declining population and lack tourists.
- Many young people do not want to continue their family business/traditional industries in the countryside.
- The stereotype company culture in Japan, e.g. seniority, high stress, work overtime, put client first.
- When the East meets the West, there would be cultural clash, it’s important to understand and respect the differences.

The seme Lewis Carter (late 20s) is a senior engineer from England recently joined the IT firm, he’s really happy to be able to live in Japan and work in the same firm as the uke. He previously visited this small town in his teens (probably) after watching an animation about Oyster Girls, the uke helped him wrap an onigiri and gave him a tour around town. It left good memories and he was determined to return here to find uke.

The uke 遠野 新 (30) is an ordinary man, a hard working manager in the IT firm, always the last to leave and first to arrive office. He was working part-time in the convenience store during university when he met the seme. The poor guy always thought his first love was a beautiful “girl” with long blonde hair and blue eyes. Coming from a fisherman family, he’s distanced himself from his parents and don’t eat oysters anymore.

The IT firm boss is a small business owner who used to live in the big city, he moved here because he liked the slower pace of life and going fishing in the morning.

The young girl in the firm is also an anime lover, she would cosplay male characters outside of work and is a fujoshi, always watching out and cheering for the seme and uke’s relationship.

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

Amamiya is really good with angst—the blue, longing, the connection, the beauty: it's perfect!! And I can also say the same about her art style which is really one of a kind. Also, Luis is so adorable, I just can't!! I like this so much!! I'm definitely going to read other titles from her, seeing as I also enjoyed her Blue! Blue! Blue! series. Kinda same atmosphere. I'm sure you'll enjoy this, if you liked that series or vice-versa. Although, I liked this one better.

[Marureviere]

It appears that whenever I finish any of Amamiya's works, I am left with a huge ass smile on my face 😩

[Imanewreader ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

i liked it !!

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ayo Favorite mangaka and love all their work so much><

[sage · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[fish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gave me a warm fuzzy feeling!! I need more of this. It is not too long and not too short. Quite impressed how Amamiya managed to make her readers invested with the characters and the story with just enough foundation and build up. I also really like how she showed us what happened in the past without taking too much pages nor chapters.

Far from Romance is a fun short read that will make you giddy and squeal to your pillow or just scream and spew inaudible noises while blushing like you're about to explode and have the urge to bang your head against the wall cuz why couldn't that be me where is my OWN romance?

I would recommend this if you want to fill up your free time with a quick romantic read.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 ⭐️
Es una historia muy linda. Sin embargo, no es una que me haya dejado sin aliento o con un sentimiento de querer leerla de nuevo. Es decir, no me marco para siempre ni tuvo una escena en particular memorable.

Lo más bonito que destaco es la historia de como se conocieron por primera vez, Luis era en serio muy bonito y forman un bonito vinculo aunque haya sido momentáneo.

Quizá algo que no me convenció mientras leía fue que no me di cuenta en que momento comenzaron a tener sentimientos explícitos el uno por el otro. Por parte de Luis era evidente pero con Arata fue algo un poco dificil de ver.

Me pareció que comparado a otras historias de Amamiya a esta le falto más… drama ?? No lo sé, pero sea lo que sea le falto algo más de eso para que el desarrollo se sintiera más orgánico.

[ℂ ✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Veus, en canvi aquest BL sí que m'ha semblat adorable amb una progressió de la història i de la parella protagonista molt tendra :) dos oficinistes que treballen en un poble remot del Japó, l'un local i l'altre un anglès ben plantat que ningú entén per què ha anat a petar en mig del no-res amb el currículum tan bo que té. Resulta que ja es van conèixer anys enrere quan l'anglès va voler visitar el poble en què s'ambienta el seu anime preferit i el local li va fer de guia improvisat pensant-se que era una noia. Es van fer un petó, peò no van perdre el contacte. La relació avança d'una manera molt sana, amb elements culturals que els sorprenen mútuament i amb el dilema de si el japonès és gai o no. Molt cuqui! ♥

[Vera Kabushemeye · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first read this, I thought the art was great and the characters interesting and I was super curious as to where it was going.

Chapter 2 is even more interesting as we learn more about the characters but we're also hit with red flags. That said, the plot seems to lag after that, all the way to the underwhelming ending.

It didn't help that there was the repeated "you have to reject me if you don't like it" kind of consent rather than "do you want this?".

Every time I think about this manga, I think about the beautiful art - and it really is amazing! - but I can't recommend it because it's not that entertaining and it has red flags.

[Le monde de Ruon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn’t a full 5 star for me but it still made my heart go boom boom, it’s not just a cute fluffy story although it’s undeniably cute, it’s also very angsty which I’m living for! The author draws very tiny yet extremely powerful scenes (just 3 panels of someone going from uninterested to interested, or just 3 panels of hands touching and caressing) that are fucking beautiful, I’m in a full blown reading spree of Amamiya sensei’s works rn

[Mari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe my expectations were too high. This was missing something for me. Any time a westerner is portrayed it is a little....distracting? We are always smooching people randomly I have noticed 🤔 The ml is British, but had more of a default westerner vibe?? I think I was too caught up in the cheese to appreciate the story? Idk something was lacking. It still is cute, and lowkey. The author does meditative emotional stuff really well

[Demian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es bastante ligero sin una trama demasiado pesada, si la pareja es cierto tarda un poco es porq Arata aún procesaba el hecho de estar con un chico, pero eso en parte es realista no todos se les hace fácil. Así q si es lindo el manga y siempre se busco consentimiento cosa q amo q pase en sea en libros o la vida real.

[⛧⸸ dennis ⸸⛧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely one of the most wholesome BLs I've read. I just really adored how Louis didn't force his feelings on Arata and just allowed him to process everything at his own pace. There should be more consensual BLs like that, not gonna lie - still I'm happy to see such a change in this genre after so many years, even if that change is still in-progress!

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fajna przyjemna manga z nieco powtarzającym się już motywem - bohaterowie spotkali się wcześniej,zapałali do siebie uczuciami,a teraz spotykają się znów po kilku latach.
Generalnie, jest to raczej miła manga idealna na odstresowanie się i dlatego ją polecam,
ocena: 5/5

[eesee · Rating 3 out of 5]

— 3.5 stars


I told in my last read (my first story from Amamiya) that I’d keep an eye out on this author because they could be the next person to give me a great read, and ohhh, this came close.

I also noticed this time that THE PANEL WORK OF AMAMIYA?!??! Stunning. Amazing. Unique. Wow.

[Ethelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Le graphisme est super beau ♥️

[Alien Josten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would gladly read more from them.

[KIKI · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to read more, it was so good.

[Ewelina Moc · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. Dużo się uśmiechałam i naprawdę spodobała mi się ta historia.

[Yaresdi Rodríguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es bueno.

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐

[nita · Rating 2 out of 5]

the art and paneling were gorg and the premise seemed cute which is why i really wanted to like this but the romance itself was icky imo

[Gege · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es muy tierno, me gusto la química entre los personajes. Pero hubiera querido que hubieran profundizado más acerca de la relación de ambos personajes. Aun así es una historia muy linda

[Hysope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cute

[Chie (Meepeeee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

a cutie patootie

[Annabeth_book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bardzo przyjemna historia ❤️

[lulu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amamiya’s illustrations are gorgeous as always, but this plot is way too bland. Unseasoned chicken with plain white rice.

[ross! ★ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ Las mejores historias siempre son bien cortitas 😭😭