This was such a wholesome read! I have no idea why it was sitting on my TBR for as long as it did.
The story follows office worker Kiichi who’s burnt out but also lonely. Although he wouldn’t agree with the latter as he believes he’s done with romance. This alone was relatable for me because I am in the exact same situation so it was easy to connect and understand Kiichi’s emotions. I liked how his reactions and mannerism reflected this tiredness and absence.
However, Kiichi’s life takes a turn when he has a chance encounter with Nao after he gets blackout drunk. Nao is a very cute, understanding and strong character. At first I was skeptical but as the story unfolds, I started to understand his character and things started making sense. By the end of the volume, I loved Nao’s character and was cheering for their relationship.
The relationship between Kiichi and Nao is really lovely. It’s positive and filled with clear communication. I loved how there was zero room for any misunderstandings to occur and both characters knew what they wanted. This is supported by the shorter list of side characters, however they also had their highlights! Additionally, I loved how Kiichi really cherished and took care of Nao. He didn’t rush to get into sex post confession instead, he put Nao’s health and safety as the priority. Kiichi is truly a gentleman and Nao is lucky to have him as his partner!
The plot primarily revolves around Kiichi and Nao’s relationship. There is a bit of drama related to Nao’s past however it doesn’t last very long. Honestly that was such a clearly communicated scene that I was surprised it even existed. The main couple has an age gap; less than ten years difference. Honestly, it didn’t bother me because they were adults and they didn’t second guess their emotions or decisions for too long. They knew what they wanted after thinking things through. Also, the story doesn’t focus too heavily on their work or school life.
The artwork is expressive. There are a lot of iconographic scenes but also subtle changes in the characters body language aside from facial expressions. For example, the lead in for soft looking hugs; the gentle head pats; the anxiety foot taps; Kiichi guiding Nao’s chin for a kiss, and many more. I liked these little but meaningful actions because it makes the movement within the story come to life and adds emotions to the scenes.
Overall, I really enjoyed this manga. It was a wholesome read with very limited drama. It is a simple and common story but it’s done well. It’s sad that it’s only one volume but I’ll be looking forward to more from this author!
Finally Miyata Toworu sensei drew a healing manga about working grown ups! Her style is suited for high school and university life stories, pure and innocent. The artist’s gentle storytelling and cute characters provide warmth, like a cup of hot tea with cozy blanket.
The plot is nothing new, the start of their relationship is a bit cliche, the seme came back from his best friend’s wedding and got drunk at a bar, the uke is the pt bar tender who took care of him after closing time.
The uke is like a teddy bear angel, so soft and sweet. Whenever the seme needs recharging he would get hug therapy delivery from the uke. Haha~
From the beginning the uke’s already been interested in the responsible gentleman seme, but afraid to get too close because of the player ex-bf he had back in high school.
Awww it’s so nice to get some cuddle time after a long tiring day at work… These two are so adorable together, being really understanding of each other’s busy schedule and trying to squeeze time for dates.
Sehr süß! Ich mochte die Idee mit der Umarmungstherapie total und die beiden Hauptcharaktere sind sehr sympathisch. Außerdem gab es kein unnötiges Drama und Sex war mal nicht im Fokus. Yay!
Ein sehr süßer BL, mit einem Age Gap von 10 Jahren, der aber eigentlich kaum Thema war und den man auch kaum gemerkt hat. Beide Chars waren sehr niedlich, die Idee mit dem umarmen war cute, wenn auch etwas ... seltsam? Immerhin kennen sich beide gar nicht und es wird auch nicht sooo wirklich weiter drauf eingegangen, wieso Nao das überhaupt angeboten hat x,D so... yeah. Aber es ist hübsch gezeichnet, liest sich schnell und irgendwie war das alles wholesome, also ja. War einfach süß.
Nachdem mir Living with him schon gut gefallen hat, war mir eigentlich klar, dass Free Hugs for you only auch nur schön sein kann. Obwohl Titel und Cover mich eher nicht anziehen. Und ich wurde nicht enttäuscht. Die Geschichten von Nao und Kiichi ist respektvoll und warm. Obwohl ich beide Charaktere nicht zu 100% richtig fassen konnte, mochte ich sie sehr. Wahrscheinlich lag das daran, das Kiichi sehr offen kommuniziert, was er denkt und Nao so eine rücksichtsvolle Art an den Tag legt. Für Liebhaber von sanften BLs definitiv eine Empfehlung.
“Free Hugs for you only” ist ein wirklich sehr süßer Manga. Der Zeichenstil gefällt mir sehr gut genauso wie das Design vom Cover und die farbigen Seiten am Anfang!!
Kiichi ist Angestellter bei einer Firma und findet hin und wieder Trost bei einer Bar, bei der er bereits mit dem Inhaber einen Vertrag abgeschlossen hat. Eines Abends schläft er dort ein. Als er dann mitten in der Nacht aufwacht, sitzt der in der Bar Angestellte Nao neben ihm. Schon bald kommen sich die beiden näher und die sogenannte “Umarmungstherapie” lässt die Nähe zwischen Kiichi und Nao immer öfter zu.
Die beiden Hauptcharaktere sind wirklich sehr harmonisch zusammen, da sie einen ähnlichen Charakter aufweisen. Obwohl sie einen Altersunterschied von 10 Jahren haben, merkt man das nicht wirklich in deren Beziehung. Beide sind recht ruhig und hören nur auf ihr Herz. Die Hintergrundgeschichten von Kiichi und Nao finde ich auch schön ausgeschmückt, da diese ihre herzensgute Seite zum Ausdruck bringen.
Un BL que comença amb una premissa un pèl enrevessada, però que és molt cuqui i millora per moments. Un oficinista cremadíssim de 29 anys de tornada del casament del seu millor amic, a qui va prometre que si seguien tots dos solters als 30 viurien junts, entra en un bar i agafa un pet com un piano. Quan es desperta veu que un jove cambrer l'ha deixat dormir una estona al bar i, sense que tingui gaire sentit ni sigui versemblant, el prota el convida a casa a dormir perquè ha perdut l'últim tren. Els dos desconeguts acaben xerrant i explicant-se les penes: el cambrer li fa veure a l'oficinista que estava enamorat del seu millor amic i li ofereix una abraçada per animar-lo. La cosa no va més enllà aquella nit, però es va forjant una amistat entre ells que generarà cert conflicte intern a l'oficinista (per la diferència d'edat i perquè comença a sentir coses per algú del mateix sexe) i també al noi, que té un historial amorós un pèl traumàtic. Malgrat els estira-i-arronses, tot va bé si acaba bé i fan una parella moníssima ♥
The first hug was so sweet and wholesome. Just one person offering comfort to another during a rough time in their life.
I loved this so much. Kiichi and Nao are both such sweet guys, beautiful inside and out. They have their own hangups, but not in a way that creates major drama in the story. Kiichi has never really been in love and doesn't quite know how to connect with people in the romantic sense, and Nao has hurt from the past that he's never let himself cry over. They provide each other with a safe space from the start, even before they know much about each other.
This is also SO REFRESHING in that it acknowledges things like sexual harassment (Kiichi not wanting to bug Nao for more hugs early on or compliment him in case it's inappropriate) in an actual healthy way unlike a lot of manga, boundaries, and consent (not just sexual). Like, one hundred thousand star rating for that stuff alone. This is perfection.
Sakuraba - or Kiichi - isn't good with relationships and his only long-lasting friendship just stuttered when his bestie got married. Kiichi can't figure out why he feels so desolate...until he gets drunk one night and ends up innocently letting the part-time bar worker, Nao Kijima stay over. Not only does Nao see how much Kiichi must have loved his friend, but he offers free hug therapy to help him recover.
What begins as a really super-cute, innocent hug therapy eventually evolves into catching feelings for each other. Except, Nao has some issues after being hurt in the past.
There's definite hurt/comfort, bi-awakening and a really sweet, lovely story.
"This whole time I probably wanted someone to give me a hug."
tô encantado e apaixonado por esse mangá, foi uma das coisas mais saudáveis e gostosas que eu já li. o traço do desenho tão lindo e deixou tudo ainda mais fofo.
kiichi e nao são personagens tão queridos, que souberam conversar, se tratavam com todo carinho e o desenvolvimento dos dois juntos foi tão bem feito. um abraço quentinho ler esse mangá e ver um relacionamento tão saudável assim.
4.5! The perfect manga for anyone who needs a little warmth in their heart. There's an age gap between a student (20 years old) and an office worker (29 years old). Super cute, super understanding, lots of love, and a beautiful journey.
Ugh. So cute and fluffy. Honestly what I needed after the previous manga I read. This one is just sweet and fluffy and low angst without being boring. Very much enjoyed it.
This is still unfinished, so I can't review the whole manga, but I read as much as was available... And it was pretty good! Not gonna give it a higher rating than 3 stars yet tho, because I don't know if I'm gonna like the rest of the manga, but I am looking forward to finishing it someday!