fireflowerhanabi

[fireflowerhanabi]

Fairy Cat - Review

[Summary from MangaDex]

A slightly mysterious and heartwarming story about the smallest cat in the world and a high school boy. A fantastic cat named Tenohira Neko, small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, appears to Kanade, a first-year high school student. He is told that if he likes it, it will live with him…?

Click "read more" to read the full review.

The Basic Premise: A tiny fairy cat and its daily adventures with a high school student. Super cute!

My Review: Absolutely adorable. The fairy cat, while being mystically tiny and vaguely "magical," is still very much a cat with all of the adorable cat behaviours to match. A slow and episodic "short-story" styled manga, this publication focuses on conveying the appeal of a very small cat to its reader and not much else. No real plot to speak of, other than that the cat is cute.

Overall: Adorably depicted, slow-paced cat fantasy. The art style enhances the appeal! Recommend for cat lovers who want to read something to unwind.

[fireflowerhanabi]

Kottou Nekoya (Antique Cat Shop) - Review

[Summary taken from mangadex]

A girl with a scarred heart stops by an antique shop. There she meets the talking cat Bonten and the shopkeeper… a slightly fantastical story of bonds between cat and man.

Click "read more" for the full review.

The Basic Premise: A series of slice-of-life stories that revolve around magical cats are grouped into a manga in an "anthology" style. These magical cats help various people solve their problems, from the Taishou era all the way to modern Japan.

My Review: Cute! And very well-drawn. Each chapter is a mini-drama, meant to wrap up neatly and satisfyingly by its end, and it accomplishes its task well. There's a bit of continuity between the chapters with the magic antique shop cat, but it's honestly not too strongly emphasized so far. The art style is very pretty, it reminds me of old ink-wash paintings and has a great grasp of how to convey light and shadow in a way I don't see often. The cats are cute, the stories are heartwarming, and the magical aspect colors everything with a whimsical light.

Overall: I recommend if you're a cat lover. It's not terribly long, and not absolutely amazing in its storytelling, but it does what it sets out to do: draw adorable cats and tell nice, sweet stories.

[fireflowerhanabi]

Odayaka Kizoku no Kyuuka no Susume - Review

[Summary taken from TokyoPop]

When Lizel mysteriously finds himself in a city that bears odd similarities to his own but clearly isn't, he quickly comes to terms with the unlikely truth: this is an entirely different world. Even so, laid-back Lizel isn't the type to panic. He immediately sets out to learn more about this strange place, and to help him do so, hires a seasoned adventurer named Gil as his tour guide and protector.

Until he's able to find a way home, Lizel figures this is a perfect opportunity to explore a new way of life adventuring as part of a guild. After all, he's sure he'll go home eventually... might as well enjoy the otherworldly vacation for now!

Click "read more" to read the full review!

The Basic Premise: This slice of life, relatively low-stakes transmigration manga (originally a light novel) follows the adventures of Lizel and his adventuring companions as they tackle problems in this (to him) new world.

My Review: With charming characters and a clean and pleasing artstyle, this manga is great for a lighter read. Lizel is a "hidden boss" type of character -- while seemingly a bit out-of-touch and easygoing, he's got a lot of unanswered questions about his life before transmigrating and is frighteningly clever when he needs to be. Still, this manga's occasional political maneuvering plots don't detract from its main relaxing appeal.

Something else interesting about the story is that Lizel isn't from "modern Japan" or anything; instead, he's from an adjacent world (implied to be the future? maybe?), and his friends from his original world are putting in the work to get him back. I found this a refreshing take on the isekai genre, and appreciated the additional level of intrigue that it added to the story.

Another note: a lot of this manga is about "brotherhood" between Lizel and his hired bodyguard, Gil, amongst other characters. He acquires a group of men who admire and respect him not unlike a traditional isekai "harem," and there are those in the comments who are shocked it isn't tagged as BL. Indeed, it's not tagged as BL -- while there are hints, it never goes beyond what could be considered extremely close friendly intimacy. Regardless of whether romantic implications, I did enjoy the strong relationship between Gil and Lizel. They trust each other and play a stoic-ditzy duo that's fun to watch interact.

Overall: As advertised, this is a fairly standard relaxing "isekai" style manga, which maintains its overall pleasant atmosphere and surprisingly mildly interesting plot throughout. Its strengths lie in its pleasant art style and Lizel as a protagonist, who manages to walk the line between charmingly obtuse and scarily powerful very well, along with his bonds with his friends. Read if you'd like a lighthearted story with strong male friendships.

[fireflowerhanabi]

Nikubami Honegishimi - Review

[Summary taken from Mangadex] Riding the unprecedented occult boom, Inubosaki, an editor of a third-rate occult magazine, is covering strange incidents with her cameraman Asama, who is also psychic. As Asama's psychic powers draw them together, the two encounter a number of terrifying and bizarre phenomena. Meanwhile, in the present day, 2023, an elderly Asama is visited by someone claiming to be Inubosaki's nephew.

The Basic Premise: Told through photographer Asama's flashbacks, this horror manga hooks the readers in through a mystery: What happened to Inubousaki to make her look so horrific upon death? Her nephew, eager to answer this question, speaks to Asama. As he tells stories of their time spent hunting down phenomena, secrets come to light.

My review: Genuinely gripping. With a striking art style and unique horror scenarios, this manga had me hooked from the very first chapter. The narrative structure works very well, too; Inubousaki is lively and kind in both Asama and her nephew's memories, but her horrific and unnaturally warped face in death draws the reader in and makes you wonder just what happened. Asama and Inubousaki are also interesting characters. The manga is only 5 or so chapters in at this point, but they play the typical gloomy-peppy duo during their past adventures. However, it's obvious that there's more to their backstory - who is the mysterious young girl calling Asama's name? Why is Inubousaki so fixated on these phenomena? It really kept me reading.

I mentioned unique horror scenarios earlier, and I think it's one of this manga's greatest strengths. While stories like kuchisake-onna and other common folklore can be genuinely interesting, Nikubami Honegishimi's striking phenomena that (as far as I can tell) don't seem to be connected to any existing horror stories really let the storytelling and artwork shine, giving the reader new thrills with each chapter.

Overall: A thrilling horror manga with a palpable sense of dread. Great if you want some REALLY cool visuals, avoid if you can't tolerate body horror (which is the premise for quite a lot of scares). Still ongoing, but I definitely think it's worth keeping an eye on.

[fireflowerhanabi]

The Knight and Her Emperor - Review

This manga features a female knight, Pollyanna, who is sent to the military by her parents to fight despite her gender. As she displays her hard work and talent, she becomes increasingly renowned as a fighter, until she meets an aspiring emperor whose goals she admires.

The Basic Premise: As a female knight, Pollyanna faces much discrimination and opposition in her journey despite her outstanding talent. When she meets a soon-to-be king, Lucius, she's struck by his conviction and ambitions and swears her loyalty to him. It's a long slow-burn story that tackles gender discrimination and a more realistic look at medieval fantasy.

My Review: I enjoyed this, but it's definitely not for readers who want an escapist fantasy. One thing I was particularly impressed with was the author's handling of the female characters - they give them realistic personalities and nuances, and the realities of their lives as women in a male-dominated world aren't pushed aside or ignored. In particular, Lucius, Pollyanna's love interest, takes concubines as part of his ascension and need for heirs; these concubines are fleshed out as their own characters, and there isn't any jealousy or scheming drama. Pollyanna, too, was refreshingly realistic. Her view of herself as a "woman" and as a potential romantic interest for Lucius are both very much shaped by her pragmatic personality and masculine presentation, and those don't change just because she falls in love. This manhwa seems to focus more on nuanced portrayals of romance and women's positions in this medieval European setting than entertainment fantasy, and that was something I really enjoyed about it as a whole.

Overall: Give this a try if you're interested in very slow-burn romance that falls on the more realistic side as opposed to flashier fantasy. While some elements felt a a little rushed or confusing, overall this manhwa offers a more realistic and down-to-earth portrayal of women in this kind of era that was refreshing to see.

[fireflowerhanabi]

Thermae Romae - Review

In this unique twist on the isekai genre, an ancient Roman architect stumbles upon a magic bathhouse that transports him to modern-day Japan. He uses the information he finds to solve all sorts of problems back home in his career as an architect.

The Basic Premise: A part-comedy, part historical fantasy episodic fantasy about an architect who solves day-to-day problems for his job utilizing modern technology (or its equivalent). There is a general overarching plot as Lucius is recognized for his talents and innovation, but it's not intended to be a sweeping epic.

My Review: Definitely a fresh take on the isekai genre. The author's art style is interesting; they emulate a more greco-roman style of sketching at times and give some really well-researched historical information while keeping it comedic. The episodic format also works quite well for the manga - it manages to maintain its comedic tones while still having some minor plot. I will say that there are some moments of mild homophobia and insensitive comments that you might expect from a man in Roman society, but it was easy enough to look past and enjoy the manga for what it was.

Overall: Interesting if you're looking for something that'll give you a history lesson at the same time as making you laugh.

[fireflowerhanabi]

A Rare Marriage: How to Grill Our Love - Review

This manga is about the sudden marriage between two people who met online and how they grow closer through their love of cooking and meat!

The basic premise: Another comforting and warm-hearted slice of life! This manga focuses on the development of the relationship between the two main characters, who become husband and wife after meeting on an online dating app. They grapple with everyday worries like how to move forward in their career and how to introduce each other to their family, but manage to continue to find comfort and connection through their mutual love of delicious meat.

My review: A lovely and calming manga that, while lacking in drama, more than makes up for it with the charming characters and delicious depictions of food. The relationship between the two main characters feels sweet but realistic; there’s a bit of awkwardness that you might expect from two newlyweds who haven’t known each other for a long time beforehand but they clearly care for each other.

The side characters were some of my favorite parts of this manga. Their family and their coworkers/friends have their own personalities and storylines that keep the “plot” moving, and I really enjoyed reading about them. I particularly enjoyed the relationship between the wife’s coworker and the husband’s coworker--I thought that was an especially sweet connection that felt realistic.

If I had to name a weakness, it’s that it falls prey to all the tropes of its genre. There’s no real stakes, nothing bad happens, everyone is kind and things work out in the end. This could also be a positive, depending on what you’re looking for, but sometimes you crave something a little meatier (excuse my pun).

Overall: A great husband-and-wife manga that focuses on delicious food and the happy mundane life of a newlywed couple.

[fireflowerhanabi]

Isekai Omotenashi Gohan - Review

This manga features a pair of sisters who get isekai’d into a fantasy world--with a twist. The younger sister is the destined hero, while the older sister happened to tag along for the ride. Her only “real” skill is cooking delicious meals!

The basic premise: Two very close sisters get isekai’d into another world, with the destiny of saving the world! This manga focuses on the older sister as the main character, however, and not the destined savior younger sister. As she cooks delicious meals, she manages to grow closer to the people of this world and make some powerful allies along the way.

My review: It’s a slice-of-life cooking manga, as a lot of my reviews tend to be. The main characters are charming and pleasant, the two sisters are close and loving, and the side characters are somewhat interesting. The food looks delicious too, I especially loved how they didn’t just stick to Japanese dishes when cooking. Seeing how the main character has to make do regarding certain ingredients was also one of my favorite parts of the manga; I rarely see isekai manga like this really acknowledge how the available ingredients might be different in another world.

That being said, I really just couldn’t get into this manga. It objectively hit all the marks, but I could never really grasp a sense of the main character’s personality beyond just a “sweet helpful older sister who cooks”. She does get somewhat of her own arc regarding feeling useless and worried for her sister, but it rang weirdly hollow for me when they did try it. I unfortunately dropped it at around volume three. They seem to start plotlines with important plot-relevant characters (even a god at one point!) out of nowhere that similarly go nowhere, and it’s difficult to sense any chemistry even with the main male lead.

Overall: I recommend this if you just want to look at some good food and not pay attention to the plot or characters. Otherwise, look elsewhere.

[fireflowerhanabi]

Shinmai Shimai no Futari Gohan - Review

This manga focuses on the relationship between two stepsisters whose parents have recently remarried, and how they reconnect through cooking and food.

The basic premise: This sweet slice-of-life focuses on Sachi, the elder stepsister, and Ayari, the younger stepsister, as they adjust to living in the same house after their parents remarry. With their parents traveling, it’s just them alone in the house and they only begin to bond and warm up to each other once Ayari demonstrates her passion for cooking, which Sachi enthusiastically joins in on! They grapple with issues like friendship, overcoming social anxiety, and deciding what they’d like to do in life as they navigate their sisterhood.

My review: Absolutely a quintessential slice-of-life manga. It’s sweet, heartwarming, and the most stressful thing that might happen is a spat between friends. That being said, I don’t think it’s any weaker for trying to embody its genre. It still does address realistic issues like what to do with one’s life after high school, how to deal with suddenly gaining a sister, unwelcome jealousy over a new friend, and the like. The sisters have an incredibly sweet bond as they get to know each other better, and their parents are kind and supportive to them.

Sachi and Ayari are fun characters who come alive throughout the series. While they do fall into some classic tropes (Ayari in particular is the “cool Japanese beauty”), they gain depth as the manga continues and you can witness their growing maturity in a pretty distinct manner. For the side characters, I particularly enjoy a storyline that the mangaka wrote with Sachi’s childhood friend and how they handle her emotions in a respectful and realistic manner. To me, this helped prove that the mangaka was fully capable of handling these emotional story beats at the same time as handling the main goal of a fluffy slice-of-life.

The food is also absolutely delicious-looking, in my opinion this is one of the manga’s greatest strengths. They include a recipe and carefully break down the cooking process, with the contrast between the inexperienced Sachi and expert Ayari serving as a way to depict common beginner issues as well as unique tips and tricks. It’s obvious the mangaka loves cooking and food, and I’ve gotten inspiration from here a few times too on my meals!

Overall: A refreshing and heart-warming manga that’s sure to tug on your heart strings if you enjoy family connections and sure to make you drool if you enjoy beautifully depicted food.

[fireflowerhanabi]

Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill - Review

First review! This manga is an isekai manga that focuses on food and cooking, with a recent anime adaption release.

The basic premise: Tsuyoshi Mukouda, a 27 year old salaryman, is accidentally summoned to a fantasy world at the same time as the intended “saviours” of said world. The others are given fantastical powers, but his only skill is the ability to access his home world’s goods through an online shopping system. He uses this skill as he travels across the various lands to cook delicious food and live a fun life!

My review: I absolutely love this manga, it’s a must-read for anyone who’s a fan of delicious food and of cooking in general. The main things that set this manga apart are a very slow-paced and chill story progression (it’s a slice-of-life!) and a heavy focus on the food itself without any significant overarching plots as of yet. I really enjoy reading a chapter or two of this just before bed, even if it does make me hungry, because the story is easy to follow and there’s no sense of “scary” tension present.

The characters are appealing, too; Mukouda is an average man but he’s definitely not without personality, and he’s someone who you think you would enjoy having a drink or two with. He also has some great interactions with the mercenary party he hires to escort him, to the point that I felt sad too when he parted with them. He travels with a great wolf companion who is a great bossy foil to Mukouda’s more plain and honest personality, as well as a slime (Sui!) who acts as a sweet childish cousin to the two. Later on, they gain other companions, but these are the two first encountered and they fill out the party enough to feel alive and exciting.

Again, if you’re looking for something with intricate plot or real stakes, this isn’t the manga for you. This manga primarily focuses on delicious food and the means of obtaining the ingredients for said delicious food, with very few snafus in between. Characters are generally honest and good in this story, and it’s mainly these fun interactions between said characters and the food that bonds them together that fuels the enjoyment of this manga.

The art style is appealing with clean and tidy lines and beautiful stylization of the food, it’s quite well paneled and I enjoyed the little gags the mangaka put in with their little doodles.

Overall: I highly recommend this manga if you enjoy slice of life and food! One of my consistent favorites, I always find myself going back to this manga, especially if I’m hungry. The anime adaption has some equally delicious food and some fun additional voice acting, too, if you’re more of an anime person. 

[fireflowerhanabi]

About Me

I’m a full-time university student who started this blog up for fun. I’ve got a lot of things to say about a lot of things, so why not share them? I review everything from manga to food; everything is appropriately tagged but I’m not restricting myself to just one topic.

Currently, I’m studying computer science! Let me know if you’d like to connect on Github or the like, although I’m still just a beginner.

Ask me questions, spam-like or spam-reblog my posts, or do anything you’d like.

My main blog is oreganocactus--please follow me on my main blog if you’re interested in other misc. content very different from what I post here.