Manga Maniac Cafe For the Geek in all of us

Title: Otomen Vol 1

Author: Aya Kanno

Publisher: Viz

ISBN:  9781421521862

May Contain Spoilers

Asuka is the perfect guy – he’s masculine, chivalrous, and gifted at martial arts.  He also harbors a deep-dark secret, one that could cost him his reputation at school.  See, Asuka also loves girly things; he loves to cook, and sew, and read shojo manga.  When he falls in love with Ryo, a transfer student, his feminine side threatens to take over.  Can he keep his true self hidden, even as it threatens to consume him?

This was a great read.  Poor Asuka!  When he was a child, he was traumatized when his father abruptly leaves home, and his mother falls to pieces because of it.  When she collapses after seeing Asuka playing with his girly things, she begs him to act more like a boy.  Young and impressionable as he was, Asuka  tried to suppress his softer side, turning to kendo and judo so as to not cause his mother any further distress.  There was still a part of him that he couldn’t tame, a girly part that loved romance comics and baking and making cute things.  

When Ryo transfers to his school, Asuka is instantly smitten.  After losing his heart to her, he finds himself becoming more girly.  When Juta discovers his secret, he urges Asuka to confess his feelings to Ryo and to be himself with her.  Juta has a secret, too, and he’s got an ulterior motive for wanting Asuka and Ryo to hook up.  Juta is a popular shojo mangaka, and he’s modeled his character after Asuka.  His writing has come to a stand still because Asuka’s relationship with Ryo isn’t going anywhere.  If he can’t get the two of them together, his series is doomed!

I love Asuka’s character.  He is just as efficient in the dojo as in the kitchen.  He can’t stand clutter, and the sight of a tear in someone’s clothing has him whipping out his sewing kit.  After a stressful day, he just wants to soak in a scented tub with his rubber ducky and forget about his awful day.  He would make a better wife than most girls, and he’s kind, thoughtful, and courageous to boot.

Ryo has been raised by her father since the death of her mother.  Her father is a tough guy, and he believes that he’ll turn into a pansy if he even enters the kitchen.  He won’t lift a finger to help with the household chores, and Ryo, who doesn’t have anyone to teach them to her, can’t really do them either.  She leaves disaster in her wake when she tries to bake or cook, and her cleaning skills are rudimentary at best. Oh, she’s got a few tricks up her sleeve, like her skill in martial arts, but when it comes to girly things, she is the exact opposite of Asuka.

Asuka and Ryo’s relationship doesn’t go anywhere because they are both clueless, but Asuka’s gradual acceptance of himself makes the story a lot of fun.  He fights against his female urges, but always ends up giving into them.  When he makes lunch for Ryo and Juta, they are delighted with his cooking, and that makes him very happy.  When he helps Ryo with her father’s birthday, she’s so grateful that he again finds satisfaction with his efforts to assist his friends.  He is happiest when he’s doing things for other people, but since that’s not exactly a masculine trait, he’s remained aloof and stoic during most of his life.  I am looking forward to seeing where Aya Kanno takes this charming series.

Grade: A-

Rated for Teen

Review copy provided by Viz