A young woman’s search for closure brings her to a small cafe tucked away in the heart of Rome.
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Natsume Ono
Translation/Adaptation: Joe Yamazaki
What They Say
At the age of 21, Nicoletta travels to Rome to find her mother, Olga, who abandoned her long ago. Nicoletta finds her at Casetta dell’Orso, a charming little restaurant owned by Olga’s husband. The staff of bespectacled gentlemen welcomes Nicoletta warmly, but Olga’s reception is not so pleasant. Olga has never told her husband that she ever had children–and he must never know.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Nicoletta travels to Rome with every intention of confronting her absentee mother. Her plans are thrown into flux when her mother, Olga, begs Nicoletta to keep herself a secret for just a little longer; her husband, for various reasons, prefers not to be involved with divorced women and might send Olga packing if he discovers the truth. Nicoletta grudgingly poses as the daughter of Olga’s friend and takes up residence in Rome, becoming an apprentice at the restaurant owned by Olga’s husband. Nicoletta is mystified by the strange requirement that the restaurant be staffed primarily by older men who wear reading glasses, and scoffs at the women who patronize the establishment just to get a glimpse of their favorite waiter… until she herself begins to fall for the sensitive and kind Claudio.
The stories that manga-ka Natsume Ono tells through her manga tend to be simple, character-focused affairs, and this gem is no exception. Though the story is continued to some extent in the three volume follow-up Gente: The People of Ristorante Paradiso, this volume is a stand-alone piece that tells the story of people learning to address their emotional baggage and come out the other side as better, happier people.
One of the most appealing aspects of this story is the way in which the author is able to draw parallels between the experiences of Nicoletta, a young woman, and Claudio, an older gentleman. Though the characters are at different places in their lives, they’re united by their similar need to move past the emotional hang-ups that prevent them from being satisfied. Ono manages to strike a delicate balance between making Claudio appear too immature or Nicoletta too worldly; their actions and reactions seem logical and reflect their different life experiences in an appealing and unexpectedly realistic way. As compelling as this type of character-focused story may be to a certain audience, though, this manga lacks many of the traits that tend to have wide appeal. There are no heroes or villains to confront one-another, nor are there any grandiose plot machinations to be had, so fans of more action-oriented manga titles may find little to enjoy.
Also of contentious appeal is Ono’s art style, which falls entirely outside the realm of what most fans would describe as “typical” of manga. Her character designs are often lanky with wide-set eyes and wider mouths – excellent for expressing emotion, but perhaps not what one would find themselves compelled to call “kawaii.” I tend to prefer this approach and enjoy the sketchy immediacy and expressiveness of her characters and reservedness of the background artwork, but it is definitely an acquired taste.
On the whole, though, there is a lot to like in this volume. Though manga tends to feature female characters in greater numbers than can be found in other forms of entertainment, there seem to be very few manga that are devoted to showcasing realistic, woman-centric coming-of-age tales. This manga helps to fill that lamentable gap while avoiding many of the pitfalls that plague female characters of any medium. Nicoletta is neither an “exceptional” woman, nor a schlub; she’s simply one of many people tasked with making the transition into productive adulthood without having a clear idea how to do so.
Better still is the way in which the friendships and relationships between the other female characters are depicted throughout this volume. Nicoletta and Olga may be at odds regarding Nicoletta’s childhood, but throughout the story they learn more about each-other’s personal hardships and gain respect and sympathy for one-another. Though they initially work to emphasize the ways in which they’re different from one-another, their fundamental similarities turn out to be deeper than they may have initially imagined. While Claudio’s ex-wife could easily have been depicted in more of an adversarial role, the way in which the conflict between she and Nicoletta is resolved manages to engender a certain amount of respect between them. It’s refreshing that, even when two characters find themselves in opposition, neither is depicted as being “catty.”
To address the elephant in the room, yes, this story does feature the beginnings of a May-December romance between Nicoletta and Claudio. Perhaps more than anything else, this aspect of the manga might serve to turn the most people away. Against all expectations, though, the matter is handled with a great deal of sensitivity; due to the author’s efforts in developing the characters, their interactions manage to avoid giving off the impression of an unequal power dynamic. Because one of the manga’s primary themes is that of discovering love in unexpected places, their unlikely romance takes on a thematic appropriateness that it may not otherwise have.
In Summary
Though this manga may not have wide appeal, its striking art style and atypical narrative make it easy to recommend to fans of manga that falls outside genre expectations. Ono’s dedication to the depiction of realistic adulthood really pays off in the believability of the characters and how easy it becomes to invest in the story of their lives. This tale of unlikely romance and complex family situations is certainly different from the norm, but its sympathetic depiction of adults in different stages of life and of families in different states of transition gives it an appeal that’s worth seeking-out.
Content Grade: A-
Art Grade: B
Text/Translation Grade: A-
Age Rating: 16+
Released By: VizManga.com
Release Date: March 16, 2010 (Print)
MSRP: $12.99 Print / $5.99 Digital
