Creative Staff
Original Story: Shimesaba
Manga: Imaru Adachi
Character Design: Booota
What They Say
Yoshida is just your average salaryman, drowning his tears in booze. On his way home one night, he finds a runaway high school girl sitting on the street. She offers to sleep with him in exchange for a place to stay-Yoshida lets her off the hook and offers her work instead. This is a rom-com between the most unbalanced couple you’ll ever find!
The Review
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
The anime made a splash earlier this year and now it’s time for the manga to keep it up. One day, Yoshida builds up the courage to confess to your love and get harshly rejected. The only thing left to do is get drunk and forget about all his troubles. On his way home, he runs into a runaway teenager Sayu. He ends up taking this girl home and providing her with a place to live. It is such a silly and troubling aspect but it ends up working wonders. You have a fully aged man living together with a female teenager but a wall is quickly built and a lifelong platonic relationship is on the horizon. These two work so well together as comrades that are just trying to make it day by day. It’s a bit cringe seeing Yoshida make multiple boob jokes in Sayu’s presence even though it’s indirectly being said. Yoshida is a bit blunt with his comments but at least he is himself in front of Sayu. He wants to protect what little of Sayu’s innocence remains but still acknowledges that there is trauma and wants to proceed the best way possible.
When one door closes, another one ends up opening. Or in Yoshida’s case, multiple doors are wide open to fill in that romance of this comedy. With Sayu rightfully off the menu, other women take that role. Yoshida had his heart crushed by his boss, Airi but the story doesn’t just stop there. Airi may have closed the door but she is peeking through the window at Yoshida’s life to rekindle this closed relationship. This relationship is bound to be plenty of fun as Airi confronts her true feelings for Yoshida but how long will that window remain open?
Yuzuha has the most potential to be Yoshida’s side but her attitude leaves much to be desired. No one is honest about their feelings but Yuzuha comes close to her desires. She schemes about how to get Yoshida and actively acts on those desires. She doesn’t mince her words and goes after what she wants. She doesn’t hide her desires. This attitude is sure to bring conflict with Sayu who is unsure of what she wants moving forward. A love triangle is possible with these characters as long it keeps Sayu ou of the loop.
This manga is walking a tight line between good and evil and I hope it never crosses it. Yoshida and Sayu’s relationship as friends is fine as it is. It doesn’t need to blossom into lovers. It could have easily gone into a sexual relationship but Yoshida’s conscience comes for the save multiple times. There isn’t a reason for this series to step into that realm. It already has the harem route with his boss and coworker. Sayu doesn’t need to step into this world. She needs to keep what little remains of her innocence
In Summary:
Higehiro takes a dangerous turn but makes it feel so exquisitely sweet. The turn involves breaking away from some of the norms of rom-com’s but still keeping to the spirit of them. Not every relationship needs to be sexual and this works wonders with the main one being platonic. There is room for the other older characters to have center stage in that regard.
Content Grade: A
Art Grade: B
Text/Translation Grade: A
Age Rating: 13 and up
Released By: One Peace Books
Release Date: October 14, 2021
MSRP: $12.95
