Kota Nozomi

I am not that much into mushy stories :) last one I read was excellent comic about Julia Jones, her sister Eve and her family. But as they say exploration is good, right :)

Story is about thirty-something woman that raised her sister's daughter after her sister and sister's husband died in an accident. It is standard story - serious, gorgeous looking woman devotes her twenties to raising a kid and have a good career and thus misses on her romantic life. And when her nephew comes of age she sees her in relation with the neighbor, [as it was supposed to be otherwise] good looking early twenty member of swimming team (did I say mushy, this is so eeeeeekkk for me, its like watching those romantic soap opera TV movies :))

Things get turned on their head when said young man professes love to her not to her nephew/foster-daughter. And here is where all of the problems start - her view of too great age difference and insecurities when it comes to her own looks (and since this is manga, heh, lets say she has nothing to worry about, but for the story sake she does).

Very interesting story, there are comic relief elements, standard teens smarter than grownups situations (like I said, standard romantic TV movie :)) and lots of sexual tension with touch of erotica.

All in all interesting, gotta say I am glad I gave this series a shot.… (més)

The title tells the story. Thirtysomething Ayako Katsuragi thinks Takumi Aterazawa, the twenty-year-old next door whom she's known for a decade, is interested in her 15-year-old adopted daughter (which, ewwww, I have to wonder about any parent comfortable with that particular age gap), but, no, he is fixed on Ayako. The book unfolds with a retro T & A sitcom feel -- think Three's Company -- with the zaftig Ayako providing a truckload of ditzy fan service as she refuses to accept then tries to divert and repel the ardent Takumi.

Cheesy, corny, predictable, and more than a little inappropriate at times, it almost has enough energy and charm to win me over but falls just a bit short.… (més)