manga: Antique Bakery Vol 1-2

[meganbmoore]

This is one of those series that tends to get a lot of “if you don’t like *insert genre/trope/etc. thing is an example of* you might still like this” recs. In this case, yaoi. But then, despite often being billed as yaoi and released by a publisher that primarily licenses yaoi titles, this isn’t actually yaoi, but is a josei title where one of the

Comments

[mscongeniality]

You know, this is the first thing I've read about Antique Bakery that made me think I should give it a try. I might just have to pick it up.

[meganbmoore]

Most of the positive reviews left me fairly cold, but a couple discussions made me decide to check it out.

[snarp]

I suspect that Yoshinaga Fumi’s kinks are a little closer to my squicks, based on the huge-if acknowledged-power imbalance in Ono and Chikage’s relationship, and with what seems to be her approach to Tachibana’s family and past.

Never, ever, ever read Yoshinaga's Gerard and Jacques. Trust me on this.

[meganbmoore]

Me specifically, or problematic in general?

[meganbmoore]

I have to say that there doesn't seem to be a possible pairing combination among the main four that doesn't somehow seem to be extremely problematic for me. Well, Kanda and Chikage's main problem would be common sense...

[keelieinblack]

You're probably right about the kink/squick issue, given what I've seen and read of Yoshinaga Fumi's doujinshi for the series.

I do love this series, though. I just wish the various adaptations were as likable--the Korean movie was good, but both the Japanese TV series and anime were fairly blah.

[meganbmoore]

My first exposure to the franchise was the jdrama, though only the first episode. At the time, I was amazed that it could be boring with that cast, which is why I watched it. Now I'm even more amazed, since I know the basis is entertaining.

[woodburner]

Man, I just watched the K-movie for this. It was so amazingly fun that it more than made up for the absolute fail of the anime adaptation. (I haven't seen any of the J-drama, but as I've heard they made Ono straight, I can hardly see how it's even worth mentioning.)

[meganbmoore]

I watched 1 ep of the jdrama because I like some of the actors. I thought Ono was completely gay and was surprised when I learned he wasn't supposed to be gay there. I think Fujiki Naohito ignored the memo.

[lady_ganesh]

I really want to check out the K-movie, everyone says it's adorable.

[woodburner]

Oh, it is.

[smillaraaq]

Normally, I’m ready for the anthology section to take a back seat to the main story, but here, I wanted it to last longer.

I’m amused by both Tachibana and Ono, but I’ve long since lost almost any interest in both rich angsty playboys and men who no one can resist, resulting in an endless stream of lovers. I find the childish-but somehow apparently the most grownup and self-aware of the lot-Kanda and the puppyish Chikage much more endearing, but they’re given much less attention.Well, if it's any consolation, the anthology-aspect never goes completely away, and Chikage and Kanda (who are great favorites of mine, too) get lots of wonderful moments in the remaining volumes. In Book 3 you get the bit I think I'd mentioned previously about a pair of female reporters, some great bits about Chikage's family, and early in Book 4 there's some wonderful Kanda-centric stuff -- he actually reminds me more than a bit of Goku, when all is said and done. Although the end of the last book does wind up focusing a lot more on Tachibana, who I didn't

[meganbmoore]

Kanda was definitely reminding me of Goku.

[smillaraaq]

The Goku parallels will get REALLY strong by Book 4.