Holiday Review #24: BABY BEAR'S BAKERY

 The holidays are also a time for copious amounts of sweet things, so it's the perfect time to read something like this.

BABY BEAR'S BAKERY (Koguma no Cakeya-san), by Kamentotsu.  First published in 2018 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

This is the story of a baby bear who runs his own cake shop.  He's eager to learn about the world around him alongside the shop's waiter, all while making and sharing his many magnificent cakes with others.

STORY:

Much like Cat + Gamer, Baby Bear's Bakery is very much a case of 'what you see is what you get.'  It's a 4-koma manga about a baby bear in a bakery.  What little narrative there tends to revolve either around the baby bear making a new dish or enjoying some seasonal event or holiday with his nameless waiter/companion, who is there to explain things to him in the same manner as a parent.  The bear is an innocent with a frequently literal, almost Amelia Bedelia-style understanding of the world.  It's humorous, but never really rises above a gentle chuckle with its punchlines.  It has absolutely no pretensions beyond delivering vibes as warm and fuzzy as its titular character, and it achieves that splendidly.

ART:

Baby Bear's Bakery is definitely a bit more of a visual experience than is a narrative one.  Kamentotsu's art evokes woodcut prints with its thick linework, sparing use of color and background, and use of texture to make the baby bear look suitably furry.   Each strip gets its own page, with generous margins that are sometimes used for the odd aside or gag at the end of the strip.  To cap it all off, the book itself has a hard cardboard cover and a fine quality paper, both of which bring a pleasing if subtle texture (both literally and figuratively) to compliment its cozy atmosphere.

RATING:

Much like its title character, Baby Bear's Bakery just wants to have a good time and share something sweet with you.  In that regard, it is a rousing success suitable for all ages.

This series is published by Denpa Books.  This series is ongoing in Japan with 4 volumes available.  1 volume has been released and is currently in print.

Only one day remains in our Holiday Review Giveaway! Let us know what your favorite manga of 2022 was and you might win a $25 RightStuf gift certificate!  Find out more at this link!  The contest ends on Christmas Day!