MANLY APPETITES: MINEGESHI LOVES OTSU (Minegeshi-san wa Otsu-kun ni Tabesasetai), by Mito. First published in 2019 and first published in North America in 2020.
PLOT:
Otsu is cynical enough about his weight and how other people at the office treat him. He doesn't need someone like the tall, handsome, fit, and popular salesman Minegeshi to hang around to ply him with tasty sweets. He could never conceive that Minegeshi might find Otsu adorable and would do anything if it means getting close to him and watching him enjoy good food...even if everyone else in the office has figured it out by now.
STORY:
I remember being both intrigued and skeptical of this series when it was first announced. It's certainly different for a BL series and I'm all for a manga series that stars a fat person who doesn't magically get slender and hot later on, but I was mildly worried that the focus on food here might be leaning towards fetish. While I'm not entirely convinced that this isn't feeding into a particular fetish, I'm more than willing to forgive it because first and foremost Manly Appetites is a charming, character-driven rom-com.
I really do think it's Otsu that truly makes this series special. He's got this very particular brand of defensive cynicism about his body and how others perceive it that feels very relatable as a fellow fat person. He's not completely unpleasant - he's got a keen sense of justice that is implied to have previously cost him a job, and he does legitimately enjoy good food - but his insecurity definitely makes him not a people person and it's easy to see why someone like Minegeshi would get on his nerves without even trying.
Honestly, it's almost wholesome how much Minegeshi loves Otsu. I say "almost" because he does tend to freak out anytime Otsu talks about dieting which strongly suggests that his desire to feed Otsu is just as much about catering to a fetish than it is about concern about Otsu's health. Nonetheless, we get enough moments with the both of them that demonstrate that there is some sort of connection between stronger than mere friendship, even if Otsu remains largely oblivious to his overtures. Most of his page time is spent watching him mentally lose his cool like a schoolgirl whenever he gets a reaction out of Otsu or gets to watch him enjoy a meal. It's sweet, if not a little strange, and that's a flavor of BL that I can absolutely get behind.
ART:
Mito might have some of the strongest face game this side of Ryoko Kui. As I was re-reading this series for this review, I was struck by how expressive the leads are in both face and body. It really helps to sell not just the comedic moments, but the romantic ones as well. She knows how to strike a balance between broad comedy and adorability, and this is just as true for Otsu as it is for Minegeshi. This focus on comedy means that there's virtually nothing as far as explicit content to be found here. The raunchiest this series gets is a few suggestive poses and a lot of blushing.
Also, it has to be said: Minegeshi is a legitimately good-looking guy. Obviously he has to be for much of the conceit of his character to work, but he was the first time in a long time that I've looked at a man in a manga and sincerely thought to myself "Oh no, he's hot!" As for Otsu, he's also drawn rather attractively. Yes, his features may be simpler and rounder, but he's got a decent fashion sense and he is kind of pleasingly roly-poly. It's not hard to see what Minegeshi sees in him. He's drawn with a level of dignity that's not often given to overweight characters in manga, and it's nice to see.
RATING:
This series is published by Seven Seas. This series is ongoing in Japan with 3 volumes available. 2 volumes have been published and are currently in print.
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