Bonus Chapter And Its GARDEN RELATED! You know, the whole book of the title. The GARDEN! We don’t see the two actually approach the garden until Volume 1’s end.
Why? Because the weeds needs to be knocked out. But despite it being a Saturday Asako has work to do. Well, she is the Editor for a publisher of Manga. Manga waits for no garden.
She’s back after noon. And finds Miyako pulling weeds. For which the sight of her 19 yo Landlady outdoors pulling weeds turns her on… Then panicks her as she realizes the girl is turning red.
Uhh… Really? She didn’t put on suntan lotion? Or protect herself from the sun? Too much sun is no good. That’s how the fiancee of someone in my family got skin cancer! Too much sun!!
Though the red on her face comes from how much she’s taken aback by Asako’s worry over her wellbeing. Well this is but the beginning of their garden antics. It won’t remind us of Gardening Mama, but it will warm out hearts.
So that brings Volume 1 to a happy end. Volume 2 will be reviewed soon with Volume 3 coming in August. Stay tuned. I’m looking forward to cracking open Volume 2 in the coming days.
On a review side note. I’m going to dig in soon to some Antarctic Press fan service. And by Dan service I. MEAN. FAN. SERVICE. Titles !like Patriotika & Kamen America. Why? Why not. I’m good for some fan service this summer.
This weekend and this coming week we dive into new Volumes. What? I’m going to have it selected soon. Stay tuned. Anyway back to Giant Robo tonight. Coming up.
The World’s Strongest Grandmother Let’s see… Doesn’t like being called granny. Drives a fast car. Is rich. And kinda beats up on her granddaughter Miyako. This is Kitano Matsubo. Believe it or not she’s NOT the villain.
Sure she’s Manhandling Miyako like an evil stepmother but she’s not evil… She’s just a plot motivator to motivate Miyako to be a better woman. Like Hato Hato is for Asako.
So let’s see… Does she know Miyako was the former lead of ELM? Yes. Is she angry because Miyako retired? No. Does she know why Miyako retired? Probably. But too soon.
She’s here because she was concerned. The house? She got it from Matsubo. A bit of a sad take is attached. Matsubo was originally to move in with her husband, but he passed away. So here we are…
She wants to take Miyako back to Kansai… Oh right. Did I mention last review that Miyako is from the Kansai region? “Drawl” and all?… Ugh. I swear every Time Localizers see the word Crawl they cast the dubber with a Southern accent!!
(Miyako’s going to end up sounding like Rogue from the X-Men Animated Series in the English dub, won’t she…)
Anyway Miyako decides to prove she can do it by making dinner. This gives Matsubo and Asako a chance to talk. Once fear over Matsubo being a demon recedes. Anyway…
This works out for the best. Even if Miyako’s plan to win her Matsubo’s approval (call her granny at your own peril) doesn’t work out? Suddenly the bond between Miyako & Asako is enough for her to not take Miyako home.
So does Matsubo suspect what we already know? They’re going to fall in love? Maybe? Not like Matsubo lives by nontraditional views so I’m thinking she’s going to champion that love later on. Right?
Well this introduces her as one of Miyako’s siblings who will be part of the secondary cast. She, like Hato, will be back. Anyway that sure jumped their relationship forward… Maybe.
And that seems to be the end of Volume 1. Translator notes on the back and… A bonus. Tomorrow we end by looking at the bonus. And… The actual Garden from the title of this book. See you.
Oh right. WHY is Matsubi angry. She’s angry because Miyako’s plan
A Fan Girl Dream Come True… Also Truths Revealed. So last time we saw Hato Hato collapse seemingly dead from shock. Having learned that her Editor is living with her idol Miyako.
Suddenly she stops being unconscious. Now she’s staring into the greater cosmos in her mind. Freaking out Uatu The Watcher back in his Multiverse Pillar. Blaming existence for her Editor living with Miyako.
Not the Writer Artist Creator of the title. Just existence in general. Then again blaming the creator might break the fourth wall. Oh well. Suddenly Miyako begs Hato Hato to not tell at Asako.
Uhhh… See up there? Does Hato Hato actually look like she’s in the right state of mind to yell… It speak… To anyone? Since Asako is trying to hide in the work Hato delivered, Miyuko talks to Hato.
Suddenly they’re bonding, and the truth about how we got here. And Asako’s breakup with her last toxic girlfriend. Her breakup, her bow to live alone, and Miyako throwing a monkey into the works.
So now that Miyako knows that Asako has an addiction to beautiful women, she asks if Asako was helping her because she was beautiful. Nope. Turns out that’s nice, but Asako is also a do gooder.
If she could fly and shoot hear vision she’d be Superman’s Omniverse counterpart. Anyway Miyako is quite happy, as she declares Asako to be like a big sister!
Uhhh… Wait. Is this love story starting by having Miyako bond to Asako because she’s like the big sister she never had. Miyako is growing closer to Onee-san as her Big Sister??? Uhh…
At some later point, when they finally become a couple? Will their first sex be technically incest… Ugh. I shouldn’t have thought of that. Anyway all’s good. Hatomori’s learning of Miyako worked out for the best.
One day Asako returns to the house, after a busy day at work. She finds an expensive car outside. And a strange old woman over a very sorry Miyako. Oh boy. This is about to get nasty.
This lady is the grandmother of Miyako. Yeah. We already had hints that Miyako was rich so… If course her family is rich. Anyway after the reveal of Asako’s secrets, is it time to reveal Miyako’s secrets? Guess we find out tomorrow. See you.
How Not To Train Your Landlord So remember how last time Asako began to fret that her landlady Miyuki was becoming a bit clingy? Without the actual clinging? Well it all comes to a critical point here.
She’s on an unexpected Zoom meeting with one of her Artists, aka Hato Hato, over a bit of writing assist… Uhh… So this is like Assorted Entanglements then?
That is to say they call her an Artist but she’s in fact a Writer Artist. That’s fine. According to friends I had in the Early 21st, it’s rare to have a Writer only in manga… Spoiler I wanted to be an exception.
Why is this supposedly unexpected? Because it’s Golden Week. Japanese equivalent to… Spring Break? Only far better? Anyway Golden Week or no, manga publishing soldiers on.
Asako brings up a more difficult yet unnamed Artist she dealt with last year. I’m pretty sure she’s not implying it to be Heke. This isn’t a crossover with Assorted Entanglements.
Anyway suddenly everything begins to point towards a bad situation. Sudden noise from the living room. Answering the door for a delivery (doesn’t say for who)… Actually? Question.
If she has already been through the living room to answer the door? Didn’t she see Miyako? Either on the way forward or back? The delivery must not be hers since she didn’t give it to her.
Probably would have spared the upcoming trauma to come. Instead of calling it a day in the unexpected Zoom, they go on. Bad idea. Asako completely misses Miyako sneak into the room until she notices Hato Hato staring at something…
There’s Miyako, too of her head poking up into camera view, beating a snack. Suddenly Hato Hato demands to come right over. Nothing will dissuade her so… She visits for the first time.
So the truth that Asako has been keeping from her Idol crazed fangirl artist is now revealed. Mostly. Hato Hato only knows that there’s a live in landlady. A hot eye candy female landlady…
Apparently Asako is an easily figured out open book to Hato Hato. If course. But at least Miyuko vanished before Hato Hato arrived so at least there’s that… Except no. Miyako returns while Hato is there.
Suddenly it’s all so clear! Hato realizes that Asako’s landlady is… A off the radar Miyako lookalike. Well… That was a bullet dodged. Luckily Miyako, fresh from her stalker incident, is keener on revealing her identity to just anyone without…
Or she will just out herself for no good reason whatsoever. Sigh. Spoilers. Miyako’s irate Grandmother shows up. And she’s not there to bake cookies and squeeze cheeks. She is irritated. Guess why.
Well… Suddenly Hato Hato collapses from the shock. Of course she did. Also yes. Miyako is told that Hato to is major fan… Oh wait. Maybe Asako didn’t quite explain that well enough for her. Ok.
Tomorrow? Hato Hato laments the unfairness of the universe that has her boss cohabitating with her idol. How is this resolved? You’ll see… Then the cliffhanger that leads to Asako meeting family.
Well. One family. Who seems upset. Maybe because her grand daughter left a high paying lucrative career to be a landlady. Maybe. This will all come to light starting tomorrow. See you.
How To Train Your Landlord… Don’t worry. Tomorrow it’s How Not To Train Your Landlord. Why? You will see. Anyway we find out a bit more about Miyako. A bit that implies she lived a high end youth.
It’s slowly dawning on Asako that Miyako is growing closer to her. Great news yes? Well… Yeah. About that. It’s less I’m in love with you, more I Was A Cat Owned By ClaireLuvcat prior to this manga.
Deciding she needs a plan to distract Miyako as she continues to move in, Asako is distracted by cat blogs. Cats in bags! How cute! Miyako in a bag… Wait. Either Miyako is small or that bag is big!
She ultimately decides on buying a tent that she sets up on the porch leading to the garden. Surely a tent, purchased seemingly from the Mr. Tadakichi line (see too of tent) will distract her.
So worried that her plan may not work, she doesn’t notice Miyako skip past her and into the tent. Suddenly Miyako is distracted by tent… Time to get to unpacking.
Checking later on Miyako, sound asleep in the tent… Not dead, just sleeping, we don’t need Detective Conan for this one… Asako brings out refreshments to rehydrate. Iced Coffee… Huh? That rehydrates?
We find out that Miyako used to camp with her parents when she was young. So she has ultra find memories of camping. Which actually makes Asako realize that this is new to her. She never went camping before.
Suddenly an attempt to distract Miyako with a bright shiny tent turns into a new experience for Asako. And it also brings Asako & Miyako closer together. So sweet… Now quickly! Before the Chapter ends teach Miyako about boundaries…
Huh? You need the receipt from the two items Miyako bought for you with your money? And you realize she shipped at a high end store? And it cost 1100 or so Yen? ($14-$20 dollars?!?)
Uhh… Right. From the couch incident have you not figured out yet that Miyako is trained from birth to shop at high end stores? And buy as if she lived in a mansion once? That’s my thoughts.
Also remember how Miyako has a tendency to pop up on Asako when she least expects it? Tomorrow all boundaries go right out the window as she pops in on an Editor Artist Zoom meeting.
But not just any Artist meeting! It’s the one with Miyako ELM fangirl Hata Hata! Suddenly Hata meets Miyako. That’s ok. She won’t just blow her secret out of no… She does?!? Oh boy.
Hata Hata might end up declared dead by Fandom Shock before this Chapter ends. Whoops. Attend the wake tomorrow… Or not. See you then.
Random Fandom Pursuits So if we didn’t have enough mysteries of Miyako to ponder, here’s a new one. If her entire job is as landlady for Asako? Why is it she’s going out each night?
I’m assuming all her hunting in the last two Chapters says she might be also undergoing a breakup. Maybe. But for now we will just have to throw that in the backburner. Why? It’s Crisis time.
Miyako returns home, and nonchalantly informs Asako that she was being followed. Pressed as to whether it was the paparazzi, Miyako thinks she was being followed by an obsessed fan.
Thing is she didn’t get a good look at her. And it might be possible, as you the reader gets a glimpse of her from behind, that it’s one of the two remaining members of ELM looking for Miyako.
I assume that one does not merely wander away from an idol singer career so young without it disrupting the lives of the other women in her former group. She might be either E or L…
If Miyako equals M then we have a girl named E and one named L remaining. But this is also left for a later Chapter. Asako, while working with Hato Hato, asks her about obsessed fans.
From the info she gets from Hato Hato, Asako thinks up a risky plan. Bring Miyako out into the city, and let the stalker see the real Miyako. After all of the fan sees the real Miyako…
If it was an obsessed fan, and she saw the “real” Miyako, she might actually like her more. Uhh… Huh. We won’t go into that as I’m still sure that it’s a member of ELM looking for Miyako.
But hey. Suddenly we have Asako and Miyako on a date! Their first unofficial date. So hey… It’s cute to see them going on a date. Even if it’s not officially a date.
Long Chapter short? They end up growing closer because of Asako’s dogged desires to help Miyako with her alleged stalker problem. Looking at Miyako’s facial expressions as she interacts with Asako? It seems to me that she’s recovering from a breakup.
Well we do know that these two are a good match for each other. Oh. And yeah. Asako realizes she can’t have Hato Hato discover that her new landlady is Miyako. It might not go well. Not to Heke levels of bad, but… Eh.
So this weekend we wrap up She Loves To Cook She Loves To Eat. Monday it’s back to Garden. Next weekend? Probably go back to Fly Me To The Moon. Since Volume 24 arrives next month. Stay tuned.
Wait… She Eats Cup O Ramen But She Has Money To Buy The Set Piece For A Game Of The Floor Is Lava (aka a Sofa)?!? Really?? She’s going to split the cost of getting a Sofa with Asako, but insists on starving herself on Ramen?!?
Ok. Maybe that was her stay hot and thin diet she ate as a young idol star… Not the healthiest but then again? Given what we saw of idol chasers in manga? Idol star isn’t a very healthy occupation!
Each time they talk they seem to grow a bit closer. Even as Asako behind to have new understandings of Miyako. Well… She’s now leveled up her understanding to “She’s kinda childish.”
 I said her opinion upgraded. I didn’t say it was a good upgrade! Maybe by Volume end love will start entering the picture. Anyway I bet your wondering why Asako didn’t bring much furniture.
Thing is? She was going to. She talked about it last Chapter too. Even Miyako wonders why said furniture hasn’t materialized. Why? Asako kinda answers Miyako’s wuestion, but…
Truth is she sold a ton of it. Too many memories of her and her former toxic ex are attached to that furniture. So she couldn’t live with it anymore. She plans to get new furniture.
And that day is… Today. Well, get a sofa. Why? Miyako wants one perched on front of the TV of course. Great. We can find out what kind of TV is preferred by 19yo Former Idols and Manga Editors.
The selection is not easy. Miyako wants to jam up the entire room with acouch… Wait. Did she used to live in a mansion when she was an idol singer? Given her furniture tastes that might be so.
Eventually they agree on a modest sofa. It’s delivered, and Miyako wasted no time in… Collapsing in it and falling asleep. Yup. This is going to be one helluva relationship! Hmm… Joy?
I’ll see about covering all of Chapter Three tomorrow. Then we head into She Loves To Cook She Loves To Eat this weekend, as we wrap up Volume 4. See you.
Who Wants To Play Manga Idol Star’s Least Favorite Game! It’s easy! I call it Where In Hell Do You Think Miyako’s Former Manager Is Going? I’m betting the Greed Circle myself!
I would like to thank the creator of Ah! My Goddess! (the maybe only manga title to get way too many title renaming in its long history!) for directing me to a simple fact of Japanese life.
If your character is eating a simple diet of instant cup o ramen? AND said character is a newly retired idol star? Some kind of exploitation has happened in their career!
Miyako. Cute as a button Rule34 should be banned from wearing, but slowly showing the possible signs that he departure from the idol life was the only thing maybe saving her life. Maybe.
Right off the bat we discover that Asako & Miyako are so polar opposites Neil Simon’s estate wants the rights to them in this universe to do an Odd Couple Revival!
A week has passed, and it looks like the mystery of Miyako being a retired idol star… Was let out of the bag last Chapter. When Miyako pleaded for Asako to stay. So… That’s the world’s shortest secret.
Asako was struggling enough just bring near this cute if she had Spider Powers she’d be Japanese Gwen Stacy young lady. But to find out she’s also a 19yo former idol star? Too much.
But that’s not the problem today. One of the rules they set up from the start is that they each take care of their own meals. Fine. Except it’s been a week. Adam’s caught on to Miyako’s horrid “diet”.
I’m pretty sure we know she’s not eating like this because it’s a fad for 19yo former idols. But suddenly Asako can’t help herself. She has to feed Miyako. She has to care for her…
Well we know from the moment we bought this title that love is in their future from the beginning. And it’s a bit awkward for Asako as she’s realizing she can’t ignore what’s going on with Miyako.
As happy go lucky and smiles she is? I’m thinking we are going to see her pain soon… Wait. Will we get some trigger warnings? This is from the same publisher as our first Trigger Warning title. So… Eh.
Well we are going to be watching these two feel their way through their first weeks together. I wonder how it will go? Well… No need to wonder. We will find out together. Anyway more cuteness tomorrow. Yeah. That’s going to be nice.
Maybe I can one and done some chapters but we will see. Pages are down to 24 each Chapter so maybe… See you.
Your Rental Comes With A Free Singing Landlady… No. This isn’t Japanese RENT.
Asako takes the four of the house. And it far exceeds what she expected to find. She’s just about ready to commit… That’s when Miyako asks if Asako has hobbies.
Not just leaving it at her not having had the time because of her Manga Editor work, she almost tells Miyako that she broke up with her last toxic girlfriend. Almost. Not quite.
It’s here that we get a glimpse into perhaps why Miyako suddenly left the music biz, and ELM, behind. One word… Dreams. Could it be just that simple? Dreams? Guess we will find out.
Not even waiting for the second tour, Asako behind to inquire about her moving out of her old lease at her apartment. Maybe she jumped the gun a bit?
Why? I’m her second visit she finds her landlady Miyako, upstairs in a hidden attic space, singing. No. She doesn’t get equate Miyako with the retired lead of ELM yet. But she is shocked.
Shocked to discover her rental has alive in landlady. Uh… Why. It said so on the paperwork that she’s going to be live in. Or did Asako not bother to read the full details of the ad?
I’m pretty sure they’ll be living in Miyako’s home she kept in her Idol Star persona. Hence why she needs a plus one to pay the monthly rent on the place. I guess that means her former ELM partners will drop by from time to time?
Before Asako flees in terror, suddenly convinced she doesn’t want this arrangement, Miyako convinces her to stay and give it a chance. Well… This will be the shortest romance if she runs, so she agrees.
And so the unlikable between a retired idol star and a Mangaka Editor begins. Will it take longer to reach love and kisses than Nomoto & Kasuga? Guess we will find out as we roll onwards.
Then again? Given the fact it is supposed to take Asako all the way to Volume 2 to completely move in? This may be a slow cooker romance… Eh. I’m ok with that. Anyway see you tomorrow.
When Getting Dumped Might Be The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Her… So we have a brand new Yen Press Yuri Romance Manga. Monthly… See above… A title that seems to stretch the boundaries of realism into straight up with fulfillment.
Is that bad? Nope. I’m out day and age we do desperately need things to dream about. Just don’t expect to move into a rental where your female landlady is a hot former idol star.
Meet Suga Asako. Sorry if it looks like the reality train has just splattered her all over Tokyo Station… It has. Her toxic bad for her female partner? Just dumped her.
Maybe this isn’t the best time to bring it up, while she’s trying to edit one of her Mangaka talents work, but she in turn can’t stop harping about female idol trio ELM losing its star.
Asako is a Manga Editor. Oh. So your saying only Manga Editors can afford to move into housing rentals, and fall in love with their landladies? Gotcha Manga Creator… Ok. That’s Harsh.
Her Heke to Asako’s Shinohara, sans the awkward trying to date? A woman named Hato Hato… Seriously. Her name is Hatomaori Hato. Aka Hato Hato… What! I didn’t name her! Take it up with the Manga Creator!
For all of Asako’s feels for her former partner? Who we only glimpse at? Hato Hato says she was bad for Asako. And I bet that’s why Asako needs to fall in love with Kintaro (our landlady).
Why? Because Asako is burdened by her desire to fall in love with the beautiful on the outside people. Completely ignoring the fact that said beauty might hide some nasty ugliness.
Kintaro Miyako (possible full name) has lived the idol lifestyle, where beauty is everything. She knows beauty sometimes hides a person’s ugly side. Maybe she’ll teach Asako that as they call in love.
A chance encounter with one of Miyako’s flyers seeking a tenant for her place catches Asako’s eye one fateful day. Being an apartment dweller for as long as she has been? A home rental sounds perfect.
After all, Bow that she’s back in the Single Japanese Manga Editor demographic again? She sees this as a chance to embrace her return to the singles lifestyle.
So it’s time to meet Miyako. Blonde, beautiful, and totally hard to match up with her idol persona… Because she wore a dark wig on stage during her career. Yeah. Should I be worried?
It seems to me Japan doesn’t seem like a safe place to follow your idol dreams. Says me, reflecting back on all my reviews on the topic from my dark early days of reviewing online post 9/11.
So we get the grand tour. Asako realizes the title is a lie as her landlord will be a live in landlord… Well, she just retired from being the idol of many fans, she needs a plus one to pay her rent!
Anyway this is the start of a hopefully beautiful love affair… Whenever we get to love. Will this take its time like She Loves To Cook She Loves To Eat? Maybe? Anyway I have Volume 1-2 presently. Volume 3? Coming Mid October. Stay tuned.
Pop Goes the Darke Raven 