Akegata Yuu’s Tsuki to Suppin, Volume 1 (月とすっぴん) is an absolutely delightful odd couple romance story. Shiho is a quiet, reserved photographer for bands, with a fondness for quirkily awful band t-shirts, Akari is fashionable and outgoing. Although they couldn’t be less similar, they are very sweet together and it’s a pleasure to be able to meet them and learn their history.
We see how they met, we watch them eat ice cream and spend time at a festival. We see Shiho make rings for them, and Akari takes her lover home to visit her parents. But then, we understand the signs of nervousness in the normally strong, silent Shiho.
The art is simple, with the kind of uncomplicated backgrounds that I’m used to from Feel Comics. It feels comfortable and easy and the characters really help that feeling along.
This story walks a path that is familiar to us from other Jousei Yuri, but it’s not tiring or boring. It’s a genuine joy to see a story about two people who are just together and know each other so well, that Shiho naturally orders an ice cream double so Akari can try both flavors. ^_^
Ratings:
Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 8
Yuri – 10
Service – . 5 A very little dress-up with Shiho
You can read a sample chapter of Tsuki to Suppin in Japanese on Shodensha’s Manga Jam website. Yay for pleasant Jousei Yuri!
I was always wondering how real queer people relate to romance with such dynamics. I heard that this is often used to simplify the story, but I myself can’t say anything about it. Well, besides the fact that for some reason I like tomboyish characters much more than feminine heroines.