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Manga Review: The Hachioji Specialty Tengu’s Love Vol. 1 (2024) by Tomo Nanao

The Hachioji Specialty Tengu's Love manga volume one review
Hitting all the cute comedic beats one would want from a fish-out-of-water romance.

” official synopsis from Yen Press: “Can a determined tengu bride change a lonesome bachelor’s ways? Well, it’s not like he’s got much of a choice— ‘cos she’s already moving in! Young systems engineer Kotarou has had to make his own way in life. Nothing remains of his early childhood before he was orphaned—nothing except his grandparents’ antique house in Hachioji and memories of Hime, the winged spirit girl he’s come to dismiss as a youthful flight of fancy. But after his return to Hachioji and reunion with Hime, it becomes impossible to deny the existence of his fine, feathery friend—especially given that she’s declared they’re getting married at second sight!”

The Hachioji Specialty Tengu's Love manga volume one cover

It is difficult to formulate a strong opinion on “The Hachioji Specialty Tengu’s Love,” since the title is a rather paint-by-numbers fish-out-of-water romance story. Elements of mythology are subdued and used more to create a curious scenario for its protagonist instead of exploring the cultural significance of yokai. These realizations about the content may lead some to the early assumption that the book is middling, but that would do a slight disservice to the content. Yes, hits all the beats one would expect and does not add depth to the romance genre. Still, there is an unquestionable comfort in familiarity, primarily when all the elements are handled competently.

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Elements of romance and comedy blend well in “The Hachioji Specialty Tengu’s Love,” with the titular tengu named Hime pushing much of the comedic beats. Experiencing the world of humans for the first time with utter joy at indulging in the simplest things is cute, endearing, and consistently humorous. This makes every interaction between protagonist Kotarou and Hime heartwarming, especially as he struggles with his insecurities about bringing a girl into his life. The forced marriage angle and how Hime always plays into its importance to Katarou’s chagrin further pushes the humorous pairing.

The pairing of the two has a certain familiarity in tone and struggles seen in countless romance manga with a hesitant, slightly brooding male protagonist. It is cliche, but “The Hachioji Specialty Tengu’s Love” lures readers into that comfort zone of familiarity. This could change with subsequent volumes, and Katarous’s struggle with the recent loss of family and confronting past grievances by moving into a family home offers some depth. However, the overall tone seems cemented, with the manga staying overly light in its inaugural release.

One of the more deceptive strengths of “The Hachioji Specialty Tengu’s Love” is in introducing Hime to many elements of ‘regular’ life, allowing for a visual and narrative romanticizing simple pleasures. Cuisine, in particular, is highlighted a lot throughout the initial volume, with many panels dedicated to discussing the process. Still, hints of interest in fashion and sightseeing also push the impression that the manga will explore different cultural elements, albeit not the ones tied to the Tengu and folklore. The book can be wholesome and reflective of the joys of basic living; those who like series that explore food preparation will notice these elements more than those coming to the title strictly for romance.

The Hachioji Specialty Tengu's Love vol 1 interior panel artwork.

Tomo Nanao’s art is serviceable to the story, with most of the emphasis on character interactions being aptly adorable for a fish-out-of-water (or, in this case, a Tengu-out-of-the-sky) romance. Backgrounds are lacking; no definitive panels or double-page spreads will give reason to pause, but more minor details (like the previously mentioned cuisine) are given the deserved attention. It is charming in its approach, not overly sensational, but perfect for the story Nanao looks to tell.

Yen Press’s choice to release the manga in a slightly larger edition, 244 pages, works heavily in the title’s favor. A standard release would not have had enough bite to get an overall picture of Tomo Nanao’s vision for the romance series. It falls under ‘comfort read,’ yet it is also text-heavy, giving readers a lot of time with the singular volume. The value is there, even if the story rests in a familiarity with little surprise.

“The Hachioji Specialty Tengu’s Love” is a well-rounded rom-com manga. It won’t necessarily impress readers to the point that they will be clambering for the next volume, but it carves out a nice, comfortable niche for those who read an abundance in the genre. With the series still running, Hime’s cute and humorous adventures with the grumpy yet charismatic Kotarou should entertain rom-com fans for some time.

About the author

Adam Symchuk

Adam Symchuk is a Canadian born freelance writer and editor who has been writing for Asian Movie Pulse since 2018. He is currently focused on covering manga, manhwa and light novels having reviewed hundreds of titles in the past two years.

His love of film came from horror and exploitation films from Japan that he devoured in his teens. His love of comics came from falling in love with the works of Shuzo Oshimi, Junji Ito, Hideshi Hino, and Inio Asano but has expanded to a general love of the medium and all its genres.

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