I got this hardcover at Barnes and Noble, attracted by the concept: a Japanese man raising his daughter alone is paid a visit by the Canadian man who was his late twin brother's husband. The story deals with Yaichi's unease about having a gay guest - and about having to imagine what his brother's life was like with this big, hairy stranger - while his daughter takes to Mike immediately and isn't shy about asking blunt questions.

I noticed that the artist seems to like bulky men, whether muscular or chubby, and wasn't surprised to learn that he's mostly known for his bara work. This book's an interesting departure, as it deals mainly with slice-of-life issues - Mike's grief over his lover's death and his interest in bonding with his in-laws; Yaichi's concerns about his own role in the way he and his brother drifted apart, as well as his fears for his daughter; and little Kana's surprise at having a new uncle that she'd never heard of before, plus her curiosity about the whole men-marrying-men business. (The scene where she explains this to her little friends is very cute - and while it leads to one family's prejudice, it also leads to another boy's relief at being able to come out to someone he kinda-sorta knows.)

Yaichi is a decent guy, but has some built-in prejudices that he - usually - avoids saying out loud. We see some of his first-reaction thought-panels, followed by what he actually says, and it's interesting to see his own journey as he works out what's really bothering him.

There are charming scenes of cultural differences as Yaichi and Kana help Mike fit in - though as he's a fan of things Japanese, he does know some things already. And I love Kana's bluntness; at one point she asks "which one of you was the husband and which was the wife?" Yaichi has one of his imagine-spots in which he yells at Kana, but restrains himself, and Mike happily replies with "Nope, both men, both husbands", which seems to satisfy Kana - and which gives Yaichi some more to think about.

I really liked this story, and look forward to the next volume. Very sweet, very funny, great characters! [While there aren't any sex scenes here, the author does indulge his personal tastes in a scene of Mike in the shower - one that nobody sees but the reader. While I'm fond of the more typical bishounen characters, I appreciated seeing a beefy, hairy guy {wry grin}.]

Update: I enjoyed Volume 2 as well!
There's a TV Tropes page on the book, with some entertaining tidbits. And there's a live-action mini-series adaptation that looks really good.

I'm putting this book in the manga/graphic novel bookbox, which will be on its way to its next stop soon. Enjoy!

Took out of Nimrodiel's manga/graphic novel bookbox.

Also snagged this book because of the cover art--the character on the left looks an awful lot like MrKravin (youtube.com/kravination)!

I liked it ok! Read in one sitting.

Put into the manga and graphic novel box