August 2009

Love Recipe Volume 2 continues on with the story between Tomonori and Kakyoin. It is the busiest time of the year for the magazine that they work for with deadlines becoming tighter and tighter. A young new artist shows up on the scene and just may threaten Ozawa’s and Kakyoin’s relationship.

Throughout the second volume, the story remains entertaining, even to the point of being more so than the first volume. On one hand, Tomonori’s relationship with Kakyoin becomes harder to keep. On the other, Tomonori is worried about everything that is going on at the magazine. One shot stories that are coming in and all the water cooler gossip barely receive a second thought during this hectic time. The people within the story compared to one another in interesting and funny ways as their goals are revealed.

Although the story’s main focus is on the two main characters, there is so much information being presented about the magazine company and the whole process behind it. So, while laughing at the character’s antics, you could actually learn something throughout the story such as the editing process, the way artists are handled, and what is actually done before the final printing.

The artwork throughout the manga is super cute and well drawn. Kirico Higashizato continues to show off amazing work that really fits the story line. The bunny chibis scattered across the pages make you smile, but that’s not the only thing there to catch your attention. The sex scenes are very nicely rendered and engaging for the reader.