This particular review is unique because, along with this formal written review, I actually created a video review for this manga about a week ago. For the sake of comparison you can check out the video review here. Now, on to the review!
What caught my eye about Honey So Sweet was the supposed delinquent-in-love premise and the adorable art style. Honey So Sweet tells the story of Nao Kogure and Taiga Onise. During their first week of high school, Onise asks Nao out seemingly out of the blue! Complete with flowers and marriage in mind!
As it turns out, Onise’s proposal isn’t so out of the blue. Once upon a time, Nao, who didn’t want to get directly involved, left bandages and an umbrella for an injured delinquent while in junior high. That supposed delinquent turned out to be none other than Onise, having remembered her name on the bandages, he sought out Nao after realizing they were attending the same school.
partly due to the fact that she was afraid of him, Nao says yes to being Onise’s girlfriend. Immediately he begins to show her that his unapproachable delinquent reputation is undeserved. For example, Onise makes Nao a delicious lunch, and when she thanks him he is all smiles.
Another example that Onise is actually a great guy is he defends the helpless. One of the rumors that originally gave Nao a bad impression of him is that he beat up seniors on his first day of school and got suspended. When Nao asks Onise about it he tells her those seniors were torturing a poor defenseless turtle. When they wouldn’t leave the poor creature alone, Onise taught them a lesson. Onise tells Nao that he would never hurt someone without reason. He also specifies that he would never lay his hands on a girl. Especially the girl he likes.
Nao eventually decides to be honest and say that although she has no romantic interest in Onise she would be happy to be his friend. Onise is a cinnamon roll who needs to be protected so I felt his pain, but the two had this earnest exchange.
Nao is actually an orphan who has been living with her uncle since the age of 6. Her parents passed away in a car accident. Her uncle was a teen at the time. Due to this, Nao doesn’t get close to people easily, and Onise is her first good friend. She also believes herself to be in love with her uncle Sou. Personally, in regards to that I just believe that she has such a deep appreciation for her uncle that she just assumes that her feelings are romantic love. Fortunately, Nao and her uncle have a normal, healthy relationship.
Soon after establishing their friendship, which includes spending lunch together and overly polite text messages from the adorably nervous Onise. A school trip is coming up, and the students are asked to participate in groups of four. So we have Nao, Onise, and two new faces, Misaki and Yashiro. Yashiro is a bit of a loner but she willingly joins Nao and Onise’s group. Misaki on the other hand, the Honey senpai look alike, was carried to the group by Onise.
I spent nearly an entire chapter angry with Misaki because he had a temper tantrum at one point and tore up the handmade tour pamphlet that Onise created for the trip. The two eventually have this touching apology and offer of friendship moment. Which ultimately led me to forgive Misaki.
Once again, Onise is a treasure. Unfortunately, Onise gets a fever while on the trip because he loaned his sweater to Misaki at some point. Misaki steps up and agrees to help and protect Nao during a scare challenge. Nao is admittedly a scaredy-cat. Onise is devastated that he can’t be there for Nao. Luckily, he stubbornly saves the day when Nao separates from the group and finds herself alone.
The final chapter of the volume was my favorite because Nao depends on Onise when her uncle Sou, who runs the cafe that her parents once owned, gets injured and cannot cook and prepare for a child’s birthday party. When Onise gets the call from Nao, his reaction is so cute!
Onise is so happy and nervous to receive a call from Nao that he happily agrees to help right away. Onise feels that children tend to be afraid of him because of his delinquent aura and red hair. As he cooks for the four-year-old child, Masaki, Nao, and her uncle are extremely grateful and impressed with his efforts and convince him to meet Masaki. At first, just as poor Onise had feared, the child is afraid of him. This time around, it’s Nao who comes to Onise’s rescue because she tells Masaki that Onise is just like the sun: kind and warm.
Ultimately, Nao convinces the child that Onise is wonderful to the point where the child cries when it is time to go home. At the end of the day, when it is time for Onise to go home, Uncle Sou points out that Nao seems to be changing for the better and expresses herself more. Onise points out quite relieved, that he is happy to see that the relationship between Nao and her uncle is normal and appropriate. The volume ends with Nao realizing for the first time that her feelings for her uncle may not be romantic.
Overall impressions. I adore this series. It is just the kind of fluff I was looking for. Although this is just volume one, I think Onise will become one of my favorite male leads. Nao’s uncle Sou says that Nao won’t take long to fall for Onise, and I’m rooting for that,
