Scan barcode
nexusgoblin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The food is fantastic though.
Be warned there is some fatphobia and what felt like biphobia (and a bit of 'gold star gay' thrown into the same sentence)
Moderate: Fatphobia
Minor: Biphobia
irl_bookworms's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
What Did You Eat Yesterday? is the story of Shiro, a cheap, narcissistic in-the-closet lawyer who loves to cook, and his boyfriend Kenji, a laidback hairstylist who is out at his place of work.
What I really enjoyed in this novel was how it addressed different expectations for different characters, like when it discussed the difference between Eastern and Western Culture when it comes to the experience of being gay, and also when it examined the strain of a relationship between someone who is out and someone who is in the closet. While it did tackle some heavier topics, this manga also really highlighted the lovely and soft parts of being a couple - specifically with Shiro taking the time to make food everyday and Kenji sitting down to cut Shiro’s hair.
It’s not a perfect relationship by any means, lots of internalized homophobia, biophobia, and fatphobia are present but not addressed - however, this is the toxic culture that a lot of gay men do face and it does reflect the age of the characters and the year this manga was originally published. There are also a few moments that hit very hard as a queer person and the one that stands out is when Shiro’s friend admitted that she’s okay with him being gay, but that she’s not sure she would feel the same if it was her own daughter. Yoshinaga summed it up in one really impactful line near the end of the manga:
“Just because they know, doesn’t mean they understand.”
I’ve read some of Yoshinaga’s series before and this first volume has most certainly made me want to continue this one as well.
CW: Homophobia, internalized homophobia, biphobia, outing, mentions of sexual assualt, fatphobia, eating disorders, & graphic depictions of domestic violence.
*I received an eARC from Kodansha Comics & NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Homophobia
Moderate: Biphobia, Fatphobia, and Outing
Minor: Eating disorder and Sexual assault
mablayy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, and Homophobia
Minor: Biphobia
ashlikes's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Fatphobia
Minor: Biphobia and Transphobia
seawarrior's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Outing
Moderate: Biphobia
Minor: Infidelity and Lesbophobia
blynecessity's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
EDIT: (2.25 stars) Okay, this came out in 2007?? Unacceptable. Y'all, I really thought this was like a early 90s book, because the story felt so woman-author-who-doesn't-really-get-mlm-relationships-beyond-yaoi-stuff-but-at-least-its-queer-rep and just sort of figured this was from back when that was considered cutting-edge representation? (Also because the art looks old af.) But, like, this came out 13 years ago, not 30 years ago which makes me much less forgiving of some pretty squick stereotypes and depictions throughout the series.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Biphobia and Pedophilia
Minor: Rape
caramiaculpa's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Biphobia, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Homophobia
Minor: Infidelity and Transphobia