Candy Color Paradox, Vol. 2

Candy Color Paradox #2

by Isaku Natsume

Reporter Onoe and photographer Kaburagi constantly bicker and argue on their stakeouts, but will their antagonistic behavior paradoxically evolve into something sweeter?

Satoshi Onoe, a reporter for a weekly magazine, has a new stakeout partner, and he’s anything but thrilled about it. Photographer Motoharu Kaburagi’s unconventional reporting methods and overall bad attitude are enough to drive Onoe insane. But the more the two work together, the closer they get.

Kaburagi and Onoe still bicker constantly, but at the end of the day they’re firmly in love. But suddenly Kaburagi’s sister Noriko shows up! Apparently, the two of them don’t get along very well…or at all, really. But Noriko does manage to hit it off with Onoe, and the two start hatching plots to knock Kaburagi’s ego down a peg or three…

Genres: Manga, Yaoi, Romance, LGBT, Boys Love, Contemporary, Comics

200 pages, Paperback

First published September 29, 2012

About the author

Isaku Natsume (native name: 夏目イサク) is a Japanese author of Boys' Love manga.
Aside from the manga published with publishing companies, she also runs two Dōjin circles: 139 and Chekera.
List of all her works (detailed) : http://infbot.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/...


Associated names :
チェケラ
チェケラ!
夏目維朔
139
Cheke-Rara

Reviews

[alex :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. the reasoning behind their “fight” kinda pissed me off but i have to let it slide (unfortunately). i still love them but i definitely need the romance to pick up a bit.

[Tai · Rating 4 out of 5]

i...am so utterly taken aback at how high-quality and un-creepy and smartly-written this is? this is a believable and cute romance that's not just decent for its genre but just overall...it's just really nice

[Brigi]

They're so silly, their banter is great! But also their relationship is evolving so nicely :)

[Dilushani Jayalath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isaku Natsume is an automatic buy for me now, and she has once again proven why she fell in that category for me.

[Hugo · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I ever said that I hated Onoe, the chapters on this volume was his redemption arc for me 😅
This had everything that was expected, as some exaggerated drama, that it turns such comedic 😂

Read the author note where this was supposed to be the final volume (it felt like it by the end) but he wanted to create more for these characters, so now I’m excited to see what comes in the next one

[Rachel Kathryn Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Onoe and Kaburagi are together and discovering more about each other like Kaburagi having a sister. And with his sister, Noriko, brings some trouble due to her feeling left behind by her brother. All of the mischief she and sometimes Onoe get up to are very funny especially with all their teasing of Kaburagi. I loved the consistent character and relationship growth. Their growth is also shown in their work in how they are able to work so well together when going on stakeouts. I also really liked how Onoe and Kaburagi kept trying to understand each other, like Onoe deciding to do an undercover job that normally Kaburagi would do. But he does it to try to help Kaburagi and understand how he feels on the job. Which shows the main issue in their relationship that they start working on once Obie’s intentions come out which is communication. Communication is the issue in their relationship for they tend to just use their actions as their words which can always misconstrued which happens. Overall, a great volume and I look forward to seeing more growth in their relationship.

[Katerina · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5
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This was an absolutely amazing read. I just love how light and airy Natsume keeps her characters and the surroundings.

In this volume we get to delve deeper into Kabu’s and Onoe’s relationship both professionally and romantically. Oh and of course we have an unexpected visitor in Kabu’s sister and I just loved all the mischief she got up to. It also gave us a chance to see a little into Kabu’s childhood and kind of understand his nonchalant demeanor.

What was really important to me was the consistent character growth and relationship growth. In the first manga we saw Onoe constantly try to one-up Kaburagi. Not taking into consideration that Kabu struggles with all the lying and stake-outs a reporter deals with. In this volume, Onoe is trying harder to understand the very aloof Kabu and so he decides to take one of “undercover” missions to help carry Kabu’s burden.

Of course does he tell Kabu that doing this project alone is to help him? Hahah - hell no.

The biggest relationship growth is the lack of communication and understanding that doing something you think is nice and helpful might not be taken that way by the other individual. Onoe and Kabu definitely have a long way to go and their communication Is a little lack-luster but they are trying and in doing so are growing closer.

[ayanami · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume is an excellent continuation of the story in three mini arcs that reveal more about our beloved main couple. The first story arc both gives us some background on Kaburagi as well as introduce to us someone from his past (who has a lot of potential to be a fun recurring character and definitely doesn't show up in the series enough!). The second story arc in this volume lets us see how the two leads work together as partners at their job, their different strengths, and how they compliment each other both as coworkers and romantic partners. The final story arc really drives this home with a great plot about Onoe trying to do Kaburagi's type of "dirty" work (ie. lying and deceiving people for a scoop) and how that affects Kaburagi, and reveals how Kaburagi feels about Onoe who is very different from him personality-wise. I really enjoyed this one in particular as I think Onoe often ends up as the butt of many jokes but here, you see just how competent he actually is at this job and how much his boss appreciates him. Overall, this is a great follow up to the first volume that reveals more about each character and just why they make a good couple, while also keeping the comedy and sweet moments from the previous volume.

[Namratha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reporter Onoe and photographer Kabu are finally in the first stages of a relationship, bickering away yet caring for each other in their own nutty ways. But Kabu’s estranged sister Noriko suddenly pops up and she seems to have many unresolved issues with Kabu. Finding an unlikely ally in Onoe, the two try to hatch some half-baked schemes to puncture Kabu’s self-assured confidence and charisma. But there might be more to it than what meets the eye.

Onoe also decides to take over a new scoop with shifty undertones which he is sure will make Kabu uncomfortable. But a slew of misunderstandings ensue and the newly formed couple are in danger of splintering over a lack of communication.

I adore the earnestness of Onoe and the cynical yet protective cloak of protection that Kabu tries to cast over Onoe. The author has a fine grasp on human emotions and watching the two MLs’ relationship blossom or falter in the face of very real problems makes for an interesting and mature read.

[bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

[ ★★★,7 / 5 ]

ℹ See full review in 飴色パラドックス 1 (Ameiro Paradox 1) .

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The boys are as cute as ever, Onoe being a total spazz and Kaburagi trying to play cool. There's a great scene revealing the character of the chief as well.

[Ray Flores · Rating 2 out of 5]

This couple is still not my cup of tea. I don’t really get thrilled by the whole miscommunication trope, neither by the jealousy. And having sex doesn’t magically solve all your problems *rolls eyes*.

Anyway, I do enjoy the comedy scenes and the art style but that’s just about it. This BL didn’t age well.

PREVIOUS REVIEWS:
Volume 1

[Jacquie Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love all the bickering and then the little bits of sweetness

[Thamy]

I didn't get the chance to review the first volume so I was extremely happy for being allowed to do it for this one. So first things first, what's the overall on this manga? Going to the point, it's your average Boys Love. Onoe couldn't stand how Kaburagi behaved and yet they're put to work together. Eventually, there are some sparks. I'm trying not to spoil volume 1 here.

So, is it worth it? For the first volume, I didn't see anything much, it's fun, they have chemistry, but it's the same story we've been reading time and again. There are some sex scenes here and there but they're probably 5%? Or even less? I'm not into smut, so I can't judge it but I can say that if you're also not into it,they're easy to skip and make no difference to the story, which is always a relief when I pick any BL. In general, it feels that the author was writing something that could be easily finished in a single volume but got an okay to go on.

And I'm glad. Second volume wasn't that superior, but I liked the character development. We learn more about Kaburagi and his personality, also hear a little about his family (I'm sure there's more coming ahead though). I still think it's not spectacular, but I'm looking forward to getting to know them.

It's a manga with good art, interesting side characters, some plot twists I don't usually expect and great jokes. If you've read volume 1 and feel iffy as I was, go ahead and give volume 2 a try.

3.5.


Honest review based on an ARC provided by Edelweiss. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

[小さな N (.❛ ᴗ ❛.)⊃ [_|_] ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2020: 3 stars

2014: 4 stars

[Christina (A Reader of Fictions) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What plot there is is admittedly weak, but the couple's adorable so I rarely care. The extras are particularly sweet.

[Rin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's decent

[Lauren Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

They’re stupid cute. With an emphasis on the stupid.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I super, super loved this one. Apparently it was actually supposed to be the end of the "series" for these two, but Natsume asked to continue it, so we'll see how the rest goes. It's interesting because the main characters got together in volume 1, so unless there's (heaven forbid) some breakup plotlines, the whole series should really be about two adults navigating their complicated lives and stressful careers while being in a committed relationship - which is something I love, and pretty different from what you normally see.

It almost feels like there's a bit of a time skip between these volumes...which I think is true later on (Onoe mentions that they've been working together for a year, although I'm not sure how long it took them to start dating), but in the first chapter, they'd just gotten together the week prior. They hadn't technically talked about what their relationship was, but I was pleased to see that Onoe was already treating it as something completely normal. He was irritated that Kaburagi wasn't being nicer to him, but there's no real sense of insecurity - he knows Kaburagi cares about him, and any of his jealousy pangs are about Kaburagi's past.

For instance, when Kaburagi finally invites Onoe over to his place, Onoe sees his gigantic bed and starts thinking about how Kaburagi used to not have a problem with a bunch of totally casual relationships. Past tense: he's not concerned in the slightest that this is something Kaburagi's still doing, or thinking about, now that they're together. I hope things stay like this, because it's really refreshing to have characters who trust and talk to each other.

And communication really is a big theme in this volume. Onoe is a loud, overexcited spazz, but he's actually really thoughtful and mature, and a lot of this comes out in his interactions with Kaburagi's little sister. I loved that entire storyline, too; there was no dumb misunderstanding or jealousy, and it really felt like Onoe had immediately adopted Nori as his little sister, too. While he enjoyed bonding with her and complaining about Kaburagi, he ultimately refused to do anything that would actually hurt Kaburagi, and he tried to smooth things out between the two of them as quickly as he could. It was just really nicely handled.

There is some miscommunication later on, and some teary heartbreak, but Onoe keeps pushing for the whole "if we don't talk about it how can we move past this?" and Kaburagi doesn't ice him out for all that long. I love that the conflict here basically boils down to both of them trying to protect each other - and Kaburagi starting to realize that while Onoe is a good person, it's not because he's "innocent" or pure or naive; he's seen the dark sides of the world and the people in it, and he's choosing to remain kind and optimistic. Kaburagi doesn't have to shield him from the dirty parts of their job.

I also really like Onoe's friendship with his old classmate and longsuffering bartender. I wonder if Masa-Yan and Nori will wind up together? That would be cute.

[L Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 of this series was just as entertaining as book one. Onoe and Kaburagi are such an odd couple that I can't help but want to follow them around and see what they get into next. I think they compliment each other very well though I do think that Onoe goes a little too far with his desire to take Kaburagi's "ego down a peg". I'm tired of hearing him complain about how smug and confident he is. I don't think there's anything wrong with him acting like that, especially in their line of work. He does make sly comments to Onoe sometimes but it's never said in a malicious way and never meant to he hurtful. I'm pretty sure Onoe knows this too.

We meet Kaburagi's estranged sister and I'll admit it...I didn't really like her. I thought she was a mess and I didn't like how she tried to use Onoe to get back at Kuburagi (I was actually even more ticked at Onoe for being so naive, but I digress). I'm glad things worked out for everyone but I had a hard time watching Onoe team up with her against his own boyfriend.

I liked the last two chapters more. Onoe still has a hard time dealing with how well Kaburagi gets along with everyone, especially those of the opposite sex. His jealousy is what drives him to seek out ways to "expose" Kaburagi to others in order to get them to back off. All of that is unnecessary since Kaburagi clearly loves him and has expressed that to him many times.

In the last chapter when Onoe and Kaburagi get into a non-fight over something Onoe did I really got to see just how differently the two men deal with their negative emotions. Onoe gets depressed and tries to drink away his pain while Kaburagi tries to ignore it and act like nothing happened. Whenever those two get into a disagreement poor Masa-Yan is thrown in the middle 😂. He's so patient with Onoe and I really like his character.

In a letter at the end of the manga the mangaka stated that this volume was supposed to be the last book in the series. I'm glad they decided to continue with more volumes but if it had been the last one the ending would have been perfect. I still don't believe this is for everyone but I personally really enjoyed it. The focus here is more on storytelling and less on visual titillation and while I very much love visual titillation you can't go wrong with a good story.

[R E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Isaku Natsume’s Candy Color Paradox series has leapt into my top ten, largely on the strength of her two main characters, earnest and emotional Onoe, a journalist, and cool, smooth Kaburagi, a photo journalist. The stories are perfect vehicles for both the main characters and the supporting cast, all of whom we get to know through the ups and downs of stakeouts, tips, and undercover reporting.
​​
​​Volume 2 finds Onoe and Kaburagi still bickering and arguing, but also maturing as a couple. To my eye, there's even a slight change in how Natsume draws them, both individually and together. There are still plenty of sight gags and humor, but there are also more closeups of the characters reacting to each other - sometimes in confusion, sometimes in angst, sometimes in exasperation, but more often it's the deep, reciprocal gaze of lovers. This slight shift towards visual and emotional gravitas gives volume 2 a depth I didn't expect, given the comedy and occasional drama of volume 1. Nothing is lost by this subtle change - Onoe is still hilarious when he goes off the deep end, Kaburagi is still the smooth operator. But Natsume ends up giving us a much more rounded, three-dimensional story as a result.
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​​My only frustration is that I can't find a paperback version of volume 3 anywhere! I've downloaded it on my Kindle but it's not the same. Luckily, I already have the paperback of volume 4 on my shelf.

[Ruthsic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warnings: graphic sex scenes

Rep: Both protagonists are bisexual Japanese men in a relationship

Onoe and Kaburagi are still new to their relationship, but they are utterly in love. However, there are still some insecurities and things to work out, as seen in this volume. First, there's Kaburagi's sister who makes an appearance and causes tension, while also having issues unresolved with respect to her brother. Onoe sees another side of Kaburagi and learns more about him through her, while also initially finding kinship in how they want to tease him. Then, there's Onoe's and Kaburagi's working relationship and how they approach the demands of their work. Hoping to spare Kaburagi a distateful mission, Onoe volunteers for it, unknowingly upsetting the latter in the process. Proper communication, however, solves their problems. Overall, it is a nice story arc concerning their relationship, and I also loved how the characters are fleshed out.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from SuBLime, via Edelweiss.

[Keri (TheAudioAuditor) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paper book review.

Oh gosh, these two are so fun to follow. The art style is great, emotions overdrawn, reactions exaggerated, but I feel like the story is simplistic enough that it all balances nicely. And I love that our main couple just enjoys egging each other on, bickering, tiptoeing around how they actually feel. They're both so stubborn, except when it comes to defending each other. That speech Chief gives to Kabu about Onoe's strength was so heartwarming and powerful. And I truly appreciate the sex scenes are not passionate perfection, but include their awkward dialogue and continued bickering. So endearing! Aside from their stubborn refusal to JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER, I loved every single page!

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Japanese story about two reporters continues. It's great to have a work place drama that is outside the office and so we get a lot of culture in this story.

The first half of this book is nothing like the TV show which is nice. I found this story watching the J-drama online. The second half of the book the TV Show used parts of. I like both stories.

Onoe is much more annoying on page. I don't see how Kabu can put up with him. He's always grumpy and grouchy. Still, there is chemistry between Onoe and Kabu and when they aren't together, we miss them.

I think this is about everything that was in the show - the first two volumes. I can't wait to see what else is in the next four volumes. This is a good story.

[Eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kaburagi and Onoe still bicker constantly, but their love for each other is starting bloom. However, a new problem has arisen: Kaburagi's little sister, Noriko, has shown up! It seems that the siblings don't get along very well. Surprisingly, Noriko manages to hit it off with Onoe, and together they start plotting to knock Kaburagi's ego down a peg or three. Will they succeed or fail in their plans?

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We’re not breaking any new ground here, but it is sweet, charming, and fun. This time there’s some progressive conflict tossed in to allow more exploration/depth of the guys’ feelings, but it’s not overdramatic and everything is resolved in a way that moves the characters forward. Kabu’s stupid rivalry with Masa-yan comtinues to be hilarious.

[Myffanwy Geronazzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely better when it comes to displaying mutual affection, although the whole jealousy thing is also getting old. I don't know if I had read this one earlier, like, before the NA release (this is a manga that was serialized pre-2015 after all) that I would feel the same, but I'm definitely going to be taking it into consideration with releases post 2017.

[Amethyst · Rating 4 out of 5]

-Like how we got to meet Noriko and found out more about Kabu’s family~
-What Kabu got upset and worried about was actually really relevant, especially as it concerns one's personality and morals; glad they talked it out and let each other know their reasons for doing what they did~

[Tania · Rating 2 out of 5]

Este manga tiene muchos de esos tropes que ya están muy choteados y pasados y simplemente no envejecieron bien: ¿la hermana que llega a echar drama?, palomita; ¿El malentendido por falta de comunicación?, palomita; ¿Sexo como forma de reconciliación?, claro que sí, crack, que así se hacían estás historias.

El asunto es que no lo odio, pero tampoco lo amo. Solo me gusta el dibujo.

[Amber L · Rating 4 out of 5]

These two are growing on me even more. Both of them are so sweet for each other and try to stop each other from getting more jaded/jaded. The miscommunication was a great storyline. They both care for each other. I'm was so happy that finally they both took steps to tell each other how special and loved they are with each other. I can't wait to read more.