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Like Two Peas in a Pod
It began with a mistake. When Tanaka and Nakata are given each other’s papers back, they come to a horrible realization...
They have almost identical names. And test results. And body types. And taste in fashion. And sports scores. And hobbies. The list goes on, and as annoying as it is, at least they know they always have each other.
And maybe, just maybe, their similarities run even deeper.
They have almost identical names. And test results. And body types. And taste in fashion. And sports scores. And hobbies. The list goes on, and as annoying as it is, at least they know they always have each other.
And maybe, just maybe, their similarities run even deeper.
208 pages, Paperback
First published June 15, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
May 11, 2021
Maybe not quite five stars, but close!!! So I didn’t take long to read this, but I took several breaks because of how dense the characters were being!!! You know how it is though, when you’re in high school it’s hard to deal with such complex and deep feelings!!! Which is partially why I love this one so much!!!
This was not an easy road to, oh wow, we should be together. Life is messy and I love it when a book can more accurately explain the intense hectic-ness that is life. I do get tired of reading about insta-love, so it’s nice to see the craziness that often comes along with real relationships.
Omg tho, the art!!! It was sooooo good!!!! I really liked all the illustrations and how each character is portrayed. The girls are fun too, just not as cute as the boys are in this one. I’d love for this to have at least a mini series of more books. Not sure where it would go from here, but I’m down for it!!!
I recommend this to those who love manga, especially with lgbtqia+ characters who fall in love. Sooo sweet!!!!
Thanks so much to Independent Publishers Group, Tokyopop, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion!!!
Check out this review and others on my blog @ https://shannarareads.com/?p=488
Thanks!!
This was not an easy road to, oh wow, we should be together. Life is messy and I love it when a book can more accurately explain the intense hectic-ness that is life. I do get tired of reading about insta-love, so it’s nice to see the craziness that often comes along with real relationships.
Omg tho, the art!!! It was sooooo good!!!! I really liked all the illustrations and how each character is portrayed. The girls are fun too, just not as cute as the boys are in this one. I’d love for this to have at least a mini series of more books. Not sure where it would go from here, but I’m down for it!!!
I recommend this to those who love manga, especially with lgbtqia+ characters who fall in love. Sooo sweet!!!!
Thanks so much to Independent Publishers Group, Tokyopop, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion!!!
Check out this review and others on my blog @ https://shannarareads.com/?p=488
Thanks!!
July 9, 2021
This was cute, but I honestly cared more about Nakata's friendship with Futaba than his relationship with Tanaka. Futaba was the best character imo. She was just observing the drama and reading her books. Loved her.
I feel a little meh about this book. I don't really like that Tanaka cheated on his girlfriend and I wish that conflict could've been dwelled on more. It seemed too fast. I also wish the conversation all the kids had about love were a little... deeper? It was there, but it didn't go into enough for me. I don't know. I don't have much else to say. It was good, but not the best.
I feel a little meh about this book. I don't really like that Tanaka cheated on his girlfriend and I wish that conflict could've been dwelled on more. It seemed too fast. I also wish the conversation all the kids had about love were a little... deeper? It was there, but it didn't go into enough for me. I don't know. I don't have much else to say. It was good, but not the best.
February 5, 2022
חיפשתי מנגה קלילה וקצרה לקרוא ומצאתי את המנגה הזאת
הסיפור פה מדבר על תקופה של שנה ועל שני חברים טובים שדומים בהרבה דברים כמו הכותרת של המנגה - כמו שני אפונים בתרמיל עד הרגע שהם כבר לא כל כך דומים
הסיפור מתחיל מבלבול בשמות של השניים שלהם שם משפחה דומה במיוחד אבל הכל משתנה ביום גשום אחד שסו חולק מטרייה עם נערה מהכיתה ושיויאה נשאר מאחור עם כאב לא ברור בחזה
הסיפור מסופר מנקודת המבט של שיויאה שלא מבין למה הדימון שלו לסו והזוגיות שלו עם יוקה כל כך מפריע לו, האם זאת אהבה?
לסיפור היה המון פוטניצאל אבל בפועל הוא לא התממש, הקשר של הדמויות לא נגע בי והעלילה הייתה בעייני מבולגנת ולא ברורה בחלק מהמקרים והסוף היה מאכזב ולא חד משמעי
חמוד להעביר כמה שעות לא מעבר
הסיפור פה מדבר על תקופה של שנה ועל שני חברים טובים שדומים בהרבה דברים כמו הכותרת של המנגה - כמו שני אפונים בתרמיל עד הרגע שהם כבר לא כל כך דומים
הסיפור מתחיל מבלבול בשמות של השניים שלהם שם משפחה דומה במיוחד אבל הכל משתנה ביום גשום אחד שסו חולק מטרייה עם נערה מהכיתה ושיויאה נשאר מאחור עם כאב לא ברור בחזה
הסיפור מסופר מנקודת המבט של שיויאה שלא מבין למה הדימון שלו לסו והזוגיות שלו עם יוקה כל כך מפריע לו, האם זאת אהבה?
לסיפור היה המון פוטניצאל אבל בפועל הוא לא התממש, הקשר של הדמויות לא נגע בי והעלילה הייתה בעייני מבולגנת ולא ברורה בחלק מהמקרים והסוף היה מאכזב ולא חד משמעי
חמוד להעביר כמה שעות לא מעבר
April 8, 2022
I liked it a lot. 😊 Read in one sitting.
The art is so pretty.
I ship the main couple. Their dynamic is fun. I like the characters in general. They're cute.
The character of Futaba is great! She really stood out.
The premise is good and I was super entertained by the story too. When stuff hit the fan, I was like: 😵😱😳. I was so engrossed while reading!
With all that said, this could've been a short series or a little longer. I think it just needed more pages to really flesh out the characters and the romance. Some elements felt rushed, especially towards the end. Also I must admit that while I read this not long ago from when I'm writing this, a lot of the details are already blurring away.
The art is so pretty.
I ship the main couple. Their dynamic is fun. I like the characters in general. They're cute.
The character of Futaba is great! She really stood out.
The premise is good and I was super entertained by the story too. When stuff hit the fan, I was like: 😵😱😳. I was so engrossed while reading!
With all that said, this could've been a short series or a little longer. I think it just needed more pages to really flesh out the characters and the romance. Some elements felt rushed, especially towards the end. Also I must admit that while I read this not long ago from when I'm writing this, a lot of the details are already blurring away.
June 14, 2021
This was a charming high school romance.
We follow two boys who are similar in various ways, Nakata and Tanaka. They wear the same clothes, have the same height, get the same scores on their tests. They also think they like the same girl. But what happens when one of them starts having feelings for the other?
This was a cute story. I think my expectations were a little high going into this one. I LOVED Gorou Kanbe's previous manga (Don't Call Me Dirty/Daddy), and this one fell a little flat in comparison. Their writing and art is still top notch, though, and I'd still recommend it.
We follow two boys who are similar in various ways, Nakata and Tanaka. They wear the same clothes, have the same height, get the same scores on their tests. They also think they like the same girl. But what happens when one of them starts having feelings for the other?
This was a cute story. I think my expectations were a little high going into this one. I LOVED Gorou Kanbe's previous manga (Don't Call Me Dirty/Daddy), and this one fell a little flat in comparison. Their writing and art is still top notch, though, and I'd still recommend it.
July 4, 2021
This sounded like it was such an excellent premise for a romance story, but I think it really suffered from being limited to a single volume. The ultimate relationship between the main characters didn’t have enough supporting it to feel satisfying, and I don’t like the turns the story had to take in order to make that work. If this was ever fleshed out into a longer series I would definitely give it a read to see if some of my issues with it were resolved. 2.5 rounded up.
August 28, 2021
This is a lovely high school friends to boyfriends story. There is quite a bumpy road as both the main characters take time to recognise their feelings for each other and then take time to get together as a couple. The reader is taken on a heartwarming journey to highschool love with some interesting side characters along the way. The artwork is good with clear drawings and expressive characters.
Copy provided by Tokyo Pop in exchange for an unbiased review.
Copy provided by Tokyo Pop in exchange for an unbiased review.
May 30, 2024
This was very cute and tbh everything I wanted from a one shot. But since it was a one shot it felt very short (I think this was shorter than most one shots also) and I wish we got more time for couple activities and dates and stuff but I still enjoyed the buildup, the humor and the ✨vibes✨. I read the Portuguese (pt-pt) edition and it was very well translated and I really liked Midori editoras work on it.
All in all, I'm in-between 3 or 3.5 ⭐, I enjoyed this more than anticipated!
All in all, I'm in-between 3 or 3.5 ⭐, I enjoyed this more than anticipated!
September 19, 2022
This just had my heart spiraling out of control. First off their friendship immaculate. But then my poor boy basically got heart burn to the extreme. But even though he was hurting I loved the friendship he built with futaba was amazing. She was so sweet and nice and honestly a real friend from beginning to end even when she didn’t know fully what was going on at first. Then that kiss moment!!!!! I was just shocked and so not ready for it to happen with so many pages still to read. I honestly want so much more that I’m going to see what else this author has to offer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2021
5/5 Cute one shot!
This was a good little story that I really enjoyed. I got this on kindle because I had some credit but will most likely be adding it to my physical collection in the future!
This was a good little story that I really enjoyed. I got this on kindle because I had some credit but will most likely be adding it to my physical collection in the future!
September 7, 2024
Ok. One of the things I like about this mangaka is her(?) unusual setups. But this one is weird to the point of being vaguely unsatisfying.
Nakata and Tanaka (seemingly meeting for the first time in high school) have a lot of minor commonalities. Beside the inverted names, they're the same height, get the exact same time in a race, stuff like that. They become friends? though there's some weird antagonism, and I can't tell if it's meant to read as friendly teasing or actual hostility.
Nakata falls for Tanaka, but Tanaka gets involved with a girl, and spends most of the story in a relationship with her. Nakata pines. But understand that when I say that, were this not marketed as BL, it would not be at all clear that that's what's going on for a good chunk of the story. It could as easily be read as it is by side characters that Nakata's actually interested in Tanaka's girlfriend.
The way the girlfriend situation resolves is not something I've ever seen in manga either. Her whole attitude about everything at the end is just... what? Not that it's implausible, just entirely unexpected.
That said, I did still mostly like it. I think a lot of queer people who were closeted in high school will find the situation relatable. But like... I'd have liked more.
Nakata and Tanaka (seemingly meeting for the first time in high school) have a lot of minor commonalities. Beside the inverted names, they're the same height, get the exact same time in a race, stuff like that. They become friends? though there's some weird antagonism, and I can't tell if it's meant to read as friendly teasing or actual hostility.
Nakata falls for Tanaka, but Tanaka gets involved with a girl, and spends most of the story in a relationship with her. Nakata pines. But understand that when I say that, were this not marketed as BL, it would not be at all clear that that's what's going on for a good chunk of the story. It could as easily be read as it is by side characters that Nakata's actually interested in Tanaka's girlfriend.
The way the girlfriend situation resolves is not something I've ever seen in manga either. Her whole attitude about everything at the end is just... what? Not that it's implausible, just entirely unexpected.
That said, I did still mostly like it. I think a lot of queer people who were closeted in high school will find the situation relatable. But like... I'd have liked more.
July 3, 2025
This was such a cute read! Gotta love the messy high-school romance trope. Also, i really love how the female characters were written in this. They were surprisingly well fleshed out in a book from a genre that tends to not even give female characters a space on the page. Feels good to finally get out of my reading slump so I must say thank you to this manga for that.
June 19, 2021
Buenos, es mono y I liked it, pero es más de lo mismo, con este plot he leído varios y me han gustado más.
June 13, 2022
This one was so sweet..: but still a bit unclear in the ending regarding one thing… so the actually ending made me confused but overall it was cute. My fave character was totally Futuba 💚
September 15, 2022
If this wasn't deliciously angsty idiots friends-to-lovers with surprisingly solid nuance and a comprehensive emotional journey, considering it is a one-shot manga. I really enjoyed myself!
January 20, 2025
★ 5 stars ★
This was such a good manga I loved it from start to finish😍 short and sweeeet 10/10 recommend!
This was such a good manga I loved it from start to finish😍 short and sweeeet 10/10 recommend!
Read
May 9, 2022Maybe the important similarity isn't one their classmates see...
May 13, 2021
Thank you to both Netgalley and ToykoPop for the free PDF version of this manga in exchange for a honest review!
I picked this book on Netgalley a bit on a whim. Saw that it was BL and it sounded cute and I’ve enjoyed numerous other ToykoPop releases before so I figured ‘why not’.
This manga deals with the problem of crushing on your best friend. What do you do in that situation? Do you risk it all for possible bliss? Or do you stay silent to keep the friendship that you cherish?
Tanaka and Nakata are childhood friends by happenstance. A mistake with their names in elementary school links them together for the rest of their lives, or at least while they’re in school together. Their whole identity are based off the idea that they are very similar together.
Except that all changes when Tanaka gets girlfriend.
And Nakata doesn’t.
Add in some character growth (okay, a lot of character growth) and some angst and you have a great BL manga.
Personally, I would’ve loved if this what a short series rather than a one volume story. I would’ve loved it being more of a slow burn. There are 3 time skips through out the story but I feel like there could’ve been so much more to this. Maybe I just love angst and wanted more of it!
I would’ve also loved more of an ending. The ending is a bit of a ‘blink and its gone’.
Needless to say, I love this story. That’s why I wanted more. The art is beautiful and so are the characters. The way the author, Gorou Kanbe, wrote the emotions of the characters so well.
Overall, I highly suggest this manga. It’s published on June 8th, 2021!
I picked this book on Netgalley a bit on a whim. Saw that it was BL and it sounded cute and I’ve enjoyed numerous other ToykoPop releases before so I figured ‘why not’.
This manga deals with the problem of crushing on your best friend. What do you do in that situation? Do you risk it all for possible bliss? Or do you stay silent to keep the friendship that you cherish?
Tanaka and Nakata are childhood friends by happenstance. A mistake with their names in elementary school links them together for the rest of their lives, or at least while they’re in school together. Their whole identity are based off the idea that they are very similar together.
Except that all changes when Tanaka gets girlfriend.
And Nakata doesn’t.
Add in some character growth (okay, a lot of character growth) and some angst and you have a great BL manga.
Personally, I would’ve loved if this what a short series rather than a one volume story. I would’ve loved it being more of a slow burn. There are 3 time skips through out the story but I feel like there could’ve been so much more to this. Maybe I just love angst and wanted more of it!
I would’ve also loved more of an ending. The ending is a bit of a ‘blink and its gone’.
Needless to say, I love this story. That’s why I wanted more. The art is beautiful and so are the characters. The way the author, Gorou Kanbe, wrote the emotions of the characters so well.
Overall, I highly suggest this manga. It’s published on June 8th, 2021!
May 27, 2021
When two people are so similar, what can it mean? For Tanaka and Nakata they're not sure. While yes, they do have similar names, and use similar Kanji to represent those names. But they can't be that similar can they? But they soon discover that they are.. from fashion to cell phone cases to interests to lap times. Tanaka and Nakata are two peas in a pod.
Clearly they're meant to be friends. But are they meant to be something more.
--
This is a cute one shot Manga that tells the story of high schoolers Tanaka and Nakata throughout the course of the school year. It's a slow burn shonen-ai romance that is both sweet and frustrating in the best of ways. There's a lot of journey of discovery in this manga and one of the revelations near the end actually surprised me. Which doesn't happen a lot but it was so well done that it heightened my enjoyment of this book. This is a very slow burn romance that features some heterosexual dating and mutual pining.
Tanaka and Nakata are well done as protagonists. They are similar enough that you can see how they'd be two peas in a pod, but they are different enough to be unique. Tanaka is the outgoing sporty one. While Nakata is the quieter more introspective one. A lot of the story is seen through Nakata's eyes, and honestly that was a good choice. There's also a really quite awesome side character of Futaba who I'd love to see get a story of her own.
The artwork is very pretty, but also minimalist. But it works to help heighten the story.
Honestly I really enjoyed this manga.
Five Stars
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley
Clearly they're meant to be friends. But are they meant to be something more.
--
This is a cute one shot Manga that tells the story of high schoolers Tanaka and Nakata throughout the course of the school year. It's a slow burn shonen-ai romance that is both sweet and frustrating in the best of ways. There's a lot of journey of discovery in this manga and one of the revelations near the end actually surprised me. Which doesn't happen a lot but it was so well done that it heightened my enjoyment of this book. This is a very slow burn romance that features some heterosexual dating and mutual pining.
Tanaka and Nakata are well done as protagonists. They are similar enough that you can see how they'd be two peas in a pod, but they are different enough to be unique. Tanaka is the outgoing sporty one. While Nakata is the quieter more introspective one. A lot of the story is seen through Nakata's eyes, and honestly that was a good choice. There's also a really quite awesome side character of Futaba who I'd love to see get a story of her own.
The artwork is very pretty, but also minimalist. But it works to help heighten the story.
Honestly I really enjoyed this manga.
Five Stars
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley
May 12, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley, Tokyopop, and Gorou Kanbe for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Tanaka and Nakata are extremely similar. When they both miswrite their own names on a paper, they meet each other and learn they might have quite a bit in common. They are the same height, speed, listen to the same music, and even find themselves wearing the same outfit. Coincidence? They become close friends, but then Tanaka gets a girlfriend, Nakata isn't so sure about their similarities anymore. In fact, he begins to notice just how different they are. As time progresses, their relationship changes, and Nakata learns who he might just have feelings for, which may complicate things.
A nice stand-alone manga, though I was hoping for a stronger feel of dramatic tension throughout. There wasn't really much of that tension, though the reader can easily pick up on Nakata's crush. I was hoping for more early-on romance, but even though I didn't quite get what I expected from this manga, is was quite wholesome and still told a wonderful story about friendship and high school romance.
Tanaka and Nakata are extremely similar. When they both miswrite their own names on a paper, they meet each other and learn they might have quite a bit in common. They are the same height, speed, listen to the same music, and even find themselves wearing the same outfit. Coincidence? They become close friends, but then Tanaka gets a girlfriend, Nakata isn't so sure about their similarities anymore. In fact, he begins to notice just how different they are. As time progresses, their relationship changes, and Nakata learns who he might just have feelings for, which may complicate things.
A nice stand-alone manga, though I was hoping for a stronger feel of dramatic tension throughout. There wasn't really much of that tension, though the reader can easily pick up on Nakata's crush. I was hoping for more early-on romance, but even though I didn't quite get what I expected from this manga, is was quite wholesome and still told a wonderful story about friendship and high school romance.
June 2, 2022
2024- 4 stars
I feel like I have a different opinion of this manga every time I read it. I would hardly call this "romantic", but I like all the characters and find the story engaging. Both Tanaka and Nakata have a lot of flaws, but I think their journey was done well and fell in line with the characters.
***************
2022-2 stars
I remember liking this one a lot at the start, but the ending leaving a bad taste in my mouth.
I feel like I have a different opinion of this manga every time I read it. I would hardly call this "romantic", but I like all the characters and find the story engaging. Both Tanaka and Nakata have a lot of flaws, but I think their journey was done well and fell in line with the characters.
***************
2022-2 stars
I remember liking this one a lot at the start, but the ending leaving a bad taste in my mouth.
August 30, 2021
3.5 stars - The pacing of these one shot manga often puzzles me. There’s a lot simmering under the surface, apparently, and I probably can’t pick up on all the cultural things that signify their feelings. But, still enjoyable!
June 17, 2021
I didn't love this quite as much as Don't Call Me Daddy, but just like that manga, it did make me cry through a lot of it. Kanbe is really, really good at writing unrequited love - which might be why Don't Call Me Dirty fell a little flat for me. There was no sense of searing urgency, or a desperate need for the two of them to be with each other. The chemistry just wasn't strong enough - which made me a little wary of ordering this book, Kanbe's latest. I'm glad I did.
It's kinda interesting to line these works up and compare their story arcs, because the truth is, I'm not sure if Nakata and Tanaka will last "forever." Normally, that'd pull me out of a manga and make me like it a little less, but there's still something achingly sweet about your first love, no matter what happens next. Will they have that intensely satisfying ending of Don't Call Me Daddy, where they're still in love decades down the line, and ready to build a permanent life together? Or will this be one of those relationships they look back with distant fondness, as their lives diverge?
It's hard to say. Especially since Tanaka's feelings are more in flux, and he can't even say yet that he is in love. All he knows is that he likes being around Nakata and that he's overcome by a prickly, miserable feeling in his stomach when he thinks that Nakata might be in love with someone else.
Part of me wonders, too, how faithful he'd be to Nakata, when he already cheated on the girlfriend he'd thought he'd loved. It doesn't really matter that he cared more about Nakata and that Tanaka and his girlfriend weren't actually in love with each other; he'd still made a commitment to her, and hadn't broken it off with her before kissing Nakata. (Which she stumbled upon, and which hurt her deeply.)
Then again, this is a high school story. They're young; they're exploring emotions; dating someone you hold hands with and kiss a few times isn't a binding lifetime commitment. You do dumb things when you're young, and you hurt people, and the important part is how you grow out of it.
The extra comics at the end add some nice epilogue content, where we see that Tanaka's ex appears to still get along well with both of them, and that she's becoming good friends with Futaba, Nakata's wonderful best friend. I loved that friendship - although Futaba didn't guess Nakata's crush correctly (you always go with the straight assumption first), she was so perceptive and kind and supportive. She didn't have any ulterior motives and wasn't interested in stealing Nakata for herself; she just wanted a friend to talk about books with. I guess I like her because I have very often been her. And I also just think it's nice to show solid, supportive male/female friendships, especially in stories like these, where it's so easy to ignore all the girls or to present them as obstacles and villains.
While I loved Nakata's intense pining - especially that fireworks scene, my goodness - the best part of Kanbe's writing here is how much the "two peas in a pod" scenario is overturned.
I'll be honest: I wasn't that intrigued by the synopsis. Two guys are super alike! Their names are written similarly! They're the same height and run at the same speed! They listen to the same music and wear the same clothes! They look out the window at contrails at the same time! That's all very coincidental and kind of a stretch to build a relationship on.
But that's not what's actually happening.
Kanbe did something brilliant here. We find out, much later in the story, that they were never that similar. There were a few coincidences at the beginning, but the rest of the similarities started cropping up more thickly simply because Nakata liked Tanaka and was paying so much attention to him.
That's one of the things Futaba had noticed, although she'd drawn the wrong conclusion; she'd assumed that Nakata was (unconsciously or not) trying to be like Tanaka because he was interested in Tanaka's girlfriend. Nope. When he was watching the two of them, his eyes were always on his friend, with the goofy laugh that made Nakata feel warm and shivery inside.
And that makes the final page such a good way to wrap things up - on a subtle but deeply hopeful note. In the early stages, Nakata was turning his face to the window because he was watching Tanaka so closely and wanted to see what he was seeing - the contrails in the sky outside their classroom.
As the year draws to a close, it's Nakata who turns to the window first - and it's Tanaka's who's watching him, and who mirrors his movement, hardly realizing he's doing so. They really are becoming more alike...and more mutually in love.
It's a very sweet, good-hearted story, and I liked it a lot.
It's kinda interesting to line these works up and compare their story arcs, because the truth is, I'm not sure if Nakata and Tanaka will last "forever." Normally, that'd pull me out of a manga and make me like it a little less, but there's still something achingly sweet about your first love, no matter what happens next. Will they have that intensely satisfying ending of Don't Call Me Daddy, where they're still in love decades down the line, and ready to build a permanent life together? Or will this be one of those relationships they look back with distant fondness, as their lives diverge?
It's hard to say. Especially since Tanaka's feelings are more in flux, and he can't even say yet that he is in love. All he knows is that he likes being around Nakata and that he's overcome by a prickly, miserable feeling in his stomach when he thinks that Nakata might be in love with someone else.
Part of me wonders, too, how faithful he'd be to Nakata, when he already cheated on the girlfriend he'd thought he'd loved. It doesn't really matter that he cared more about Nakata and that Tanaka and his girlfriend weren't actually in love with each other; he'd still made a commitment to her, and hadn't broken it off with her before kissing Nakata. (Which she stumbled upon, and which hurt her deeply.)
Then again, this is a high school story. They're young; they're exploring emotions; dating someone you hold hands with and kiss a few times isn't a binding lifetime commitment. You do dumb things when you're young, and you hurt people, and the important part is how you grow out of it.
The extra comics at the end add some nice epilogue content, where we see that Tanaka's ex appears to still get along well with both of them, and that she's becoming good friends with Futaba, Nakata's wonderful best friend. I loved that friendship - although Futaba didn't guess Nakata's crush correctly (you always go with the straight assumption first), she was so perceptive and kind and supportive. She didn't have any ulterior motives and wasn't interested in stealing Nakata for herself; she just wanted a friend to talk about books with. I guess I like her because I have very often been her. And I also just think it's nice to show solid, supportive male/female friendships, especially in stories like these, where it's so easy to ignore all the girls or to present them as obstacles and villains.
While I loved Nakata's intense pining - especially that fireworks scene, my goodness - the best part of Kanbe's writing here is how much the "two peas in a pod" scenario is overturned.
I'll be honest: I wasn't that intrigued by the synopsis. Two guys are super alike! Their names are written similarly! They're the same height and run at the same speed! They listen to the same music and wear the same clothes! They look out the window at contrails at the same time! That's all very coincidental and kind of a stretch to build a relationship on.
But that's not what's actually happening.
Kanbe did something brilliant here. We find out, much later in the story, that they were never that similar. There were a few coincidences at the beginning, but the rest of the similarities started cropping up more thickly simply because Nakata liked Tanaka and was paying so much attention to him.
That's one of the things Futaba had noticed, although she'd drawn the wrong conclusion; she'd assumed that Nakata was (unconsciously or not) trying to be like Tanaka because he was interested in Tanaka's girlfriend. Nope. When he was watching the two of them, his eyes were always on his friend, with the goofy laugh that made Nakata feel warm and shivery inside.
And that makes the final page such a good way to wrap things up - on a subtle but deeply hopeful note. In the early stages, Nakata was turning his face to the window because he was watching Tanaka so closely and wanted to see what he was seeing - the contrails in the sky outside their classroom.
As the year draws to a close, it's Nakata who turns to the window first - and it's Tanaka's who's watching him, and who mirrors his movement, hardly realizing he's doing so. They really are becoming more alike...and more mutually in love.
It's a very sweet, good-hearted story, and I liked it a lot.
November 21, 2021
I wish there had been a little more of the story after they got together and a little more talk between them.
Futaba was a great character, sorry boys, she stole the show!
Futaba was a great character, sorry boys, she stole the show!
June 18, 2021
Like Two Peas in a Pod, by “Don’t Call Me Dirty” mangaka Gorou Kanbe, is another finely crafted work that has its own unique charm. I find identifying that uniqueness, especially with “Like Two Peas,” difficult – while each of her works delivers an emotional punch, including this one, overall I might describe them as quiet but affecting. In “Don’t call me Dirty” and its prequel/sequel hybrid “Don’t Call Me Daddy” (as it takes place mostly in the past but ends in the present), the central tension is diffuse, always felt in everyday events but only occasionally taking center stage. With “Like Two Peas,” which takes place mostly in a school, the tension builds slowly but is much more apparent throughout the manga.
The story follows Tanaka and Nataka, who, as the blurb on the back cover states, are remarkably similar in most things even though they are unrelated. Tanaka is the more outgoing and aggressive of the two, and it’s Tanaka who ends up getting a girlfriend, leaving much less time for his buddy Nataka. Nataka can’t at first identify how or why Tanaka having a girlfriend hurts so much, but events eventually come to a head.
Kanbe has captured the often rude, cutting comments that teens casually toss off at one another, giving a bite to the story. There are two fairly strong female leads.
While Kanbe is a skilled artist, in some ways I felt her visual storytelling in this work surpassed her previous efforts. All of her work is strong compositionally with a strong sense of design, in this work she seems to rely less on detailed backgrounds and more on evocative sequencing of panels and framing her characters in a way that intensifies the emotion.
Altogether, another polished gem from this artist.
The story follows Tanaka and Nataka, who, as the blurb on the back cover states, are remarkably similar in most things even though they are unrelated. Tanaka is the more outgoing and aggressive of the two, and it’s Tanaka who ends up getting a girlfriend, leaving much less time for his buddy Nataka. Nataka can’t at first identify how or why Tanaka having a girlfriend hurts so much, but events eventually come to a head.
Kanbe has captured the often rude, cutting comments that teens casually toss off at one another, giving a bite to the story. There are two fairly strong female leads.
While Kanbe is a skilled artist, in some ways I felt her visual storytelling in this work surpassed her previous efforts. All of her work is strong compositionally with a strong sense of design, in this work she seems to rely less on detailed backgrounds and more on evocative sequencing of panels and framing her characters in a way that intensifies the emotion.
Altogether, another polished gem from this artist.
May 12, 2021
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley
~
Two Peas in a Pod, by Gorou Kanbe
★★★★★
208 Pages
Themes: friends-to-boyfriends, self-discovery, best friends, first love
Ugh, this was an unexpectedly sad, sweet story that completely sucked me in from page one.
I've been a fan of Kanbe since I read Don't Call Me Dirty (and the sequel/prequel Don't Call Me Daddy) but this one surpassed my expectations. A sweet YA story between two high school students, who are the same in almost everything – height, preferences, likes, luck, dress sense, personality. Until they're not.
When one of them starts dating, the cracks begin to show and the other boy realises they're not the same in one fundamental, heartbreaking way. The art is, as expected, stunning. I actually see a lot of growth in the art style from the previous books (presumably by the author? Or same artist)
The storyline was simple, sweet and lovely. It had ups and downs, real heartbreaking moments where I almost cried, and some funny parts. There was a lot of teen antics that kept it upbeat in the midst of the sad stuff, while it never forgot to mention/show the similarities between the two characters.
The ending was kind of perfect for the characters, though it wasn't your typical HEA. I'd love to see more from these characters later, with the relationship growing on-page, as it ended quite shortly after they confessed their feelings and I feel like it possibly could have added a little more. But, what was there was lovely and made a great YA romance.
Copy received through Netgalley
~
Two Peas in a Pod, by Gorou Kanbe
★★★★★
208 Pages
Themes: friends-to-boyfriends, self-discovery, best friends, first love
Ugh, this was an unexpectedly sad, sweet story that completely sucked me in from page one.
I've been a fan of Kanbe since I read Don't Call Me Dirty (and the sequel/prequel Don't Call Me Daddy) but this one surpassed my expectations. A sweet YA story between two high school students, who are the same in almost everything – height, preferences, likes, luck, dress sense, personality. Until they're not.
When one of them starts dating, the cracks begin to show and the other boy realises they're not the same in one fundamental, heartbreaking way. The art is, as expected, stunning. I actually see a lot of growth in the art style from the previous books (presumably by the author? Or same artist)
The storyline was simple, sweet and lovely. It had ups and downs, real heartbreaking moments where I almost cried, and some funny parts. There was a lot of teen antics that kept it upbeat in the midst of the sad stuff, while it never forgot to mention/show the similarities between the two characters.
The ending was kind of perfect for the characters, though it wasn't your typical HEA. I'd love to see more from these characters later, with the relationship growing on-page, as it ended quite shortly after they confessed their feelings and I feel like it possibly could have added a little more. But, what was there was lovely and made a great YA romance.
June 2, 2021
"In the beginning we weren't all that similar. It was only because I was watching Tanaka so much that the "similarities" started to increase."
This is cute read to start with for the Pride month. Like two peas in a pod started with two boys, Tanaka Sou and Nakata Shioya, who exchanges test papers with each other. They have a lot of similarities like in the things they owned and some physical attributes. It is a friends turned to lovers story which is one of my favorite troupe.
The plot overall was all right. Both boys didn't realized the feelings they had for each other until it was a little to late. Honestly I felt bad for Tanigaki, but I like her reaction at the ending. It was awesome how accepting she is. And I really wish I get to see more of Futaba. She is the kind of friend I would need if I want some book recommendations.
Anyways, it was a hilarious love triangle. Not quite a five star read but still. I wish it was longer. I really want to see more of them because it was insta love at its finest and it ended quite so soon. Also I want to point out about the art style on this one. I totally love it!! The art style is the main reason I picked out this book.
I highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for an insta love and easy read manga. And also if you are interested into those "I fell in love with my bestfriend" kind of things.
Special thanks to Netgalley and Tokyopop for giving me an advance copy in exchange for a honest review.
This is cute read to start with for the Pride month. Like two peas in a pod started with two boys, Tanaka Sou and Nakata Shioya, who exchanges test papers with each other. They have a lot of similarities like in the things they owned and some physical attributes. It is a friends turned to lovers story which is one of my favorite troupe.
The plot overall was all right. Both boys didn't realized the feelings they had for each other until it was a little to late. Honestly I felt bad for Tanigaki, but I like her reaction at the ending. It was awesome how accepting she is. And I really wish I get to see more of Futaba. She is the kind of friend I would need if I want some book recommendations.
Anyways, it was a hilarious love triangle. Not quite a five star read but still. I wish it was longer. I really want to see more of them because it was insta love at its finest and it ended quite so soon. Also I want to point out about the art style on this one. I totally love it!! The art style is the main reason I picked out this book.
I highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for an insta love and easy read manga. And also if you are interested into those "I fell in love with my bestfriend" kind of things.
Special thanks to Netgalley and Tokyopop for giving me an advance copy in exchange for a honest review.
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