Minato’s Laundromat Volume 2 Review

Wash my heart!

Akira Minato, laid-back laundromat owner, has acquired a devoted admirer. The only problem is that this good-looking and intense young man, Shintarou (Shin) Katsuki, is still in high school and Akira is, honourably, determined not to get involved in a romantic relationship with someone who is not yet an adult. Shin is equally determined to break down Akira’s resistance – and as Akira undoubtedly enjoys his company, is ever-hopeful that he’ll win through eventually; it’s just a matter of time and persistence!

However, one of his schoolmates, Asuka Hanabusa (the grandson of one Akira’s regular customers) has noticed what’s going on and starts to playfully tease Shin. At least it starts off as playful behaviour but when Akira goes to the fish shop to return something Granny Uta left in the laundromat, Shin insists on tagging along as well. Who should be behind the counter but Asuka? And Asuka instantly realizes the reason for Shin’s grouchy attitude. “You must be Katsuki’s Akira!” he says with a malicious grin (he’s been looking over Shin’s shoulder to read the messages on his smartphone).

Meanwhile, there’s extra drama in the community when the local police warn Akira to look out for an underwear thief operating in the area. A laundromat is an ideal target for a thief with that kind of fetish and, sure enough, Akira catches him in the act of stealing a female customer’s clean washing. Things turn ugly as the thief knocks Akira to the ground – but as he turns to flee, who should he encounter but a furious Shin at the entrance and Shin, athletic and fit, overcomes the man. But the brush with danger leaves both of them shaken (although for very different reasons).

And then Shin invites Akira to the Sports Festival to watch him compete. This inevitably stirs up memories for Akira of his own time at high school and those unresolved feelings for Sakuma-sensei. He also sees Shin among his peer-group, very much one of the other seventeen-year-olds, cheered on by all the girls. As for those deeper, troubling feelings Akira feared he was experiencing for the handsome young school student, well, perhaps he was just reading too much into his pounding heart (it was just a cold)…

Minato’s Laundromat is a relatively late arrival, as the series (author Yuzu Tsubaki, artist Sawa Kanzume) has already been adapted to a live action TV series and, of course, CD drama in Japan. A likeable, easy-paced slice-of-life Boys’ Love, it got off to a relatively laid-back start in Volume 1 (mirroring the attitude to life of Minato and its small-town setting) but picks up the pace here, which is a welcome improvement. It’s good to see more of Shin among his fellow high school students, in the classroom and on the sports field, as it gives us a better understanding of who this earnest young man really is. And the unrequited love of high-schooler Minato for his teacher Takayuki Sakuma, which was first mentioned in Volume 1, begins to play a more significant role in the story. Minato even psychs himself up to go to a high school reunion in the hope of laying that particular ghost to rest, only to discover that Sakuma-sensei won’t be there; he has a cold. The introduction of the sassy, meddling Asuka is a great move, especially as we can’t be 100% sure that all his teasing behaviour isn’t a front for some genuine feelings for Shin. (Is he in denial? Or just incapable of taking anything too seriously?)

There’s something of the vibe of Niyama’s delightful My Dearest Patrolman (due out later this year from SuBLime) which is also about a small town and an age-gap relationship, although both partners are adults; the younger one is a policeman returning to his home town after training and the older runs a convenience store.

However, this volume comes up a little short on chapters, stopping at 146 pages and filling the last pages of the book with bonus comics, another bonus short story by Yuzu Tsubaki entitled ‘Minato-san’s T shirt’ and an illustrated comic about recording the drama CD. The extra comics are great fun – but it left this reader feeling short-changed. After building up to a good cliff-hanger ending at the end of Chapter 10 ‘These Feelings Aren’t Love’, it seems a shame not to explore the characters’ reactions to a key piece of information. As the French say, it leaves us ‘restant sur notre faim’.

As the story settles into a steadier groove and begins to move its characters forward, so Sawa Kanzame’s art also becomes more convincing, with some very interesting expressions appearing on the faces of the three main characters: Akira’s broad grin (sometimes far too broad, as if he’s trying to reassure everyone but especially Shin that all’s well); Shin’s furious face when aggravated by Asuka or confronting the underwear thief; and Asuka’s ‘just kidding’ smile so no one can tell when he’s serious or not.

Yen Press bring us another good-looking trade paperback with three colour images at the front showcasing Sawa Kanzume’s attractive choice of colour palette. The translation is again by Lisa Coffman and reads well, ably aided and abetted by Carolina Hdz’s lettering. The inclusion of two pages of translation notes at the end is, as always, a welcome and helpful addition (although here they’re mostly to do with food!) The volume uses the same rather cute format of ending each chapter with an extra page – or two – and a special comment referencing what’s happened, adding variations on the slogan (as in the underwear thief chapter) ‘From tomorrow on, I hope you’ll all feel safe coming to Minato’s Laundromat!’

So what readership is this Boys’ Love manga aimed at? The quote on the back cover blurb boldly declares, “I want to bang Akira Minato.” Don’t be taken in by it. Even though there’s some slightly questionable innuendo in the comic bonuses, everything here fits the Teen rating, although maybe that will change in later volumes. Volume 3 is due out in July 2024.

So, all in all, a volume that moves the plot along rather more smoothly and effectively than the first – or maybe we’re just getting to know the main cast better? If you’ve enjoyed slice-of-life BL manga set in small towns, like Cocomi’s Restart After Coming Back Home (Seven Seas) or Don’t Call Me Dirty by Gorou Kanbe (Tokyopop) then you’ll love this one.

Our review copy from Yen Press was supplied by Diamond Book Distributors UK.