Sono Otoko, Amatou ni Tsuki

Jean-Louis goes about his daily life comparing people's problems to desserts in ways that feel less wholesome and more snobbish, yet somehow he draws people to him like moths to a flame. The world is his oyster, he can and does kiss any fish in the sea that catches his attention, but his one true love is chocolate and that will never change. As the title may imply, this is a manga about a man who loves chocolate desserts and sees the world through that lens. The pages are colored in warm hues meant to call to mind the chocolate itself so the atmosphere is softand welcoming, the way Jean-Louis feels when he takes a bite of something sweet. And yet, the story is more of a character study than a traditional "put your feelings into the chocolate to make it taste better" arc that the first chapter appeared to be setting up. I suppose I'm grateful for that choice in direction because chapter 1 is bizarrely sexual and starts off feeling like the male characters are harassing the one female on the staff for not having a love life. The next two chapters are equally wrought with wild sexual implications and a penchant for stripping, but thankfully the story mellows out from there... chapter 4's out of pocket dentistry aside. Between the odd but creative metaphors, there is enough to appreciate about this manga that makes it worth a look. I'd recommend it as a short and easy read.