Ase to Sekken

Heyo, i was reluctant to read this after reading a summary about about smelling fetish like some reviewers but as them i jumped the train and boy the ride was awesome!

Story 9/10

The premise is about scents and romance between two coworkers and their slice of life full of healthy relationship moments (and wholesome ones with some erotic touch).
World setting is more or less realistic and natural besides their meeting (it was kinda artificial) but other than that you see two adults passionately loving each other solving relationship problems in adult like manner, serious relationship questions are solved and are showed to a reader (how to deal with jealousy, how to talk to your partner(simply talk it out and find a solution), mindset of people in love, how to gallantly reject, how to accept someone, how to support someone and procedures to move in together without much hassle.
As of chapter 47 i didn't see any NTR or artificial drama that was needed hookup
the reader, it would be probably a stretch to say it but it is a nice and easy guide for young adults on "How to maintain relationship healthy and prosperous".
Characters are with their own set of quirks with some light comedy involved but keeping it very real without absurdity, flirting seemed just right not too obscene and not too timid.

Art 7/10

Probably the weakest point in this manga but do not mistake it as being bad it was just lacking compared to the story or characters in here.
Characters themselves were simplistic but unique, Male Lead and Female Lead as well as supports didn't seem as mobs and had some unique faces to them with different sets of emotions drawn. The biggest flaw was background it was probably where author decided to cut corners (blanks, simple background and etc.), though there were some nice background scenes but author indeed tried to put background in the background, i only noticed it after opening the manga again and simply viewing art element while completely avoiding content.
Speech bubbles and panel placement is up to standard.

Characters 9/10

We have Koutarou (ML) and Asako (FL) as our leads here and few supports who are advancing and helping our characters advance the story quite a bit, without them this manga would a shadow of itself.
Koutarou - Inventor of soaps a chief of his department of the sorts, workaholic, smelling fetish, has a extraordinary smelling sense, outgoing, confident, funny, quirky, smart and honest.
Koutarou is like a bulldozer or an arrow when is has a goal in mind he would do everything to achieve it (in a good way at least for now ). He doesn't shy away from problems and tries to face them head to head whilst maintaining some flaws they are miniscule and are not worth mentioning. The biggest problem i would say is that he is almost flawless kinda bugged me the whole time with guy like that any girl would be like a niagara falls but then it hit me........NOO he is perfect only for one girl and exactly for his other half! He is exclusively wholesome only with someone who truly loves.
Asako - accountant, shy, sweating problems since childhood, kind, a keeper, quite perky(had to point it out), honest, sweet and smart.
Asasko is a typical gray mouse until she meets our here ML she is a rough diamond a turtle who hides away because of her lack of confidence. She is a woman that any man i think would want as a wife and partner in life, she can produce a unique that forces men to become a guardian a perfect support but do not mistake it for something bad she is like a support in dota 2, she does and tries a lot of things to win, it's subtle and not seen as a single great achievement but only a good carry can understand that without this support they would lose.
While reading this i understood better what i want from my partner and what i should strive to be.
Supporting characters are unique, they are not ordinary manga troupes they cheerful and optimistic people who have their own lives going on but because it seems like this world is full of butterflies everyone tries to help out everyone and so our supports reach out and help our leads to grow as well as our Mains are helping supports a symbiosis of sorts.
Finance department chief is what i strive for he is Terry Crews (his TV persona i don't know his "real" self) of japanese corporate world though he is not better than other supports but he was the one i could empathize with the most and a man that i would rather be.

Enjoyment 9/10

Recently i have read quite a few wholesome romance mangas without dramas i would think it would that to become dull after some time but no, not for me i ENJOYED every chapter i was sad that i caught up so fast and i would need to wait to read it again but you know what mangas like that are support pillars they are one of those things that help look up to tomorrow.

Overall 9/10

Would I advice it? Definitely it is pure and healthy romance without dark taint in it i don't mind dark taint but this manga doesn't stir up my insides and carries me through the heavenly clouds without trying to strangle me with suspension and grief, who knows this manga could do to you the same as it did for me!

May the force of WHOLESOME be with us!

I haven't written a review in a while, however, a heart-warming story such as this i think deserves it.

The story follows the story of Asako, a young lady who works as a cosmetics and fragrance company. she is also is very self conscious of her excessive sweating and body odour. Its nice to see a real every day problem portrayed in a very well thought out way. The story follows her meeting and falling for the companies high flying golden boy Natori. in a chance encounter he sniffs her out (literally) as he hasn't smelled a scent like hers before. From there we are treated to a very well though out and written adult relationship. its not always happy, there are worries and anxieties in both parties and what I feel are real thoughts feelings and hang ups that every relationship has.

This manga does have sex in it and some partial nudity so it is aimed at older teens adults (nothing too bad, only the stuff you'd see in a fledgling relationship). What is nice about it though is that the fan service and sexual scenes are not only tasteful but are used to highlight a moment rather than be played for laughs or cheap fan baiting and are actually part of a budding relationship.

I'd say the only odd thing is the premise of Natori having a smelling fetish but this isn't too badly done.

All in all it is a really lovely telling of a real adult relationship with a lot of thought put into the writing, simple anxieties and problems that a new relationship faces. its lovely to see both Asako and Natori grow as people and work their way through their misgivings, past relationships and problems.

if you are unsure whether to pick this up i will give it my personal recommendation as being one of the most well written adult relationships ive read since Golden time

comfy/10

Finally! A romance manga for sweaty girls like me!

It's actually really refreshing to read a manga that not only has actual romance in it, but plays with that romance in an incredibly fun and heartwarming way. The nearly tangible chemistry between our two main characters, I'm not ashamed to admit, gives me butterflies every time. This manga doesn't shy away from the "sexy" parts of exploring love, but it's never explicit or gratuitous, which is another refreshing concept to add to the list.

This is one of the most realistically evolving love stories I've read in a very long time, and I can't recommend it enough to people who are tired of the "Will they? Won't they?" cocktease that manga/anime is notorious for.

This manga has the cutest and most wholesome couple ever. Truly an underrated series, as this couple not only portrays one of the more realistic relationships I've read in manga, but also the most healthiest in terms of character progression and motivation.

To give a short summary, Ase to Sekken is a romance between Yaeshima Asako, an office worker who struggles with an excessive sweating problem, and Natori Koutaro, a man with a keen nose and smelling fetish, who also develops soaps for the same company Yaeshima works in.

At first glance, this manga sounds like something ecchi or hentai related. However, this is a misplacement of the genre as it goes beyond that and presents a more adult and mature approach to romantic relationships. A few chapters in, the two main characters are an established couple, as they help each other guide their way through life.

What makes this couple so charming is that despite their differences, they have great chemistry and they wholeheartedly admire and respect each other. Their effective communication with each other allows them to teach the other how to better themselves and create a good relationship. It's so frustrating to me when miscommunication is one of the factors that drive many romance manga couples into arguments and confusion because of the lack of direct communication. The couple in Ase to Sekken feels refreshing in that regard because they take account of realistic hardships that could occur in a relationship while also introducing their characteristics and slowly developing the two characters at the same time. It's ability to combine great character development and further the progress of the couple's relationship as each chapter goes by makes this manga very appealing and genuinely satisfying to read.

To be honest, when I first read the synopsis, I was turned off from reading the manga thinking it was a story about a strange man having a 'smell fetish'. While the latter remains somewhat true, I was surprised that I came to like the story and Asako and Natori-san's relationship. Despite the smell fetish, their relationship is quite relaxing without any orchestrated drama. It's a refreshing (no pun intended) and lighthearted work within the josei genre. If you are looking for a josei romance with a little bit of fluff and smut, this might be for you. I am definitely looking forward to more chapters!

I don't write reviews often but i really felt this one deserved one. It's such a heartwarming manga that just makes me smile more and more for every chapter.

Ase to Sekken is a very cute and heartwarming manga about a girl/woman who works at a cosmetics company. At the company she meets a man with a very good sense of smell (It'll make sense if you read it) and falls in love with him. She is very insecure however and constantly doubts herself so their relationship is a little ''sway'y'' but that just adds to the charm and really makes you root for her

There is sex in the manga so it's definitely not a manga angled at children but rather young adults/teenagers. And if you don't like smell fetishes this is definitely not a manga for you.

This is my first review on MAL so i apologize if it's bad ;).