False Memories (イカサマメモリー) by Natsume Isaku

Let me start by saying that Natsume Isaku is my absolute favorite mangaka (which totally has nothing to do with why I chose to review this one first, not at all). Unlike most of the other talented mangaka, Natsume-sensei's manga does not consist of angst and drama; instead, they are more focused on half-hearted comedy and slice of life. Her characters are everyday people — from businessmen to teachers and students to landlords and tenants. Usually when I read manga with these types of settings and characters, I forget them as soon as I read the next manga, unless the story has some sort of twist. Her art is by no means extremely realistic nor sexualized; in fact, I suggest reading her manga not for the sex (like most yaoi manga), but for the heartwarming story.

The mangaka manages to pull off a simplicity in her manga that is just right for a lighthearted read that will nevertheless stimulate the butterflies in your stomach: both in her simple and clean 'pretty boy' art style, and in her clichéd (but addictive, you gotta admit!) stories. However, her art could be criticized as having the 'same face syndrome' (i.e. a lot of her characters look almost the same) and as mentioned, her plots aren't exactly new to the yaoi manga industry. Her plot also tends to jump sometimes, in the sense that her stories seem to miss relevant events that could aid to the plot. For example, in Doushiyoumonai Keredo (どうしようもないけれど), the relationship between the characters are unclear, and there was no distinct event that marked the start of their relationship. They sort of just 'went with the flow', and at some point they were serious about dating to the point of proving themselves to the uke's dad. (Though perhaps that's part of the charm of her story. Believe it or not, Doushiyoumonai Keredo was my first and still most favorite manga by Natsume Isaku-sensei.)

So much for that. (I obviously don't love her art to bits, not at all.) Now, to discuss my thoughts on the subject at hand — False Memories. Be warned that this review is by no means spoiler-free, so read at your own risk.

Front covers of Volume 1 and 2.

Back of the two volumes.

False Memories is a two-volume story about a failed attempt at romance by two then third year high school students, Nakano "Shou-chan" (Like several other characters his full name was never actually mentioned, in the translated version at least.) and Tsuda Keisuke, due to their youthful curiosity. Ten years after, the quiet and unapproachable Nakano, who now works in a toy company named Randai, one day meets the man he tried so hard to forget in a partner company and they are forced to work together. Throughout the story, painful pasts are brought up, misunderstandings surface, and pride and perseverance are tested. False Memories also features a side story in the second volume about Tsuda's coworker and object of jealousy, Saeki, and a chance meeting with the receptionist-slash-party host's son Ueda Kouhei, a college student.

A page from the first volume with Nakano and Tsuda.

A super sweet image of Nakano and Tsuda from the second volume.

In terms of art, False Memories did not fail my standards after reading her other works released before. The character designs were similar to Doushiyoumonai Keredo: seme with larger build and black hair with a slight distinction of hairstyle, and uke with smaller build and lighter hair, also with a similar hairstyle. The designs for their younger versions in the flashback also had small differences and signs of their growth, like in the shape of their faces and Nakano's glasses no longer present in the present time. There was also effort in drawing the supporting and extra characters such as Fukunaga (another co-worker of Tsuda and Saeki), Ueda-san (the female receptionist, Kouhei's mom), and the companies' bosses/supervisors. I also appreciated the two mascots Aladdin-kun and Genie-kun, who added a flavor of cuteness to the story.



Kouhei and Saeki in the Volume 2, screentoned beautifully.

Speaking of story, the plot advanced steadily with no time skips, although there were several flashbacks. It's basically about how Tsuda tries to win Nakano over as they glide through inevitabilities (like how they have to work together, and *spoiler alert* their product would fail) and having to open closed wounds; perseverance on Tsuda's part, and forgiveness and willingness to listen on Nakano's part. It's not as dramatic as I might be making it sound like, because the manga still retains the light-hearted 'Natsume Isaku' feel to it. So if you're familiar with her works, you should know what to expect.

The second story in Volume 2, meanwhile, did not have the same appeal as the first one, in my opinion. Kouhei was a character very much like Tsuda in the sense that he is also persistent and is the 'chaser' of the relationship. However, there was little depth to his character as he was mostly shown as a college student who fell in love (over a somewhat shallow reason) with Saeki. Saeki on the other hand is played off well, so I suppose it balances out. Saeki's problem of being left behind by his coworkers due to family, his resulting dependence on the casual relationships with other women (who were also drawn in detail, something to appreciate) and his insecurity and jealousy over Tsuda's achievements are the building blocks of his character. That's what made him so special as a character.

Finally, I absolutely loved the fluffy moments and humor in the manga that I think was the absolute selling point of False Memories -- or of any of this wonderful mangaka's works, for that matter. Even though it didn't possess any mind-blowing, plot-twisting events like GP's graphic novels, nor any of Yoneda Kou's tearjerkers, it was an enjoyable, candy-sweet read overall -- especially useful reading as a neutralizer after the more angsty titles.