Read on Renta!:
Unexpectedly Naughty Fukami by Ayaka Matsumoto
Japanese title:
やたらやらしい深見くん
Yatara Yarashii Fukami-kun
Links:
Screamo Twitter (publisher)
I was first introduced to this manga when my friend who worked at Coolmic said “you’ll love this series; you have to read it.” And while I usually take his recommendations, since he knows me well, for some reason I put off reading it—maybe because my “to-read” list is already massive, or maybe because I’m usually not that into megane characters. But, his recommendation aside, I kept seeing it in the trending and top rankings of the various online bookstores I go to for intel, and I eventually was like “FINE, JEEZ, I’LL READ IT!”
And, boy howdy, am I glad I did. I feel like you’ll see my experience replicated in the reviews for the series on Renta! as well: almost everyone who reads this reports being kind of blown away by how enjoyable it is. It’s cute. It’s funny. It’s very sexy. So, what exactly is the magic of Unexpectedly Naughty Fukami? Let me explain.
The story follows Kaji. Loved by his coworkers, admired by women on the street, and just overall seen as the pinnacle of capability and manhood, Kaji seems like a great guy. In reality, however, Kaji’s a total piece of shit. He’s arrogant, callous, and incredibly calculating. He fakes his Nice Guy™ personality at the office while looking down on his coworkers, thinks lowly of anyone who isn’t appropriately “attractive” by his standards, and gives every man he sees a score from 0 to 100, judging their worth on their status, style, and looks above all else.
Granted, all of these aspects of his personality are because he’s desperately hiding his sexuality from those around him and trying his best to keep people from ever knowing him on a deeper level. If he’s perfect, no one will ever question him. Still, this has left his personality completely twisted to the point where he sees everyone around him as objects to fit his needs at any given time.
Enter Fukami, a coworker from the tech department at Kaji’s company. Fukami is frumpy, unsociable, and bland, hiding behind uncut hair and thick glasses. Thus, when he’s paired with with Fukami for an overnight business trip to clear up a bug in another prefecture’s system, Kaji’s incredibly judgmental. While they’re on their business trip, Kaji secretly leers at Fukami and rates him a “total 0.” However, at the hotel that night, Fukami walks out of the shower and—he’s stunning!??? Dressed in the skimpy hotel nightshirt, bare legs in full view, and hair finally out of his face, Fukami is incredibly, 100% Kaji’s type—from 0 to 100 in an instant. So shocked, Kaji drops his phone—leaving the gay hookup app he was previously browsing in full view.
When Kaji admits his sexuality and tries to leave, Fukami stops him, admitting he’s also gay so it’s not like he’s grossed out or anything. This leads Kaji to blurt out “I-in that case… wanna fuck?” And—surprisingly—rather than contacting HR and suing Kaji’s ass… Fukami takes him up on it.
The next day, Kaji is shook by their sexual chemistry and decides (all on his own…) it’s surely because Fukami is in LOVE with him. So he’s even more shocked when Fukami brushes him off, perfectly satisfied with leaving their one-night stand as just that.
The rest of the story follows Kaji as he swings like a pendulum between nursing his wounded pride and falling deeply in love with Fukami. That’s the joy of this manga: through his feelings for Fukami, Kaji is forced to face and work through the darkest parts of his personality. Ultimately, what’s more important to him: preserving and protecting his fragile ego, or opening himself up to someone for the first time ever and allowing himself to fall in love?
It’s never been localized, so I’m not sure how many people will catch the reference, but it reminds me of one of my favorite BL of all time: Yoshida Yuuko’s HEARTY. Having come out nearly ten years ago (omg I’m old…), this is the single manga that continues to instantly come to mind when people ask for my top BL recommendations—it follows Honma, an absolute conman who’ll do and say anything if it means people will look at him with respect and prestige. When he meets Ikai, a senior in college who sees right through his lies, he makes it a game to win Ikai over.
Getting to know Ikai, though, he can feel his walls coming down. By the end, Honma is outed as a traumatized mess—he’s ashamed of his sexuality, has no confidence in himself and his place in the world, and is terrified of being known. Honma is, in fact, just another confused, desperate, lonely human. Only by getting to know Ikai is Honma able to unravel his trauma and unlearn the behaviors that cut him off from the world. It’s a pretty heavy manga (I cry every time I read it), but I love the themes of putting up a mask to protect yourself from the world, and meeting the one person who can tear it all down and help build you back up.
Unexpected Naughty Fukami is the comedic version of that same theme. Kaji, in order to protect himself from a world he fears will never accept him, has learned to shun others and mask who he really is, but meeting Fukami—who doesn’t give a single shit what other people think of him—forces Kaji to unlearn that and realize people-pleasing isn’t the only option. Hiding himself from the world isn’t the only way he can achieve happiness; what he really needs is to connect with others and be true to himself. Unlike with HEARTY, which is significantly more moody and emotional, the themes are handled in a way that’s a lot sillier and a lot sexier. Fukami and Kaji keep connecting sexually, and it’s through those moments that Kaji is forced to consider the fact that he sincerely likes and is interested in and—GASP!—wants to get to know Fukami. He wants to open up to Fukami. He wants that connection, even if it means his façade will start slowly crumbling down.
I honestly cannot recommend this manga enough, especially if you’re someone who also likes those themes I mentioned earlier. Both Fukami and Kaji are incredibly charming (even if Kaji seems like a total asshat at first), and it’s so fun getting to experience the push and pull of Kaji’s feelings as he lets go of his pride and accepts his feelings for Fukami. The ero scenes are wonderful and always incredibly consensual (and Fukami is very sexy, which is peak gap moe). The art is super fun and expressive. This BL truly has the full package, especially if you’re in the mood for a good laugh.
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