A foray into angsty omegaverse: Shima Yashiki’s “This Poor Beta Doesn’t Know About Love”

With the forces that decide which manga I get to check each month being out of my control (and fully in the hands of the team project coordinator), Shima Yashiki’s incredibly angsty and sexy “This Poor Beta Doesn’t Know About Love” (Awarena Betaha Koio Shiranai) appeared on my laptop screen at work quite unexpectedly.

Up until this story, I had never read omegaverse once (yet, after this, I also got to enjoy a certain fox-and-mouse romance), so this was a wholly new experience at that time. Obviously, as a twenty-something that spends most of her time online, I’m familiar with the concept, but not the nitty-gritty of it, you know? So, a couple of comprehensive guides later, I rolled up my sleeves and was ready to dive into this manga—to discover the perfect BL about fictional mind-games and emotional edging (maybe even the physical kind, too).

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Romance Brewing in Io Amaki’s “The Coffee Shop Owner Knows Nothing About Love”

Read on Renta!:
The Coffee Shop Owner Knows Nothing About Love

Japanese title:
マスターは恋を知らない
Master Ha Koi wo shiranai

Author:
Io Amaki (Twitter:@io_amaki)

It’s officially (almost) fall, and you know what that means — time to whip out the comfy sweaters, don the snazzy scarves, and (if you’re anything like me) inject pumpkin spice latte directly into your veins! かぼちゃコーヒーパーティの翌朝

…That’s what I keep telling myself, anyway, in my feeble attempt to convince myself that summer is truly behind us despite the enduring heat and humidity here in Tokyo. 溶ける顔

Regardless of the climate you currently find yourself in, the period between the height of summer and Spooky Season™ is a great time to relax with some comforting BL.

In the spirit of flavorful fall-themed drinks, today I’ve got a sweet manga recommendation for you involving a pure-hearted coffee shop owner, a hot guy in a suit, and a pinch of commentary on the effects of gentrification. And, unlike the tragically short limited-time run of the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks Japan, this offering’s available year-round!

Continue reading “Romance Brewing in Io Amaki’s “The Coffee Shop Owner Knows Nothing About Love””