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The Drops of God #2
The Drops of God, Vol. 2
Cheers
Ever wondered why Japanese businesspeople dig into comics without a hint of defensiveness on their commutes? The reasons will be self-evident once you experience The Drops of God, which has enhanced wine consumption in Asia like no other book. Continuing the gorgeous visual renditions of aroma and flavor, this second volume introduces the marriage of food and wine and not a few French and Italian finds that your palate and wallet alike are bound to appreciate.
Ever wondered why Japanese businesspeople dig into comics without a hint of defensiveness on their commutes? The reasons will be self-evident once you experience The Drops of God, which has enhanced wine consumption in Asia like no other book. Continuing the gorgeous visual renditions of aroma and flavor, this second volume introduces the marriage of food and wine and not a few French and Italian finds that your palate and wallet alike are bound to appreciate.
416 pages, Paperback
First published May 23, 2005
About the author
Tadashi Agi
146 books35 followersTadashi Agi, 亜樹直, is the penname of Yuko and Shin Kibayashi, a sister and brother team of Japanese manga storywriters. Shin Kibayashi also uses the pseudonyms Seimaru Amagi and Yuya Aoki.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
July 28, 2022
3.5/5. this bind up of volumes 3 & 4 was much better than the previous volume and I felt that the flow of the story hit its stride. There are still some clunky parts and I’m not really a fan of the wine tasting visualizing but it didn’t hinder my enjoyment too much.
September 11, 2017
Most of the volume is devoted to Shizuku selecting French wines for the “Italy vs. France” competition sponsored by his company’s new Wine Division, although it isn’t immediately apparent that the first part of the volume has anything at all to do with the competition.
In the first part of the volume, Shizuku helps a struggling French restaurant. Their business was nearly killed off by a bad review from Issei Tomine, and now he’s scheduled to come reevaluate the restaurant. The restaurant’s owner is confident about his food but has no idea what to do about the wine menu - his wife used to handle that, but she died some time ago. In order to figure out where the restaurant owner went wrong, Shizuku must discover how to properly pair wine and food.
Shizuku’s efforts help him select one of the wines for the “Italy vs. France” competition, but he still needs two others. He finds the second one after visiting a bizarre wine shop staffed by twin brothers with very different opinions about wine and the third one after being approached by Maki Saionji, a wine importer and Issei Tomine’s occasional lover. The volume wraps up with both the competition and Shizuku and Issei finally reading the first part of Shizuku’s father’s will, which gives them the clues necessary to find the first of Shizuku’s father’s “Twelve Apostles.”
Hm. Still an enjoyable series overall. The first part of the volume was nice, but a little too removed from the main storyline and a little too serious to be fun despite that. There were some good educational aspects, though - the volume touched on the difference between how Japanese people view drinking tea with a meal (for example, tea can be used to cancel out the flavor of heavy and rich food) and the way wines are traditionally paired with French cuisine (the wine and food should enhance each other rather than cancel each other out). I also liked the father-daughter relationship aspect. The daughter was more responsible and dedicated than she initially appeared to be.
The next part of the volume, the weird wine shop, brought the story back to the restrained wackiness I enjoyed in the first volume. The brothers were amusing, complete opposites. One preferred to focus on wines from wineries with good reputations and would consider nothing else - he didn’t even bother to try all his wines to figure out if they were good, he just assumed they were because of their reputations. The other brother focused entirely on cheap wines and refused to stock anything else. His part of the shop looked like a cheesy dollar store, or maybe a giant “going out of business” sale.
The one thing I absolutely didn’t like about that part of the volume was the brothers’ father. I think readers were supposed to view him as being at least as amusing as his sons, but I just thought he was a horrible human being. In order to get his sons to cooperate and improve the family business, heI mean, what kind of person does that? Thankfully, there was no sign that Shizuku and Miyabi would be returning there anytime soon.
For me, the weakest part of the volume was the wine competition. It went very quickly, and I felt like I had a much better grasp on the appeals of the French wines than I did on the Italian ones, since so much of the volume had been devoted to those. The final verdict was interesting, though. I was left with the impression that, if you’re unfamiliar with wine and looking to select a decent cheap one, it’s probably best to go with an Italian wine, but if you’re a bit more experienced and looking for more variety, French might be the way to go.
One ongoing bit of mystery: the identity of the woman who declared the competition’s final verdict and who gave Shizuku advice that helped him with his wine selections. She looked like a random cranky old woman when she was first introduced, but it soon became clear that she was quite wealthy and had probably known Shizuku’s father very well.
This volume left me feeling a little less excited overall than the first one, but the educational aspects were still pretty good and I’m still looking forward to seeing what else the series has in store for readers. It looks like Shizuku will be spending at least part of the next volume working with an amnesiac artist in an effort to find out what she knows about the First Apostle.
A couple things that struck me: even with help from all of his wine-possessing friends, Shizuku is going to end up spending a small fortune trying to get up to speed on wines; and, if they weren’t rivals, Shizuku and Issei would probably make for decent wine-tasting friends since they keep selecting/appreciating the same things.
Additional Comments:
My feelings about the artwork are still largely the same: it’s lovely, although noticeably focused on characters over backgrounds. However, there were a couple parts in this volume where I felt Okimoto slipped up a bit: a three-page section showing Shizuku back at the Wine Division, helping the chief with a wine cellar and receiving a dessert wine from him, and a panel in which Sara cutely encouraged people to taste the “Italy vs. France” wines. The bit with the chief looked unfinished, as though some of the screentone had been forgotten, and some of the linework was unusually thick. The panel with Sara was mostly fine, but her lips were odd, like she’d only put makeup on the right half of them.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
In the first part of the volume, Shizuku helps a struggling French restaurant. Their business was nearly killed off by a bad review from Issei Tomine, and now he’s scheduled to come reevaluate the restaurant. The restaurant’s owner is confident about his food but has no idea what to do about the wine menu - his wife used to handle that, but she died some time ago. In order to figure out where the restaurant owner went wrong, Shizuku must discover how to properly pair wine and food.
Shizuku’s efforts help him select one of the wines for the “Italy vs. France” competition, but he still needs two others. He finds the second one after visiting a bizarre wine shop staffed by twin brothers with very different opinions about wine and the third one after being approached by Maki Saionji, a wine importer and Issei Tomine’s occasional lover. The volume wraps up with both the competition and Shizuku and Issei finally reading the first part of Shizuku’s father’s will, which gives them the clues necessary to find the first of Shizuku’s father’s “Twelve Apostles.”
Hm. Still an enjoyable series overall. The first part of the volume was nice, but a little too removed from the main storyline and a little too serious to be fun despite that. There were some good educational aspects, though - the volume touched on the difference between how Japanese people view drinking tea with a meal (for example, tea can be used to cancel out the flavor of heavy and rich food) and the way wines are traditionally paired with French cuisine (the wine and food should enhance each other rather than cancel each other out). I also liked the father-daughter relationship aspect. The daughter was more responsible and dedicated than she initially appeared to be.
The next part of the volume, the weird wine shop, brought the story back to the restrained wackiness I enjoyed in the first volume. The brothers were amusing, complete opposites. One preferred to focus on wines from wineries with good reputations and would consider nothing else - he didn’t even bother to try all his wines to figure out if they were good, he just assumed they were because of their reputations. The other brother focused entirely on cheap wines and refused to stock anything else. His part of the shop looked like a cheesy dollar store, or maybe a giant “going out of business” sale.
The one thing I absolutely didn’t like about that part of the volume was the brothers’ father. I think readers were supposed to view him as being at least as amusing as his sons, but I just thought he was a horrible human being. In order to get his sons to cooperate and improve the family business, heI mean, what kind of person does that? Thankfully, there was no sign that Shizuku and Miyabi would be returning there anytime soon.
For me, the weakest part of the volume was the wine competition. It went very quickly, and I felt like I had a much better grasp on the appeals of the French wines than I did on the Italian ones, since so much of the volume had been devoted to those. The final verdict was interesting, though. I was left with the impression that, if you’re unfamiliar with wine and looking to select a decent cheap one, it’s probably best to go with an Italian wine, but if you’re a bit more experienced and looking for more variety, French might be the way to go.
One ongoing bit of mystery: the identity of the woman who declared the competition’s final verdict and who gave Shizuku advice that helped him with his wine selections. She looked like a random cranky old woman when she was first introduced, but it soon became clear that she was quite wealthy and had probably known Shizuku’s father very well.
This volume left me feeling a little less excited overall than the first one, but the educational aspects were still pretty good and I’m still looking forward to seeing what else the series has in store for readers. It looks like Shizuku will be spending at least part of the next volume working with an amnesiac artist in an effort to find out what she knows about the First Apostle.
A couple things that struck me: even with help from all of his wine-possessing friends, Shizuku is going to end up spending a small fortune trying to get up to speed on wines; and, if they weren’t rivals, Shizuku and Issei would probably make for decent wine-tasting friends since they keep selecting/appreciating the same things.
Additional Comments:
My feelings about the artwork are still largely the same: it’s lovely, although noticeably focused on characters over backgrounds. However, there were a couple parts in this volume where I felt Okimoto slipped up a bit: a three-page section showing Shizuku back at the Wine Division, helping the chief with a wine cellar and receiving a dessert wine from him, and a panel in which Sara cutely encouraged people to taste the “Italy vs. France” wines. The bit with the chief looked unfinished, as though some of the screentone had been forgotten, and some of the linework was unusually thick. The panel with Sara was mostly fine, but her lips were odd, like she’d only put makeup on the right half of them.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
November 21, 2015
Enjoyed the story, the quirkiness, but perhaps not as much as I did the first one.
The wine-gyaan is rather overwhelming, especially for someone who doth not know (or care) much about it. With the first volume, the novelty of my first manga as well as the pleasure in seeing what is essentially story-based learning being done really well, kept me going.
Will come back to the series but after a bit of a break.
The wine-gyaan is rather overwhelming, especially for someone who doth not know (or care) much about it. With the first volume, the novelty of my first manga as well as the pleasure in seeing what is essentially story-based learning being done really well, kept me going.
Will come back to the series but after a bit of a break.
October 30, 2014
as a tutorial on wine, pretty good. As a manga, rather terrible.
July 3, 2013
I don't know why I keep reading this stuff, as it annoys me more often as it pleases me. I just really wanted to sample it and see what the manic following is all about in Japan, and why even here so many people like it. The idea is that two wine experts (male) are pitted against each other, one technically sound and the other poetic, instinctive, narrative, and they both educate you about wine (privileging French wine and French culture over others in a kind of culture-envious way...) and entertain--as in, who is better, who is going to identify the twelve wines (plus The Drops of God wine) and win the contest and get the bevy of girls that lust after them not just because they are cute but because they KNOW wine and oh, so sophisticated about wines only the very rich can sip... But if you want to educate yourself about wine and food matching and wine aesthetics and culture, I guess this is a pretty harmless and fun way to do it.... Maybe more fun for you than me...
January 5, 2012
As delightful and engaging as the first volume. While it ends on something of a soap-ish note (amensia!), the rest of the chapters provide a number of pleasures, including kicking off the search for the first Apostle. The artwork remains top notch as do the clever descriptions that go with it.
February 24, 2020
Seriously, if there is any manga that makes you want to go to a wine shop, it's this one. This volume actually made me go do that.
September 16, 2024
Karma & cuisine
2001 St Cosme Cote du Rhone Les Deux Albion paired w/ ris de veau, foie gras w/ Maideira sauce
Check out this wine. I just scanned it with the Vivino app. https://www.vivino.com/wines/2887999?...
Raw oysters w/ simple Chablis Check out this great Wine from Louis Jadot. I just scanned it with the Vivino app. https://www.vivino.com/wines/2034087?...
Happening across a wonderful gift. In honour of Miyabi's fail.
Check out this great 1982 Wine from Le Pin. I just scanned it with the Vivino app. https://www.vivino.com/wines/1553835?...
🇫🇷 vs 🇮🇹
Burgundy producer vs terroir debate. 2001 Philippe et Vincent Lecheneaut Marsannay
Check out this wine. I just scanned it with the Vivino app. https://www.vivino.com/wines/1939644?...
Winner JPY1k vs 2001 St Cosme Cote du Rhone Les Deux Albion which needed decanting
Check out this great Wine from Bellenda. I just scanned it with the Vivino app. https://www.vivino.com/wines/1995917?...
Honma's pick for JPY2k lost to 2001 Philippe et Vincent Lecheneaut Marsannay
Check out this great Wine from D'Angelo. I just scanned it with the Vivino app. https://www.vivino.com/wines/2896707?...
Honma's pick for JPY3K Roggio sunflower 🌻
Check out this great Wine from Velenosi. I just scanned it with the Vivino app. https://www.vivino.com/wines/5038442?...
Shizuku bet his inheritance on 2001 Boyd Cantennac
Ata Rangi NZ's Romanee Conti gumboot clone fr DRC vineyard
2001 St Cosme Cote du Rhone Les Deux Albion paired w/ ris de veau, foie gras w/ Maideira sauce
Check out this wine. I just scanned it with the Vivino app. https://www.vivino.com/wines/2887999?...
Raw oysters w/ simple Chablis Check out this great Wine from Louis Jadot. I just scanned it with the Vivino app. https://www.vivino.com/wines/2034087?...
Happening across a wonderful gift. In honour of Miyabi's fail.
Check out this great 1982 Wine from Le Pin. I just scanned it with the Vivino app. https://www.vivino.com/wines/1553835?...
🇫🇷 vs 🇮🇹
Burgundy producer vs terroir debate. 2001 Philippe et Vincent Lecheneaut Marsannay
Check out this wine. I just scanned it with the Vivino app. https://www.vivino.com/wines/1939644?...
Winner JPY1k vs 2001 St Cosme Cote du Rhone Les Deux Albion which needed decanting
Check out this great Wine from Bellenda. I just scanned it with the Vivino app. https://www.vivino.com/wines/1995917?...
Honma's pick for JPY2k lost to 2001 Philippe et Vincent Lecheneaut Marsannay
Check out this great Wine from D'Angelo. I just scanned it with the Vivino app. https://www.vivino.com/wines/2896707?...
Honma's pick for JPY3K Roggio sunflower 🌻
Check out this great Wine from Velenosi. I just scanned it with the Vivino app. https://www.vivino.com/wines/5038442?...
Shizuku bet his inheritance on 2001 Boyd Cantennac
Ata Rangi NZ's Romanee Conti gumboot clone fr DRC vineyard
April 11, 2021
There is a lot of detail on wines, and to a degree in getting back into this it felt like it dragged a little (mainly because I had to remember what had happened previously) but as I return to reading this series thebstoryline is good and I am enjoying it. I like the characters and would love to see where certain relationships among characters will lead.
The artwork is good, with just enough detail, and the plot is good and decently paced. I look forward to continuing the series.
The artwork is good, with just enough detail, and the plot is good and decently paced. I look forward to continuing the series.
January 21, 2019
It took me a while to go between the 1st and 2nd volume. I really wish more of this series were translated already, because I'm not sure I should rush out and find the 3rd volume.
The author really knows how blend teaching about wine with a fun and at time compelling story. (Okay, sometimes the story takes a back seat, but the lessons about wine are compelling).
The author really knows how blend teaching about wine with a fun and at time compelling story. (Okay, sometimes the story takes a back seat, but the lessons about wine are compelling).
April 13, 2018
This series is certainly a love letter to the world of wine. An ongoing masterpiece of fine culture, that solidifies a voice whispering for me to drink and enjoy. This story has everything nearly in spades, I am romanced in the philosophy that this love affair has to offer.
Hungry for more indeed!
Hungry for more indeed!
January 7, 2024
The search for the 12 apostles begins… everytime I read this I’m impressed at how they come up with wine descriptions, so poetic that I wanted to try the wines. I’m just overwhelmed with too much information about the origins of different wine brands and its vintage year, etc.
April 20, 2019
I liked it less than the first one, but this series is really good.
October 19, 2019
Placeholder for 1-11 of the series, rereleased digitally by Kodansha, making one of my white-whale quests complete. Until the rest of the series is released, that is.
February 23, 2020
Continuing my wine education!
June 7, 2020
Story picks up. Less clunky.
August 19, 2020
What a cliffhanger! I can't wait to find out what wine the first apostle is!
May 11, 2021
More wine lessons in a fun manga packaging.
March 4, 2022
Fun read. We have the showdown of Italian versus French wines.
April 15, 2022
Wow this is getting really interesting, I might not be a huge fan of wine, but the story is amazing.
May 30, 2012
Stuff I Read – Drops of God Vol 2 Review
Coming off the heals of the last Drops of God volume, the second installment proves to be just as interesting and bulky as the first. These are definitely economic volumes, because they don’t cost all that much more than a normal volume of manga but weigh in significantly bigger, meaning that a single volume of this manga takes some time to get through. The nice thing about that is that the chapters aren’t too long and the single volume has a number of stroies in it, though the last large section did seem a bit tacked on at the end. The bulk of the volume deals with the continued preparations for the France vs Italy wine competition that is going to happen at the beer company, with the main characters discovering the final two wines while helping out some people along the way. It is an efficient way to tell the story while at the same time conveying some sort of understanding about wine.
And, as always, that teaching aspect of the manga is still strong, going a bit more in depth than the first volume while still managing to stay catered mostly to laypersons in the wine world. The histories and the basic principles about each wine making region of France is rather interesting, and we see tips on how to spot cheaper wines that hold up just as well to the more expensive wines on the market. It really is quite interesting, though part of me feels like it is still aimed more at people who go after the larger labels, as these aren’t typically wines that I would see just laying about in the supermarket or even in the smaller wine shops. But it is still interesting to see these wines and read the descriptions and journey with these young people as they move through their wine awakening. Both main characters continue to evolve as they go, though some of the more drastic development comes from the secondary and ancillary characters who they work with or who they meet along the way.
As always their dealings with other professionals in the wine world act as parables for wine drinking. This can be seen in the story about the restaurant owner who doesn’t understand wine and whose business is nearly destroyed because of his lack of understanding. As the main characters help him and his daughter the two not only grow closer as individuals following the loss of their wife and mother but also learn to connect through wine to make their business better. For the reader it is a sort of cautionary tale about not assuming that any wine will pair with any dish, even if there is conventional wisdom behind the choices. Indeed, that story was most interesting to me because I am more interested in pairing wine with food, and though I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t more straightforward advice, I got the feeling that it wasn’t something that could always be predicted. But they do saw that with the right wine the wine tastes better and the food tastes better, and it is a good lesson to learn.
In the same fashion the two brothers with their wine shop are an example of not shutting out wine because of price tag, either because it is too cheap or too expensive. As the volume spells out, it is wrong to pass judgment on wine without first tasting it, which plays into the largest story of the volume, that of the competition. In both of these stories the main lesson is that all wines should be appreciated, cheap or expensive, French or Italian, red or white. They all have their merits and they all deserve to be judged based on their taste, not their reputations. It is a good message, given the rather hoity-toity way that wine drinkers are often thought of and portrayed. This is more presenting wine as an everyday drink, which it definitely should be. The only failing of the volume is when it actually gets to the first Apostle, which isn’t really a bad thing but comes off as feeling added at the last moment. After the resolution of the wine-off, as it were, the reading of the will and competition added on are probably meant to pique interest in the Apostles, but really it just comes off as rather forced.
It is an unfortunate way to end the volume, which otherwise feels complete. Not that I am necessarily complaining about there being too much story, but I might have preferred for the first Apostle to be presented all together rather than having to wait for the next volume to come out, which now has to happen. But yes, in the end the volume is still quite good, and despite not really delivering a very satisfying ending, it does build right into the next volume. And it is still an excellent resource and wine experience. The descriptions of the wines are still amazing, and make the reader want to taste the wines to experience what it is the main characters are feeling. So the second volume of this interesting wine manga earns an 8.5/10.
Coming off the heals of the last Drops of God volume, the second installment proves to be just as interesting and bulky as the first. These are definitely economic volumes, because they don’t cost all that much more than a normal volume of manga but weigh in significantly bigger, meaning that a single volume of this manga takes some time to get through. The nice thing about that is that the chapters aren’t too long and the single volume has a number of stroies in it, though the last large section did seem a bit tacked on at the end. The bulk of the volume deals with the continued preparations for the France vs Italy wine competition that is going to happen at the beer company, with the main characters discovering the final two wines while helping out some people along the way. It is an efficient way to tell the story while at the same time conveying some sort of understanding about wine.
And, as always, that teaching aspect of the manga is still strong, going a bit more in depth than the first volume while still managing to stay catered mostly to laypersons in the wine world. The histories and the basic principles about each wine making region of France is rather interesting, and we see tips on how to spot cheaper wines that hold up just as well to the more expensive wines on the market. It really is quite interesting, though part of me feels like it is still aimed more at people who go after the larger labels, as these aren’t typically wines that I would see just laying about in the supermarket or even in the smaller wine shops. But it is still interesting to see these wines and read the descriptions and journey with these young people as they move through their wine awakening. Both main characters continue to evolve as they go, though some of the more drastic development comes from the secondary and ancillary characters who they work with or who they meet along the way.
As always their dealings with other professionals in the wine world act as parables for wine drinking. This can be seen in the story about the restaurant owner who doesn’t understand wine and whose business is nearly destroyed because of his lack of understanding. As the main characters help him and his daughter the two not only grow closer as individuals following the loss of their wife and mother but also learn to connect through wine to make their business better. For the reader it is a sort of cautionary tale about not assuming that any wine will pair with any dish, even if there is conventional wisdom behind the choices. Indeed, that story was most interesting to me because I am more interested in pairing wine with food, and though I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t more straightforward advice, I got the feeling that it wasn’t something that could always be predicted. But they do saw that with the right wine the wine tastes better and the food tastes better, and it is a good lesson to learn.
In the same fashion the two brothers with their wine shop are an example of not shutting out wine because of price tag, either because it is too cheap or too expensive. As the volume spells out, it is wrong to pass judgment on wine without first tasting it, which plays into the largest story of the volume, that of the competition. In both of these stories the main lesson is that all wines should be appreciated, cheap or expensive, French or Italian, red or white. They all have their merits and they all deserve to be judged based on their taste, not their reputations. It is a good message, given the rather hoity-toity way that wine drinkers are often thought of and portrayed. This is more presenting wine as an everyday drink, which it definitely should be. The only failing of the volume is when it actually gets to the first Apostle, which isn’t really a bad thing but comes off as feeling added at the last moment. After the resolution of the wine-off, as it were, the reading of the will and competition added on are probably meant to pique interest in the Apostles, but really it just comes off as rather forced.
It is an unfortunate way to end the volume, which otherwise feels complete. Not that I am necessarily complaining about there being too much story, but I might have preferred for the first Apostle to be presented all together rather than having to wait for the next volume to come out, which now has to happen. But yes, in the end the volume is still quite good, and despite not really delivering a very satisfying ending, it does build right into the next volume. And it is still an excellent resource and wine experience. The descriptions of the wines are still amazing, and make the reader want to taste the wines to experience what it is the main characters are feeling. So the second volume of this interesting wine manga earns an 8.5/10.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2014
The Drops of God Volume 2 continues directly from Volume 1. The plot and knowledge of wine on which it is based builds carefully and the series really must be read in order from the beginning.
In the previous volume Shizuku Kanzaki, estranged son of a world famous wine critic, has his first glass of wine in his life following his father's death. Finally beginning to appreciate his father's obsession, Shizuku sets out to learn enough to accomplish the challenge laid out in his father's will: beat a wine expert in a competition to identify thirteen wines from only descriptions written in the will.
This volume continues the wonderful balance of story and presentation of wine lore shown in Volume 1. Shizuku and Miyabi continue to be likable, energetic characters that are fun to follow and learn with. We see discussion of pairing wine complementarily with food and an interesting quest to find quality inexpensive wines, all leading to a competition between French and Italian wines.
As with the first volume the art and secondary characters really shine, elevating this engaging read even further. The pace is deliberate, but captivating all the same.
Not missing a step from the first volume, The Drops of God continues to be an amazing series that anyone with even a small interest in wine shouldn't miss.
In the previous volume Shizuku Kanzaki, estranged son of a world famous wine critic, has his first glass of wine in his life following his father's death. Finally beginning to appreciate his father's obsession, Shizuku sets out to learn enough to accomplish the challenge laid out in his father's will: beat a wine expert in a competition to identify thirteen wines from only descriptions written in the will.
This volume continues the wonderful balance of story and presentation of wine lore shown in Volume 1. Shizuku and Miyabi continue to be likable, energetic characters that are fun to follow and learn with. We see discussion of pairing wine complementarily with food and an interesting quest to find quality inexpensive wines, all leading to a competition between French and Italian wines.
As with the first volume the art and secondary characters really shine, elevating this engaging read even further. The pace is deliberate, but captivating all the same.
Not missing a step from the first volume, The Drops of God continues to be an amazing series that anyone with even a small interest in wine shouldn't miss.
January 13, 2015
Reminded me of the second episode of a network show that had a really good pilot, but then essentially repeats its premise for the next few episodes before really getting into a groove. So yeah this is still a very enjoyable manga about wine, but some of the bloom came off as I noticed that there are no less than 3 slightly mysterious women hanging around in grand soap operaish style, and that the authors clearly are offering a very narrow view as wine as the characters expound on french wine almost exclusively. It also started to feel like a shonen manga in that the overarching plot after two thick volumes hasn't really moved forward at all, and characters once introduced in their mini story arcs don't really contribute anything further to the narrative. It is still very fun though, anytime the main character with his super palate tastes a wine that mentally transports him to an exotic place or situation I felt a little thrill that I get the same thrill as when Batman beats someone up. So i can only hope in future volumes the characters become more rounded or complex, or that the authors fully embrace being totally ridiculous.
June 2, 2012
En el primer volumen tenia mis dudas si este manga era un "pokemanga", pero ahora mis dudas han quedado claras. Y esto no es malo bajo ninguna circunstancia. Definitivamente tiene el tema predominante en otras historias como la de Pokemon, Hikaru no go o Yakitate! Japan (el tema "yo quiero ser el mejor de todos los -inserte oficio aqui-), pero al igual que las otras series, toma su tema con pasion, y a diferencia de las otras, el enfoque en los vinos es real, confirmable y hasta recomendable para los que no conocemos ni jota de el area que cubre esta historia. Ciertamente la historia se beneficia de los cliches del genero, dandoles un giro inesperado, debido al hecho de que el tema central de el vino y la cata tiene historia por si misma.
December 30, 2014
This continues the fascinating tale of a guy trained by his dad to have a master's nose and taste for wine, in competition with the best wine critic in Japan for the 12 Apostles and God of wine.
I like how they bring Italian wines into this volume, and explain the pairing of wine with food, although it took me several times of reading over the same passage to make sense of opening table wine for one part of the meal, while leaving the rest to be decanted later for dessert.
I myself don't get the same impressions that are described, but I'm better able to distinguish the flavors they're describing in particular wines. "Oh, that's the plum/currant/spicy/earthy note."
I like how they bring Italian wines into this volume, and explain the pairing of wine with food, although it took me several times of reading over the same passage to make sense of opening table wine for one part of the meal, while leaving the rest to be decanted later for dessert.
I myself don't get the same impressions that are described, but I'm better able to distinguish the flavors they're describing in particular wines. "Oh, that's the plum/currant/spicy/earthy note."
September 2, 2016
This volume provided much humor, some intended and some accidental. The descriptions of the wine were so hyperbolic that I read them out loud to the amusement of my wife. And yet, how can I not find the entire conceit compelling? Using the well worn shonen competition format to explore why people like wine and why wine culture is valuable even (especially) when it is silly. While this work continues to be filled with frivolities, the passion and knowledge that goes into writing about its subject is infectious. Every chapter I read made me want to go out and buy a bottle of wine. I resisted that urge, much to my liver's gratitude.
April 27, 2012
At some points in this book, I felt like I should be taking notes! It's very interesting, but some people could find it tedious in places. One thing that's a bit weird is that each new chapter starts with a recap of the last scene from the previous chapter. I guess this is useful if you stopped reading for a while, but mostly it's a bit annoying. I was a lot more interested in the characters in this one, and I really want to know what happens next! Actually, I don't think I've ever been more invested in a manga series before.
March 22, 2015
Not quite as fully realized as the first one, but I was turning pages pretty thirstily by the end! It made me want to drink wine, but I have a cold and so abstained. Perhaps the lack of wine accompaniment is the reason I only gave this volume 3 stars. (The meeting between a critic and a book is never totally pure.) This series should come with its own cheese and cracker board, its own wine list!
January 15, 2015
Possibly one of the best manga I've read, or even one of the best book series to deal with wine. Informative without the snobbishness, having taste without being exclusionary. Instead of having one the typical wine descriptors (jammy, closed, blackcurrant), wine tastes are made to be like exotic experiences, thanks to the sensory prodigiousness of the (very well-travelled) main character. Must read.
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