Sweat and Soap explained

Ja Kanji:あせとせっけん
Ja Romaji:Ase to Sekken
Type:manga
Author:Kintetsu Yamada
Publisher:Kodansha
First:June 21, 2018
Last:January 7, 2021
Volumes:11
Type:drama
Network:MBS
First:February 4, 2022
Last:April 1, 2022
Episodes:9

is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kintetsu Yamada. It was serialized in Kodansha's digital manga magazine D Morning from June 2018 to August 2019, and later in Morning from October 2019 to January 2021, with its chapters collected in eleven volumes. A nine-episode television drama adaptation was broadcast on MBS from February to April 2022.

Plot

Asako Yaeshima is a timid office worker at Lilia Drop, a toiletry company. Asako loves the company, because she is ashamed of her sweating problems and body odor, and the scent of the soap produced by the company is the only thing capable of undermining her insecurities. However, when Kotaro Natori, the company's lead product developer, approaches her and gets a deep whiff, he states that he loves Asako's smell and finds her inspirational. As the two continue to meet for work, Asako begins to care less about being sniffed by Kotaro, and they start a romantic relationship.

Characters

Korisu Ichise
  • [1]
    Keita Yaeshima
  • [1]
    Yūji Suzumura
  • [1]
    Maki Sakashita
  • [1]
    Osamu Hashitani
  • [1]
    Jin Ōkura
  • [1]

    Media

    Manga

    Written and illustrated by, a one-shot chapter of Sweat and Soap was published on Kodansha's digital manga magazine D Morning on January 4, 2018.[2] It was later published as a full-fledged serialized manga in the same magazine from June 21, 2018,[3] to August 22, 2019.[4] The series was then transferred to Morning, being serialized from October 3, 2019,[5] to January 7, 2021.[6] [7] Kodansha collected its chapters in eleven volumes, released from October 10, 2018, to May 21, 2021.[8]

    In North America, Kodansha USA announced the English language release of the manga in July 2019.[9] The eleven volumes were published from February 25, 2020, to December 14, 2021.

    After the serialization, Yamada published a 24-page doujinshi titled Kodomo Tsukuru Hon (Japanese: こどもつくる本, "A Book of Making a Baby") in Comitia 136 in June 2021. The story is about Asako and Kotaro having sex without contraception for the first time.[10] [11]

    Volumes

    Drama

    In January 2022, it was announced that the series would receive a television drama adaptation, which was broadcast on MBS's Drama Tokku programming block from February 4 to April 1 of the same year.[12] [13]

    Reception

    Sweat and Soap placed second in the third annual Tsutaya Comic Awards in 2019.[14] The series also placed ninth in the fifth Next Manga Awards in the digital category.[15] Alongside Dr. Stone and Heterogenia Linguistico, the series ranked 17th on Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! list of best manga of 2020 for male readers.[16] It ranked sixth on "Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2020" by the Honya Club online bookstore.[17] The manga was nominated for the 45th Kodansha Manga Award in the general category in 2021.[18]

    Rebecca Silverman from Anime News Network wrote that while the "sniff-based" romance is a "bit awkward" or "uncomfortable", it is "worth giving this a chance anyway", adding: "it's easy to get behind Asako and Natori and in romance, that's often the most important thing."[19] Brittany Vincent from Otaku USA called the main characters' relationship "downright enviable", and wrote that the story is "unique and moves along at a good clip."[20] Demelza from Anime UK News wrote that despite a premise "somewhat creepy and off-putting", she "wasn't expecting such a sweet romance series", calling the "wholesome content of the story" a "compelling and heartwarming read", concluding: "If you're looking for a sweet love story involving adult characters then certainly give this one a go!."[21]

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Pineda. Rafael Antonio. Live-Action Sweat and Soap Show Adds 6 Cast Members. Anime News Network. January 20, 2022. January 20, 2022. January 20, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220120013705/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-01-19/live-action-sweat-and-soap-show-adds-6-cast-members/.181709. live.
    2. Kintetsu Yamada. KintetsuYMD. 948573877315055618. ja:本日配信のDモーニングに読み切り「あせとせっけん」が掲載されてます!今回ちょっと毛色がちがって、少し女性向けな感じな上に少ないですがえろしーんがあります…それでも大丈夫な方はアプリをインストールすれば無料で読めるので是非…!. January 4, 2018. September 3, 2022. ja.
    3. KintetsuYMD. Yamada. Kintetsu. 1006915478059560960. June 13, 2018. ja:6/21(木)より講談社Dモーニングにて「あせとせっけん」を週刊連載します…!!初連載でアワアワしどうしですが楽しみつつ頑張ります!!どうぞよろしくお願い致します!!!. April 8, 2021. ja. https://archive.today/20210408050736/https://twitter.com/KintetsuYMD/status/1006915478059560960. April 8, 2021. live.
    4. Morning. morningmanga. 1164359311549558784. August 22, 2019. ja:#Dモーニング 38号本日配信!『 #あせとせっけん 』掲載中です!. April 8, 2021. ja. https://archive.today/20210408050736/https://twitter.com/KintetsuYMD/status/1006915478059560960. April 8, 2021. live.
    5. Web site: ja:多汗女子と嗅覚男子のにおいフェチラブコメ「あせとせっけん」同棲編がモーニングで. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/350093. Comic Natalie. Natasha, Inc.. April 8, 2021. ja. October 3, 2019. December 9, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191209024011/https://natalie.mu/comic/news/350093. live.
    6. Web site: Hodgkins. Crystalyn. Kintetsu Yamada's Sweat and Soap Manga Ends on January 7. Anime News Network. April 8, 2021. December 10, 2020. March 6, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210306024914/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-12-10/kintetsu-yamada-sweat-and-soap-manga-ends-on-january-7/.167285. live.
    7. Web site: ja:DCを代表するヴィラン・ジョーカーが子育てに奮闘する新連載「ワンオペJOKER」. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/411649. Comic Natalie. Natasha, Inc.. April 8, 2021. ja. January 7, 2021. February 1, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210201233347/https://natalie.mu/comic/news/411649. live.
    8. Web site: ja:山田金鉄「あせとせっけん」最終11巻発売、特装版には"結婚式招待状&席次表"も. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/429142. Comic Natalie. Natasha, Inc.. August 3, 2021. ja. May 21, 2021. August 3, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210803033530/https://natalie.mu/comic/news/429142. live.
    9. Web site: Pineda. Rafael Antonio. Kodansha Licenses 6 New Manga, Acquires Saiyuki, Chobits, Clover. Anime News Network. April 8, 2021. July 6, 2019. July 7, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190707001241/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-07-06/kodansha-licenses-6-new-manga-acquires-saiyuki-chobits-clover/.148703. live.
    10. Kintetsu Yamada. KintetsuYMD. 1401196314352775176. ja:コミティア新刊同人誌「こどもつくる本」の電子版が配信開始されました!電子版お求めの方は下記配信サイトさんよりどうぞ!. June 5, 2021. September 3, 2022. ja.
    11. Web site: https://www.dmm.co.jp/dc/doujin/-/detail/=/cid=d_203490/. ja:こどもつくる本. DMM.com. January 14, 2022. ja.
    12. Web site: Pineda. Rafael. Sweat and Soap Romantic Comedy Manga Gets Live-Action Show on February 3. Anime News Network. January 14, 2022. January 13, 2022. January 14, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220114003129/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-01-13/sweat-and-soap-romantic-comedy-manga-gets-live-action-show-on-february-3/.181481. live.
    13. Web site: ja:吹き出す人続出!漫画『あせとせっけん』実写ドラマの演出が「超斬新!」と話題に. https://gendai.ismedia.jp/articles/-/93015. Shūkan Gendai. Kodansha. May 15, 2022. ja. March 31, 2022. March 31, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220331201816/https://gendai.ismedia.jp/articles/-/93015. live.
    14. Web site: ja:みんなが選ぶTSUTAYAコミック大賞2019 結果発表!. https://tsutaya.tsite.jp/feature/book/campaign/comic-awards/2019/index. Tsutaya. Culture Convenience Club. March 27, 2023. https://archive.today/20201102070212/https://tsutaya.tsite.jp/feature/book/campaign/comic-awards/2019/index. November 2, 2020. ja. dead.
    15. Web site: SPY × FAMILY, Kusuriya no Hitorigoto Win Tsugi ni Kuru Manga Award 2019. Anime News Network. August 22, 2019. November 26, 2021. November 8, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201108001431/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2019-08-22/spy-family-kusuriya-no-hitorigoto-win-tsugi-ni-kuru-manga-award-2019/.150311. live.
    16. Web site: Pineda. Rafael Antonio. Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Editors Unveil 2020 Rankings. Anime News Network. April 8, 2021. December 11, 2019. March 24, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210324183941/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-12-11/kono-manga-ga-sugoi-editors-unveil-2020-rankings/.154203. live.
    17. Web site: Mateo. Alex. Japanese Bookstores Recommend 15 Top Manga for 2020. Anime News Network. April 8, 2021. February 1, 2020. February 1, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200201100249/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-02-01/japanese-bookstores-recommend-15-top-manga-for-2020/.156006. live.
    18. Web site: Pineda. Rafael Antonio. 45th Annual Kodansha Manga Awards' Nominees Announced. Anime News Network. April 8, 2021. April 7, 2021. April 7, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210407120805/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2021-04-07/45th-annual-kodansha-manga-awards-nominees-announced/.171524. live.
    19. Web site: Silverman. Rebecca. Sweat and Soap GN 1 - Review. Anime News Network. March 24, 2020. August 2, 2021. August 10, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210810050049/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/sweat-and-soap/gn-1/.157323. live.
    20. Web site: Vincent. Brittany. Sweat and Soap [Manga Review]]. Otaku USA. August 26, 2020. August 2, 2021. August 10, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210810050046/https://otakuusamagazine.com/sweat-and-soap-manga-review/. live.
    21. Web site: Demelza. Sweat and Soap Volume 1 Review. Anime UK News. August 3, 2021. March 11, 2020. August 3, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210803032153/https://animeuknews.net/2020/03/sweat-and-soap-volume-1-review/. live.