×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
REVIEW: Mint Chocolate GN 1




Note: this is the discussion thread for this article

Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
meruru



Joined: 16 Jun 2009
Posts: 470
PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:02 pm Reply with quote
Haha, it really does sound derivative with the title even having the same concept as "Marmalade Boy". Surely they must have been aware of this? Marmalade Boy is super famous after all.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 11306
PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:53 pm Reply with quote
Huh. Do other people perceive mint as "bitter"? To me it's cool and/or fresh, but I don't associate a flavor with it at all, just a sensation. And marmalade I'd call sweet and sour, not bitter. Is this like how people taste cilantro differently? Very Happy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
SHD



Joined: 05 Apr 2015
Posts: 1752
PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 1:14 pm Reply with quote
Gina Szanboti wrote:
Huh. Do other people perceive mint as "bitter"? To me it's cool and/or fresh, but I don't associate a flavor with it at all, just a sensation. And marmalade I'd call sweet and sour, not bitter. Is this like how people taste cilantro differently? Very Happy

I was just about to post this. I mean yes, I understand that "mint chocolate" is supposed to represent opposite flavors coming together into what English calls "bittersweet" but I really wouldn't call mint bitter. Same with marmalade, I admit I'm not an expert on it (we don't really have it where I live) but all the marmalade I've eaten so far was more along the lines of sweet & sour. Definitely not bitter. For me, bitter is like, bad quality coffee, tonic water, my meds...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer


Joined: 16 Dec 2008
Posts: 2599
Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City
PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 1:23 pm Reply with quote
Gina Szanboti wrote:
Huh. Do other people perceive mint as "bitter"? To me it's cool and/or fresh, but I don't associate a flavor with it at all, just a sensation. And marmalade I'd call sweet and sour, not bitter. Is this like how people taste cilantro differently? Very Happy


I guess it's about how I ingest the mint - like in a candy or toothpaste (which I don't normally equate!), I'd say cool/fresh, but if I just pick a mint leaf out of the garden and start chewing, there's a slight bitterness. I do find marmalade bitter, but not like the other things SHD listed, which are also what I'd more normally associate with bitterness.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
whiskeyii



Joined: 29 May 2013
Posts: 2242
PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 6:03 pm Reply with quote
Honestly, they might mean for the chocolate to be the bitter part. I subscribed to a trial run of a Japanese snacks subscription service, and almost all the chocolate stuff has been way closer to dark chocolate than even bittersweet chocolate. It’s much more like eating chocolate covered espresso beans than even European chocolate, which I’m guess is what most people associate chocolate with (especially since American chocolate is not well thought of.)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
R. Kasahara



Joined: 19 Feb 2013
Posts: 646
PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 7:20 pm Reply with quote
whiskeyii wrote:
Honestly, they might mean for the chocolate to be the bitter part. I subscribed to a trial run of a Japanese snacks subscription service, and almost all the chocolate stuff has been way closer to dark chocolate than even bittersweet chocolate. It’s much more like eating chocolate covered espresso beans than even European chocolate, which I’m guess is what most people associate chocolate with (especially since American chocolate is not well thought of.)

That's interesting. Most all of the Japanese chocolate I've had tends to run sweet, even dark chocolate like Meiji Black. Then again, I generally prefer more bitter chocolates (70-80% cacao) these days.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Alan45
Village Elder



Joined: 25 Aug 2010
Posts: 9812
Location: Virginia
PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 8:55 pm Reply with quote
Getting away from the title for a moment.

It doesn't bother me that the setup is familiar. Mention was made of Marmalade Boy but this is also the setup of Itazura na Kiss. I don't think anyone has ever been upset that they have the same set up. All this does is provide an excuse to throw the leads together. Really no different than the side by side apartments of LDK or the boarding houses of a couple of other recent high school romance manga series.

What does bother me is that neither of main characters is even vaguely likeable. She is an airhead and his main characteristic is being sullen and non communicative. Also there is a laser focus on the relationship without any other material. It lacks the humor, side characters and side stories of the either Marmalade Boy or Itazura na Kiss.

A C rating is generous. I probably will not be following this.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group