It started with a sniff—and turned into something neither of them saw coming.

At a school for beastmen, two students have an awkward encounter that sparks an unexpected connection. Joseph, a cheerful border collie, catches the quiet, skittish bloodhound Noy secretly sniffing his shirt between classes. But instead of being weirded out, Joseph responds with warmth and kindness, slowly earning Noy's trust. As it turns out, Noy is completely captivated by Joseph's scent.

Their strange little moment lingers, and something begins to shift between them. Is it just curiosity? A fleeting crush? Or could this be the start of something more?

Smell is written and drawn by Nagabe. English translation by Adrienne Beck. Lettered by Vanessa Satone. Published by Seven Seas (October 21, 2025). Rated OT.

Rebecca Silverman
Rating:

It's always interesting to me how different publishers come up with their ratings. Seven Seas, across all of their imprints, is generally the least conservative; they've actually rated this OT (17+). But it's also far, far more sexual than half of the titles with an M (18+) rating in this guide. That's not because it's a furry romance, or even because it's a scent fetish story. It's all about how Nagabe draws the scenes of Noy and Joseph exploring each other's bodies and what they imbue those scenes with. We barely see any genitals, but they're centerstage anyway.

The way that Nagabe keeps the plot tightly focused on its two leads is impressive. Although there are other characters floating around, and at least one even gets a name (creative writing shorthand for “this character is important”), Noy and Joseph are the clear focus. This is particularly interesting because Noy has maybe five lines in the entire book, only two of them spoken aloud. Instead Joseph is our narrator as he discovers his sexuality, keeping up both sides of the conversation with Noy and getting lost in his own head as he tries to sort out what he's feeling. It should be claustrophobic, but instead it makes the book feel very personal…and not a little voyeuristic. That's not always the case with genre romance, where more typically you're expected to put yourself in the shoes of one of the romantic leads. This, though, isn't about being Joseph, but watching Joseph.

As you can tell from the cover, this is one of Nagabe's furry manga, and if that makes you uncomfortable, this book really isn't going to do much to dissuade you. It's firmly rooted in that subgenre, and the fact that the boys are dog people is central to the plot, since they have a stronger sense of Smell than humans do. (Noy's meant to be a bloodhound to further enhance that, but he just reads “English sheepdog” to me.) There's a lot of nose-to-crotch action, so there's more than one barrier to entry here, although Nagabe's art is striking as always, and excellent use is made of Noy's wagging tail. If you're feeling more adventurous or if you're firmly in this volume's intended audience, it's an interesting story. I didn't love it, but I can't deny that it's quite well done.

Bolts
Rating:

Regardless of whether or not you have a hyper specific Smell fetish, scents and pheromones do play a part in generating arousal. It doesn't have to be a person, it could be anything that makes a certain scent that stimulates specific emotional reactions. When it comes to intimacy though, sometimes the scent of a particular person, or someone in a particular mood can definitely help spice things up. This story takes that idea and puts it in a very context specific scenario. This is a furry story where the animals these furries are based off of would already have that heightened sense of Smell. Leaning into that particular fetish makes sense and in some ways allows this book to sort of be an introduction to people that are curious about Smell fetishes.

Two high school boys named Joseph and Noy are gradually starting to explore the scent of the other. The opening chapter almost comes off as very wholesome, but it quickly deviates into very forward senses of desire. But what I like about the story is that it plays into the fact that these two are inexperienced teenagers that are letting their hormones run rampant. No lines are crossed, but there's even attention to detail with regards to making sure that your partner shares the enthusiasm. A lot of this is shown from the perspective of Joseph, as he is the more hyperactive of the two, but I also like the build up and commitment to Noy's character. He's so quiet and sheepish that he barely talks throughout the entire book.

The art style definitely tickles the furry part of my brain. It's the right amount of cartoon with realistic textures. If I had any complaint, it would ironically be the sex scenes themselves. I love the facial expressions, but the book kind of holds itself back from showing anything too explicit. Even though it's very clear that characters are performing sexual acts on each other, we don't really get to see it because some body parts just aren't really shown. I think the buildup to those moments utilizing those intoxicating odors is more important than the sex itself though. If you're at all curious about what it means to have a Smell fetish, I think this could be a way of helping you find out whether or not that's right for you.