Ever since he was a child, Haruichi has been haunted by the mystery surrounding his parents' deaths. When he receives a note claiming that a wealthy family was involved in the tragedy, Haruichi sets out to find answers, taking a job as the caretaker for the family's young daughter. But when he discovers a surprising kinship with his new ward Tsubaki, it complicates his reasons for being there.

Does he keep Tsubaki and her family at a safe distance so he can finally find the answers he's been seeking his whole life... or does he embrace the possibilities of having the family he's always dreamed of?

Beneath the Falling Camellia Blooms has story and art by Natsuwo Ichikawa. English translation is done by Chris Craigo and lettering by Vibrant Publishing Studio. Published by Tokyopop (May 19, 2026). Rated 13+.

Rebecca Silverman
Rating:

This is a me problem: I spent much of my time reading this volume trying to decide if it was set in the late Meiji, early Taisho, or early Showa period. The technology seems to suggest the first, the clothing the latter two, and the décor the second. It definitely drove me a little batty, but this is a specific area of interest to me. If you're not as picky or pedantic as I am on the subject of historical accuracy, it's unlikely to bother you, though it distracted me enough to merit a mention.

That aside, Beneath the Falling Camellia Blooms is an engagingly soapy drama. Haruichi grew up as the unloved orphan, unwillingly bartered around by his relatives. His parents died in an undisclosed accident when he was six, and he actually overheard horrible adults say that he should have died with them and spared everyone else the trouble of looking after him. When he turned nineteen, an offer from a purported family friend came – they would take Haruichi in in exchange for him taking care of a child. Feeling that there was nothing for him at home anyway, Haruichi agrees.

The child in question is Tsubaki. Purportedly the daughter of a mistress (or “concubine,” as the text puts it) she's reviled by the lady of the house and treated as a second-class citizen in all the ways that count. Haruichi is forcibly reminded of his own childhood, and though he doesn't necessarily feel up to taking care of a little girl, the situation is too familiar for him not to. Before long, the prickly Tsubaki latches on to him, which could complicate things down the line…because in true soap opera fashion, someone has sent Haruichi a note proclaiming that Tsubaki is somehow involved in his parents' deaths.

Given that she's under thirteen (or appears to be) and his parents died when he was six, this feels very unlikely. But the rules of melodrama dictate that Haruichi explore the idea, and what he uncovers is suspicious, at least as far as Tsubaki's past is concerned. A resurfaced photo seems to indicate that Tsubaki's mother was her father's legitimate wife, but that seems weird again, given the timelines… something is not adding up. I don't think it's a case of sloppy writing, because everything seems very deliberate. It's odd, but intriguing enough that I'm interested in seeing where it goes from here. The art isn't fantastic, but Ichikawa has a way with an elaborate kimono, even if bodies and faces look a bit off. This may be the sort of series it's best to wait for volume two to be out before you pick it up.

Erica Friedman
Rating:

Beneath the Falling Camellia Blooms, Volume 1 would make a great live-action drama. In fact, I would go so far as to say it would make a better live-action drama than it does a manga for one specific reason.

Action and romance manga are so popular that it's pretty rare to see a manga that prioritizes drama. This is a classic “unwanted child finds a way to thrive” story with a twist. In this manga, Haruichi finds himself shunted off by his foster family, where he has always been resented and unwanted, into another family to take care of their unwanted child. He's fully able to identify emotionally with Tsubaki, which is not only good for the story, but it's nice to see a male lead with empathy and emotional intelligence as his primary driver for decisions.

The mystery of Tsubaki's birth, and the connection between the Yaotome family and Haruichi, is being played up heavily in this volume, and will undoubtedly be the source of many *shock!* faces to come. I'm not convinced that the truth is as interesting as all that, despite the length everyone is going to hide it, and to be honest, I think I figured out the mystery already.

The specific reason I think this might make a better live-action drama is the unfortunate tendency of manga artists to draw all “young girls” to look about 4 years old. Tsubaki's behavior and thought processes are simply not in line with that. A live-action drama would probably have an 11-year-old play the role, which would be more convincing. That all aside, this is a good drama-heavy story with characters you can care about.