If I had to summarize my experience with Suiyou Kyoudai (or Wednesday Siblings) in a single sentence it would be Suiyou Kyoudai is worth the cavities!
Unfortunately, as far as I could find, this manga doesn’t yet have an official translation but I will be jumping on it the4 second it does. In the meantime, if you guys want to read a (so far) incredibly sweet and wholesome story about second families, then I’m sure you will be able to easily find Suiyou Kyoudai online.
Why I Picked up Suiyou Kyoudai
I got intrigued by the cover art. And even then, I can’t really explain it. It’s not a very unusual cover or anything. The two main characters are just next to each other, toasting with glasses of wine and looking at the camera. For some reason though, it drew me in enough for me to read a chapter and then, I was hooked.
Official Summary
With her mother’s recent remarriage, 26 year-old Tooko has gained a new younger brother named Natsu who is 13 years younger than her. At their parents’ request for their own weekly time alone together, every Wednesday, Natsu comes to sleepover at Tooko’s place. While they still feel awkward because of their sudden sibling status, they begin to open up to each other as they spend their Wednesdays making and having home-cooked meals and alcohol-like, non-alcoholic drinks together.
My First Impression
Ok now I want a little brother… and a mocktail.
What I liked
Kind of everything. I was very afraid that there would be some lewd shenanigans or romantic situations between the 26-year-old and the 13-year-old but so far, not a hint! And man am I relieved!
This is sort of a found family story except that Tooko and Natsu are actual family, even if it is by marriage. And the portrayal of both the joys and challenges of trying to create this new relationship is great. Natsu is 13, he’s a bit shy and awkward. He has no clue how to talk to women in her 20s but he also really wants a sister. He’s been alone with his dad for a while and this is a chance to find some of the familial bonds he’s been missing. On the other hand, Tooko is outgoing and friendly and hyped about being a big sister. But she also has no clue what she’s doing. And she puts a lot of pressure on herself to do right by her new brother.
It’s a very sweet story. Every chapter is a new slice of life adventure and all of them either end on or centers around the siblings cooking a meal together and creating a non-alcoholic boozy dring to celebrate their weekly meeting. It’s incredibly sweet. And although it errs on the side of fairy tail optimism, it still feels grounded. Natsu and Tooko’s big successes are buying matching aprons, or finding a recipe they both really like. Their great tragedies are Tooko having to work late or Natsu not being sure how to talk to his new sister. It’s a very low-stakes sort of story and that’s what makes it work. At least I think.
One of the biggest aspects of the manga is the mocktail recipes. And they mostly sound delicious. There’s a lot of attention put into it and it explores the ritual of sharing a drink with someone but completely puts aside the alcoholic element. I liked that a lot. And I want to try out a lot of those recipes. The one with the watermelon juice sounds really promising. I love watermelon!
Any drawbacks?
Even though it hasn’t happened yet, (I’ve read the first volume which has 6 chapters), I still can’t shake the fear of some romantic plotline getting dropped in. And that would really break my heart! And also creep me out.
I really love the fact that essentially, all that happens in this manga are a brother and sister preparing and having dinner together but you know, at the same time, that’s all it is. If you tell me that it’s boring to you, I wouldn’t blame you. I feel like there’s a specific age demographic that will enjoy this story and it’s simply not for everyone. Moreover, those that don’t see the charm in it, will likely be bored to tears.
Conclusion
My drawbacks section is rather short. That’s because so far, I’m really enjoying Suiyou Kyoudai. I find it relaxing and it cheers me up. I hope it gets translated and adapted to anime, the whole nine yards. This seems to be a departure from the author’s previous ecchi horror title and they might have found their niche. As long as the ecchi doesn’t seep in…
Seems like a more familial Yakumo-san wa Ezuke ga Shitai. I do agree on you with the cover art, though: expressive and colorful despite its simplicity. I was drawn to it, as well! Hope to see it continue the path of remaining platonic!
Me too. It would break my heart if they make it creepy
Hmmm… Wednesdays With Tooko eh? Not nearly as depressing as Tuesdays With Morrie or as irritating as Sundays With Satan, but I’m curious. I’ll add it to my list for review. Thanks.
I hope you like it