Asako has been self-conscious about her sweat and body odor her entire life, though she does enjoy using the soaps and other self-care products put out by the company she works for. One day, a random encounter with one of the top product designers for the company, Natori, starts to change the course of Asako’s life since he LOVES the way Asako smells and the two of them quickly realize that there is a lot to like about each other.
This was a title I almost had to be bullied into reading since the general premise squicked me out, and just look at that first volume cover, that does not look like two adults in a mutually enjoyable relationship! Creator Kintetsu Yamada originally intended for this story to be a one-shot which explains the sudden, if truly strange, “meet-cute” between Asako and Natori and how their relationship ends up escalating rather quickly from there. I wonder if Yamada would have done things a little differently if the story had been planned to be a full series from the get-go, especially since things do slow down a bit after the first chapter and, while Natori still really, really enjoys Asako’s scent, their relationship feels more conventional afterwards.
What sold me on this series however is that, odd kinks aside, this is a surprisingly sweet rom-com! While Sweat and Soap doesn’t share any obvious characteristics, the age of the characters and the way they quickly settle into a relationship (instead of a will-they-won’t-they plot) reminded me a bit of Wotakoi, another series I enjoy because the main couple is pretty cute together. There’s still plenty of uncertainty, especially since it’s the first serious relationship that either Asako or Natori has been in, but the misunderstandings that come up feel rather natural and the two of them try very hard to be open with their feelings around each other, which helps them tremendously.
Natori’s super good nose also gives him a bonus in the communications department since it means that he can pick up on Asako’s moods a bit from changes in her scent (which it makes the chapter where a cold has stuffed up his nose a bit funny as he finds himself anxious since he can’t rely on his nose to tell if Asako is truly okay with coming over to take care of him or if she thinks it’s a burden). The side characters are also a lot of fun, from the background office characters immediately realizing that Asako is wearing a date night outfit to the office to the reaction of Asako’s mother unexpectedly finding out that she has a boyfriend. I really loved Asako as a “Plain Jane” romantic lead who finds that Natori gives her the confidence to try new things and more fully love herself. Asako doesn’t change for Natori but, as if the case with many deep relationships, she changes because of him.
It’s a marvelously cute series and, as someone who also feels like they seem to sweat a lot more than the people around them, I truly empathized with Asako’s frequent runs to the bathroom to freshen up (even if her tricks for handling it are different from mine and more concerned about BO than the actual sweat). I would be remiss if I didn’t give a general PSA to please talk with your doctor if you feel like you sweat too much or anything really that negatively impacts your quality of life since there may actually be something that can be done! While Asako’s excessive sweating doesn’t have a root cause in the series, except a few panels implying that it’s genetic, in the real world this can be a side effect of certain drugs or other conditions and there’s no reason for you to be miserable in your body without at least exploring some options.
Sweat and Soap doesn’t preach the kind of destructive “self-love” where you think of your body is an unchanging thing and where nothing can be done to ease your own discomfort; for Asako she’s able to find a balance between the unhappiness that sweat is causing her and the soaps she loves and everyone should try to find that balance with self-happiness in their own lives.