About:
Warning:
This review will contain spoilers for the manga and anime series My Dearest Cop. While the manga may vary slightly from all other forms of media, it may have similar story elements and could be considered spoilers.
Trigger Warning: There may be references to age gaps, blood, violence, implied child abuse and neglect, implied domestic violence, divorce, death, robbery, break-ins, medical procedures, illness, fat-shaming, BDSM, and animal neglect, as it appears in the manga.
Synopsis:
Seiji is living his best life, relaxing and lazing about with his pet cat while watching over his family's shop. As a former police officer, this is a much easier life than he had before, and he has no problem living it to the best of his ability. A nice reminder of his more active life comes around occasionally in the form of a current officer, Shin. As it turns out, Shin is a former rough-and-tumble teen from Seiji's old beat. They had many encounters, with Seiji lightheartedly trying to coax Shin back on the right path, acting more as a friend than an authority figure.
Shin appreciated the company, having had a rough relationship with his father at home and very few friends otherwise. This odd relationship came to a head, though, when during an encounter on the street, Shin was going to be bludgeoned with a glass bottle until Seiji got in the way, taking the hit instead and, in turn, scaring off the assailants. At that moment, Shin decided to become a cop so he could pay back Seiji and protect him. More importantly, this is where Shin officially falls in love with Seiji, a love he carries even into adulthood.
Shin resigns himself to this unrequited love. That is until Seiji makes an offhand comment that he should try dating men, bemoaning his current bachelor lifestyle. With his impossible love now a possibility, Shin makes it his mission to make Seiji fall in love with him. Can Shin woo the laissez-faire Seiji, or will Seiji brush him off as a kidding young man?
Review:
Just to note, this is the spin-off series to the manga An Innocent Puppy Meets a Two-Faced Cat. It's not required to read it to understand this one, but it's recommended, as the characters from the original manga appear in this spin-off.
If you read my review of the series before this one, you'll know how much I love this series. Before we get too deep into that, let's talk about the art style. This one is much cleaner than An Innocent Puppy Meets a Two-Faced Cat, which is great. More importantly, I love Seiji's and Shin's designs more than the prior couple's. They're like better versions of the two in the previous manga. Seiji, my longer-haired goofball, looks super chill and down-to-earth, and Shin, with his shorter cut, just looks more put-together and clean. I love them, and I love the art.
The art is only part of the reason this is so great. We have to talk about my man Seiji. He was comic relief, and the crux of moving the narrative forward in the previous manga, and he is no different this time around. Seiji is hilarious. He doesn't mind being silly or weird for the sake of humor, and I love that about him. Pair that bright and exuberant personality next to Shin, who plays the “straight man” in terms of comedy, and you have comedy gold. Shin is the perfect bouncing board for all of Seiji's antics, making them a match made in heaven.
More than anything, I love how slow and slice-of-life this story is. It's made up of three volumes, and there is very little in the way of drama. That's not to say it's devoid of any conflict. There are multiple instances where the two struggle with their age gap, with external forces such as a robber, and even a short arc where they try to help a stray cat. It can sometimes be very excitable, calling back to Seiji's days as a police officer, but also very slow and humdrum, like Seiji's current lifestyle. As a result, we get to see so many different sides to our main character Seiji: goofy, protective, loving, and more. It's not quite a slow burn, as we get all the smut and romance relatively quickly, but the growth of their relationship and their time together is spent in a gradual backdrop that really allows the focus to be on them. It's a true romance, through and through.
I would also be remiss if I didn't mention the smut, and there is plenty of it. Who knew Seiji could make such a great bottom? He mentions multiple times feeling chubby and old compared to Shin, but those insecurities don't dissuade him from getting down and dirty. Shin doesn't care a bit about the state of Seiji's body (beyond making sure he's safe and healthy, that is), loving every bit of him no matter how it has changed over the years, which we love. Seiji is chubby, hairy, and just as hot as any other bottom I've seen in BL. I love that the comedy carries over into the bedroom and that all of Shin's devotion to Seiji manifests there. Every time is a fun time, and we get plenty of it.
Results:
If all of that wasn't enough to sell you on how much I love this manga, this has been picked up by SuBLime for the physical release, and I have had that page bookmarked, ready to pre-order the moment it becomes available (it's known as My Dearest Patrolman by that publisher). This is worth reading for Seiji and his comedy alone, but the smut and the slice-of-life elements interspersed with more dynamic arcs make this a fluffy story that warms the soul. I highly recommend this one if you're looking for some domestic bliss.
Have you read My Dearest Cop? If so, what do you think? Do you agree with my assessment? Do you not? Let me know, and comment below!