Don't Call Me Daddy

This was so much better than the first one.

Art: 3½Plot: 4
Characters: 4Overall rating: 4

Click here for my review of vol 1 [b:Don't Call Me Dirty|48888144|Don't Call Me Dirty|Gorou Kanbe|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1575831918l/48888144.SY75.jpg|74276045] !

Vol 2, or perhaps better labelled as the spin-off of vol 1, focuses on Shouji's dad, Ryuuji, and his childhood friend, Hanao. The story follows closely the timeline set in Don't Call Me Dirty, which is nice, and shows how the two “dads” of the story overcome their insecurities to be together.

When Shouji was born, Ryuuji had no clue what to do so he relied on his best friend's help in raising the child. Hanao stayed with them and took care of Shouji until the age of 6, when Shouji started displaying signs that he was gay. Frightened that Shouji was being influenced by the adults in his life, Hanao decided to leave the household–and his love–behind in favour of a career in a law firm. Fast forward 20 years, Hanao and Ryuuji are reunited, but Hanao's old feelings for his friend are too much to bear, causing a fresh rift to open up between the friends.

This volume did a lot of things really well. It dealt with the topic of unrequited love in a poignant way, it presented an older couple at the centre of the narrative, and it showed how perceptions of oneself are entirely based upon the opinions of society. Hanao struggled most of his life with his feelings for his friend because of the social stigma attached to loving someone of the same sex, as well as his fear of losing his friendship all together should his friend be suddenly revolted by him.

Hanao's perception is entirely built up through a six-year-old child's innocent outlook on life. When Shouji tells his school friends that Hanao and his dad are “married” and that they all “play together and eat together,” this triggers Hanao's fears that what Shouji sees in him will be seen by the outside world. Even though he loves and cares for Shouji, he cannot stand to see himself reflected in the boy and laid bare in front of the society he lives in.



The manga does a great job of showing this tug and pull of Hanao's feelings and the result of his eventual admission is both satisfying and a relief. After everything that Ryuuji and Hanao have been through, they definitely deserve their HEA.

If you liked the first volume, then you should definitely read this one too. Even though we don't see Hama in this one, past and present Shouji make up for it in how he helps Hanao (and his dad) in becoming more honest with himself.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


This is a sequel to Don't Call Me Dirty, featuring the older guys aka, the dads because even people older than 20 need romance in their lives! These gents are in their 50s. It is such a bummer to read about how they lost so much time together, but considering the times and the hate the LGBTQA+ community still receives today, it feels realistic. 

I really liked this one and its message on how we should be ourselves and love who we love without care for the rest of the world. It is a very sweet book that gave me all the feels, but sometimes it felt like it dragged.