I actually read the first chapters of this manga ages ago, but what I saw didn’t impress me. Even after finally finishing the first volume, I’m still not impressed, and no, I didn’t find it particularly funny either. Although I did grunt a few times–that’s a bit of a big deal, I suppose.
Naisho no Tsubomi (AKA Tsubomi’s Secrets), tells of the everyday life of 11 year old Tachibana Tsubomi and her classmates as they go through the various events and stresses of puberty while they learn what it means to grow up. For Tsubomi, it’s like being thrown into the ocean and suddenly having to learn how to swim,when she’s faced with her mom’s pregnancy, her first period, her first crush all at once.
So, no, I wasn’t blown away by little Tsubomi. But what I will admit is that I was pretty content with how Yabuuchi Yuu was able to bring out a realistic portrayal of these children. Tsubomi and her friends are like sponges, learning from their parents, and from each other and their environments. And although the whole "learning sex-ed from your peers" part is a bit worrying, what makes Tsubomi’s Secrets unique is the kids’ reactions as they learn more about their own and each other’s bodies:
(Hm, that’s funny. When I was 11, I distinctly remember NOT witnessing yellow gloopy discharge in my underwear, but this is about young Tsubomi now, not me. )
All in all, I do wish I had a Tsubomi’s Secrets-type book series to read when I was 10, because in those days (lol!) I didn’t have a cool Tsubomi manga to read about puberty, I had the Compleat Tween. It gave all the facts, minus the horror of having to watch a sex-ed vid amongst 15-100 of my squirming, squiggling, giggling peers. Perhaps Tsubomi is better suited for the one unfortunate kid who runs out of the classroom in the middle of the video to have a nice long vomit.
MANGA