Kakushigoto is heartwarming story about the single dad and his daugther Hime. Goto is a mangaka who mainly draws lewd comedy manga. When Hime was born, he decided to keep that a secret so that he won't embarrass his daughter. The jokes can be very hit and miss. The majority portion of the story take place in Goto's studio which mainly consists of his wacky assistants and his editors. While the story is mainly a comedy, there are many heartwarming parts in the story. The story touches upon grief of a family member in both adult and child's perspective. While it only briefly touched upon this topic, I am very interested to see more coming ahead. Art style is very minimal similar to his previous work Zetsubou-Sensei.

***Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a review copy.***

This one wasn't really for me. It did have some funny moments, but it felt like nothing really happened other than the same scenario over and over again, to stop Hime finding out that he was a Manga artist. The art was generally great, and some of the jokes made me laugh. But overall, I found the text a little disjointed, and I wouldn't plan to pick up any future volumes.

Diverting. The art is a little insectile, the characters rush off into wild flights of fancy that could easily be fixed by actually talking with each other, and the author's asides are amazingly self deprecating to the point I'm a bit worried about his mental health. But it was fun, good hearted, and full of some inside baseball about the manga industry and Japanese society. And the daughter is so good-natured and loving that I finished each chapter smiling.

This is the story of a man who so wants to keep his daughter in the dark about his being the author and artist of a raunchy manga that he goes to extreme lengths to lie to her. On the one hand, I understand how he wants to keep his daughter from being seen as weird for what he does. On the other, shouldn't a 10-year-old get the chance to really know her father? This obsession of Gotou's with keeping the truth from Hime is the main theme of the plot and I could never really decide if I agreed or disagreed with it. This ambivalence over how I felt over the overarching plot made all the little mangaka insider details and the funny lengths Gotou is prepared to go to not seem as funny or interesting as they could have been.
The art is cute. It matches the clean and bright vibe of the cover, so you're not getting a bait and switch. My one complaint here is that the male characters were sometimes a bit hard to tell apart, which matters greatly when it's a story with so few characters.
Overall, I enjoyed reading it, but it didn't really pull me in or make me want to read further. I guess it's just not really my kind of story.

Big thanks to Kodansha Comics and Netgalley for the chance to read it.

A quircky manga about a mangaka who wants the best for his daughter. He will, as far as I can tell, avoid anything manga related around his daughter. The art style is cute and sort of angular. It's new to read but I'm sure it will be popular and appealing to many. The characters, though strange at some parts, are fun and unique. Some of the jokes, though, are stretched a little too far to be funny.

This feels like a compilation book of all the best web comics about Kakushigoto.

I don't think this book is bad at all. Firstly I love the concept and know that the issue of a parents job is very much a priority in some cultures for various reasons. My problem was that it felt like the issue just kept come back and back again and again. There didn't seem to be any progression in the fact that Komi's dad didn't want her to know his secret.

That aside I thought the artistry was great!

A wonderful story filled with funny happenstances and heartwarming moments, Kakushigoto by Koji Kumeta, is sure to bring some joy to your bookshelves. Koji Kumeta is also the talent behind two other series, Katteni Kaizo and Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei. Kakushigoto is set for an anime adaptation airing this spring, April 2020 from Funimation.

Kakushi Goto is a manga author and apparent single father to a young daughter, Hime. While maybe not a household name, he does have a wide following with enough fame to be recognizable on the street. The problem? The series he writes is an irreverent gag series filled with raunchiness and humor not meant for kids. Kakushi’s goes to extreme lengths to hide his profession from his daughter, convinced she will see him differently and be disappointed if she ever knew the truth. He’s also worried that Hime’s friends and classmates would make fun of her because of his profession, especially considering the genre.

This manga is at once both a strangely heartwarming slice-of-life story and one that falls well within the realm of humor and gags. The story is told from Kakushi’s point of view and follows his day to day life as he attempts to keep his private and work lives as far apart as humanly possible. Of course, this leads to endless complications and misunderstandings.

Unlike other similar plots, Kakushi’s extreme lengths always feel a bit more grounded in true fears than just an exploration of funny or awkward circumstances. Real, understandable concerns lie beneath the surface. The worry and stress of raising his daughter manifests in understandable ways – the fear that his profession will make Hime a target of bullies, for example. Yet, as understandable as some of these fears are, they’re either blown completely out of proportion or approached from the wrong angle.

Universal truths and fears are touched upon here. Will your children think highly of you? Is your profession something to be proud of? How would you approach aspects of yourself and your life you fear might have some kind of influence the sort of treatment your family receive?

Kakushi’s worry over the content he writes and draws makes it seem like pens pornography when in truth its nothing more than a raunchy, humorous manga. The lengths he goes to in order to hide this from Hime are utterly extreme, funny as they are. But Kakushi’s actions are easy to understand and sympathize with, even when they make us laugh.

Kumeta’s art is full of simplistic beauty. Backgrounds are sometimes more minimalistic, usually when two characters are going back and forth in dialogue. Several quite beautiful full color pages are included at the beginning of this manga, featuring an older Hime.

If you are searching for a funny slice-of-life to enjoy in these trying times, Kakushigoto: My Dad’s Secret Ambition, Vol. 1 by Koji Kumeta is certainly a fantastic pick. Funny yet heartwarming, this one delightful series I absolutely continue.

My Dad's Secret Ambition Vol. 1 by Kouji Kumeta is a manga style graphic novel. Kakushi Gotou is a single father with a secret: He’s a top-selling manga artist of a raunchy series that perhaps isn’t suitable reading material for his young daughter, Hime. So he does what any doting father would do, he hides it all from her, no matter the hi jinks that ensue!

My Dad's Secret Ambition is a book that hit some really good notes. I liked the single father struggling to do right by his daughter, and the lengths he would go to in order to keep her happy and healthy. The social gaffes and caste of characters were interesting, but I was rarely fully engaged in the story and found myself having to go back to re read or look closer at a picture to decide if I missed something. The artwork style is nice, but it just did not match up with my personal preferences consistently. I did like the personal notes and writings from the author, which put some on the scenes and moments in context and made it more interesting.

My Dad's Secret Ambition is a good graphic novel, with some really good moments. It just did not wow me after having read some absolutely fabulous ones recently.

This was a pretty funny read! It has an anime adaptation here now for the spring 2020 season and therefore more folks are going to be privy to this title. That to me is all the more reason to give this book consideration. While neither main character is a teen for the bulk of the book, I still think the teen appeal is there with Kakushigoto. The jokes land, the situations are out there enough to make the reader want to keep trudging onwards. Art is nice and simplistic, and there a lot of guides throughout the story to aid readers with the characters, layout of the town they all live/work in, and certain terminology used in the book. The father's occupation is that of a dirty manga creator, so there are occasional scenes where some moderately risque language is used. I truly think though when anime fans peruse a best-of/recommendation list and see a title they recognize, they do get more excited. And again, with the anime now out, this title can seriously be a sleeper hit for 2020.

I couldn’t stop laughing!!!

Hime dad, Kakushi, is adult manga artist but he keeps it as a secret since her birth.

Hime is just as strange as her father. How is she able to tell what position meant what blew my mind! I love the characters, his team and the support! I highly recommend this, I actually wanna see this turn into an anime!!!

My first encounter with any of Kumeta’s works. I absolutely enjoyed this volume! It made me smile and laugh all the way. Absolute gem!

Kakushi Goto is a manga artist who goes to great lengths to hide his actual occupation from his 10-year old daughter Hime. An abundance of comedy and humour ensues.

Consisting of chapters, each only few pages long really keeps the momentum going. In some intervals, the author’s musings appear under “Writing the Truth about the Drawing Business”.

Excellent translation/adaptation which reads so naturally in English. Even the jokes and puns! Thank you so much. It’s one of those rare cases that I wasn’t thinking about how the source material is like in comparison.

5 stars!

This being the first manga I have reviewed on this platform I was thoughly surprised. I have personally only read fantasy and yuri manga but was intrigued. To hear a story about a Mangaka (Manga Artist) was refreshing and the family ties were sweet.
The illustration in this manga was tasteful, beautifully drawn and the cover pages were pure works of art. I liked that the end pages were in full colour however it wasnt needed. Each title page would look great in one colour and white as the detail is so intricate that you can imagine the colour anyway.
I will admit honestly I found the storyline could have had a bit more excitement as I felt I was only reading to pass the time (not as a hobby). Intitally I didnt like Kakushi's character and found him to be sleezy. However I warmed up to him once I saw how much he loved his daughter and wanted to protect her. I did enjoy the few giggles I got from Hime's childish outlook and these would be greatly recieved in future reads. I would like to see more from the other characters however I do understand the storyline is meant to be about the father and daughter relationship.
The mini story at the beginning and end of the manga itself was a good insite into what may have happened once Hime grew up and I would like to see how that story happened to come about. Maybe that is even a future book about Hime?

I received this book from Net Galley and Kodansha Comics in exchange for an honest review.

When I first saw on Netgalley that Koji Kumeta was publishing a new manga I immediately knew I have to read it. Koji is one of those creators that you can't say no to because they are so refreshing with their creativity specifically with a work like Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei and Katte ni Kaizo both full of crazy shenanigans, interesting jokes that would either make you laugh or pause for a moment and surprisingly enough how emotionally deep it can get. By far his most recognizable work is Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei thanks to Studio Shaft animating it and elevating his genre breaking manga and amazing detailed artwork with his characters.

Kakushigoto is an excellent new series for him in my opinion. The premise is quite doable, a father is hiding the fact he is an erotic adult mangaka from his daughter at all costs. The story is divided into short chapters, an afterward and a few special notes from the creator itself. I gotta say, the ethnics the father character, his studio assistants and the colorful cast of characters makes this manga a refreshing read. I was quite certain it'd fall to most comedic manga routine and some of the jokes will grow old and nothing will change or I won't feel invested enough with the story. Thankfully Koji handles it wonderfully and by the end of the first volume we are already entering to a promising new chapter in the next volume. Plus what's really interesting is the manga addressing various facts about being a manga author, the life, the reputation and whatever is it truly rewarding pursuing such a career which I found quite fascinating to read about, especially with Koji notes like him getting sad someone asked him to draw a character from Precure when they came for his autograph in one con.

If you can please, check out Kakushigoto if you need a comdey in your life :)

Kakushi is a single father who hides a secret from his daughter, Hime. He doesn't want her to discover his real job, so every day he comes out of his suit as an executive. But the truth is different...
The interesting thing in the story is not even the secret itself, but the ways to hide it from Hime. It was very funny to read!
It is a comedy manga that shows the daily life of this family. In addition, we have the backstage of the work of a manga author, which I found very interesting.
I can't wait to read the next volume!

This is primarily a story about a father's dedication to his young daughter, who he worries will be shamed if she ever learns he creates dirty manga. I think I would have enjoyed the book more if it included more moments between Kakushi and his daughter, Hime. I felt their short conversations were the most endearing part of the story. However, most chapters revolved around the antics Kakushi and his co-workers got into while creating manga. Some of the gags were pretty funny, but the characters were one-dimensional, and I tend to be drawn to personality over plot. In spite of Kakushi's profession, there's really no vulgar content in the book, and I would recommend it to those looking for a lighthearted and humorous read.

Kakushigoto is a series about a father trying to hide the fact that he writes adult manga from his daughter, Hime. The story works in segments of short stories with an afterword summarizing the events of each short story. The afterword words were the best part of the manga. They consisted of Kakushi, the father, and Hime having more serious moments which felt charming. Instead of how the stories run with a gimmick for each section that usually fell flat or was uninteresting. The art was okay. It was very plain but at the same time had a bit of uniqueness to how characters were drawn. The characters themselves all have designated roles to fill, and they do not go outside of there role for the most part. This left the characters feeling one dimensional. Which is why the afterword was so important. It made the father and daughter have more then one side to them. This made the father and daughter relationship feel real. Another good part of the series is when they show Hime when she is eighteen. We get to see how she really felt about her dad hiding his work from her, and how she really felt about his profession. In conclusion Kakushigoto: My Dad's Secret Ambition is a series that ended up being a very average read. I would recommend this to anyone who really like light hearted comedies, and father/daughter relationships.

This was a fun read. A pretty typical manga (take that as you will), with some funny gags (usually based on miscommunication) and some pretty heartwarming stuff at times. Doesn't have much re-reading value, but it's funny while it lasts.

Despite my initial impressions from its basic premise, Kakushigoto (My Dad's Secret Ambition) is an incredibly wholesome and light-hearted story. The interactions between the father--who wants to be a good example and so goes to great lengths to hide the fact he's a manga artist--and his daughter never fail to make me smile. The unique art style is the main thing that drew me in, but by the end of this volume I was fully invested in the characters and their antics. The laugh-out-loud gags and wacky scenarios are only a part of what makes Kakushigoto so charming, however. I also enjoyed the way the author provides a closer look into what being a manga artist in Japan is really like. I recommend trying this manga for a good, fun read, but prepare for your heart-strings to be tugged on a lot as well!

I really enjoyed reading this manga. I wasn't super into it in the beginning but as the story progressed I fell more and more in love with all the characters and the story. It's about a manga artist father who will do anything to hide his profession from his daughter Hime. This was honestly such a precious book. The dad will go to any lengths to make sure his daughter has the best life possible and is shielded from the horrors of this world. ex) Her school goes on a camping trip and has to catch bugs and he sends his assistant to buy the biggest bug so then she won't be sad if she doesn't catch one but he doesn't let her know he did this. His daughter is the light of his life and it's really heartwarming to see their relationship. One thing that threw me off was that the dad looks like he's around 18-22 years old and his daughter is 10. The author also includes pages of text describing what life is like as a manga writer and those were pretty entertaining to read as well. I can't wait to read the next volume!

A father's love knows no bounds in this cute and quirky story. I found myself wondering how hard it must be for Hime's dad to be a single parent, especially when he has a secret that he feels would change how his daughter sees him, should she find out.

Overall, the story was incredibly funny, although I do feel that sometimes it was taken over the top a little bit but then I am unsure as to whether being a Manga artist is frowned upon in certain cultures.

However, reading further into the story, you can really feel the stress of being the best father he can be and making his daughter happy. Not realising that all Hime really wants is for her dad to be happy and for them to spend time together happily, which made for an incredibly heart warming read.