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**TL;DR**: An engaging story about finding your place and community, even in the darkest parts of your life.
**Source**: NetGalley, thank so much to the publisher!

**Plot**: Nichiko returns to her home island, a tiny place, to find herself. There she meets Chimaki and their stories blends.
**Characters**: I really enjoyed these characters, especially Nichiko. She was refreshing in her pushback against societal norms but also her steadiness.
**Setting**: The island setting is an easy one to pull off, but I still really enjoyed it’s small cast and scenery.
**Art/Layout:** Absolutely love art. I really enjoyed this, it was sparse but had a lot of grace. A lovely style.

**Thoughts**:

Dogs and Punching Bags follows Nichiko who returns to her small home island, a common tourist spot, after having a rough patch in the big city. She’s leaving behind a broken relationship, and at 34 she’s pushing the boundaries of what Japanese culture finds acceptable for a single woman. She meets Chimaki there, a young man in his early twenties who works at the connivence story but has his own dark history and story. The two of them hit it off as friends and we follow their relationship as their lives start to meld.

I really enjoyed this! The tone in this was unexpected but one I gobbled up. There was tension and there was some intense emotional reactions, especially with Chimaki’s story. But the island setting and the almost cozy vibe made this such a hopeful and overall happy manga. I was happy while reading this and the ending left me smiling. My only complaint about this was that Chimaki seemed a bit infantilized - and I’m not sure if that was intentional as his story really seems to look at the idea that’s he stuck in a place and way because of what happened to him as a young boy.

Besides that this was lovely. The art is graceful and really adds to the setting and feel and ultimately there is a Happily Ever After, so this could be considered a true romance. I especially loved Nichiko who pushed back several times against people commenting on her age and single status. An absolutely lovely read, one I recommend.

This manga had a weird name and I was very curious to see how it was going to play out and what it was. Overall I loved it, I thought it was cute and the story didn't dragged. Loved that we got the whole story and the ending was too cute. I cried to in this one.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was not sure how Dogs and Punching Bags would leave me feeling after reading the blurb and the first chapter. It did provide enough of a hopeful note to encourage me to read it and before I knew it I finished the entire book. It was absolutely lovely! I've seen enough bungled attempts at stories where a person with a mysterious past (Nichiko) returns to their small island/village only to meet a local with a dark past (Chimaki) that I was apprehensive, but all of the story elements were well executed. Bonus points as well for not having the characters from multiple age demographics fall into trope hell; they were portrayed in a believable and relatable, if not likeable, manner. As someone older than Nichiko I was very amused at her need for liquid courage during one particularly inspired scene. I mean this as a compliment: This is the kind of story that lends itself well to a screenplay because this book takes you through the emotional arc of a short drama series.

Whoa, this was a great read. It had so much to do but everything panned out nicely and not too rushed.

Our FMC comes back home to bury her dad after escaping her childhood home years ago. Our MMC is also back home facing people who know his darkest secret.

When I found out what exactly happened, I was so shocked and gutted that a child had to grow up with that kind of grief and ridicule from everyone for a gut wrenching incident that is...inherently the adults fault. Besides that heavy burden, he's well traveled and is super sweet to the point of being a bit too naive.

I think they meshed so well together because of his "weirdness". He was able to get past her defenses and bring some joy to her life. I did find it weird how everyone called him not normal, but no one seemed to want to get to the root of it? Could he possibly be on the spectrum of some sorts?

When her ex came to visit, I howled of laughter because what?! Watching him get so fed up with their lovely dovey-ness brought me joy because he's a scum bag for cheating and misleading the FMC. The fact that his wife took him back shocked me.

I'd definitely recommend this if you're looking for a story set on a small island with likeable characters and an easy going story. I read this in one sitting and immensely enjoyed myself.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for the DRC!

This is my first time reading Kaori Ozaki's work, and it was great! The last fifty pages had me in tears, and I can't wait to read more from this author.


Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for this ARC!

this was such a cute read! it was a bit sad at times and thought provoking so if you’re not in the mood for that, i don’t think you should pick it up. other than that, it was a quick and romantic read!

i loved the characters ESPECIALLY chimaki. he was such a sweetheart and definitely a boyfriend material. i absolutely loved the way he treated nichiko.
however, nichiko was a tad annoying at times, especially the way she acted after she found out this one thing about chimaki. that aside, i did love their blossoming relationship and definitely preferred she stayed with him rather than the married guy lol.

the writing style was easy to get into, although i didn’t care *too* much about the flashbacks. i don’t mind if there are a couple of them but in this case we got a lot and i found it just a little boring.

the best part of the book was the romance between chimaki and nichiko for me, i just wanted them to get together lol. i also loved chimaki’s little sister, she was such a sweetie! i wish we got more of her.
overall, i do recommend picking this up, it was worth a read. ♡

Nichiko came back to her homeland of a small island. Everyone on the island thinks she's this big shot from Tokyo, but her life doesn't seem so big at all. As she familiarizes herself being back home, one guy would be more than happy to help her.

This one shot manga was very refreshing to read. It started out with melancholy but it feels like as though you're changing with Nichiko. It was fun to experience the people of the island. And it was something else to learn about the characters much deeper.

The manga also feels like a love letter to all golden retriever partners. And I love that so much. It was just so sweet and lovely.

This was a good dive in to realities of life and also its complexities. Because who does have all their stuff together? This was a good reminder that everything will be okay. I'm so glad I read this.

Finally, the art is so gentle and I love how you can easily ease in to the manga through the illustrations. Overall, this was a really good manga.

4.5★ // Upon receiving word of her estranged father's declining health, 34-year-old Nichiko leaves her life in Tokyo, returning to her small island hometown. While healing from her isolated past and re-rediscovering her sense of self, she meets Chimaki, a young man with puppy energy and a heart of service. However, the reason for Chimaki's altruism may not be as innocent as it seems..

Don't be fooled by the title - there is a lot less dog in the story than expected (barring Chimaki's personality), but also a lot more depth and meaning than expected.

As for the punching bag, it felt like *I* (i.e., my heart) was the one being punched with all the emotions I experienced while reading this.. I really felt for both of our incredible MCs. Although being a stand-alone volume, I felt that the characters were well fleshed out, their personalities and growth clear. Also, I love to see a mature, non-toxic couple!

This was such a beautiful story on self-identity, love, loss, loneliness, belonging.. plus so much more. I'm already ready for the re-read!

🎵 Song to pair with: Punch - NCT 127

This had beautiful artwork and an equally beautiful story. The characters are all very human and flawed, coming from complicated pasts and are able to open themselves up to another to recognize that they deserve to find a deep and meaningful love. It’s a touching story, paced well, with timely exposition, complex family dynamics, with humor sprinkled throughout too. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, thank you for the opportunity to read it!

**ARC provided by NetGalley for honest review**

Dogs and Punching Bags by Kaori Ozaki was...excellent. Oh my goodness, I loved it so much. This is a standalone manga story set mostly on a tiny island off the coast of Japan about a woman who ran away from and toward her problems and a unique, cheerful young man haunted by his past. This gives the feeling of a josei manga and has the most beautiful artwork and themes and heartwarming characters and how they are all brought together throughout the healing process. It was just so, so beautiful and perfect. Recommended for adults only though.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC!

After leaving Tokyo to return to her hometown to spend time with her dying father, Nichiko meets Chimaki. As the two of them grow close, they help each other with the difficult past they each have.

This was such a beautiful and emotional manga. The last couple chapters had me tearing up. My heart went out to Chimaki. It made me so happy to see that they found a place where they felt the belong once they found each other.

I have read Koari Ozaki’s past work and this is no exception of greatness! This story is about grief, belonging, and rediscovery. I really loved how this story was constructed and the flow of it. Nichiko and Chimaki are an unlikely couple that bring out the best in each other. They found each others resolves while still giving autonomy to the other person. The last several pages of the book had me so scared, but I am happy with how everything turned out. You get to see different people‘s perspectives within the small island town and the roles they play within the story. this was a good and insightful read, and I can’t wait to read it again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Vertical comics for this E-ARC.

I went into this manga not know what to expect and let me say it kept surprising me at every turn.

This slice of life romantic manga somehow is both funny and lighthearted while being sad and serious at the same time.

Themes such as dealing with coming home to oversee an estranged parents end of life, battling with depression, infidelity, murder? You wouldn't expect it to also be wholesome and heartwarming.

I read it in one sitting, that's how much it took ahold of my heart.

Give this a try, prepare to cry tears of sadness and joy.

This mangaka has published some of my favorite works. Dogs & Punching bags is a story of love and loss. The art is beautiful and the romance is adorable. I'm such a fan of this quick and emotional read.

Published by Kodansha and available January 21, 2025, Dogs and Punching Bags is a seinen manga following a woman's return to her small town home after heartbreak and her growing relationship with a strange young man with a tragic past. The rural setting is charming and captures the small town life where everyone knows everyone -- for better or for worse -- and the romance between the two leads is well done. This standalone volume will appeal to fans of rural settings, dramatic slice of life storytelling, as well as complex relationships and hopeful endings.

it’s been so long since i’ve read a manga, and i’m so happy to get back into it. i’ve missed it so much and this book is the perfect way back to reading manga. i loved it so much, it’s my first 5-star read for 2025. 🥹♥️

The story takes place on a small island. After her father dies, Nichiko returns to her home and befriends Chimaki. Both Nichiko and Chimaki carry the burden of their past.

I really enjoyed reading about Nichiko and Chimiko supporting each other and moving on from their pasts. It’s nice to see both of them grow and build a deep connection. The little island setting was interesting, and I loved how it all wrapped up at the end.

The artwork is lovely. It was an easy and quick read.

Sweet little manga volume that does focus a little bit much about making new babies to replace dead ones, but still a sweet romance manga.

An intriguing look at life after loss and dealing with grief. The characters are all well-developed and you can feel the love and loss throughout. Both Chimaki and Nichiko are mourning losses in different ways. I love the way that the heavier topics are presented but don’t bog the reader down in sadness. This is my first read by this author and I will be looking for more.

hands-down my favorite work of ozaki’s. this manga, originally a two-volume work, now combined into one volume, touches on a lot of incredibly heavy topics and discusses them in an incredibly human way by being perfectly imperfect. every character is given their due and given the chance to shape themselves into three-dimensional human beings. it was such a refreshing read.

i was down bad for nichiko and chimaki. at the heart of this manga is the budding romance between them: a twenty-three year old hurt puppy of a man and a thirty-four year old woman with more than her fair share of emotional baggage. i loved them and the journey ozaki took us all on. i think this is a great work for seasoned manga fans, as well as one for those who may be new to the format. i’d absolutely recommend it to everyone who it looking for a compelling read.