I did say back then that I would buy Kakushigoto manga if it was on sale at that time when the anime was released.

Lo and behold, the manga was indeed on sale on Bookwalker months after the anime ended. I wasn’t so sure if the manga was also on sale on Amazon. But it was possible that the manga might be on sale on Amazon as well, not just on Bookwalker.

This experience somehow makes me believe even more that the universe will certainly grant our wishes if we’re clear about what we want. And when you do, it will grant you any wish, including wanting to buy your favorite manga and light novels when it’s on sale.

Yes, I know that it can be a bit woo-woo for some people. But hey, it’s good to know that any wish can come true no matter how small or big the wish is.

The funny thing about the universe is that it doesn’t differentiate the good wish from the bad. It simply makes any wish comes true, including the one that you don’t want it to happen.

Somehow, that was what happening in Kakushigoto as well. Don’t worry, I’m not going to give you a spoiler on what happened to Kakushigoto’s heavily guarded secret.

But if you already watched the anime, then you know what happened to that secret in the end.

What Kakushigoto: My Dad’s Secret Ambition is all about

Here’s the book description that I got from Bookwalker.

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 hijinks that ensue!

What got me to read the manga

Well, I do find the premise behind this manga to be rather interesting. And the fact that the manga is by the same mangaka for Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is also another reason that got me to read this manga.

Of course, I’m not going to deny here that I got this manga when it was on sale on Bookwalker. That is also another reason why I decided to buy this manga in the first place.

What can I say? Manga and light novels can be somewhat expensive to buy when they’re not on sale. If you’ve been eyeing a specific title for a long time, then it doesn’t hurt to wait for the price to drop a little.

Wondering how you can save money on buying manga and light novels? You can read more about it right here.

What makes Kakushigoto manga worth reading

If you’re already familiar with how the story flows in Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, then you can expect Kakushigoto to follow the same style – the over-the-top reasoning that ends up being wacky instead of something sensible.

In the context of Kakushigoto, there’s nothing wrong with being fully prepared if Hime would barge into the office at any given moment. It’s better to be prepared for the worst than not having any preparation at all.

While the style is more or less the same in both series, the reasoning in Kakushigoto tends to be less exaggerated than the one in Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. Rather than basing the reasoning on the wide popular pop culture, the reasoning in Kakushigoto tends to be based on the society’s perception of being a mangaka and the otaku culture in general.

That makes the reasoning in Kakushigoto simple and easier to understand, making it a lot more enjoyable to read too.

Because of this reason, there’s no need for a translator’s note at all. But what you’ll get is an author’s note at the end of each chapter instead, explaining his point of view about the scene being portrayed in that chapter.

That is contrasting to Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei where you’ll get a lengthy translator’s note. Well, it makes sense for the manga to have a translator’s note attached since it can be hard to understand the context when you’re not familiar with Japanese pop culture.

Another thing that makes Kakushigoto different than Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is that the story does have the slice of life element in it.

So, what you’ll get isn’t just the scenes filled with wacky reasoning. But you’ll also get to see how Gotou-sensei juggles with his work and also his responsibility as a single parent raising his daughter.

What I didn’t expect when I read the manga

To be honest, I never expect that the story in Kakushigoto to be heartwarming, especially the scenes where the assistants and the editor who used to work for him reminiscing those old days.

What’s more, the way they were reminiscing those days makes you think that Kakushigoto’s story is just as sad as A Silent Voice or I Want to Eat Your Pancreas.

Not going to lie here that this part of the story does catch me by surprise. After all, you don’t see anything like this in Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei.

Another thing that I don’t expect from this manga is that some parts of the story in the manga do happen to Kumeta sensei in real life.

I’m not going to spoil you which part of the story in the manga he was referring to. All I can say is read the author’s note in between chapters.

Who should read this manga

If you’re used to the comedy style in Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, you may find that the comedy in Kakushigoto to be somewhat lackluster. And let’s not forget that the story also takes a serious turn along the way too, which is something you don’t see in Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei.

But if you prefer something that is on the realistic side and with a balanced approach to comedy, then you may find the manga to be an interesting read.

What about those who never read Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei before? Should you give this manga a try?

If you’re into a slice-of-life manga with some comedic scenes in between, then the answer is yes.

Where to buy Kakushigoto: My Dad’s Secret Ambition

As always, you can buy the manga on Amazon. The manga is only available in digital, though.

Buy Kakushigoto manga on Amazon

You can also buy the manga on Bookwalker too. That’s where I got mine.

Buy Kakushigoto manga on Bookwalker

Want to read the manga in Japanese? You can buy the print version of the manga at CDJapan.

Buy Kakushigoto manga on CDJapan

Over to you

What do you think about Kakushigoto? Are you interested in giving this manga a try after reading about it on my blog? Let me know in the comment below.

P.S Do you love reading a light novel, particularly in the thriller and suspense genre? If you do, then you’re going to enjoy reading my thriller light novel series, Trigger Locked.

Curious about the story? You can learn more about it right here:

Trigger Locked Book 1: The Mind Control Assassins

Don’t forget to use the coupon code SEKINAMAYUBLOG during checkout to receive 25% off when you buy the ebook version on Payhip.

The book is also available for purchase in digital and also in print at other retailers as well. Here’s a list of retailers that sells my book in digital or in print.

List of retailers that sell Trigger Locked Book 1: The Mind Control Assassins