Manga / Sweat and Soap

All the better to smell you with, my dear.

Sweat and Soap (あせとせっけん "Ase to Sekken") is a romance manga written and illustrated by Kintetsu Yamada. Asako Yaeshima has always had problems with sweating and body odor, so she's thrilled to be working a desk job at her favorite soap company Lilliadrop. One day, while admiring the summer collection on display in the lobby, product developer Koutarou Natori notices a pleasant, sweet smell in the air—and it's coming from Asako! Could it be that someone not only likes Asako's scent, but sees it as inspiration for the upcoming winter collection? What follows is a fun romcom-style romp between these coworkers and their budding relationship, with all the typical ups and downs: from apartment hunting to meeting the parents, all displaying just how much the two players love and respect each other.

The manga started running in 2018 and ended in January 2021 with eleven volumes. In January 2022, it was announced the series would receive a live-action drama adaption, which started airing on February 3rd of that same year.

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Sweat and Soap contains examples of:

• Character Development: Asako starts the series with a meek and timid disposition, a lack of confidence and absolutely terrible self-esteem due to her sweating problem and the bullying she used to face for it. As time goes on, her relationship with Natori allows her to grow more assertive and confident, at points even recognizing when she's starting to fall back into her old behaviors and snapping herself out of them.
• D-Cup Distress: It doesn't come up often but Asako notes that she has a bit of a hard time finding good bras because of her above-average cup size. It also gives her difficulty when shopping for other clothes— in Volume 10, one of the issues she runs into while shopping for a wedding dress is feeling too exposed in a décolleté dress.
• Dirty Coward: Asako tactfully says that the ringleader of her bullies was "smart" enough to limit herself to bullying that wouldn't get her in trouble. Kotaro bluntly replies that makes the bully a coward.
• Idealized Sex:
  • Invoked by Natori in Chapter 6: after a particularly fulfilling night with Asako, he muses on how he always thought the idea of having sex multiple times in one night was something that only every happened in porn.
    Natori: [while remembering the sight of Asako mid-coitus] Not that I'm going to need that for a while...
  • The series mostly depicts Asako and Natori's sex life in an incredibly idealized way (especially considering Asako is a virgin at the beginning of the series), but there is one notable exception: when getting ready for work after their first time, Asako is shocked to discover that she bled a bit after being penetrated, and wonders if she'll need to use a menstrual pad for the rest of the day.
• Insecure Love Interest: Asako already has poor self-esteem to begin with, but when comparing herself to Natori, who is basically one of the most important people in Lilliadrop, her confidence basically drops into the negative points. She admits to him early on in Volume 1 that she fears that their relationship will make people think less of him. Her anxiety over the issue is why they decide to keep their relationship secret within the company until near the end of the series.
• Kindhearted Cat Lover:
  • Asako loves Marosuke, the family cat, and in a bonus chapter is delighted when she and Natori encounter a similar looking cat, not thinking for a second to hold a grudge against said cat for interrupting their lunchtime rendezvous.
  • Keita also has a big soft spot for Marosuke, showing that under his prickly overprotective big brother front he's actually a nice guy.
• Like Brother and Sister: Natori sees Korisu as like a little sister to him, which is why he's much more casual and touchy with her than other women. Unfortunately, Korisu's admiration of him is far more than "sibling-like."
• My Sister Is Off-Limits: Asako's brother Keita is very protective of her.
• The Nose Knows: Koutarou has an extremely sharp sense of smell, to the point he can identify specific brands of deodorant and air freshener without hesitating.
• Nice Guy: Kotaro is nothing but kind and supportive of Asako.
• Office Romance: Asako and Natori both work in the soap company Lilliadrop. Asako works in the finance department while Natori works in product development.
• School Bullying Is Harmless: Averted. The trauma Asako suffered from being bullied in school haunts her into adulthood.
• Sick Episode:
  • In Volume 2 Natori gets a fever and Asako looks after him.
  • In Volume 9 Asako is the one to get sick and Natori returns the favor.
• Signature Scent: Asako has one to Koutarou and he absolutely loves it.
• Sitcom Arch-Nemesis: Reika Tsubaki, chief of cosmetics at product development, has a high position and is an absolute stickler for the rules, which causes her to butt heads at times with the more free-spirited Natori.
• Smells Sexy: Koutarou absolutely cannot resist Asako's natural scent.◊
• Visible Odor: Some panels have a soft mist surrounding Asako to show Koutarou is sensing something.
• Weddings in Japan: Near the end of the series, Asako and Kotaro have one that features multiple outfits, starting out in a wedding dress and tuxedo and switching to kimonos.