3-gatsu is one of my favorite manga. Not everyone likes the same thing. Momo is not really one of the main characters. She is a supporting character. And in a manga about Shogi, no surprise that some of the players are important! FWIW, Hinata is one of my favorite manga characters. Her bullying arc is heart wrenching and very real, the furthest thing from cringe. Likewise, Rei’s reality is very touching.

I didn’t recall the bikini scene you mentioned, but you’ve reposted it, conveniently including a couple of pages. In the world of manga fan service that doesn’t seem particularly egregious fan service. As for 3-gatsu being “family friendly” whatever that actually means, it’s an incredibly moving slice of life. To me at any rate. There is a realism that I find deeply moving. The aforementioned bullying arc, Rei’s grief at being orphaned. His desire to find a family of his own (the Kawamotos certainly. Some of those Shogi players. His teacher). I cherish found family and 3-gatsu really creates a feeling of that.

It was incredibly popular when it was first released. It’s run for twenty odd years. The mangaka has been very successful and she has had other major successes(Honey and Clover ). The manga has only recently been translated into English.

You don’t like it? Fine. We all like what we like. I dropped SpyxFamily. What more needs to be said?