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Hiatus Announcement

Hello! As I’ve mentioned quite some time before, currently I’m writing my thesis. For a long time I hoped I’d find some time in between to continue this translation project along the way, but it proved much harder than I anticipated. While I still love this series to death and I’m motivated to continue my work on the translation, I have to deal with my graduation first. Until then this project is officially on hiatus. I’m sorry for a long absence and hope to return with new chapters soon. Thank you for your patience.

#hiatus announcement #himitsu the top secret

Hello I just found out about Himitsu and looking at the artwork and a brief story that I read I deeply fallin love with it, but I don’t know where I can read it. I’m really sorry if my question is rude. This is my first time reading manga online so I don’t know which one is the best to read the manga. Thus I thought its better to ask you directly (◞‸◟)

I usually use mangapark site because it allows you to view all pages in a chapter at once. But the new chapters I always publish on bato.to first, so when you catch up with the series I recommend using that to keep up :> Alternatively you can try to download the .zip files for the first 5 volumes at the first translator’s page (Dragon Voice Project) and then use my masterpost to get the rest ^.^

Hope that helps, and that you’ll enjoy the series!

Himitsu: The Top Secret by Shimizu Reiko

Insert illustration from volume 10

#himitsu top secret #manga illustration #maki tsuyoshi #Shimizu Reiko #taking a break to present you this lovely illust!#it's one of my faves because it's so random #like there's so much drama in this volume but somewhere in between there's this lovely thing #just Maki-san getting something he didn't order and looking so shocked over it #It's just a parfait Maki-san!#and you should probably eat it anyway my tiny thing #look at how bony his forearms are!#with his 50kg I could probably swing him around even though we're roughly the same height #(in case you were wondering the poor guy is stated to be 163cm and 50kg which makes him barely not underweight)

I can’t believe that after giving up waiting for some years, it’s only two days ago that I found someone amazing has been so kind to continue scanlating Himitsu. THANK YOU! It’s been over a decade since I first encountered Himitsu, as a oneshot in Shimizu-sensei’s other work. I was thrillled to find out that I can now enjoy this series agan, thanks to you. Cheers for you (and for readers that’s been growing up with Himitsu). Please don’t give up scanlating yet, you are almost there! <3

Whoa that’s a long time! It’s so great that you’re still going strong in your love for the series, it’s inspiring! Thanks for your encouragement, I’m sure as hell not giving up ;D

Ahhh I'm so grateful for all you do, and I come with a random question I thought you might be able to answer. Just reading and looking at the Japanese books, I've gotten the impression that the manga is making some implications about Maki's sexuality, but I honestly can't tell?? I wanted to ask someone who's good at Japanese if it's all in my head or not or if there's something more than implication there. What are your thoughts? I hope this is okay to ask!

It’s definitely implied in the original! I really wish to get the double meanings and implications through in English as well (I sure spend a lot of time trying)! While nothing’s stated out bluntly, I think esp chapter 9.5 (last of vol.4) is a very telling one. There’s also a very nice moment in a conversation with Yukiko that’s coming soon, where it comes up a little. I love how subtle and at the same time not subtle at all Shimizu-sensei is with this theme, even if it’s soo frustrating sometimes ^u^ I hope you’ll enjoy finding all the little hints that are scattered throughout the manga and interpreting them for yourself!

#I'm late again but I'll be releasing chapter 3 and 4 together soon #between my thesis and chado and all the other stuff I just had no time to sit down and finish the chapter properly =.=#thanks for the patience

tysm for translating himitsu! i've wanted to get into shimizu reiko's work for a long time, and i'm happy this was my first. i appreciate all your hard work (and your proofreader) and good luck with your master's thesis c:

Thanks, doing my best both on scanlation and thesis! I’ll give your thanks to my proofreader, she’s doing awesome work!

OMG its like opening Xmas presents when I found out your scanlation of this masterpiece. Im a big fan of Himitsu and I've been devastated for years because I never know how this amazing thriller would end. Please dont drop it. Thank you so much you have no idea!

Not planning on dropping it, worry not! I’m really glad you found it, please enjoy reading until the end!

Himitsu: The Top Secret by Shimizu Reiko

Insert illustration from volume 10

#himitsu top secret #himitsu #Shimizu Reiko #manga #shoujo manga #maki tsuyoshi #just look at his eyes so pretty #the thing I keep wondering about this illust is why is there blood running from his forehead here #and where did that bloodstain behind him came from #did someone just thump his head on that wall hard enough to break skin?#why is he so unimpressed then?#what happened?#so many questions with no answers!

Thank you so much for scanlating himitsu!! <3 it's one of my all time fav mangas and each chapter keeps surprising me even though I've been reading it for years :") thanks for ur hard work!

I love how surprising it is too! Thanks for reading~!

Hi there! I just started Himitsu and it is now one of my favorite mangas. I literally read through all the chapters in one sitting, it's crazy. I love the art, I love the stories, and I just love how beautiful maki is. You can see that shimizu reiko put a lot of work and effort in writing the stories and the art. I hope to buy the manga soon :)). Anyways, I want to say a big THANK YOU for translating this manga and not giving up! You're the best.

Whoa, that’s amazing! I’m so glad you like this series so much! Shimizu-sensei’s art is amazing, right? I do recommend buying the manga, the art looks even better on paper! Thank you for reading <3

The second chapter of vol 10 is up! Sorry for the long wait and enjoy!

#Gosh it took so long #sorry guys #I'm back tho and although I'll have to juggle my master's thesis and translation now I'll work hard to deliver more or less regularly #anyways this chapter is kind of a breakthrough in the series and you'll soon see why #on the sad note Maki's condition is only getting worse and it's painful to look at #my poor overresponsible traumatised sunshine

Do you recommend any manga that's similar to Himitsu (cool, intelligent protagonists, thriller with plot twists and a hint of romance)? Or do you have any good manga that's of a different genre? I've been searching high and low for a good manga lately.

I don’t know anything that’s really like Himitsu, but I can tell you some of my faves that have at least something in common - For the 90′s style and interesting observations of human nature I recommend Pet Shop of Horrors and Tokyo Babylon (both of which also have a romance theme in the background), for ambitious psychological thrillers Urasawa’s Monster is really great. Another one with intelligent protagonist and a hint of romance but more focused on action is Banana Fish (it’s getting an anime adaptation in 2018!!). And if you’re interested in something more related to Himitsu then I recommend any work by Hagio Moto who’s often mentioned as a big influence on Shimizu-sensei’s works ^u^

Hello, hope you are doing well! I wanted to ask whether you know if there are any art books or official guidebooks that Shimizu Reiko has worked on? The artwork for all of her series is gorgeous!

There’s no official artbook for Himitsu itself but sensei’s artbook called ‘Aria’ with works from her earlier series was published in 1990. Actually I miraculously stumbled across it in a local comic store so I might scan it someday if I find access to good enough scanner. For Himitsu there’s a recent databook ‘Perfect Profile’ which has character profiles, plot synopsis and series timeline until 3rd volume of Season 0, as well as two bonus short stories. As far as I know it’s still available on amazon.co.jp :3

Hi! I'm so thankful that you did such a great job with the translations. Since it's been a while since your last update, I just want to ask if the next chapter is gonna be out anytime soon? Sorry if I sound impatient, the last chapters were such cliffhangers XD

Yes, I’m finally back to work, and it should be out this or beginning of the next week! Sorry for the long wait!

I bring bad news again: my laptop died. It happened a few days ago and I hoped that the new one I ordered would get to me before the weekend so I’d be able to finish the chapter this week, but it didn’t. This means that I won’t be able to finish it before my two weeks trip to Japan, therefore making the delay even longer. I’m really sorry, I’ll return with the chapter as soon as I get back, and thank you for you patience!

#seriously it's like a series of unfortunate event lately #excuse me as I call the damn shop to ask why it isn't here even though the manager said it would get to me yesterday =.="#I'm really sorry and again thank you for your patience

Himitsu: The Top Secret by Shimizu Reiko

Cover illustration from volume 10

#himitsu the top secret #himitsu manga #manga #Shimizu Reiko #maki tsuyoshi #there is this one meme where a cat lies on a floor in the light seeping from a window and it looks like a cover to some mystery novel #you know the one #and here there's a Maki version of that meme which actually is a cover to a mystery novel... well manga #I'm still laughing at how similar it is #also I'm still wondering if it's a reference to a scene in vol 11 or not #you can come back to this illust after vol 11 and tell me

Thank you for the translation! This chapter shed a light about Suzuki. I don't really get his character. In my head, Aoki and Suzuki's personalities are same, but I hope in the future chapters I can see the difference. Now I'm very interested about the prequel. Maki-san, what a caring boss! It is certainly scary when he yelled but I want to have a boss like him. If I had, I would have definitely cried like Aoki when Maki-san announced that they would be separated

I didn’t get Suzuki’s personality too at first, indeed it’s only after Season 0 that focuses on him more that it gets a bit more clear. I agree with Takizawa that they’re not as similar as everyone makes them to be ^.^

And I think Maki-san is an okay boss to have (well he yells a lot but he’s competent, I’ve seen worse) when you’re a regular employee and only gets so caring to Aoki because... it’s Aoki >u<

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