Story Summary
Tachibana, a businessman, decides to quit his job and open up a French bakery. He has to hire a pastry chef, and scores one of the best out there, a homosexual named Ono. Turns out Tachibana went to high school with Ono and was even asked out by him, in which he cruelly rejected him. Tachibana and Ono open the bakery Antique by themselves, and Tachibana is not allowed to hire any women, because Ono is terrified of women, but is also not allowed to hire any men that may fall in love with Ono. Eventually an ex-boxer named Eiji is hired on as Ono's apprentice. Tachibana and Eiji constantly argue, but Ono gets along with Eiji and the young man shows great potential as a pastry chef. The last man to join Antique's staff is Chikage, Tachibana's childhood companion, who was the son of a maid in Tachibana's home. Chikage is a big man, good natured, naive, and clumsy. Underneath his smiling face at the bakery, Tachibana is haunted by his past, as a child he was kidnapped by a man who would bring him cake everyday. Secretly, that is Tachibana's motive for opening the pastry shop, in hopes to catch the man he remembers nothing about.

My Opinion
I'm a fan of Fumi Yoshinaga's erotic manga, but avoided this title for a long time thinking I wouldn't be into it. Once I began reading it, I loved it. I love the French bakery setting, being familiar with some French pastries myself, and each of the characters has a past and a reason why they work at the bakery.

Anime
A 12 episode anime version was aired in Japan in 2008. No word on any U.S. company picking it up yet.

Movie
A company in Korea made a film of Antique Bakery titled Antique which was released in November of 2008. It follows the manga so closely, but all the characters names were changed to Korean names (Tachibana - Kim Jin Hyeok; Ono - Min Seon Woo; Eiji - Yang Ki Beom; Chikage - Nam Soo Yeong). A wonderful movie, funny and a great story.
(Watch Antique in 12 parts on Youtube.)
Take a look at a couple movie posters!

General Information
Author: Fumi Yoshinaga
Volumes: 4
Genre: comedy, drama
Age Rating: 16+
Years Run in Japan: 1999-2002
Japanese Publisher: Shinshokan
US Distributor: Digital Manga Publishing
US Release Year: 2005
Made into Anime?: yes
More By the Author:
- Don't Say Anymore Darling (Digital Manga Publishing)
- Flower of Life (Digital Manga Publishing)
- Gerard and Jacques (Blu)
- Lovers in the Night (Blu)
- Moon and Sandals (Digital Manga Publishing)
- Solfege (Digital Manga Publishing)
- Truly Kindly (Blu)