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Tramps Like Us (きみはペット, Kimi wa Petto, lit. "You're My Pet") is a joseimanga series by Yayoi Ogawa, which was adapted to a TV drama series that aired in Japan on TBS in 2003. The manga won the 2003 Kodansha Manga Award for shōjo.[1]
Plot
The story concerns Sumire Iwaya, a journalist at a major newspaper. A career woman in a society that does not handle successful women well, Sumire suffers from depression and anxiety. She also has hobbies that are very un-feminine, such as being a fan of pro wrestling, K-1, and shōnenanime.
After her fiancé leaves her for his mistress and Sumire is demoted at work, she stumbles across a young injured homeless man in a box outside her condominium. She takes him in and becomes attached to him. As a joke, she says she wants to keep him as a pet. To her surprise, the young man agrees. She names him Momo, after her beloved dog from childhood. Sumire provides room and board, and Momo provides unconditional love and loyalty. Sumire says there is no sex in their relationship, and she will only sleep with men who have the "three highs": higher pay, higher education and higher height (i.e. taller than her 170 cm.) Despite this, there is definite sexual tension in their relationship.
Sumire later learns that Momo's real name is Takeshi Gouda, and that he is a dance prodigy who studied classical ballet but was too short to take the lead roles. He switched to modern dance, and lived a semi-homeless life before meeting Sumire. When it is revealed that he and Sumire know one another, Momo passes himself off as Sumire's second cousin.
Complications arise when Sumire is reunited with the man with whom she was infatuated during her time at Tokyo University, Shigehito Hasumi. Hasumi meets all of Sumire's requirements. However, Sumire cannot quite open up to Hasumi-senpai, or give up her attachment to Momo. For example, Sumire lets Momo call her by her personal name, while she struggles to let Hasumi call her "Iwaya" instead of "Iwaya-san." Takeshi (a.k.a. Momo) starts to have feelings for Sumire-chan (Iwaya), as well and they began to have feelings that go way beyond those of a pet and its Master.
When Hasumi meets Momo, he recognizes Momo's face but can't put a name to him. When Hasumi does some research on Iwaya-san's so-called cousin, he discovers that Takeshi was a child ballet prodigy and becomes friends with him. Takeshi, of course, has to keep the fact that he is also "Momo" to himself, even when Hasumi repeatedly brings the topic of Sumire's pet up in their conversations.
Characters
Main characters
Sumire Iwaya (巌谷 澄麗, Iwaya Sumire)Drama role by:Koyuki
Momo (モモ), or Takeshi Gouda (合田 武志, Gōda Takeshi)Drama role by:Jun Matsumoto
Shigehito Hasumi (蓮實 滋人, Hasumi Shigehito)Drama role by:Seiichi Tanabe
Other characters
Yuri Shirotae (白妙 ユリ, Shirotae Yuri)Drama role by:Sarina Suzuki
Sumire's childhood friend, a housewife to a pilot and mother of Ran
Rumi Shibusawa (澁澤ルミ, Shibusawa Rumi)Drama role by: Satomi Ishihara
Momo's ex-girlfriend, a dancer (Vol.2 -)
Shiori Fukushima (福島 紫織, Fukushima Shiroi)Drama role by:Wakana Sakai
A dental assistant (manga)/office worker (drama) determined to seduce and marry Hasumi-senpai (Vol.3- )
Emma Owen and Hugh Oswald
Two American journalists who work under Sumire (Vol.5-)
Satoshi Asano A company therapist in the TV series. He owns a long-haired chihuahua and talks with Sumire about pets a lot. He changes the dog's name every day. Drama role by: Kyozo Nagatsuka
Junpei Horibei Takeshi (Momo)'s friend who also does ballet. In the TV series he has an unrequited love for Rumi. Drama role by: Eita
Mayumi Haruki One of Sumire's co-workers. Drama role by: Misa Uehara
Yuuta Ishida One of Sumire's co-workers. Drama role by: Sato Riyuuta
Ooishi Minori Sumire's landlord in the TV drama, he is a very cheery person.
Mrs Kusunoki One of Sumire's neighbours in the TV drama. Very nosey.
Edmond Sukenari One of Sumire's co-workers. He is an otaku who collects figurines. His mother was American, but she died when he was young. He wears glasses, and everyone is transfixed by how attractive he is when he takes them off. He doesn't realise this. He admires Sumire. (Vol. 10-)
Shinobu Sumire's older sister. She is very conventional and supportive of her grandfather. She practices a tough love on her younger sisters. She is married with children.
Akane Sumire's younger sister. She is rebellious, smokes, and founded a biker gang.
Sumire finds a young man injured in a cardboard box and takes him home and nurses him. He doesn't want to leave, so she makes him the offer of him staying as her pet, which he accepts. She names him Momo. Sumire's crush from university Hasumi transfers into her office and asks her out. She accepts. He learns that she has a dog (Momo) and wants to meet the dog - Momo is introduced to Hasumi as Sumire's second cousin. Momo has a dance competition and leaves Sumire for a week. Sumire doesn't get the note and goes sick with worry. She tracks down Junpei who tells her that Takeshi will come back to her.
2
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Rule 5: Christmas Eve and how to spend it
Rule 6: The usefulness of companion animals
Rule 7: Is he lonesome tonight?
Rule 8: I'll show you discipline
Rule 9: Together forever
Rule 10: How to prey on the good will of others
3
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Rule 11: Owners' Predicaments
Rule 12: Expressing your feelings in words
Rule 13: On strange walks
Rule 14: For a fun vacation
Rule 15: Once bitten...
Rule 16: The homing instinct
4
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Rule 17: Looks can be deceiving
Rule 18: Remembering your own value
Rule 19: Job too cool for your pet?
Rule 20: On keeping secrets... or not
Rule 21: On when to bring small creatures home
Rule 22: Cherishing your memories
5
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Rule 23: How much is that doggie in the window?
Rule 24: Proper behavior
Rule 25: What you want vs. what you need
Rule 26: How to have a tender touch
Rule 27: The fool, or the fool who follows?
Rule 28: What kind of pet owner are you?
6
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Rule 29: Your pet's private life
Rule 30: On mysterious trips--part 1
Rule 31: On mysterious trips--part 2
Rule 32: Something about her
Rule 33: A soft cage
Rule 34: When pets dance
7
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November 2005
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Rule 35: Crazy About You
Rule 36: My Pet Is A Celebrity
Rule 37: Her Amazing Makeover
Rule 38: Missing You
Rule 39: A Sleeping Beauty
Rule 40: Hong Kong, Tokyo and a Girl
8
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February 2006
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Rule 41: Explosion! ♡ A loving fist
Rule 42: Why We Stay
Rule 43: In Her Memory
Rule 44: A Suggestion of Adventure
Rule 45: You Are My Pet
Rule 46: Against the Rules
Sumire visits Hatsumi in Hong Kong.
9
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Rule 47: Count Down
Rule 48: You are a pet?!
Rule 49: Pandora's Box
Rule 50: Wonderful Friends
Rule 51: Love ♡ Love ♡ Love ♡
Rule 52: Elegy (...I got wet)
10
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October 2006
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Rule 53: Mutual therapy
Rule 54: Ice Queen
Rule 55: Woman of the Cancer sign
Rule 56: Kotobuki-Taisha
Rule 57: Some kind of En
Rule 58: Priorities
Momo passes out at his class, and Sumire tells Hasumi she'll marry him. Momo and Sumire resolve to rehabilitate themselves to being apart. Sumire offers to take care of Ran while her friend goes on a holiday. Shinobu checks up on Sumire and tells Momo a bit about their childhood. Ran falls in the bathtub and Shinobu gives instructions over the phone to resuscitate Ran, who survives. Sumire and Hasumi, both Cancers, read their horoscope and jump to conclusions. Sukenari loses his will to write, but helping an old man write a love letter to his dying English-speaking wife reignites his passion. Sumire worries about meeting her future in-laws. Emma and Sumire, and later, Sumire and discuss en, a Buddhist concept similar to fate or luck in relationships. Akane, Sumire's little sister who founded a biker gang, comes to visit and discovers Momo who is going away for a few days to Hong Kong. She talks to Sumire about her grandfather pressuring her to break up with her boyfriend. Her boyfriend gets a conventional job with her grandfather's company so that he can continue to be with Akane and their future child. At the airport, Momo sees Fukushima hanging off Hasumi's arm and takes a photo.
Momo deletes the photo he took of Hatsumi and Fukushima. Sumire discovers the card of a topless bar in Momo's pocket and gives him the silent treatment. She goes on holidays where she is targetted by a rapist who uses hypnotism.
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2008)
Tramps Like Us has been described by Sequential Tart as "one of the best of these josei manga titles currently available in English translation".[3] Johanna Draper Carlson says that the theme of the series is "understanding what's really important about relationships".[4]
Kodansha
Tokyopop
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