Flawless Business Keigo#

Shian Clus is a dispatched butler renowned for his exceptional professional skills, with Special Grade customer satisfaction ratings and the highest re-employment request rate.

True to his reputation, his speech is polished, highly professional business keigo. Because he is a butler, some of his expressions are more formal than you would normally hear in everyday business situations, but his dialogue provides an excellent example of difficult aspects of Japanese honorific language, including sonkeigo (respectful language) and kenjōgo (humble language).

Source: Sakura Botan , Shitsuji M (ICHIJINSHA)

Furigana Throughout#

Every kanji in the manga is accompanied by furigana.

This is especially helpful because some of the characters have unusual or uncommon names that Japanese learners may not immediately know how to read.

Source: Sakura Botan , Shitsuji M (ICHIJINSHA)

From Delicious Food to a “Delicious Life”#

The basic meaning of 美味しい is, of course, “delicious” or “tasty.”

But the word has long been used metaphorically to describe something that is attractive or desirable. A famous example is the advertising slogan 「おいしい生活」 (“Oishii Seikatsu,” roughly “A Delicious Life”), created by copywriter Shigesato Itoi for Seibu Department Stores in the 1980s.

Here, おいしい obviously did not mean that life itself could be eaten. Instead, it suggested a life that was appealing, pleasurable, and full of desirable things. The metaphor helped establish the idea of oishii as something that could describe an attractive experience more generally.

“Oishii” in Comedy and Television#

The expression developed another particularly recognizable meaning through Japanese comedy and variety shows.

In this context, an おいしい situation is one that gives someone an unexpected advantage, an amusing opportunity, or valuable exposure. For a comedian or TV personality, for example, being given a great role, getting a memorable moment on television, or finding themselves in a situation that makes them look funny or interesting could all be described as おいしい.

It does not necessarily mean “good” in a straightforward sense. There is often a sense of:

“This situation is really working in my favor.”

For entertainers, the “reward” might be laughs, attention, screen time, or a memorable story.

From Show Business to Everyday Japanese#

Eventually, this usage spread beyond comedians and television personalities. Ordinary people can now use おいしい to describe a situation that is particularly advantageous, convenient, or enjoyable for them.

For example:

「この仕事、かなりおいしいな。」 “This is a pretty sweet deal.”

Or:

「こんなおいしい話、なかなかないよ。」 “You don’t get opportunities this good very often.”

In Butler M, 「何て美味しいシチュエーション！！！」 uses the same metaphorical idea. The speaker isn’t talking about food at all. They are excited because the situation is exactly the kind of situation they would love to find themselves in.

The expression can therefore carry a playful sense of “What a delicious opportunity!” or “What an incredibly favorable situation!”

What It Means for Japanese Learners#

美味しい is a great example of why Japanese vocabulary cannot always be understood through dictionary definitions alone.

When talking about food, 美味しい simply means that something tastes good. But when describing a 話, 状況, シチュエーション, 仕事, or チャンス, it can mean that something is especially advantageous, rewarding, attractive, or convenient.

The exact nuance depends on the context. It can range from “a sweet deal” to “a lucky break” or even “an amusingly perfect situation.”

So when you encounter おいしい in Japanese entertainment or casual conversation, don’t immediately assume that food is involved. Sometimes the “deliciousness” is entirely metaphorical—and what is being enjoyed is the situation itself.

Some BL Elements#

Although Butler M is primarily a lighthearted comedy, masochism is a central theme, and some of the male characters experience fetishistic attraction toward other men. As a result, the manga has some BL-like elements.

Readers who are uncomfortable with this type of content may want to keep that in mind before reading.

Source: Sakura Botan , Shitsuji M (ICHIJINSHA)