#MangaMonday 39 “mono” by Afro

On the surface this is a fun four-panel #manga about a trio of high school girls in a photography club. A manga artist they know provides the impetus for some of their photo safaris and gives some meta-commentary. The photography angle allows for interesting compositions with lens distortions baked into the drawings.

Just barely beneath that surface, this is—at least in the first volume—an adjunct to Afro’s “Laid-Back Camp.” You don’t need to be a fan of the latter to enjoy it, but certain things will make a bit more sense. Or possibly less. The #mono girls take photos of places that featured in the #LaidBackCamp anime, and one of the main characters makes an cameo. Which I guess means that in the “Camp” world there’s an anime about the camping girls? Don’t think too hard about it, it’s not that kind of story.

Ongoing with one of four volumes available in English (Yen Press.) An anime is due in 2025.

#MangaMonday 40 “March Comes in Like a Lion” by Chica Umino

Rei Keriyama is VERY good at shogi (Japanese chess.) After his family died in a traffic accident he was able to find a place as a live-in student with a shogi professional. When that situation grew toxic he became a pro himself while still in middle school. Now he lives on his own and pays his expenses with his winnings. He just doesn’t particularly LIKE shogi.

You don’t need to understand shogi to enjoy this story nor—despite an aborted attempt early in the run—will you learn shogi from it. This story is about human connections, not all of which happen inside the shogi hall. That said, all of the details are accurate. Umino consults with shogi pro Manabu Senzaki, who gets end of chapter pages providing some background on the game and profession.

Ongoing with four (as of tomorrow) of 17 #manga volumes available in English (Denpa.) An (also excellent) #anime ran from 2016-18.

#SangatsuNoLion

#MangaMonday 41 “The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store” by Tsuchika Nishimura

Akino is starting a new job as a concierge at a department store. This store caters to animals, especially the Very Important Animals. At a glance this is a workplace slice-of-life #manga, but it soon becomes clear that it’s also a meditation on the animals that have become extinct. It’s an odd combination, but it somehow works.

The art does a lot of the heavy lifting, with a pen-and-ink style that can accomodate detailed anthropomorphized animals, a more cartoony look for humans, and outright caricature in the case of Akino’s boss, Todo.

Complete with both volumes in English (Seven Seas.) A short #anime film was released in 2023.

#ConciergeAtHokkyokuDepartmentStore

#MangaMonday 42 “Box of Light” by Seiko Erisawa

At the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead lies… a convenience store.

For the first two volumes this is a supernatural slice-of-life #manga. Stories are roughly divided between the store’s “customers” and its staff. The former are people in dire circumstances who need to come to terms with their life so far. The latter include Spectral Entities, native to the far side of the boundary, and humans recruited to work at the store.

By the third volume it becomes more action-oriented as the Darkness—a malevolent presence outside the store—goes on the offensive.

The world-building is intriguing, with information about the store and its staff slowly parceled out. The POV shifts a lot, even among the staff chapters, although one of the employees, Kokura, seems to be the through-character.

Ongoing(?) with three volumes in English (Seven Seas.)

#BoxOfLight

#MangaMonday 43 “A Life Turned Upside Down: My Dad’s an Alcoholic” by Mariko Kikuchi

This is an autobiographical #manga about Kikuchi’s life and how it was informed by the titular father. Not only does she have to deal with his #alcoholism, but her mother’s #suicide early in the story. Compounding the problem is that her father is usually an affable drunk and well liked; any obvious problems must be her fault. As she grows up, she gradually realizes her situation isn’t normal, but that isn’t enough to keep her out of a long term dysfunctional relationship with someone very like her father.

The story doesn’t have a conclusive end. Kikuchi ends up in a better place, but she still struggles with the shadows cast by her parents.

The complete volume is available in English (Seven Seas.) A Japanese live action film was released in 2019.

#ALifeTurnedUpsideDown