Selah's Manga Mania: Laid-Back Camp Vol. 1

Laid-Back Camp Vol. 1
March 27, 2018
Written by Afro
Genre: Adventure, Iyashikei*, Slice of life, Sports Manga, Teen & Young Adult

Seinen

Publisher: Yen Press
Volumes 11 (List of volumes)
Setting up a tent, starting a fire, and eating noodles with Mt. Fuji in view...Rin and Nadeshiko absolutely love to camp! Enjoy their zest for travel and maybe even pick up a tip or two about roughing it in the great outdoors. You might just want to go camping yourself!

Amazon

*genre specific to Japanese works, primarily manga and anime. It is a sub-genre of slice of life, portraying characters living out peaceful lives in calming environments, and is intended to have a healing effect on the audience. The word iyashikei means "healing" in Japanese. - Wikipedia

Sometimes you just need something relaxing with low stakes. Sometimes you want to read about characters enjoying themselves, having friendships, and eating good food. Thankfully, for as many manga titles that focus on adventure and drama, there’s also plenty that focuses on really low-stakes situations and relaxing environments.

Beautiful people, you need Laid Back Camp in your life. No, really.

Nadeshiko is a peppy, energetic girl who meets Rin, who is quieter and likes to camp by herself after being given a lot of supplies by her aging grandfather. They develop a friendship, and intrigued by Rin’s hobby, Nadeshiko seeks out the Outdoor Activities Club at her school, widening their friend circle. The girls plot out possible trips, save for camping gear, plan menus, and have quirky adventures while camping. This is balanced by Rin going off on her own and slowly being drawn into the group. Initially an outsider, she slowly relaxes and develops a friendship with Nadeshiko and the others. Conversely, Nadeshiko slowly comes into her own and tries to take more responsibility and do more on her own as she can.

The good: It’s cute. The art is cute, the stories are fun, there’s a lot of detail about locations, food, and Japanese culture in general. It’s a great introductory series because while not episodic per se, there’s no giant arc where you need to know every single detail. The author is pretty good about referring back to past storylines to avoid confusion. The pacing isn’t slow, but it takes its time. Because this is more about relationships, personal growth, and camping, it just feels super relaxing compared to the tensions in everyday life. All the girls have their own personalities. They meet different people during their trips, slowly widening their social circles and drawing them into different experiences on their own. I identify a lot with Rin but also appreciate that they give her a roommate and that she’s not some tragic lonely figure. All of the girls have stable family relationships in what I’ve read so far. Although problems arise, they’re mostly because of poor planning or other outside circumstances. What’s cool is that the plots come from them having to actively think on their feet to solve these dilemmas, and seeing young women do that in real-world situations is really empowering.

Yes, there’s also a lot involving yummy food. Please, this is me; I’m going to find a good food manga even if it’s buried in a snowstorm and I have to fight a Yeti for it.

As I get ever into my dotage, high school titles get harder to read, not necessarily because I can’t remember and empathize (I’m not that decrepit yet), but because they’re often romance based and really over the top plots. I just find it hard to invest a lot of time reading that. This, though, is fun, sweet, and has become a title I curl up with if I’ve got a lot on my mind. I love how the girls are presented. They’re goofy, sure, but not stupid. The challenges are believable, and they rely on and help each other and others. It’s a sweet, positive title. There’s enough comedy to keep you laughing and enough warmth to get you out of a bad mood.

The bad: If you want something with a ton of adventure or drama or romance, this ain’t it. Not a con, but know what you’re getting into here—otherwise, nothing.

The weird: Really, nothing. Some of the situations are a smidge unrealistic but still believable in this world.

If you need a mental holiday, definitely curl up in a sleeping bag, make some ramen, and check out a volume of this.

4 sheep

About the Author:

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Selah Janel is a writer who is trying to start doing that again instead of reading manga all the time.

Selah's Manga Mania: Hakumei & Mikochi, Vol. 1 by Takuto Kashiki

Hakumei & Mikochi, Vol. 1
by Takuto Kashiki (Author, Artist)
July 24, 2018
192 pages
Genre: manga, young adult, fantasy
Seinen
Book 1 of 7 in the Minuscule Series
Deep within a lush, green forest live Hakumei and Mikochi. Making their home in trees, using leaves for umbrellas, and riding bugs for transportation is just part of everyday life for these tiny spirit pals!

These days, sometimes we just need a break from drama. It's magic when I find a slow, soothing title I really like, and this series is adorable.

Hakumei and Mikochi are two tiny forest spirits that westerners would probably equate to fairies. They live in the woods and their adventures consist of finding fabric at the market or making yummy food or fixing things. Occasionally there will be a bigger drama like needing their house repaired or mediating between groups of talking animals or competing at a singing competition.

Overall, the pace is leisurely, the drawings are detailed and beautiful, and it harkens back to simple pleasures we tend to forget about.

The good: I love that both leads are ladies and they have different skillsets and tastes. The cast is rounded out with other sprites and talking animals, and the day-to-day approach means there's a ton of possible material, especially centering around how characters relate to each other and work together. The market and town scenes are bustling with loads to look at and the forest scenes are lovely and lush. New inhabitants are added with each volume, so while the pair of friends is the main focus, there is a whole little world being built here. There are some bigger adventures, but they're pretty much solved within a chapter.

Altogether, this is a charming series that makes me feel like I'm reading picture books but for a higher reading level. This is definitely all-ages appropriate (there is some drinking, so keep that in mind for little kids depending on your preferences) and a beautiful series.

The bad: Nothing. If you don't enjoy it, it's probably because you prefer more action-oriented stories, and that's totally fine.

The ick: Nothing.

This would be a great starter series because you pretty much can pick up anywhere and not feel like you're missing anything. It's a great read to curl up with after a long day and feel cozy and secure.

Five forest-dwelling sheep

About the Reviewer

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Selah Janel is a writer who is trying to start doing that again instead of reading manga all the time.

Selah's Manga Mania Reviews: Giant Spider & Me: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale Vol. 1 by Kikori Morino

Giant Spider & Me: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale Vol. 1 
by Kikori Morino
February 20, 2018
manga
180 pages
14 chapters
3 Volumes, completed
Genre: fantasy, sci-fi, YA
Seven Seas Entertainment
A WEB OF FRIENDSHIP

A young girl named Nagi and a giant spider make an unusual pair in this post-apocalyptic story, but living in the mountains is lonely, and they’ve managed to find each other. Join them in their strangely sweet domestic bliss as they spend their days sharing tea and throwing picnics, proving that love (and delicious food) can bring together even the most unlikely of friends.

Sometimes we don't want drama and survival in our post-apoc stories. Sometimes all we need are tales of friendship, good food, and a new species of spider monster.

Oh what, this is me here.

Today, let's flick through Giant Spider and Me: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale.

You thought I was kidding, didn't you? Yeah, welcome to my aesthetic.

Nagi lives on her own in Japan after an unspecified apocalypse. All we really see are images of skyscrapers jutting out of the water and reference that it happened a while ago. Her father is away on adventures but hasn't returned and we don't see him at all in the series, so take that how you will. She lives in a house in the woods near a village, but keeps to herself, choosing to upkeep the house and tend the fields nearby. Until she happens to find a pumpkin one day...and Asa.

Asa would be a big giant green leafy spider monster with tentacles. Its species is never defined in the series, and we never know if they are part of a group or singular.

The good: This is a super-cute, relaxing read and at only 3 volumes it's a great starter title. It's also all ages. The story is one that promotes seeing past the surface and meeting others on their terms. I love the use of Asa's pronouns (they/them) and the continuing evolution of people trying to understand Asa for who they are as an individual and not an animal. That aspect isn't not talked about - there's plenty of debate once Nagi and Asa go to the village about whether Asa is a threat or not. It's nice to see people learn to accept others in a story like this.

The characters aren't too sweet and aren't too jaded. In this world there's enough stability to have working communities, so the emphasis is on building relationships and not fighting for survival. Some characters choose new roles for themselves, some take pride in their traditional community roles - different views are given space.

This is also fabulous as a food title. Time is taken to portray the steps in different panels as the characters discuss what they're doing. Asa usually helps, and there's plenty of fun schtick there.

The recipes sound yummy and are soothing to watch come together, which is what I look for in titles like this. I like that the author takes time for reaction panels where the characters describe what they're eating and how it makes them feel. Delightful.

The character designs and setting are also really nice. Things are just haunting enough in a background way while keeping the story mostly pleasant.

The bad: The fact that this is only three volumes. I respect the author's view that the characters had more adventures but this is where the story ends. I don't have to like it, because this is such a sweet breath of fresh air.

The ick: Nothing, unless…

But what if I'm scared of spiders?
So there's no getting around the fact that Asa is spider-like (They're not portrayed as an actual spider). I actually do not like spiders at all and only picked this up because it seemed like such a bonkers idea. I think the line between creepy and cure is portrayed very well. Asa has predatory instincts at times, but around humans, they're benign and helpful unless they're not feeling well.

There's a lot of great discussion about whether they'll grow to be a threat and the characters that are worried have a legitimate point. There are also great moments where the character design is just unsettling enough, which adds to the theme of looking past the surface. Still, Asa also has leaves and tentacles and helps cook and works in a cafe, so for me, there's enough to balance out any arachnophobia. However, YMMV, though I'd suggest giving it a flip through because on the whole, it's uplifting and really cute.

5 cafe-working post-apoc sheep

About the Author:
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Selah Janel is a writer who is trying to start doing that again instead of reading manga all the time.

Selah's Manga Mania Reviews: Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle, Vol.1 by Kagiji Kumanomata

Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle, Vol. 1 

by Kagiji Kumanomata 

June 12, 2018-
176 pages
Genres: Slice of life, fantasy, comedy, supernatural
Shounen
Volumes: 8 (ongoing)
A captured princess just wants a good night’s sleep!

Imprisoned in the castle of the Demon King, all spoiled-sweet Princess Syalis dreams of is a good night’s sleep! Shhh...

Kidnapped by the Demon King and imprisoned in his castle, Princess Syalis is…bored.

She decides to while away the hours by sleeping, but getting a good night’s rest turns out to be a lot of work! She begins by fashioning a DIY pillow out of the fur of her Teddy Demon guards and an “air mattress” from the magical Shield of the Wind. The princess’s hapless demonic guards soon discover that their captive expects to be treated like, well, a princess. Things go from bad to worse—for her captors—when some of Princess Syalis’s schemes end in her untimely—if temporary—demise and she chooses the Forbidden Grimoire for her bedtime reading…

I love manga because sometimes I find a title that speaks to me on a cellular level, a title that fundamentally gets who I am.

So today we’re taking a look at Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle. 

Obviously, this is my unofficial biography. 

The humans and demons (in this case think fantasy-type monsters of varying degrees) are at war and the demons kidnap Princess Syalis to have an upper hand. The princess could care less. She's only put out by the fact that it’s SO HARD to sleep well in the Demon Castle, you guys. So, she becomes a master at jail breaks...but only to get herself more personal comfort. Add in things like teddy bear demons, her making bedding from ghost shrouds, her accidentally dying a few times (she really puts the cleric through a lot), and I just...it’s hysterical. Syalis is so unaware of anything but her goal, and the demons just do not know how to take her.

The good: This is a cute, witty, hilarious read. All four volumes I've seen do not disappoint. What could be a tired gag is kept fresh from chapter to chapter, and there's some nice slow character work done. By volume four Syalis is starting to kinda have an inkling beyond her selfish whims (but not enough to detract from who she is) and the demons (even the king) realize they kinda don't want her to leave. There's also some nice comparison to game play, and the king always tries to give the hero who’s trying to rescue Syalis a fair chance (and it’s usually ruined by Syalis, herself). It’s a title that knows what it is and is comfortable sticking to what it does best.

The bad: For me, nothing. I could see if a reader wants something with a faster arc of a more serious narrative this may not work, but I love this take on the fantasy genre. Like anything else, some bits work better than others, but nothing feels slow or ineffective to me. 

The ick: Nothing overt or in your face. There are some pretty blatant innuendo and misunderstandings (the king misreads her request to hit her pressure points as seduction at one point), do this is probably a teen and up title. I find it all pretty hilarious, and there’s nothing graphic.

All in all, one of my favorite newer titles.

4.5 sheep

About the Author:

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Selah Janel is a writer who is trying to start doing that again instead of reading manga all the time.

Selah's Manga Mania Reviews: Barakamon, Vol. 1 Paperback by Satsuki Yoshino

Barakamon, Vol. 1 Paperback

by Satsuki Yoshino (Author, Artist)

February 21, 2009 – present

Paperback: 208 pages
Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life, YA
Demographic: shōnen
Volumes 17 (List of volumes)
Manga

First things first.........Visitors are supposed to come in through the front door!! For a certain reason, a handsome, young calligrapher by the name of Seishuu Handa uproots himself and moves to an island on the westernmost edge of Japan. 'Sensei,' as he comes to be known, is a city boy through and through, and has never experienced rural life until now. And by the looks of it, he has much to learn! Luckily(?), he has a willing teacher in Naru, the energetic expert islander, to help show him the ropes. But can Sensei keep up with the plucky first-grader, or will he get schooled?! Here unfolds a heartfelt island comedy about a gruff on the outside, soft on the inside urbanite teacher and his new, unfailingly kind island neighbors!

As much as I love genre titles, I have a soft spot for a good slice-of-life story in manga. It helps me appreciate different cultures and lifestyles, and when a story is well done it just adds a little something to your life. 

Which is why I love Barakamon.

Seishu Handa is a young calligrapher who loses his temper on an exhibition curator when he's called unoriginal. His father sends him to Goto Island to cool off. Not only is he a fish out of water, but the neighborhood kids used to use his house for their fort and insist on still coming around.

The good: I love the interaction between Handa and the kids. Over time, the way he takes to Naru and the more her situation is revealed, it becomes a really nice emotional anchor for the series. It’s also great to see how the kids heckle Handa, and the series is filled with misadventures as he tries to acclimate to island living and being on his own. Just when you feel like he's growing, something will happen to remind you that he's still pretty young, himself, which is a great touch. 

As the volumes progress you also get a sense of how the Islanders feel about Handa, as well as their own daily struggles. There's a constant theme of growth and moving on as kids get older and contemplate life off the island, and as Handa finds himself as an artist and a person. This series balances humor and drama, sweetness and conflict really well.

The bad: Nothing in particular. If this sorry if title isn't your thing, this won't change your mind. The only thing that I noticed was that it's a little hard to acclimate to the choice to emphasize the island dialect, though it backs up Handa’s initial opinion that the Islanders are hicks. Either I got used to it or it softened in later volumes.

The ick: Nothing. This is a pretty all-ages title depending on reading level. Granted, I don't know if this type of title would speak to tweens, but there's nothing questionable in it.

I don't know how much research was done into the calligraphy for this, but everything feels realistic to me. I love the journey that Handa is on, both artistically and personally. Plus, a lot of the chapters are just hilarious. Definitely a great title to curl up with. 

5 sheep

About the Author:

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Selah Janel is a writer who is trying to start doing that again instead of reading manga all the time.

Selah's Manga Mania: Sweetness and Lightning Vol.1 by Gido Amagakure

Sweetness and Lightning Vol. 1

by Gido Amagakure (Author, Illustrator)

January 6, 2016

Volumes: 10

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

English publisher: NA Kodansha USA

Genre: Slice of life

192 pages

Having lost his wife, math teacher Kouhei Inuzuka is doing his best to raise his young daughter Tsumugi as a single father. He's pretty bad at cooking and doesn't have a huge appetite to begin with, but chance brings his little family and one of his students, Kotori Iida, together for homemade adventures. With those three cooks in the kitchen, it's no wonder this dinner table drama is so delicious.

I like to bop back and forth between newer and older series, and there’s one that I’ve gotten into lately that’s super cute, great if you’re not here for gooey romance, and spectacular if you love food.

If you know me even for five seconds, you know that I’m here for food. I will binge culinary documentaries to relax, Chef is a fave comfort movie of mine, and I will zone out to PBS cooking shows.

So I am completely here for Sweetness and Lightning by Gido Amagakure. The basic plot is Kohei Inuzuka is a teacher who has lost his wife and is trying to care for his young daughter, Tsumugi. The thing is, he’s not great at cooking. He encounters his student, Kotori Iida at her mom’s restaurant and helps prepare a basic meal for the pair. The thing is…she’s also not too great at cooking. Her mother is an expert, but is often off doing media stuff around the country and isn’t home a lot. Through the offscreen help of her mother and some friends (and some trial and error) the three meet at the restaurant to learn to prepare dishes together.

We all know I love Baby and Me (review), so this series is going to tick a lot of my boxes.

The Good: Just a lot of cute. So much cute. Tsumugi at school, her gaining confidence through learning about food, and just so many great scenes of the three muddling through things. I also really like that the parent/child relationship is extremely positive, and there are also plenty of scenes of them working through missing the wife/mother – a lot of the dishes they make are things that remind them of her or can be traced to her, so you never feel like her death is a complete macguffin to get the series rolling. You also see Tsumugi grow a lot (I’m up to volume 5 out of 10) and interact and learn with the kids in her preschool and extracurricular activities.

I also like a lot of Iida’s development – she has a phobia of knives but wants to progress as she sees Tsumugi learn things. You also slowly get a sense of her relationship with her divorced parents and friends around her. She starts out super introverted and she never becomes terribly extroverted, but there’s a realistic progression.

And the food. If you ever wanted to learn about Japanese food, this is a great series. The preparation scenes have almost loving detail, and it’s fun to see characters taking time to enjoy and talk about why these dishes have meaning to them. Food is definitely a character all its own and this series handles is really well. And it will make you so hungry. I went out for Japanese the other day and it was all I could do to not order one of everything (and I may have been scanning through the menu covertly seeing if anything was from the series so I could try it. What, we all have our priorities).

It’s also great to see female characters enjoying food, and pretty much most of the main cast has their own unique relationship with certain dishes, as well as various levels of skill in the kitchen (men and women. This is even brought up at times, which is extra nice).

The bad: Nothing, really, so far. The only thing I’m a little antsy on is that there’s the undercurrent of Iida having a crush on Inuzuki. The thing is, so far this has been played pretty subtly so I’m not quite sure if it’s going to go into her seeing him as a father figure or keeping with the student/teacher crush. The only reason I bring it up is manga sometimes has a history of pairing students and teachers together, and honestly, it’s not my thing. Plus, in the context of this (because she’s like high school and presumably a minor and he’s old enough to have a kid that’s about three), seeing that through on-screen would kind of kill it for me. As of volume five, nothing has really developed and though her feelings are noticed by others and it’s brought up from time to time, it’s been danced around so far, which feels normal to me. If it starts actively becoming a thing, though, then we’d have to revisit.

The ick: Nah, nothing, unless you hate reading about gorgeous food preparation and enjoyment.

The bonus: this is one of a few food-centric mangas, and like its brethren it features recipes. No, I haven’t taken the time to try one yet (I have some anxious flashbacks to Kitchen Princess and trying to help make flan from its recipe), but it has them, and it’s also really great about explaining the dishes and the process within the pages of the story, itself. The endnotes about certain things that may not translate are also very good for this manga, as well.

All in all, I say give it a try. Have a snack handy, though, you’ll need it.

4.5 hungry sheep

About the Author:

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Selah Janel is a writer who is trying to start doing that again instead of reading manga all the time.

Selah's Manga Mania Reviews: Baby & Me (Vol 1-18)

Baby & Me, Vol. 1

by Marimo Ragawa (Author, Illustrator)

September 24, 2013

Genre: Slice of life

Original run: 1991 – 1997

Volumes 18

208 pages

Publisher: VIZ Media: Shojo Beat; 1st edition

Young Takuya has it tough. After his mother passed away it has been his job to take care of his baby brother, Minoru while their father, Harumi, works the long hours of a Japanese salaryman.

Takuya must sacrifice the playtime usually associated with childhood for the responsibilities of an adult. Cooking, cleaning, sewing and scolding are all now an integral part of the young boy's life. 

"All work and no play" has Takuya incredibly frustrated and resentful of his little brother. Will Takuya find it in his heart to love the brother who is causing him so much grief?!

So we’ve done a little shojo, a little shonen, but hopefully, you’ve seen that the gender breakdown really isn’t all that relevant, as long as you like the story you’re reading. This post’s review is going to be a series that is technically shojo but features a boy character. It’s kind of a slice of life deal, and so freakin’ cute you won’t be able to stand yourself. But you should read it anyway.

Baby & Me is a series that I’ve read a few times because it never fails to distract me from the bitter dark void of life and inject some hope and laughter and warm fuzzies. The basic plot is that Takuya’s mother has died, so he has to help pick up the workload of raising his infant brother, Minoru, to help out his working father. You wouldn’t think that you could go 18 volumes with this synopsis, but trust me, it’s a lot of fun. I will admit that Minoru can be a little obnoxious at first, but it kind of fits with how Takuya is adapting to his new role. This is also a really good series to get your mind around the cultural differences. There’s a lot involving the kids at different Japanese schools, a lot featuring stuff in their home vs Takuya’s friends’ apartments, the father’s work environment, schedule differences, holidays, just all sorts of stuff. This is honestly a perfect introductory series because you don’t actually have to read the whole thing, and if push came to shove, you don’t really have to go in order, except for maybe the last four or five volumes (and I’m playing it safe there).

There is a little bit of weird flashbacking to the relationship of Takuya’s parents at the end of the series, but that is kind of a thing in relationship series, so it mostly works although it is out of nowhere. Thankfully it’s kept to one volume if memory serves. There are also a few dream sequences in some parts and some meanderings, but as an episodic series, those quirks don’t really hinder things. It probably could have been shorter, but when I read it I’m going to it specifically for the fuzzies and silliness and quirks, so I’m always thankful it’s as long as it is. For the most part, the big story takeaway is watching Takuya mature, and even Minoru grow. I always forget until I reread it that even though he doesn’t age /that/ much within the series, Minoru goes through a pretty decent progression. The ending is the other one that has made me cry out of nowhere, simply because you do get so attached to the characters as you read through it, that the last panels really do feel like you’re saying good-bye on any given day.

There’s a lot of comedy in this one, a lot of sight gags, a lot of chibi figures and distorted proportions for comedy (you’ll get the idea as you read, I swear). It’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but you do grow to feel for all that Takuya’s shouldered with, and really come to appreciate the situation through the different eyes of those around him. The author is also really great about showing the situations of his friends and neighbors, too, so there are some nice subplot deviations that you just couldn’t get away with in a different style of writing – maybe short stories, but I don’t think that’d be as fun and accessible.

This is probably one of the closest things to an all age manga I’ve found. It’s cute, it’s fun. I find slice of life stuff like this really relaxing at the end of a long day or to relax on the weekend or something. This would be great to kick back with after finals or a big test or work project or just if you’re going through a rough patch. There’s no pressure with a title like this, plus if you’re not at the child-rearing stage or don’t plan on it, you can get your feels and live vicariously without any of the stress. What it does it does really well and is accessible for a lot of types of readers. The probable deal breaker would likely be Minoru at the beginning of the series, and some of the behavior of his friend group. They definitely act like kids, and you will definitely at times share the frustration of the older siblings.

3.75 sheep

*** Check out Selah's other reviews***

Selah's Manga Mania Review: Fruits Basket

Selah's Manga Mania Reviews: Saturn Apartments Vol 1-7

Selah's Manga Mania: Intro to Manga: Myth vs Fact

About the Author:

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Selah Janel is a writer who is trying to start doing that again instead of reading manga all the time.