Words and Art: Keigo Shinzo
Publisher: Viz
Translation: Jan Mitsuko Cash
Touch-Up Art & Lettering: Elena Diaz
Design: Jimmy Presler
Editor: Holly Fisher
As I mentioned in my review of the first volume of Hirayasumi, slice-of-life is one of my favorite genres when it comes to manga. Cracking up the first volume, I read about a 29-year-old, carefree Hiroto Ikuta “who doesn’t have a girlfriend, a full-time job, or a plan for the future—and he couldn’t be happier.” That introductory volume of the series delved into his life with a special inheritance, the reintroduction of a family member and transitions, and changes that enter his life and challenge his carefree way of living. Towards the end, a newer person is added to the cast that shakes Hiroto up something fierce and proves to be an intriguing character to watch on the page.
In the opening chapter, Yomogi, the female employee of the real estate agency in the neighborhood whom Hiroto had an unfortunate, embarrassing encounter with, ends up at his house. She’s there to carry out a minor repair and while not happy to see him, she’s thankfully professional enough to not let it affect her work. Hiroto’s best friend Hideki and his young cousin/roommate Natsumi figure that something’s up between the two and decide to silently observe, tickled that their normally offbeat and chill loved one is off centered due to this woman. As time passes and a cheerful celebration with food begins, the ever-anxious Yomogi bounces in front of the scene after kindly being invited to sit with the crew for a meal.
In the first volume of Hirayasumi, we learn that Hiroto’s younger cousin Natsumi is eighteen years old. She’s starting college in the city and is learning that she has to grow up a bit, living away from home and in a bigger city. She came across as really bratty and ungrateful but someone who was soothed by her older cousin’s support and his slow pace of living. Nicknamed Nat by her cousin, she’s working on her social anxiety and doing her best, little by little. Being accountable for her actions and the hurt she caused means she’s slowly maturing which is such great character development for her.
As someone who loves stories about friendships, especially the ones between girls and women–the chapters centering on Natsumi are always fun and heartfelt to read. Here in this volume, she moves forward by getting a part time job, sending in manga for a contest, and spending more time with Akarai, the shy and bespectacled girl, who has become her only friend in college so far. Both girls ponder about their love of art and their shortcomings as they relish in each other’s friendships.
My favorite pages in the second volume of Hirayasumi would have to be the chapters dedicated to the festival that almost all the major characters end up attending. From the full pages showing all the festival wear and festivities, the page shows a fleshed-out place of people, props and activity. There’s much to see: the super cute patterns of the kimonos that Natsumi and Akari wear, the unique paper mâché decorations to be hanged up, to the attention to detail in the closeups of phone screens of the texting messaging between cousins. There’s lots to adore in the artwork in this volume. Hiroto and Yomogi’s meetings during this chapters both bring different energy and the second time around; a quieter more subtle environment finds the two homebodies agreeing with each other with no fussing, embarrassment or yelling involved.
I really like that friendship was the main theme of this second volume of Hirayasumi, or at least the first half of the chapters. There was also the return to the overarching theme of home and who and where they best makes sense to someone. Readers are treated to a chapter with a mention of Granny, the woman who was befriended by Hiroto in the past and eventually left him her house where he lives in the current story. Readers may be internally interrogating themselves with their own questions such as: Where is home? Who in my life makes it feel like home?
Seeing workaholic Yomogi looking at the city lights alone in her beautiful high-rise apartment is a startling comparison to the memories of her bending down, close to the ground, happily petting the family cat in her youth at her parent’s place. Seeing Natsumi and Hiroto happily celebrating a special occasion with a smashed cake in their old, cluttered little house feels tonally appropriate and really special to see. I love that each volume of this manga returns to this healing, comfort manga category that I want to reread even before I get to the last page.
At heart, this second volume of Hirayasumi really reminds us why happier memories of the past can fuel us for the days to come and remind us why such relationships are important. That is illustrated by showing us a smaller version of Natsumi in the past showing off her manga to her favorite cousin–as in the current day she’s drawing more manga now in college. We also see it with Hideki reminiscing how much fun he had with Hiroto as a teen and wanting to have better balance in life having fun as an adult and responsibilities as he is a soon to be father. We even see it with Yomogi thinking back on seeing the family cat as a teen–now ancient while deep diving into working on a weekend.
I love every volume of Hirayasumi that I can get my hands on, and this second volume reinforces why slice of life genre is king. There is a need for stories that flourish in this genre, and Keigo Shinzo’s pen does incredible work bringing up the mundane and extraordinary of everyday life. Reading along to see these characters and their quest for purpose and finding or maintaining that place of home, that place of comfort and belonging is happily one I vow to continue reading.
Hirayasumi Volume 2 is published through Viz and can be found where comics and manga are sold.
Thanks to Netgalley and Viz for allowing me to have a review copy!
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