Kimi no Iru Machi
A Town Where You Live

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Stop scrolling, I promise you won't regret reading my review. I'll do my best to keep it spoilers free :)

So! Where do I even start...

Before we dig into more of the details, I'm going to step back and say this: no matter the ups and downs throughout this manga; including both the emotional rollercoasters I've felt and the flat lines of plainness that was the plot over periods of time - I don't regret a single second of my valuable weeknights and weekends reading this. Fear not - I'm sure most other reviewers will definitely have negative things to say, but nonetheless feel similar to ... me in that this was still a manga to remember in our hearts.

Which means...I recommend you definitely give it a shot - at least the first half.

Why? Well, let's dive right into the details.

Story - 7
The story starts off strong and continues to be strong, implementing cliffhanger after cliffhanger no matter the chapter. Romance, drama, and other related genres work like a dancing group of butterflies if executed well, and the first half of the manga depicted an amazing emotional plot, especially near the beginning. Yes, it's your old fashioned high school setting, but the various circumstances, dialogue, love polygon, and other plot elements derive our focus away from school, almost making it seem like it's not even set within one.

Then, Seo Sensei began his ever-so-infamous Tokyo Arc - the one all other reviewers are talking about. This is where the true emotional rollercoaster springs into a daredevil meteor. For myself, I was hurt as much as I was stunned - things in the plot and its characters were moving fast and hitting heavy. Love it or hate it, none of us stopped reading during this arc; it had me glued to this manga, frustrated or not over what was going on alongside the head-scratching actions from our cast. It made me experience every feeling one would find on the spectrum: happiness, anger, sadness, confusion...you name it. I have a lot of questions left unanswered from this arc and beyond...

Finally, the last half of the story was where the plot dulled and raised a few more question marks. It arguably turned into a slice of life + romcom manga with bits and pieces of drama, with one final dramatic twist near the end (which in my opinion, was completely unnecessary and non-sensibly executed). The latter half had me more often-than-not rolling my eyes thanks to either the random ecchi panels that show up or the spontaneous "filler" stories which lacked plot progression.

Art - 9

I can say with confidence that the art was above average and painted our main characters beautifully. Not only were the designs tailored to the personalities of our characters, but the overall panels added a heightened experience to the overall read. No matter my emotion or frustration, I loved seeing the genuine faces of the characters drawn to full detail and with maximum intensity.

Characters - 7
And here is my subjective issue with this manga - as much as I loved the characters and the full cast, they had me face-palming or banging my head against the desk on a nightly basis. Their actions and motivations, especially Yuzuki's and several other supporting characters, almost kept me up at night thinking: "Just why did they do that?! What's their motive? What's the reason?" Never have I ever clenched my fist because I couldn't get into a character's head enough to quench my desire to understand their motivations.

This doesn't deny that there was significant character growth, but for the territory this manga covered (261 chapters and multiple arcs), there was no consistency in this character growth, not-to-mention the unanswered sequences I still long to know. However, don't take my opinions to heart, and read this manga yourself to form your own opinions. Who knows - maybe you'll come to love the characters a lot!

Overall Enjoyment - 8

I know I've criticized multiple areas of this manga, but I'd be lying to myself if I said I didn't enjoy it on the whole. It gave off that power to pull readers in no matter the frustration they felt with what was going on thanks to the plot twists and cliffhangers, and there is immense realism incorporated throughout the plot elements written. It gave me the thought: "Wow, these characters are going through the reality that is life, crashing head-on."

Are there areas I'd suggest to improve? Of course...I could spend all night talking about this manga - it's a love/hate relationship. But that just goes to show how attached I've been to it and its characters as well.

Hope you enjoyed my review!

This manga is really depressing. But it doesn't have any drama or tragic story. It's depressing, because of how boring those characters life are.

I was reading from start to the end of this manga just in case that something interesting might be happened at near the end of story. And that was worthless, because nothing happens, nothing remotely interesting. This manga is about "real" life, so real, that everything in it is average at best. The story is average and characters are so "real" they got zero personality. And all those jokes, that author trying to pull, are useless, they just bad and uninspired. ... I think that if author trying to tell us "real" story, that the story itself should more "serious" and should have less silly humor and nudity which is plenty of here.

I personally don't think its a bad manga. I think that it is trying to be serious love story and comedy harem-manga in one time. But problem, is it fails in both categories.

If you want to read good love story manga, I would recommend comics like I"s or Bitter Virgin. This one - over-hyped.

During the first contact, "Kimi no Iru Machi" seemed like a model manga regarding the themes, creative processes, and decision-making of a mangaka aimed at the shounen demography of the Heisei Era in the mid-2000s: in a few pages, the work skillfully condenses signs common to a rom-com manga (high school settings, attachment to youth, love triangles, childhood friendships, etc.) that contains a strong presence of ecchi, with a focus on the sexualization of the female characters. Nevertheless, as noticeable throughout the volumes, Kouji Seo starts to demonstrate a certain degree of authenticity and boldness in the organization of his manga, as well as showing ... signs of wanting to develop a new textual and narrative approach to the plot elements, especially to the dramatic arcs of the characters. Unfortunately, even though there is the goodwill of the author and even a certain awareness about the structure in which he chose to work, the manga "A Town Where You Live" becomes sterile and repetitive both from a subtextual perspective (themes, premises, and contents) and on the external effects felt by the reader, losing its ability to provoke curiosity in the internal consequences in the areas of drama, romance, comedy and even ecchi.


THE COUNTRYSIDE TOWN WHERE YOU CAME FROM
Even with a curious premise (a mysterious girl suddenly starts living with the protagonist at his house), the initial stage of the manga is set and developed within a quiet school environment of a Japanese countryside town, isolated from the big cities and that exudes the sensations of calmness, monotony, and stagnation. In these conditions, since there is not, on purpose, a considerable diversity of sceneries, all the reader's attention is fixed on Haruta's (the protagonist) situations and thoughts in interaction with the other characters. And this is where we have the first problem: due to this intimate approach, it becomes easily noticeable that the cast of characters is not such interesting "people" to follow.

When considering again the factual context of the manga "Kimi no Iru Machi", with its serialization in a young male-oriented magazine in the 2000s, the first-time reader can expect the strong presence of archetypes (the tomboy childhood friend, the dumb childhood friend, the shy girl who is the romantic interest) and predictable romantic or comic interactions that do little or nothing to enrich the work. Sure, there are good moments of humor and situations that exalt the romance elements; after all, the first few chapters of the manga are some of the most consistent in entertaining and giving a good sense of progression to the story.

In this restricted circle of characters and events, Kouji Seo presents perhaps his greatest assets that are present throughout the manga: the (i) non-obviousness in the behavior of each character and the (ii) dramatic construction of events founded on a certain degree of "realism". To circumvent the lack of substance in characters such as Yuzuki, Nanami, and Akari, the author manages to employ good twists and turns, such as the unexpected situation in which Haruto strengthens his feelings and prevents the construction of a "true" love triangle.

These elements, such as the focus only on the protagonist and a "realistic" approach to events, lead the reader's attention to a lukewarm journey with few interesting sequences. In a certain sense, and as will be discussed in a topic below, this monotony can be purposeful: by spending a large number of chapters to demonstrate the dramas between young people in a Japanese countryside town, the author could achieve an efficient counterpoint between the countryside and the "city" that bears the name of the manga. Even so, this intimate narrative structure and alleged "realism" does not last long, making room for situations that are, to say the least, exaggerated.


WHERE DO YOU WANT TO LIVE?
Within this perspective that the narrative construction of the events would come from a realistic approach and unpredictable behavior of the characters, the reader can expect a high frequency of conflicts (physical and verbal) that move the plot. However, Kouji Seo's writing is peculiar: for the author, non-obviousness is often synonymous with irrationality, and the dramatic aspect (in the sense of dramatization of reality) is founded, countless times, on unthinkable/absurd situations that displace the supposed "realism" far away.

The mentioned "realism" of Kimi no Iru Machi - which is often commented on in different forums and here on this site, refers to the author's unconventional choices in the conduction of the story. The "realism" in this manga means that some behaviors and clichés of a romantic comedy are not reproduced: throughout the manga, it is remarkable the effort of the mangaka to subvert the expectations of the reader by delivering unexpected scenes that express feelings that are even somewhat relatable.

In this sense, it is okay to present characters who, due to their age, social background, moral precepts, or any other argument, have characteristics such as emotional instability, aggressiveness, socialization problems, or other particularities that cause dramatic discomfort and do not welcome other characters or the reader himself. It is all right to use "problematic characters" as the guides of your story. Regardless, the moment the author opts for unconventional interactions between his characters, he would need to take time to introduce and develop these "people": from the moment the reader knows very little about each character, and there are no ways to predict their conduct, plenty of motivations and sudden decisions do not convince the reader, making these "human beings" less palpable and charismatic.

To maintain the degree of absurdity that the plot has taken on, the author extrapolates the verisimilitude of events and, consequently, harms the reader's suspension of disbelief. Only to exemplify, at a certain point in the story, the protagonist becomes a stalker. Yes.

As the manga progresses, as well as the plot accumulates characters and new conflicts, one notices the great difficulty of Kouji Seo in reasonably justifying certain events. A major highlight is Haruto's character arc, which seems to constantly shut down and restart as the story spans 270 chapters. Meanwhile, due to the hyper-focus the protagonist receives, the reader is distanced from the rest of the cast and only on brief occasions learns of other events not involving Haruto.

In any case, this uncertainty of the protagonist appreciated from a certain narrative intimacy can be interpreted as an expression of his growth process. After all, the reader follows months and months of Haruto's life, reading his thoughts from his perspective. The protagonist's never being satisfied or conforming to his situation is a fascinating tool for building good scenes, such as when he questions his goals/interests and reassesses the weight of his choices. The aforementioned hyper-focus also favors this interpretation: to the extent that we are very close to Haruto, every time the other characters appear different about their last appearances, the feeling can be produced that life goes on outside the frames and that we are reading a very specific clipping from an even more specific period of a person's life.

However, how does the manga relate these textual and narrative elements to its themes? After all, what does "Kimi no Iru Machi" want to convey to the reader?


A TOWN WHERE YOU LIVE
Within this panorama of an intimate narrative and a large passage of time within the plot, the reader follows, even if partially, the period of the characters' lives from the end of high school to situations related to "adulthood", such as the choice of a professional career, academic course, or even the formation of a family. This vast temporal period can be treated as a quality of the manga: because it is a drama, the reader tends to develop a greater affection for the situations and characters by following the story for so long and can observe very relatable human processes such as self-acceptance, uncertainty about the future, and making irremediable decisions.

As the plot progresses, the reader can observe various comments and decisions by the cast of characters regarding life changes, attachments to other people, and the future they each choose for themselves. Almost all of the characters work within the themes of how to grow up and mature, who you want to become in the future and how to unite tradition with the prospects of change, with some of these themes being more pertinent to a certain segment of characters.

Just as an example, Mr. Eba (Yuzuki's father) has a whole dramatic arc that comments on the perspective of a father watching his daughter mature and how he has not been able to be very present due to his demands at work or family configuration and how this affects his personal life. The fact that he is nameless may highlight that from the author's perspective, as people become adults in Japanese society, their sui generis human condition loses value to the social role they play (a salaried man, father, head of a family). Your role in society and how you contribute to sustaining it has much more weight than who you are and how you got to where you are.

In this context, Shiori's existence comments on the relationship between family and social expectations that an adult person bears on his life choices (as well as being an author's tool for metalanguage). It is very interesting to follow, even if for a few chapters and in a superficial way, the adult view of the (absurd) events that the plot offers: it is as if the reader is spying on the future of the main cast of characters, seeing some possible routes to take (like the character Shiho). The protagonist's uncertainty about his life efficiently complements this whole thematic approach.

These are themes that I admire a lot and consider essential to be presented to a young audience like that of Shounen Magazine. After all, a good author can make his messages and literary arguments reach not only the target audience but also be perceptible to all the other readers who experience his work. In "Kimi no Iru Machi", Kouji Seo even manages to transmit these and other ideas from his narrative approach, being very direct and making his characters verbalize the proposed themes.

So, if its themes are clear and echo throughout the manga, what is the work's problem? Well, without a doubt it is not the quality or depth of its themes, but the efficiency in the presentation, development, and ending of them: the manga "Kimi no Iru Machi" is a dragging work, with the absence of a good rhythm of progression from the first arc, which lasts much longer than necessary.

Let's take an example: as I commented on the first topic, the monotony of the first arc could serve as an instrument to counteract the intensity and pressure that a metropolis, with its social dynamics, exerts on the characters. In this sense, it is easily noticeable that Yuzuki, as an external element that transports urban values to the inner city, is a character that motivates the transformation of the environment and the other characters around her: after all, the plot and the manga itself begin with her arrival at Haruto's house.

However, there are no value conflicts: for the sake of offering a standard romantic comedy, Yuzuki quickly becomes accustomed to the new surroundings and begins to play a narrative role within the internal logic of the circle of characters. The character herself is not disruptive because she carries beliefs that are different from the other characters (at most, she displays unconventional behavior), but because she is made up as the possible romantic interest of the protagonist within the plot.

Another example is the aforementioned contrast between the countryside and the city. To some extent, the countryside city conveys traditional values of belonging and security, serving as a quiet and safe place with no considerable prospects for change. In contrast, the city, intense and diverse as it is, can become oppressive due to the competitiveness and possibilities it offers. In this process of comparison, Haruto himself recognizes this sea of promises but discovers similar values and relationships to those he experienced in the countryside city, and other characters like Akari have dramatic arcs that comment on this relationship between belonging and change.

Although, the author constantly interrupts these and other comments to make room for comic, romantic, and erotic situations that serve only as fanservice. Due to this narrative structure, the thematic approach of the work, which is not so deep, ends up being diluted in an extensive quantity of chapters that have no objective function and that often repeat conflicts or situations that have already been solved. There are 270 chapters, and the central plot, which is already filled with several moments without any function, is finished around chapter 150: after this milestone, a few scenes and conflicts are truly well developed.

Due to these pacing problems, all of the author's themes and comments are weakened and lose the importance they should have. It is okay to present lighter chapters that serve as a reward for the situations the characters have been through and can provide transition chapters, for example. It is only difficult to accept this narrative configuration if the author turns half of his manga into fanservice and, when reaching the final stretch, has trouble presenting a decent conclusion that makes internal sense with the development of the plot and characters.

"Kimi no Iru Machi" and its themes suffer too much because of these decisions by Kouji Seo, weakening a work that could be appreciated as a romantic comedy with good dramatic moments and a more "realistic" approach to the situations in which the characters live. Up to a certain point, it becomes difficult to follow the manga even for readers who identify with the characters and situations.


OTHER NOTES
- As for Kouji Seo's artistic features, there is not much to comment on. The drawing style and character designs are decent, but the aesthetics are ordinary without much inspiration. Concerning the quadrinization aspect, the author usually inserts, almost in every chapter, a big vertical image of a female character on the left side of the page to demonstrate to the reader her beauty, being a repetitive resource with no other function.
- Some scenes and dialogues are very well organized and beautiful in a certain sense, as in chapters 73, 88, 109, and 118.
- I register here my complete hatred for chapter 140 and all the events involving Asuka, the most wronged character in this manga.
- The "Tokyo arc" is, even with its problems, the best segment of this manga.
- I recommend that the reading of the chapters be accompanied by the reading of the discussion forums. It is interesting to see how the opinion of the fandom changed as the plot "developed".
- In both the moments before and after the formation of a certain couple, the author insists on putting harem elements. The only question you'll continue to ask yourself is: How do so many girls fall in love with such an uninteresting guy?


CONCLUSION
Reading "Kimi no Iru Machi" is a rollercoaster of feelings, either because of the story's events or the author's choices. I recommend reading it only to those who are interested in knowing the writing form of Kouji Seo, an author well known for other works such as Suzuka and Fuuka, and visiting a manga that presents structures common to romantic comedies for young boys in the 2000s. But in general, it is a work with very little functionality in the development of its proposals and themes, causing a lot of frustration because of the massive amount of chapters with no relevant events.

Good luck to those who will venture into this drawn-out manga, full of empty or repeated conflicts, which progressively loses its charm and becomes quite expendable after its midpoint.