Buzzy Noise

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By Leaving Sunset,

"Blue is the color of the sky and sea. It slows human metabolism and produces a calming effect. Blue is strongly associated with tranquility and calmness" (ColorWheelPro, 2002).

Alongside his Twitter posts of Buzzy Noise, author Jun Mutsuki uploads GIFs of the sea. Underwater light rays, bokeh circles, and pristine blue water is eye-candy to every sightseer. We can associate the calming color of blue with music's power in providing an atmosphere of comfort. This will be important in the review to follow:

Buzzy Noise follows Kiyosumi's steps into adulthood as he tackles changes in lifestyle, relationships, and opportunities. He's straightforward and minimal. His ... philosophy revolves around "self-reliance," a western belief of relying on one's own strengths.

Kiyosumi's life is rather mundane. You can see it in his work and environment; the lack of friendships reflects this. It's not until the solitary hours of the night when we see Kiyosumi shine. His musical ability awakens the people around him, introducing a plethora of characters that make their way into Kiyosumi's life—whether he likes it or not.

Ushio, the first supporting character in this story, is a lively girl who believes in Kiyosumi's talent. Rather than feeding off of his musical abilities (an anxiety Kiyosumi appears to have), she strives to spread Kiyosumi's music with others.

"I will make Kiyosumi's music spread even more," Ushio says to Kiyosumi.

This opens up many avenues in the story to come.

To put it simply, the narrative is slow. This can be somewhat unpleasant to some, but it reflects a pace in another musical story that is familiar to many: Your Lie in April. Both stories follow a male lead—one that battles insecurity, anxiety, and unfamiliarity of the self in the eyes of others. Such as the fight with mental health, these things take time. We ease into Kiyosumi's perspective, hoping that he overcomes the adversity within him.

He stumbles, and he falls. He contradicts his beliefs, but he allows himself to flourish because of the support system around him, mainly being Ushio. The art reflects this vividly. Dark, scribbled clouds and box-shaped thoughts reflect Kiyosumi's anxiety. However, an ecstatic Ushio comes into frame, closing the distance of Kiyosumi's isolated state with her heartwarming quotes. These quotes are met with conversation bubbles that burst out of panels, seeping into Kiyosumi's space. Little by little, his fears diminish and his confidence builds up. These box-shaped thoughts turn into optimistic responses, now open in shape and in dialogue (conversation).

Maiko Park is a familiar place in the world of arts. It's featured in poems, films, and travel guides. It's vital in this story, and it's an environment that allows Kiyosumi to think of only music. He performs, people listen, and friends film him enjoying his night along the oceanside. Again, "Blue is the color of the sky and sea." Kiyosumi's tranquility solely relies on his music. Music is his comfort—three days without it, and he goes absolutely bonkers.

But Buzzy Noise is not only about Kiyosumi's struggles. It's also about the strength of community and what brings people together. Music plays a role in all of this, and it's shown through the art in the manga in forms of delicate circles. They float about when Kiyosumi or Riku (Kiyosumi's high school friend) perform with flair and finesse. Like the bokeh underneath the water's surface, these circles float among avid listeners, representing the heart-and-soul of the performer's love for music. It's a lovely sight—one that is gifted to the reader time and time again.

This all might sound over-analyzed, but I was shocked to see the low scores rating this story. To deny Buzzy Noise's story is the same as denying the talent of any young, striving artist out there. Kiyosumi is learning what it means to be vulnerable. It takes time and a whole lot of patience to navigate out of nihilistic thoughts—and seeking help from others might just make all that achievable.

Overall, Buzzy Noise gets a 8.5/10. I rounded it to a 9 because I was generous.

#My spelling and grammar suck here.
Buzzy Noise is a pretty good story. Its accurate in its depiction of love and the realization of love once something is suddenly gone.
For me that seemed to be one of the major themes of this work and while yes theres depression, anxiety and negative thinking that are there, they didnt have much of an impact.

This work really shows just how easy it is to be blind to someone whos there for you and neglect them without really trying to.
this is why i would recommend it to anyone looking for a good manga.

But, unfortunately the story drags a bit which ... lowered my enjoyment of this work.