Ponkotsu Ponko

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A cute, relaxing, heartwarming slice of life drama/comedy that's well worth reading. Especially for Iyashikei fans. Think Dragon Maid crossed with Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō, to an extent.

Honestly my main concern going into this was whether the heavy melancholy vibes were going to be too much. We're not dealing with kids here, the whole vibe is as much end-of-life as it is slice-of-life. It doesn't hammer this point home though and in fact leaning into it really made it more enjoyable. The sci-fi element really helps with this too.

The characters are all so well fleshed out even someone with a terrible memory had no issues remembering ... them all. Ponko is adorable and, to be honest, had a bit of a Jim Henson vibe with adorable muppetry. Gen is far than your stereotypical curmudgeon too, though it takes a bit to get there.

Simply put, read it. It's a funny, weird manga that's going to click especially well for fans of YKK.

What gives a being value? Is it simply usefulness? Ponku is certainly trying very hard to be useful, and wears a brave face, comforting herself with the knowledge that, if she is melted into scrap metal for 500-yen coins, at least that's a way to be useful to people. It will take her a while to realize that what really needs isn't so much to be useful itself, but home, community, belonging, and affection.

In the meantime, she is going to be a ridiculous goofball and smile widely as she trips over her own head, which keeps falling off on a regular basis.

It's so sweet.

Cute, hilarious, sad, poignant and beautiful, Pokotsu Ponko is a gentle, pleasant manga that truly lives up to the idea of Iyashikei. The story of an old, clumsy robot girl trying too be useful to humans and an old man enjoying his last years can be gut-bustingly funny sometimes, but most of the chapters are an easygoing slice-of-life story that is occasionally melancholic, but will never leave you without a smile. All the secondary characters are equally lovable and charming, seeing all the small ways Ponko changes their lives is adorable.

Underneath the cuteness, lies a story with a lot of real heart, with ... a meaningful message about the impermanence of life, the search for meaning and purpose, and the value of all the little happy moments of everyday life.

At 10 volumes, Ponkotsu Ponko is a brisk, pleasant read that any fan of Iyashikei and slice-of-life will enjoy. 10/10, we all could use a Ponko in our lives.