May 20, 2023
Toumei Kei's works really are one of a kind. Her illustration style and character designs are easily recognisable, but perhaps what makes her works stand out among the sea is her slower-paced storytelling and attention to naturalism without pitching herself too close into the corner of 'slice-of-life' cliches. She captures the heartwarming feel and slight awkwardness of simple conversations and mundane situations, and her strong character writing believably renders characters and their day-to-day struggle on the page - female characters especially. And she does this all while focusing on and progressing a central mystery and drama!
What makes her work more appealing is her central
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focus on arts and the people that move around the industry - musicians, aspiring artists, and in this manga, a used book store. Her manga series Static Princess especially showcases her skill with storytelling (definitely more so than Sing "Yesterday" for Me which delved too much into melodrama for me).
I am happy to say that Karakida-ke no Koshogurashi continues on this push toward nuanced storytelling that I felt as I read Static Princess. Believably capturing the seemingly slight, but significant day-to-day struggles of people. In this case, it's keeping up a used bookstore, the feelings of uncertainty transitioning to a new industry, the expectations of taking over a new generation, as well as the complexities of romantic relationships. Though this story moves at a languid pace and may lack the excitement and big overpowering conflict that most mangas usually introduce in the beginning, we need stories that reflect our own experiences from time to time.
While this is still early, the everyday complexity of the characters and atmosphere developed in these 6 chapters have lured me in. Looking forward to reading more of this.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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