I first read Fukukiru back in 2017, just as I entered the eleventh grade at the ripe old age of sixteen. And if you know anything about teenagers, they care A LOT about their appearance; fussing over every little thing that has to do with their image. I was no different. Despite already watching shows like Evangelion, Gurren Lagann, and countless other films about finding yourself and being confident, there was always something missing. I understood the message that was being sent through these works, I even had the self-awareness to realize that I wasn’t going to be 100% confident since I was right in the middle of puberty. But as I walked through the school hallway, puffing up my chest in the hopes that I would impress the girls, I knew that THEY knew it was fake.
Knowing that you should be confident isn’t enough, you NEED something to be confident in. And the only things I had were my looks and my humour, I was kind of funny and somewhat attractive. But these are qualities that I never worked for, and it felt as if I couldn’t take pride in them. Also, there was nothing really going on in my life, at the time the only thing I did was play video games and watch anime. I wasn’t any good at sports and my grades weren’t the best, I needed something concrete. Though, it wasn’t as if I was looking for anything in particular. I didn’t even have this realization until college.
It just so happened that one day in 2017 I stumbled upon this manga, and it was a complete paradigm shift. Prior to reading Fukukiru I considered fashion to be inconsequential. Yes, I did care about my appearance, but as a fan of hip-hop seeing all these rappers wear unbelievably tacky outfits, I thought the only thing you needed was confidence. Which is true to an extent. I also shared the same opinion as the MC in the first chapter: “A man who does more than shave and look into a mirror before he goes out, is like a narcissist!” Most men think that putting a lot of effort into how you look, anything above the bare minimum isn’t manly. But I, as did the MC, realized that is completely wrong.
In the first chapter the manga lays out its thesis statement with the first rule of the so-called ‘Rules of Fashion’: “You don’t need a sense of fashion to look good.” In other words ANYONE can look good. Why? Because there is a constant set of rules that determine whether or not you dress nicely, such as silhouette, color coordination, or how making your head look smaller is great. And by simply following these rules, anyone with enough money to buy a few pieces from Uniqlo can look great (sometimes I think the whole manga is just a Uniqlo advert). And that’s exactly what I did.
After reading the 30 available chapters, I did a ton of research and immediately went out to Uniqlo. As I arrived at the store, I scrambled to find all the pieces I saw from the manga, along with the ones I researched beforehand. From jeans, khakis, cardigans, vests, I kept trying clothes for over an hour, losing myself in a fashion-crazed trance. I even made my mom wait for me outside the store, which has never happened before in the history of buying clothes. Simply put, I discovered my love for fashion, and from that point I began to dress really well. Everyone started to compliment my outfits, girls started to talk to me about my clothes, guys asked for tips on how to dress better, even my parents asked me for advice. Needless to say, I was brimming with confidence, and with that confidence I was able to get into my first relationship, do better in school, and ultimately; be happier.
The MC of Fukukiru follows a similar trajectory. He starts off as an average salaryman who doesn’t have much going on, and ends up being a fairly fashionable man; becoming confident in the process. The only difference is instead of a manga, he learns from his sister. The relationship between the two is supposed to mirror the reader and the manga, a classic teacher-student trope that’s used in many other ‘educational’ mangas. And it executes that trope perfectly by taking a simple, down to earth approach. In fact, simple and down to earth would perfectly describe the whole manga.
In the first chapter we are introduced to the main message, that anyone can look good by adhering to basic principles. Then, in the following chapters we are taught how to look good, as well as why should you look good. Each chapter is used to discuss a single topic or even a single piece of clothing. These concepts are presented in a simple, humble way with enough charm to not feel like a whole lecture. Also, the art is perfect for the manga. The simple, clean aesthetic of the characters, clothes, backgrounds, and panels; combined with the expressive, exaggerated faces of the characters make Fukukiru a pleasant, delightful read.
Fashion is often associated with art, and art is associated with talent. I remember in high school when I started learning how to paint on a whim, I splurged way too much money on equipment, I made the house smell like oil for days, and my mother used to yell at me; “You’ll never be a great artist like Picasso!”
Well, that doesn’t mean I can’t draw a cool ass mountain.
The point is that you shouldn’t be intimidated by fashion. Fukukiru invites us to learn how to dress well by following the ‘Rules of Fashion’ along with the MC. It aims to teach us that dressing up is simple, affordable, and that becoming fashionable doesn’t necessarily mean you’re trying to impress anyone. You dress up to have that confidence in yourself, because just like self expression, wanting to look good is human nature. So, no mom, just because I picked up painting doesn’t mean I’m trying to be a great painter (Granted, I did spend money I wasn’t supposed to, so her anger was justified).
In conclusion, Fukukiru is a cozy ‘educational’ manga for people who have an interest in understanding the basics of dressing up. Who knows, maybe if you recommend this manga to someone it might change their lives dramatically, probably not. Just don’t forget to read the title to them.
Please note:
- Idk what to call this manga so I called it Fukukiru.
