Starting off with some backstory, Pink was originally written in 1989 during the peak of bubble economy Japan. Despite this, it takes a different approach than the one you might be expecting, instead of being head-on with its criticism, what Pink does is take this setup and paint a picture of the way a consumerist society operates. It doesn't tell you how to feel, it just throws shit at you, and in a way we can still pull aspects of the narrative and apply them to our current situation even decades later.
Now moving on to Yumi, I actually really enjoyed her character. She doesn't have groundbreaking characterization, (which actually serves this type of a one-shot surprisingly well!) nor does she feel like a one-of-a-kind idiosyncratic protag whose purpose is to excel at being annoyingly cynical, which is sadly a common theme within Josei. Yumi feels like someone you could actually know in real life as opposed to a caricature. But, moving on to another factor I like to look out for!! The way taboo topics are presented within transgressive media!! Now with Pink, although the story is carried out in a comedic way, it never seems to put itself in a light where sensitive issues such as misogyny and suicide are devalued which I greatly appreciate.
SPOILERS???? AFTER THIS MARK
More on the story's light-hearted feel, it's humorous in a way that's refreshingly blunt, and for me personally, the most memorable part of reading Pink was skimming through Okazaki's sardonic commentary (mostly on the characters) that was stuffed into the margins. But aside from all that, plot-wise, Yumi, our protagonist, works late nights as a call girl to feed her pet crocodile (a manifestation of her hunger/desire if you will) who just kind of chills out in her apartment??? She has sex with rude old men, buys things just for the sake of well... buying things, and just explores the simple pleasures of life alongside her sister, and the man her step-mother is having an affair with. Sure, it's messy and complicated.. but it's also so much fun at the same time!! Pink essentially shoves its eccentric nature in your face and leaves you to deal.
So in conclusion, if you can get your hands on Pink I'd definitely say to give it a go!!! :)
