The pacing is incredible especially the first story. I love Al's annoyance to the young upcoming politician. It really works well in setting the scene for the rest of the stories and works as a great introduction. It gives you the melancholy feeling that spirals throughout the story and becomes fuller, while also giving you an idea of the gay shenanigans that Al's work brings him-- being a younger homosexual politician in Italy.
In the second story it's more cute-melancholy. The fact that Neri is surrounded by a bunch of politicians and people who care about politics but wants to just get in the game to look at older men with glasses-- "interi"-- is fun to read about.
There is also the revolving problems of gay men involved in politics in the third story. It's pretty scandalous! Which I will rave about some more...
The fifth story is one of natsume ono's best in my opinion. It follows a beautiful story about melted gelato being a metaphor for the melting feeling you get from things that you can't control. This one really tugged at my heart strings, not only for the beautiful art, but the melancholic storyline that never gets resolved but at least relief is "found" in a way for both men. Natsume Ono uses this tension in a lot of her short stories and has proven very well at it, I love to read about when she really gets the social nuance spot on based on the conflict and interwoven into the story's details (such as the melted gelato, broken sign, adults with heartbreak who drink), and this one really stands out. If you are going to read a short story from this one, make it chapter 5.
Of course I like how the next story after takes elements from the fifth. However it is a stark contrast as it is a bit more comedic and scandalous full of secrets.
...and then the last story circles back to the depressive life of scandals among gay politicians, and tells a backstory on Al himself getting taken advantage of by an older, more experienced politician who is gay as well. It hints on the subject of blackmail but also gives Al a reasonable explanation to have worried about Neri getting involved in his work, Neri being someone who is a young and spry gay man who is freshly interested in the world of politics from being around Al (albeit only to look at "interi").
I really love this story for, again, the melancholic nature but also making you feel a lot of empathy for Al. It was a nice ending to the book and especially the last few panels where Neri reveals his own personal, but tender scandal to Al!
Conclusion:
Aru to neri to sono shuuhen is another great manga from Ono. Her basso work, which I've always been in love with, im finally getting to making some reviews. I wouldn't put her work down just because it is hard to understand at first. In the end, when you get used to her style, you really see the work she puts into her manga and how different her representation of LGBT people was especially for early 2000s Japan and really makes you appreciate her work. As always, she uses a subject she enjoys and many of us enjoys too, Middle aged Italian politicians! I gave it a 9 and not a 10 because I'm personally not a fan of comedy which there is a small bit of comedy to end off some stories, which is my pet peeve, though it does not get in the way of the enjoyment factor.
