Harukana Machi-E is the story of a middle aged business man, Hiroshi. As monotonous as life can get, work seems to be his first priority over family and lately he has taken to drinking almost regularly. One day while returning home from a tiring business trip, he ends up taking a wrong train and learns that the train’s destination is Kurayoshi, his hometown where he grew up. As he walks down the familiar street of his childhood, he is engulfed by nostalgia and he somehow finds himself in front of the house where he once lived with his parents, sister and grandmother. He visits his mother’s grave and thinks of his mother who had to suffer a lot in her life after his father disappeared mysteriously, never to return back. He falls asleep and wakes up after some time to miraculously find himself in the body of a young boy who looked like what he did when he was fourteen years old. As unbelievable as it could get for him, he soon realizes that he is transported to his childhood when he was in junior high. Everything around him looks exactly the same as they once did and what’s more, he finds his same old family in front of him. As he relives his childhood for the second time, he resolves to do things he couldn’t do before and comes to know things he never knew. And for the first time he understands the value of family, love and little things that we often take for granted in our life.
If I have to define this manga in one word then it’s AMAZING. At first glance, it may seem like just another slice of life work with the much debated concept of time travel but as you read you’ll realize it’s something more than that. It’s a stunningly and very realistically narrated story through the point of view of the protagonist, Hiroshi, retaining the body of his former self- a fourteen years old boy but the mind of his present self- a forty-eight years old man. It is heart-warming and at the same time heart-breaking. It is bittersweet. It knows how to remain simple and comprehensible while keeping the reader hooked through the pages.
The characters are what make this manga interesting, really. They are portrayed in a very realistic manner with their own strengths and weaknesses. None of them are depicted as someone perfect or overly idealistic. You can easily relate to more than one character and see through their eyes. Whether family members or friends and classmates, their relations with the protagonist are convincing enough.
While the art is not something everyone can appreciate, especially those who are used to the modern style, it is good nonetheless. It is detailed and the characters’ expressions are very well drawn in my opinion. In brief, the manga has a clean look to it with well segmented panels.
I’d recommend Harukana Machi-E to anyone who is looking for a short, simple yet intriguing slice of life manga.
