Slice of Life (397)

Nasu is a collection of stories, focusing on a returning series of characters, such as Takama, a farmer, and a young girl named Aya Takashi, who begins the series abandoned by her father and residing in Tokyo with her two younger siblings, and as the manga progresses to its second volume, leaves the city to reside in the countryside with her relatives, near Takama's farm. Apart from the chapters concerning Takama and Aya, other stories are also featured, such as one telling the chronicles of samurai in the Edo period hunting forbidden eggplant (nasu), another set atop a futuristic Mount Fuji, another tale concerning a truck driver, and also Summer in Andalusia, the story concerning the professional Spanish bicyclist Pepe Benengeli, from which the film was adapted.

Our heroine, Ruu MACHIDA, is having a hard time. Her mother died when she was little, and her father, with whom she had been living, has disappeared without a trace after getting into debt. Ruu is on her own.

To make ends meet, she takes a job as a live-in maid for a very wealthy household. To Ruu's surprise, the house she ends up working at is the home of three cute brothers, and she already knows one of them! They agree to let Ruu work there because they are often alone and they could use the help. Their parents are often away on business. Ruu moves in and works hard as a maid, and they all become very close. But things aren't always smooth sailing. Ruu has a lot of pressure on her because of her father's debts, and three very cute guys to deal with!

Vol 2 included one-shot: Watashi no Sugar Baby

Akane Tachibana is a freshman high school student who, despite his talent for basketball, decides to abandon sports clubs due to the pressure put on him by them. Once he arrives at Kouzu High, however, he meets the only other basketball player who has ever caught his eye on the courts and decides to join the team. The first match of the season is an exhibition game against the league's strongest team, Hyamazaki—the team that Hiiragi's father coaches and in which his older brother plays for. Hiiragi ends up playing in the second half of the game, and they seem to not be working well together on the court, losing the game, until unintentionally one of the senior players on the team challenges them to beat him. They join forces, inspiring the team to victory. Thus starts the story of a group of teenagers working to reach the top, fighting tooth and nail the entire way.

(Soure: Wikipedia)

Joe Yabuki has learned how to toughen up and stop trusting others after a troubling youth spent bouncing between orphanages and fending off bullies. After finally escaping the cycle of violent temporary homes, Joe adopts a delinquent lifestyle in the streets of San'ya, a slum in Tokyo. He makes his way through the world with his fists, picking fights with anyone he pleases.

Danpei Tange, a washed-up and alcoholic former boxing coach, notices Joe's animalistic combat ability and attempts to mentor the wild teenager. Despite developing an explosive relationship, the two form a close bond and rely on each other to look after the other homeless children in San'ya.

Unable to abandon his destructive habits, Joe is arrested for petty crimes. In jail, he meets and fights with lifelong friends and rivals, including the boxing prodigy Tooru Rikiishi. Continuously challenging Rikiishi to fights, Joe is knocked out time after time due to his savage brawling style failing in the face of Rikiishi's controlled boxing technique. But eventually, Joe stuns his rival with a knockout blow, earning Rikiishi's respect and the promise that they will one day meet again inside the professional ring.

Finding a reason to live within boxing, Joe takes life head-on with a new purpose. As he rises through Japan's amateur and professional boxing scenes, he contends with painful loss and increasing injury. Joe's passion for fighting is all-consuming, and he grapples with the idea that a life without boxing may not be one worth living.

[Written by Animeranku Rewrite]

The main character is named Hikaru. She misses her dead brother and speaks to him in her mind as she begins her first day of high school. Here she has many ordinary adventures. She becomes fast friends with a girl named Nene, who lets nothing stand in her way and pushes Hikaru to kiss her new crush, Michiya, who reminds her of her brother. He lets her kiss him, which as it turns out is not a good sign. He predictably turns out to be a jerk, whose personality is nothing like Hikaru's brother's. Also, Nene is a shoplifter. When Hikaru understandably gets upset about this, Nene gets angry at her and tells her to find another friend. (Source: Shoujo Manga Maniac)

Accepted to a high school specializing in the arts, Yuno moves into a nearby apartment complex to make her commute easier. Just a few days into her new routine, she quickly discovers that creativity doesn't end with the art school bell! Her neighbors—Sae, Hiro, and Miya—are all fellow students, and each has her own hilarious quirks. And eccentricity clearly rules this school; Yuno's homeroom teach is a cosplay otaku and the principal is just...weird. Will the quiet Yuno be able to handle this creatively kooky cast of characters?

(Source: Yen Press)

Fumi and Akira were best friends when they were little, with Akira always looking after the crybaby Fumi, but that all ended when Fumi's family moved away. Several years later, Fumi's family returned, and she and Akira happened to bump into each other on their way to school. They became friends again, quickly slipping back into old patterns. Shortly after, Fumi began dating a cool, attractive upperclassman who, coincidentally enough, had ties to Akira's current school, the prestigious Fujigaya Girls' Academy.

(Source: Lililicious)

Yun-Ook Jang is a 26-year-old freelance illustrator who rents out a room to help pay off her debts. Her tenant is a 19-year-old drop-out named Bum-Moo Lee, who only has a part-time job. Before Yun-Ook knew how old Bum-Moo was, he seemed rather mysterious and cold to her, and the two argued all the time. Little does she know that Lee is a kid who should be going to school!

Chi is a lost kitten that is surprised to be picked up by a small family. Suddenly, she finds herself in a strange new environment full of frightening things like baths and big dogs! In these short, full-color comics, see the world from the point of view of an adorable kitten.

The story is about the adventures of a 14-year-old girl named Nico Hayashi who uses her talents of changing and altering her voice to manipulate men over the phone who want to participate in Enjo kōsai. Through this she learns a lot about human nature, and gains a keen understanding of peoples through their voices. An aging gangster notices her talents and decides to hire her to solve various cases. While Nico is on her first case, she meets with a geeky man named Iichiro Sudo, who has an obsession with robot toy models. This obsession that leads Nico to call him "Robo," and the two become an unlikely team. After completing her first case Nico proclaims herself "Sexy Voice" and a variety of short loosely linked character-driven adventures ensue.

Ever dream of being in a rock band? How about a GENIUS rock band? Chul, Dal Bong, Mickey, and Rae-young--four deviant misfits of society--find themselves stalked, caught, and coerced into forming the greatest boy band of the century. And it doesn't hurt that they have talent, looks, and personality.

A female detective, an heiress, a Betsy Johnson-inspired wardrobe, an evil dude, a cute evil dude, and other casts and characters all come together in this brilliant high jinks story of rock 'n roll, friends, and yes, love, that will make you wish you could have been there for the Audition.

(Source: DramaQueen)

Junior high school student Kyousuke Kasuga and his family are espers, commanding an array of unique powers. But whenever this arouses the public's suspicion, they must swiftly relocate. Tired of this routine, Kyousuke transfers schools for the eighth time and is determined to make this the last. However, a series of unexpected developments lands him in the middle of the school's notorious delinquent duo.

Madoka Ayukawa, enigmatic and feared by the students, often switches her personality between cold and affectionate, while the lively and energetic Hikaru Hiyama harbors a public crush for her "darling" Kyousuke. Caught up in a fierce love triangle threatening his dream of an ordinary life, Kyousuke decides to use his powers in an attempt to appease both girls. But it soon becomes apparent that his indecision will only take him so far.

[Written by Animeranku Rewrite]

Optimistic, 16-year-old Nanako Misonoo anticipates a blissful experience at her new high school. Enrolling alongside her best friend Tomoko Arikura, she is confident that her freshman year will be exciting and filled with pleasant memories.

However, upon entering the prestigious all-girls Seiran Academy, the wondrous school life Nanako had envisioned quickly vanishes as she is inducted into one of the school's most elite clubs, the Sorority. Normally only accepting the wealthiest and most prominent students, Nanako—who is neither rich nor well-known—is rumored to have cheated the selection and becomes a target of bullying from her envious peers. To make matters worse, she gradually becomes involved with Seiran's most popular students, the "Magnificent Three," comprising of the disconcerted pianist Rei Asaka, the competitive tomboy Kaoru Orihara, and the dignified Sorority President Fukiko Ichinomiya.

As a result of her abnormal situation, Nanako begins documenting her daily life in the form of letters to her former teacher, Takehiko Henmi, whom she fondly refers to as "brother," all while striving to find peace amidst the turmoil that is Seiran Academy.

[Written by Animeranku Rewrite]
Included one-shot:
Volume 3: Early Spring Trembling

Cranry Bennett is a bachelorette nearing the age of thirty—rather peculiar for a woman in late 19th century England. Opting to forego the traditional lifestyle of a housewife, she runs a small cafe in town, but when things begin falling apart at home, she finally decides to hire herself a maid.

Upon returning home one evening, Cranry is greeted by her first applicant: the orphaned 13-year-old Shirley Madison. Having then realized she had forgotten to specify an age requirement on her flyer, she is initially reluctant, but after conversing with the young Shirley and being impressed by her mature demeanor and eagerness to work, she offers the little maid a job.
Shirley tells the lighthearted and wholesome story of a young girl searching for her place in the world and the happiness that fills her heart upon finding acceptance from others.

[Written by Animeranku Rewrite]

Who takes the time these days to climb a tree in bare feet to rescue a child's toy? To stop and observe the birds? To play in the puddles after a storm? To go down to the sea to put a shell back? The Walking Man does as he strolls at random through urban Japan—often silent, often alone—with his vivid dreams that let time stand still.

(Source: Ponent Mon)

This collection is an amalgamation of work reflecting Hiroki Endo's philosophy and his outstanding ability to draw and to tell stories.
Volume 1
1. Karasu to Shoujo to Yakuza (The Crows, the Girl and the Yakuza)
2. Kitto Kawaii Onnanoko dakara (Because You're Definitely a Cute Girl)
3. Kamisama nante Shinjiteinai Bokura no Tame ni (For Those of Us Who Don't Believe in God)
Volume 2
1. Hang
2. Joshikousei 2000 (High School Girl 2000)
3-4. Platform
5. Boys Don't Cry

Akari is a cute but somewhat inhibited teenage girl who attends high school with her childhood chums, Hiroyuki and Masashi. Though she regards these two along the lines of siblings, Akari finds her world becoming troublesome as her adolescent affection for the generous and warm-hearted Hiroyuki begins to grow onto something more. The complications only thicken when a beautiful senior, Serika Kurusugawa, steps into the picture. Akari finds her solution in an unlikely place: An android named Multi, who happens to be training to become a full fledged maid robot, just might be able to use her machined mind to help Akari overcome her shyness and win Hiroyuki's love!
(Source: ADV)

High school student Sawako is caught in a compromising situation. As a result, the other students in her school bully and ostracize her to the point she looks to suicide and drops out of school. She starts drawing manga and the hobby becomes her "vitamin."

(Source: ANN)

Ooe Kintarou is a Tokyo University Law School dropout. However, he had completed all the course work needed to graduate before leaving school. Since then, he has wandered through many jobs all over Japan as a student of life with little more than a journal, a pen, and his trusty mountain bike (the Mikazuki 5). On his journeys, he runs into various compromising situations with beautiful women, and he must use his unique talents as a jack-of-all-trades to survive, let alone have a chance to find his true calling in life. But he is far more skilled than he appears, and he is determined to succeed no matter what he does. He could be the man who will save Japan—no, the world... or maybe not. Packed with hilarious hi-jinks, lots of ecchi, ramen noodles, gracious kindness, and even some toilet hugging, Golden Boy is full of non-stop fun.

(Source: MU)

Part 1: Hiroshima, 1955. Ten years after the city was consumed by a scorching flash of light, a woman's soul is still deeply shaken by the earth-shattering explosion that devastated her home and changed her life forever...
A family from Hiroshima struggles to come to terms with their survival of the atomic bombing of their city. The protagonist is Minami Hirano, about 20 years of age.

Part 2: Set some decades later, the niece of Minami Hirano is bewildered by her father's mysterious disappearances. She and a friend follow him to discover what he is doing.

The main theme of this is historic manga concerns the question what impact the war and the atomic bombing had on the most vulnerable. Fumiyo Kôno examines this question in her outstanding book—an award-winning, widely-discussed masterpiece!

Asatte no Houkou. follows the lives of Karada Iokawa, a young girl who is set to join junior high school after summer is over, and Shouko Nogami, a young woman who has just returned from studying abroad, who also happens to be the former girlfriend of Karada's older brother.

The day Shouko returns, she is dragged by Karada to the beach with her brother and a couple of their friends since she used to know Karada's brother Hiro several years before. After becoming irritated with Hiro for leaving her alone in the United States, she purposefully tells Karada that her ribbons are childish. This upset her greatly because she doesn't like to be treated as a child.

Later that same day, Karada is found by Shouko praying at a shrine, wishing to become older. Amazingly, Karada's wish becomes true and she instantly transforms into a young woman. Incidentally, Shouko then has her adulthood taken away from her and she reverts back to about eleven years old.

(Source: Wikipedia)

High school is a time of new opportunity, new adventures... and the same old silliness that you thought you grew out of. Yuma, Eriko, and Ayano are three friends starting their years at an all-girls high school, and are forced to learn just how things run in this new crazy world. Classes, cliques, and even sex... nothing is avoided when high school girls are let loose!

Masahiko Yanagiba lost both parents and, following his mother's will, moved to his maternal uncle's family, the Wakanaes. Although Wakanaes' hospitality was heartwarming, he soon found out why his other relatives shun away from the Wakanaes: his "uncle" is a woman while his "aunt" is just the opposite. Turns out the couple took the appearance of the opposite gender, and now Masahiko has no idea whether his cute cousin, Shion Wakanae, is either a boy or a girl.

(Source: ANN)

The only common feature running through these stories is a grown-up protagonist somehow coming face-to-face with his childhood past, in a testament to the loss of youth, the disillusionment of growing old, and nostalgia for better times. In the Adachi pantheon, this is a rare diametric view of his eternal theme of "youth," in this case youth as seen through the lens of the past. It's a powerful statement from Adachi that might even be an acknowledgment of his steadily-creeping age. What is impressive about these stories is not the plots or characters themselves, but the absolutely perfect way he tells them, another facet of experience that comes with age. Most of the stories may require multiple readings to fully appreciate the airtightness of the plot and visual motifs.
(from Mangascreener)