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4.43 AVERAGE
4.43 AVERAGE
Fantastic! Amazing! It made me laugh and almost cry. I loved it! And it was a fantastic way to practice reading in Japanese, so I got some basic kanji practice in. And, AND! The creator is from Cincinnati! So, greetings from the mid-west and a great big thank you for making this comic!
It was good to read a comic about trying to live in Japan. I do not come from an Asian family, so I'm sure this comic hits harder for those who understand the kinds of households Nao, Hyejung, or Tina come from. To run away to Japan to try and find yourself without the pressures of your parents. I love to visit Japan as a vacationer (ok, fine, a tourist. Oh jeez, I hope I'm not a total cringy weeb like the ones Nao comments about in Harajuku, but I know I am), but I have heard so many stories about how hard it is to live there as a gaijin and to be accepted (if you are ever fully accepted) into Japanese society.
Despite my heavy summary there, I assure you that I really loved this comic and it made me laugh out loud many times. It was very (get ready for the word I seem to be using in all my reviews) HEARTWARMING. :)
It was good to read a comic about trying to live in Japan. I do not come from an Asian family, so I'm sure this comic hits harder for those who understand the kinds of households Nao, Hyejung, or Tina come from. To run away to Japan to try and find yourself without the pressures of your parents. I love to visit Japan as a vacationer (ok, fine, a tourist. Oh jeez, I hope I'm not a total cringy weeb like the ones Nao comments about in Harajuku, but I know I am), but I have heard so many stories about how hard it is to live there as a gaijin and to be accepted (if you are ever fully accepted) into Japanese society.
Despite my heavy summary there, I assure you that I really loved this comic and it made me laugh out loud many times. It was very (get ready for the word I seem to be using in all my reviews) HEARTWARMING. :)
"I feel like I'm mourning a twin I lost in childhood"
Really cute graphic novel. Very well illustrated. Also one of the few graphic novels that I have read recently that didn't feel like a not fully fleshed out story due to the medium. Everything fit together really well. The messages and themes - of language, of heritage, of finding freedom and where you belong - are clear and strong and nuanced in their presentation. Al in all excellent book.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is a very quiet, slice of life graphic novel about the residents of a boarding house in Japan. The two boys are from Japan, but the three girls are from Singapore, South Korea, and the U.S. I absolutely loved the way different languages were handled in this book. They're printed in the original language with the English translation underneath dependent on how much the character understands. It's really fascinating to watch the main character, who was born in Japan and raised in the U.S., start off only catching a few words of Japanese and then being relatively fluent by the end.
This book just wasn’t for me. I had a hard time following the storylines and the dialogue. I DNF halfway through
4.5/5
This is a really beautiful book about human communication and forging connections through cultural and language barriers. I loved the way the dialogue is presented not just in English, but also in the native speakers’ language. This book and it’s characters felt so real, more real than honestly most things I’ve read in a while. Bravo to the author! The art is great too and I love the manga-esc comedic faces and panels.
My only complaints are:
I wanted more at the end!! It’s so abrupt!
I wish we had more Masaki development I feel like he’s almost a stranger until like the very end, and even then we barely know him. Which is weird because everyone else feels so real.
Highly recommended and a must read for anyone going to spend a significant amount of time abroad or if you know/live with people of other nations and cultures!
This is a really beautiful book about human communication and forging connections through cultural and language barriers. I loved the way the dialogue is presented not just in English, but also in the native speakers’ language. This book and it’s characters felt so real, more real than honestly most things I’ve read in a while. Bravo to the author! The art is great too and I love the manga-esc comedic faces and panels.
My only complaints are:
I wanted more at the end!! It’s so abrupt!
I wish we had more Masaki development I feel like he’s almost a stranger until like the very end, and even then we barely know him. Which is weird because everyone else feels so real.
Highly recommended and a must read for anyone going to spend a significant amount of time abroad or if you know/live with people of other nations and cultures!
it was cute :) 3.75 stars i liked it. everyone’s personal stories and experiences were nice to learn about and see them not necessarily overcome them but come to terms with them. if that makes sense
