A Pizza Slice of Life

Hey sterling, starlight, starbright, starshine sisters *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

I love taking time for myself after a stressful week. And yes, this also applies even on days when I know I shouldn't take a breather because of deadlines. I've been meaning to read Nana for a while now, so I started it today! I also read a few recommended manga like Lvl. 999 Yamada-kun, #DRCL, and Hirayasumi.

Well, to keep my unsolicited review short (A LIE. A LIE. A LIE.)... Nana is pretty nice. I love how it tells the story of two girls with the same name but totally different lives. For the longest time, Nana has been one of those iconic you-should-read-this mangas and I can definitely see why. It feels very much like it was written for girls with the experience of 'coming of age' in mind. It's delicate and has this distinct way of characterizing relationships between people, how difficult it is to move forward in life, and how life is just--how it is. I haven't finished it yet and I just started so I don't know what else to say but I can tell I'll continue enjoying it. Lvl. 999 Yamada-kun was just an indulgent romance-comedy manga, there's not much to say about it but I did catch up to the latest scanlations--so, I guess that's something. #DRCL, on the other hand, was really... striking. It's supposed to be inspired by Bram Stoker's Dracula. The art was really dramatic and its storytelling is so? Captivating. Like, the way it unfolds and the way you get to know more about the characters... It's very interesting. It's a bit winky-wonky but I thought it was really unique. Also, Dracula in the manga also looks like Michael Jackson. (HIIEEEE...!!)

Okay, however... Hirayasumi... might actually be my favorite read right now. It's a sweet slice-of-life manga, and it's just so? Mundanely delicate.

Well, since I'm already raving about it, let me give a quick backstory on the author of Hirayasumi. During the pandemic, the mangaka was admitted to a hospital for cancer; he described his life, at the time, as boring and uneventful and that he missed being able to just live freely. It was after recovering and during his way home from the hospital that Keigo was inspired to write Hirayasumi. The manga's theme centralizes around the idea of enjoying the present. The moments he illustrates in the manga the most are the moments we wouldn't think twice about; like taking a stroll, enjoying the scenery, and breathing in the fresh air. Moments where you look around and think "I'm glad I'm here right now in this very moment."

Shinzo Keigo lost those moments when he was hospitalized, and after learning how lovely these fleeting yet mundane experiences were and how he took them for granted, he wrote and illustrated Hirayasumi.

Honestly, there's something about Hirayasumi that just makes me feel at ease. The art style is so simple yet pretty. The characters feel relatable and realistic. The story isn't too complex nor does it have unnecessary drama. Hirayasumi perfectly encapsulates the feeling of a slice of life. Hirayasumi carries this vibe that makes reading each chapter more and more enjoyable than the last.

Hirayasumi is so far very wholesome and just relaxing to read after a long day of work. It makes me thankful that I'm still alive, still able to exist on this planet with others and it reminds me to enjoy the present while it lasts. Hirayasumi silently screams to me to slow down and enjoy the little things you walk right by every day.

Sincerity be damned, there's just something about Hirayasumi that puts me at ease. The artwork is simplistic yet lovely and endearing to the heart and eyes--it's like opening a box of seashells from your childhood, a pack of gummies, eating ice cream by the sidewalk on a hot summer day, playing hopscotch with the neighbor, chasing your rabbit through the garden... The characters are all so authentic and sympathetic that it just... feels so comfy and perfectly captures the essence of a slice of life. It just deadass exudes this vibe that makes reading each chapter more delightful, and it makes me grateful that I'm still alive, and that I can experience the little happy things in the world. To me, Hirayasumi serves as a gentle reminder to savor life while it lasts, to slow down and take in the little things I pass every day as I walk right by them.

Okay, as much as I'd like to talk about how happy I am to experience life--these reports that I've been putting off are making me Very Unhappy. Gooba.