Look Back

August 26, 2022

Fujimoto's (Chainsaw Man) stand-alone story depicts the friendship between Fujino, a confident storyteller with a comic strip in her school newspaper, and Kyomoto, a truant classmate who never leaves her house, but whose drawing abilities far outpace Fujino's. When they finally meet and decide to collaborate, they find great success. But Kyomoto remains pensive and interior, focused on the beauty of landscapes and backgrounds, and eventually deciding to pursue art school rather than work in the manga industry alongside her friend. A brutal tragedy leaves Fujino reflecting on their relationship and what might have been different in a misty moment of supernatural time travel. The plot is poignant, but the visual celebrations of quintessential manga moments define the mood of the book in a moving, elegiac way. Ultimately, it's an appreciation of the art form, its artists, and the reader. The translation and the English text layout are a bit hasty, which is a shame, because the story is compelling and could use more cultural context for the less familiar. VERDICT A beautiful, dream-like story about art-making, friendship, and growing up, best appreciated by manga fans with a basic sense of the visual and cultural cues of the genre.--Emilia Packard

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September 15, 2022
Grades 9-12 Precocious Fujino and the socially anxious Kyomoto cross paths in fourth grade after writing manga-style strips for their school newspaper, and the two decide to write manga together. Their work is met with moderate success, but Kyomoto's decision to go to art school diverges their paths--Fujino goes on to write a popular serialized manga with an anime adaptation. When tragedy strikes Kyomoto's art school, Fujino is prompted to reflect on their lives together and whether she's to blame for Kyomoto's fate. This story is sparse but powerful, and Fujimoto ponders some difficult questions about life decisions and how they affect others. The illustration style is a little rougher than is typical of most manga, but for those familiar with Fujimoto's more well-known series, such as Chainsaw Man and Fire Punch, that's to be expected. This single-volume manga will have appeal for high-school readers currently in the throes of making major life decisions.

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