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ばらかもん [Barakamon] #6
ばらかもん 6 [Barakamon 6]
村のみんなに黙って島を出てしまった先生。離れて初めて気づく、本当に大事なもの。ひとまわり大きくなった先生が、東京で見せる成長とは――…！ 悩める若きイケメン書道家、再出発の第６巻！
Kindle Edition
First published July 21, 2012
About the author
Satsuki Yoshino
80 books94 followersYOSHINO Satsuki
Name (in native language): ヨシノサツキ
Zodiac: Gemini
Name (in native language): ヨシノサツキ
Zodiac: Gemini
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
August 30, 2018
After the first 5 volumes of rural hijinks it is odd to suddenly have Handa in Tokyo and no interaction with the kids, but I think it was the correct choice in terms of pacing -- can't have the same bugs jokes forever -- and in terms of solidifying the character development that the protagonist has been undergoing. We meet the Handa parents in this one and you can really see why he is the way he is.
A lot more actual calligraphy happens in this one, and I really enjoyed that part. I thought the scene where the students find that Handa has been saving all their practice work was touching.
Having learned from a neurotic perfectionist, Miwa has the same reaction to getting second place that her teacher had at the start of the series.
A lot more actual calligraphy happens in this one, and I really enjoyed that part. I thought the scene where the students find that Handa has been saving all their practice work was touching.
Having learned from a neurotic perfectionist, Miwa has the same reaction to getting second place that her teacher had at the start of the series.
February 4, 2016
another fun volume (^,,^)
highlight volume ini:
highlight volume ini:
June 16, 2017
Another brilliant volume. The switches between the Island and Tokyo was fun and it was great seeing the city people for once and her dramatic mom. Next volume is already on my nightstand. Can't wait!
August 26, 2019
Not what I expected but still very emotionally satisfying.
World: Wonderful art that really conveyed emotions well. The world building was strong this arc with a lot of Tokyo and Handa's family and work on display.
Story: I was expecting more melodrama but what we got was different. We got a lot of slap stick mother guilt trip but it was still quite fun.
Characters: Naru is wonderfully muted this time and the depth of emotions was splendid. Handa and his growth was also great.
So good.
Onward to the next book!
World: Wonderful art that really conveyed emotions well. The world building was strong this arc with a lot of Tokyo and Handa's family and work on display.
Story: I was expecting more melodrama but what we got was different. We got a lot of slap stick mother guilt trip but it was still quite fun.
Characters: Naru is wonderfully muted this time and the depth of emotions was splendid. Handa and his growth was also great.
So good.
Onward to the next book!
September 15, 2024
The major attraction of this book is Handa doing pretty much nothing with the Islanders..
So now with Handa in Tokyo (briefly) it has a different feel to it....and doesn't quite pull it off for me.
So now with Handa in Tokyo (briefly) it has a different feel to it....and doesn't quite pull it off for me.
June 28, 2018
This one is good. I like that is was plot-focused.
September 5, 2020
4.25/5 stars
February 21, 2018
Always enjoyable art, most of the book was following a single story arc related to the calligraphy competition and Handa growing as a person rather than individual slices of island life so that was a nice change. Things ended back at the beginning though with Handa a calligraphy “failure” coming to the island to work on his craft, but with a much happier feel than the first time he came.
January 23, 2021
A partir de este tomo y el siguiente el anime culmina. Me alegra saber que el anime siguio con bastante exactitud la historia del manga, omitiendo algunas escenas no demasiado importantes en el manga.
February 10, 2016
Semakin menyenangkan baca komik ini~
Yang jadi favorit:
"Wah, tak kusangka di Tokyo juga bisa makan mi rebus."
"Makan mi rebus itu harus menunggunya lunak dulu!"
-By Handa-
XDD
Yang jadi favorit:
"Wah, tak kusangka di Tokyo juga bisa makan mi rebus."
"Makan mi rebus itu harus menunggunya lunak dulu!"
-By Handa-
XDD
March 2, 2022
This was a good volume, but I like it better when the cast is all together. Seeing Handa's parents really shows how Handa became the person he is, imo. I liked seeing Handa's growth, and I liked that there was more calligraphy in this volume as well.
February 12, 2023
With this one, the author changed the scenery a bit, so it resulted in humor feeling fresh again. At the same time, the growth Handa has had in the last few volumes was displayed a bit, so that was nice to see, as well.
April 4, 2023
I loved this volume so much. The change of pace was so needed and shows how much Handa fits in with the others. Plus, I loved seeing him in Tokyo and the family dynamics there too. Plus, Naru's reaction to him being gone and then getting SO excited when he was back had my whole heart.
January 19, 2024
Gah I loved this volume ! I loved how much the island and Handa missed each other! It was also hilarious to read as well!! Now that they are reunited, I am so excited to see their journeys continue to grow together!
April 15, 2025
Este tomo me ha costado un poquito más, no sé por qué. Tal vez porque recordaba demasiado bien esa parte del dorama, y que el idioma se me ha hecho bastante más cuesta arriba que los tomos anteriores. Creo que pondré esta serie en pausa un tiempo, aunque adoro a todos los personajes <3
July 31, 2017
A visit home! Back in Tokyo, will Handa still be able to prove he's matured, and show his calligraphy has, as well? Plus, a triumphant return to the island!
February 15, 2018
I was going to read just a chapter or two tonight and leave the rest for the morning, but I couldn’t put it down. For whatever reason, I was really into this volume.
May 13, 2019
I’ve caught up to the anime 😭
June 8, 2019
This is more like it, going back to Tokyo and get involved with calligraphy. Hope going back to island not became filler like before.
September 19, 2019
Pretty great adorable slice of life manga, really love it!!😻😁📖🖋
October 13, 2020
Ternyata bukan cuma Handa yg merindukan warga desa, tu bocah2 juga kehilangan sosok maestro konyol mereka ❤🤣
My fav eps!!
My fav eps!!
February 22, 2022
Barakamon, le manga où il faut une hache pour prendre un bain - chronique à venir
September 2, 2022
This series just warms my heart
January 19, 2024
Words of wisdom with Naru
"Even if there's icky stuff, it's real fun when we're all together."
4.5
"Even if there's icky stuff, it's real fun when we're all together."
4.5
May 17, 2024
Ends where the anime ended so starting next volume it's all brand new for me!
August 6, 2024
If I had any feeling I would have cried
December 21, 2024
はんだ先生の物語に戻って癒される。
日本出る前に借りた本が終わりたいのでセーラームーンに集中していたが昨日は我慢できなくて、これを読んだ。
楽しかった。
先生の家族関係はとっても面白い。
日本出る前に借りた本が終わりたいのでセーラームーンに集中していたが昨日は我慢できなくて、これを読んだ。
楽しかった。
先生の家族関係はとっても面白い。
February 21, 2016
BARAKAMON, in its sixth installment, is pedestrian: funny but lacking the fortitude to extrapolate the emotional entry points upon which the greater narrative hinges.
This is unfortunate because there's plenty of opportunity for Yoshino to dig deep: Handa sensei returns to Tokyo to apologize to the director; the village kids teem with anxiety in his absence; readers are introduced to Handa's mother and father; and lastly, Handa proves to everyone (except himself) that a little bit of maturity can go a long way.
And while the general events of the manga are as comical as ever (e.g., the poor guy tries to have a phone conversation with half of the village on the other end of the line), the number of missed opportunities grows with each passing chapter.
As readers meet Handa's parents, for example, it's evident that Handa grew up in a household of professional calligraphers. It's an interesting dynamic that likely shaped how Handa perceives and understands filial expectation; and yet, this aspect of the story remains wholly unexplored. The father only mentions it in passing.
Another example rests in the revelation that sensei's father, Seimei Handa, is good friends with the village chief. And not only that, when Seimei was younger, he and the village chief were present at the birth of a young boy -- Naru's father. The thread of who Naru's parents are (heck, where they are) was posed at the end of Volume 4 but hasn't seen the light of day since. The news that Handa's father has a connection to the girl's past makes the young calligrapher curious; unfortunately, his thought process is quickly interrupted and he never again visits the subject. Another lost opportunity.
The best this volume of BARAKAMON offers is an interlude featuring Miwa and Tama, whom are now back in school for autumn. The girls have proved to be a fairly consistent analog for documenting sensei's commiseration with the island community. To see them interact with one another, minus the direct influence the foreign calligrapher, is important not only for both Miwa and Tama as individuals, but also for how the story structures its character dynamics altogether (i.e., How does the author prove these characters are relevant beyond the overt truth that Handa sensei has touched their lives?).
Miwa's maturity is starting to bleed through as well. After she places second (behind Tama) in the summer calligraphy competition, she is uncharacteristically reflective (if only after freaking out) and poised to respect Handa sensei and view him more as a person than as a goofball.
All in all, BARAKAMON is still a fun comic. However, Yoshino's reluctance to ping the book's emotional backbone is very frustrating. Naru's loneliness needs greater emphasis. Hiroshi's indecision about his future needs greater emphasis. And while Handa sensei's personal growth bodes well for his calligraphy work, readers are left hanging as to whether the young man's personal life is as fulfilled.
This is unfortunate because there's plenty of opportunity for Yoshino to dig deep: Handa sensei returns to Tokyo to apologize to the director; the village kids teem with anxiety in his absence; readers are introduced to Handa's mother and father; and lastly, Handa proves to everyone (except himself) that a little bit of maturity can go a long way.
And while the general events of the manga are as comical as ever (e.g., the poor guy tries to have a phone conversation with half of the village on the other end of the line), the number of missed opportunities grows with each passing chapter.
As readers meet Handa's parents, for example, it's evident that Handa grew up in a household of professional calligraphers. It's an interesting dynamic that likely shaped how Handa perceives and understands filial expectation; and yet, this aspect of the story remains wholly unexplored. The father only mentions it in passing.
Another example rests in the revelation that sensei's father, Seimei Handa, is good friends with the village chief. And not only that, when Seimei was younger, he and the village chief were present at the birth of a young boy -- Naru's father. The thread of who Naru's parents are (heck, where they are) was posed at the end of Volume 4 but hasn't seen the light of day since. The news that Handa's father has a connection to the girl's past makes the young calligrapher curious; unfortunately, his thought process is quickly interrupted and he never again visits the subject. Another lost opportunity.
The best this volume of BARAKAMON offers is an interlude featuring Miwa and Tama, whom are now back in school for autumn. The girls have proved to be a fairly consistent analog for documenting sensei's commiseration with the island community. To see them interact with one another, minus the direct influence the foreign calligrapher, is important not only for both Miwa and Tama as individuals, but also for how the story structures its character dynamics altogether (i.e., How does the author prove these characters are relevant beyond the overt truth that Handa sensei has touched their lives?).
Miwa's maturity is starting to bleed through as well. After she places second (behind Tama) in the summer calligraphy competition, she is uncharacteristically reflective (if only after freaking out) and poised to respect Handa sensei and view him more as a person than as a goofball.
All in all, BARAKAMON is still a fun comic. However, Yoshino's reluctance to ping the book's emotional backbone is very frustrating. Naru's loneliness needs greater emphasis. Hiroshi's indecision about his future needs greater emphasis. And while Handa sensei's personal growth bodes well for his calligraphy work, readers are left hanging as to whether the young man's personal life is as fulfilled.
January 27, 2016
In Summary
Volume 6 is both pivotal and revealing. Not only does Handa return home to apologize for the incident that resulted in his island exile, he also makes decisions that will determine the trajectory of his life and career. On top of that, Handa’s parents bring out a whole new aspect of our genius calligrapher. For those who favor Barakamon’s boisterous style of humor, fear not. Handa may not have the villagers driving him nuts, but his mom does a fine job on her own, and it’s a nice change from the usual clueless-city-boy-in-the-country fare.
The Review
The interesting thing about Volume 6 is that our main character and the islander cast spend nearly the entire volume apart. Thus, we get an extended look at Handa in his native environment. Yet the craziness that characterizes this series is not limited to the country and continues in the city. This is partly thanks to Handa’s own high strung temperament and delicate ego. The rest can mostly be attributed to his mother. Unlike Handa’s stone-faced dad, his mom looks young and acts even younger. She’s kind of a cross between Hina’s ultra sensitivity and the island nurse’s ill temper. Between her and Kousuke serving as a kind of Naru substitute, it’s as if Handa never left the island.
However, Handa has gone home for a purpose, and the impact of his time on the island is evident as he accomplishes his goal and more. Not only does he reconcile with the Director and grow as an artist, he matures as a human being. And in the midst of an intense Handa family discussion, we get an unexpected look at Handa Senior’s past with the island and another snippet of information connected to Naru.
Meanwhile, back at the island, the kids are feeling Handa’s absence. He may be gone, but he dominates Volume 6′s three island arcs. Act 45 is packed with the kids’ mini-anecdotes about Handa so it’s like he’s never left. Act 48 shows the fruits of the calligraphy lessons he’s given Miwa and Tama, and it’s a fun change of pace to watch the girls, who usually gang up on their sensei, turn on each other. And in Act 51, we get a variation on Handa’s house getting messed up with Hiroshi subbing in as the adult figure trying to get everyone to clean the place up. In short, our highbrow calligrapher may have rubbed off on them some, but some things won’t ever change.
Extras include a bonus four-page manga, translation notes, and pictures of a Barakamon limited-edition figure (which is sadly only available in Japan).
For more manga and book reviews, drop by my blog Keeping It In Canon!
Volume 6 is both pivotal and revealing. Not only does Handa return home to apologize for the incident that resulted in his island exile, he also makes decisions that will determine the trajectory of his life and career. On top of that, Handa’s parents bring out a whole new aspect of our genius calligrapher. For those who favor Barakamon’s boisterous style of humor, fear not. Handa may not have the villagers driving him nuts, but his mom does a fine job on her own, and it’s a nice change from the usual clueless-city-boy-in-the-country fare.
The Review
The interesting thing about Volume 6 is that our main character and the islander cast spend nearly the entire volume apart. Thus, we get an extended look at Handa in his native environment. Yet the craziness that characterizes this series is not limited to the country and continues in the city. This is partly thanks to Handa’s own high strung temperament and delicate ego. The rest can mostly be attributed to his mother. Unlike Handa’s stone-faced dad, his mom looks young and acts even younger. She’s kind of a cross between Hina’s ultra sensitivity and the island nurse’s ill temper. Between her and Kousuke serving as a kind of Naru substitute, it’s as if Handa never left the island.
However, Handa has gone home for a purpose, and the impact of his time on the island is evident as he accomplishes his goal and more. Not only does he reconcile with the Director and grow as an artist, he matures as a human being. And in the midst of an intense Handa family discussion, we get an unexpected look at Handa Senior’s past with the island and another snippet of information connected to Naru.
Meanwhile, back at the island, the kids are feeling Handa’s absence. He may be gone, but he dominates Volume 6′s three island arcs. Act 45 is packed with the kids’ mini-anecdotes about Handa so it’s like he’s never left. Act 48 shows the fruits of the calligraphy lessons he’s given Miwa and Tama, and it’s a fun change of pace to watch the girls, who usually gang up on their sensei, turn on each other. And in Act 51, we get a variation on Handa’s house getting messed up with Hiroshi subbing in as the adult figure trying to get everyone to clean the place up. In short, our highbrow calligrapher may have rubbed off on them some, but some things won’t ever change.
Extras include a bonus four-page manga, translation notes, and pictures of a Barakamon limited-edition figure (which is sadly only available in Japan).
For more manga and book reviews, drop by my blog Keeping It In Canon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2020
Review of volumes 4-6
3 months have passed since Handa first came to a small, rural town on a small island (it's helpfully mentioned several times so the reader can have an accurate timeline) to focus on his calligraphy, and he's starting to settle in a bit, slowly. I mentioned in my review of volumes 1-3 that at that point, he had just barely begun to unwind a fraction and get used to the small town, and that continues in the next 3 volumes. Handa is, at his core, an uptight person. He just is. It's probably safe to say that he's never going to completely embrace the more open, relaxed sociability that seems the norm of the island town.
But he definitely is relaxing and continuing to open up, and his entourage of local children and teenagers who have adopted him as sensei-slash-weird-uncle clearly enjoy his idiosyncrasies. Which is why it's more emotionally impacting than I expected to see Handa pack up and head back to Tokyo at the end of volume 5.
The time apart is good, plot-wise, for everyone: it puts Handa back in his native habitat (a big city), and lets both him and those who know him see how he's changed, and helps him better understand the things he finds valuable about the island and its people. The islanders (mainly children), for their part, start to realize how much they genuinely enjoyed Handa's company, rater than just seeing him as an easily-teased city boy.
It's also, let's be real, a welcome break from the "Handa discovers some rural thing* and gets scared or weirded out" theme that most chapters consist of. Those aren't bad chapters and they're quite humorous, but this is a nice way to remember that Handa isn't just out on the island for kicks and giggles. I'm sure that in future volumes, the contrast between his two homes and their very different settings and advantages will reappear and wreak more emotional distress.
But in the meantime, the gang is back together and ready for more adventures.
An Incomplete List Of Things Handa Gets Scared or Weirded Out By
-dragonflies
-beetles
-bugs in general
-having to gut a fish
-a wood-fired bath
-masked Obon dancers
-walking home by moonlight
-swinging from a vine
3 months have passed since Handa first came to a small, rural town on a small island (it's helpfully mentioned several times so the reader can have an accurate timeline) to focus on his calligraphy, and he's starting to settle in a bit, slowly. I mentioned in my review of volumes 1-3 that at that point, he had just barely begun to unwind a fraction and get used to the small town, and that continues in the next 3 volumes. Handa is, at his core, an uptight person. He just is. It's probably safe to say that he's never going to completely embrace the more open, relaxed sociability that seems the norm of the island town.
But he definitely is relaxing and continuing to open up, and his entourage of local children and teenagers who have adopted him as sensei-slash-weird-uncle clearly enjoy his idiosyncrasies. Which is why it's more emotionally impacting than I expected to see Handa pack up and head back to Tokyo at the end of volume 5.
The time apart is good, plot-wise, for everyone: it puts Handa back in his native habitat (a big city), and lets both him and those who know him see how he's changed, and helps him better understand the things he finds valuable about the island and its people. The islanders (mainly children), for their part, start to realize how much they genuinely enjoyed Handa's company, rater than just seeing him as an easily-teased city boy.
It's also, let's be real, a welcome break from the "Handa discovers some rural thing* and gets scared or weirded out" theme that most chapters consist of. Those aren't bad chapters and they're quite humorous, but this is a nice way to remember that Handa isn't just out on the island for kicks and giggles. I'm sure that in future volumes, the contrast between his two homes and their very different settings and advantages will reappear and wreak more emotional distress.
But in the meantime, the gang is back together and ready for more adventures.
An Incomplete List Of Things Handa Gets Scared or Weirded Out By
-dragonflies
-beetles
-bugs in general
-having to gut a fish
-a wood-fired bath
-masked Obon dancers
-walking home by moonlight
-swinging from a vine
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews