HANAMI. TU, YO, 19 M2 Y JAPON

by Julia Cejas

¿Qué mejor lugar que Japón para una dibujante de cómics y un compositor de videojuegos? Julia y Marc deciden cumplir su sueño de ir a vivir una temporada a Tokio. Allí su día a día se convierte en toda clase de microaventuras. ¿Qué es el Hanami? ¿Cuál es el drama con la basura? ¿Quiénes son esos ancianos con luces que gritan en la calle? Y sobre todo… ¿Cómo sobrevive una pareja en 19 m2?Hanami es un hilarante cuaderno de viaje con el que descubriremos infinidad de curiosidades sobre Japón a través de la mirada curiosa y libre de prejuicios de la autora Julia Cejas.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Japan, Nonfiction, Biography, Travel, Memoir

136 pages, Hardcover

Published September 22, 2023

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fish out of water memoir follows a Spanish couple living in Tokyo for a few months as they take an intensive Japanese language course. She's an artist who wants to draw everything she sees. He's an aspiring video game score composer who's hoping to get the attention of a Japanese game company. And the Japanese people are their oddly endearing, rule-bound selves.

Nothing earthshaking (~inside joke snicker~), but a nice little travelogue. There's a real appreciation of the culture, even if the language barrier prevents the author from making any personal connections with the people.

[Laubythesea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐️

[♡ Tkay! · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

→ This was an ode to Japan and Japanese culture, and it was adorable! We meet Marc and Julia, who move from Spain to Japan, and embark on daily adventures while living in their tiny apartment. Shown through a series of short stories, we watch them navigate the complex trash system, experience the cherry blossoms and so much more, all while trying to get jobs, dealing with medical and financial worries, and the anxiety of moving to a new place out of the blue. 🌸⛩️

→ I found the art style to be very fitting for this graphic novel, and adored the color palette.
It was a cute, quirky novel that gives you a slice of life in Japan. Would highly recommend for someone who wants to learn a little about Japan or just enjoy a laid back comic. 🏯❤️

[Libbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hanami is a graphic novel memoir reflecting on the author's experience living in Japan for a year with her partner Marc. She's an artist and he is an aspiring video game composer, hoping to get the attention of a Japanese video game company.

The memoir is told through a series of short stories and snippets into their lives in Japan and how they navigated cultural differences and struggled through a language barrier. We get to watch them take Japanese lessons, experience a simulated earthquake, buy groceries and even try and fail to ask someone for the time in Japanese. I especially enjoyed the parts with their lessons in the school learning Japanese as well as the "view from my window" highlights.

I really enjoyed the art style the author uses and think it works really well and the colour palette is pleasant to look at.

Would definitely recommend to anyone interested in Japan and Japanese culture!

Thank you to NetGalley and Humanoids Inc for providing an ARC copy for review. All opinions are my own.

[Irene Lázaro · Rating 3 out of 5]

La ilustración y la paleta de color me han gustado, el tono también es el adecuado, pero la autora se centra más en las frustraciones de aprender el idioma y buscar trabajo que en la experiencia de vivir Japón como occidental, que es lo que yo hubiera preferido.

[Aradeea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Libro cuqui sobre la experiencia de una pareja que va a vivir a Japón durante unos meses. El estilo de ilustración es muy guay y me gustaría ver algo más de esta autora, pero la verdad es que la historia no me ha aportado nada que no se haya contado antes, aunque está genial para un primer comic. 💗

[Izzati · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This graphic novel is about a Spanish couple in their mid-30s living in Japan for a little while when they were at a crossroad in their lives.

This is not the first time that I have read a graphic novel where westerners recount their experiences travelling or living in Japan. So, unfortunately, there were a lot of things that I found to be pretty similar to other graphic novels in the same vein.

Like other similar books, this one is not one continuous story but a collection of snippets of interesting things that they experienced while in Japan. This could sometimes make my reading journey feel a little jagged.
The illustration is not bad but can sometimes make me feel a little lost as to what was happening due to the lack of words and expressions. I’m not sure if this is a style I’m just not familiar with because I think this is the first time I read anything by a Spaniard illustrator.

What I did love about the novel however, was the little precious moments between her and her husband, especially when they were talking about their worries regarding work. Those were so relatable and vulnerable that I wish I could have more. There were also some happenings that were somewhat funny because she actually put to paper what we might all feel but don’t normally talk about. For example, how fleeting Sakura was thus gone be the Hanami memories almost as soon as the last petal fall to the ground.

I’d still recommend this book, but for people who people who either have not read a similar book, those who like to read something similar or people who are struggling to find their ways in their 30s.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I completely delightful look at a foreigner experience in Japan! I loved reading about Julia and Marc's experience in their tiny apartment in Japan. I loved the parts that were set in the school with them learning Japanese! The art style of this book is also wonderful. It's a funny slice of life graphic novel that I recommend checking out!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an e arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me he sentido sorprendentemente identificada con su autora en varios puntos 😅 Es un cómic amable, con bonitos dibujos y personajes graciosamente expresivos. Se lee en una tarde y saca más de una sonrisa.

[Noriboo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This graphic novel gives an insight into a year of the lives of a Spanish couple that decides to live in Japan for a year through a collection of drawn short stories. Julia Cejas has illustrated small and big struggles that one mag encounter when they're trying to adapt in a foreign country and different culture.
The stories that spoke to me the most were the ones where the Illustrator used humour to relay some of the communication challenges.

•••

I received an ARC through Netgalley. My opinions are my own.

[vaishnavi ☆ﾟ⁠.⁠* · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC
eARC recieved from NetGalley.

This was a series of comics, each addressing a topic from daily life while the author lived in Japan.

The art was pretty sometimes and I didn't like it sometimes. But one thing that sets it apart from other mangas/ comics is that the characters have distinct features, so you'll have no problem recognising and differentiating them.

I loved that the book tells us so much about life in Japan! I'm learning Japanese as it is one of the requirements to be able to take part in the 'work in Japan' program at college, but my college's language classes doesn't focus much on the cultural aspects - so this was a fun and informative read.

The stories are personal, but very relatable - especially the one where you don't know if you are saying the right thing in a foreign language - so you're sweating buckets while speaking and the bajillion rules of politeness Japan has lol😭

[Emelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hanami is a fun, easy read about a couple's stay in Japan after they realise they have nothing tying them down to their current life. The story is told in a free-flowing way, with a mix of single page snapshots and longer anecdotes. There were some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments (the first experience with a Japanese public toilet!) alongside more moving insights into the mundanity of daily life. There was a sense of appreciation for Japan on every page.

The artwork was stunning and the use of a limited colour palette added to the appeal. With a less rigid approach to line style, Julia Cejas was able to capture emotions in an effective way. I would recommend this graphic novel for anyone interested in travel or Japanese culture.

Thank you NetGalley and Humanoids Inc for providing this e-ARC for an honest review.

[EmyAttorney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A graphic novel memoir about two Spanish creatives moving to Japan for a few months. The art is pretty and accessible and the story is interesting, told in vignettes rather than in a linear fashion. Cejas has the ability to portray the stress of adulthood in quite a visceral way. The element of Hanami that I enjoyed the most were those somewhat random tidbits about a country that you can only really discover if you live there.
This was very well made and felt extremely satisfying, but I found myself not really connecting with the characters and the story as much as I wanted to.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Tintaglia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Julia registra in brevi sketch l'anno che ha passato in Giappone con il marito, approfittando di una borsa di studio per lei e della liquidazione si lui. Armati solo di una conoscenza mooooolto basilare della lingua e dell'amore per manga e videogiochi si avventurano ogni giorno in una quotidianità nuova, spesso incomprensibile, dalle prove antiterremoto alle misteriose regole per la gestione dei rifiuti. Personalmente non amo molto la narrazione frammentaria, preferisco qualcosa di respiro più ampio, ma è comunque una lettura gradevole.

[Estibaliz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Here we are again, reading something originally in Spanish, and from my home country (Spain), in English... but I don't think that took anything from the experience in this case.

Julia Cejas and her husband moved to Japan for a year, and the graphic artist does a good job here on capturing a lot of the experiences of a gaijin in that country. She really puts the main focus on the cultural shock and the language frustrations, which is something I can relate too, but I wish there was a bit more on Japanese culture.

The art might not be my favorite, when it comes to the style, but I did enjoy the use of color (mainly reds and blues).

[Riska (lovunakim) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you netgalley for the arc!

This graphic novel is a memoir of japan comic artist and her partner who was a video game composer. I enjoyed the story about their adventures in Japan. The illustration was very interesting and the story is hilarious. This book has many aspects of Japan cultural, I love all about Japan.

[liskowanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful graphic style and engaging story. I caught myself thinking about some adventures a few times. Definitely worth reading. I am not an expert when it comes to Japan so I've learnt a bit too!

[JC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

An adorable story of a couple documenting their experience living in Japan, I loved being able to follow along with them on their journey. Finding them relatable and funny while getting to learn about live in Japan including the complex recycling set up. The art style was very fitting for the comic, super cute. Overall this was a fun and laidback story well worth the read.

[Doreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

08/07/2024 Adorable! Full review tk at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.

08/12/2024 Younger me would be absolutely shocked to hear that I no longer have the time to read full blurbs or the back cover matter of books anymore, but such are the perils of having so much to read, and so little time to do it in! Present day me was thus quite surprised to get several pages into this book and realize that the protagonists are both foreigners who come to Japan to live for an extended period of time, and aren't a Japanese woman and her foreign boyfriend, as many of these biographies tend to be. Perhaps that is just my confirmation bias tho, as an Asian woman and reader who is often exposed to same.

But that worked out okay because this book was even better than I expected! I was thinking that this would be the portrayal of a Japanese woman's struggle to integrate her foreign boyfriend into her local community and culture, so was admittedly a little wary of what this actually is: the tale of two Spanish citizens with no ties to Japan besides their ambitions, moving to Tokyo to see if they can make a go of life there. Marc has just lost his job as a civil engineer and Julia is still struggling to get her career as an illustrator to take off. In their early 30s and with no dependents, what better time to pool their savings and severance pay to try to live for a while in Japan? If they happen to get jobs while they're at it, then even better, as Marc figures he can finally pursue his lifelong dream of composing music whereas Julia can basically work from anywhere with Internet.

The couple prepare for their trip by taking language lessons in advance of enrolling in a Japanese language school while staying in Tokyo. But nothing really prepares them for actually living in a country where they know so little of the language and customs. Fortunately, Julia and Marc are ready to learn, as Ms Cejas herself beautifully and hilariously details in this autobiographical graphic novel.

Each chapter of this book is a small but powerful vignette of their stay in Japan, detailing how they learned to adjust to not only an entirely different culture but also to the forced proximity of living in a much smaller space that they'd previously been used to -- excellent practice for the pandemic that would eventually tear through the world, as Ms Cejas wryly notes. Illustrated primarily in shades of red and blue, the art took me a little while to get used to, particularly when figuring out who was who, but flowed smoothly once the narration actually takes us to Japan.

The title vignette is likely the most powerful, as Ms Cejas masterfully transmits the hold that Hanami, or the traditional viewing of the cherry blossoms that bloom for such a short window once a year, has on those who experience it. I also really enjoyed her take on the local yokai, and would definitely read a whole book of hers on the subject.

But where this book really succeeded for me was in the respectful and loving way that Marc and Julia especially treat their time in Japan. They devote themselves to learning how to fit in, whether it be via something as rudimentary as language classes or something as seemingly menial as sorting out the garbage. Sure Marc thinks that the Japanese are overdoing it with the refusal to jaywalk, but they both concede that the adherence to community values likely informs why, on a micro level, no one feels a need to lock up their bikes or, on a macro level, take bribes in order to do their government jobs. Julia and Marc never stoop to making themselves feel more secure or superior by making fun of the locals: they always strive to learn what they don't know and honor their host country. I had worried, initially, that this wouldn't do that, but I should have had better faith in the publisher. Humanoids' Life Drawn imprint puts out some of the best slice-of-life graphic novels I've ever read, and I couldn't recommend them or this title more highly. Hanami is a wonderful reminder of how easy it is for people from all over the world to get along, so long as we set aside our egos and truly strive to understand each other.

Hanami: You, Me, & 200 Sq Ft In Japan by Julia Cejas was published August 6 2024 and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!

[Emi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Publishing date: 06.08.2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Humanoids Inc for the ARC. My opinions are my own. 

The book as a meal: I am shoving a slice of bread in my mouth while running to my bus stop 
The book left me: Appreciating the simple trash collection system in my own country (don't worry, we are recycle things too)

Negatives:
Wish some of the "stories" lasted a little longer or that they didn't end so abruptly
Sometimes the text was a little hard to read
The art could be a little confusing or hard to process

Positives:
Pretty color scheme and cohesive art
Relatable situations 

Features: 
An insight into what it is like to live in Japan, a little bit of culture-shock and how to deal with it (not in a self-help way), relatable situations, not a one-lane story but more of a collection of stories, slice of life storytelling

Why did I choose this one?
My graphic novel era is back again from my teenage years, so I want to dive into as many genres as possible. This one is not marked as an autobiography but I would put that tag on it. The almost monochrome color scheme caught my eyes while browsing the books, so I was interested in the art too. 

Pick-up-able? Put-down-able?
Pick-up-able. The stories are short and quick to read, so this was a one-day read for me. I didn't swallow the book whole, but split it up into chunks for my day 

What was the vibe and mood?
Although the seasons clearly changed throughout the book, I was in a spring mood the entire time. Probably because of the pinks in the art. I also felt like a student again, which was bittersweet. 

This is a chill collection of stories that has lots of relatable situations a lot of people have found themselves in. Cue the awkward social ones ... I think this also gives a more realistic view of living in Japan as foreigners and not just the "dream" that so many people have. 

Final ranking and star rating?
C tier, 3 stars. Nothing really wrong with it. I enjoyed myself reading it, but I didn't connect with the stories and situations as much as I would like. The art also confused me at times and the text could be a little hard to read, which stalled my reading. Some stories were not long enough (although I understand that isn't really possible if it is based off real life), or they ended a little abruptly. Just nitpicks really ...

I think this book is more aimed at poeple who have migrated to Japan or wish to do so in the future. I am neither of those. A miss for me, but a success for the target audience I believe

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★ // Struggling comic artist Julia and her civil-engineer-turned-video-game-composer husband Marc leave their familiar life in Spain behind for a change of scenery in Japan. 'Hanami' is a series of short comics that depict moments of their new lives in Japan, from learning Japanese and about the garbage system, to discovering the country's high-tech toilets (this segment had me CACKLING!)

I thought that this memoir of sorts was a great introductory guide to Japanese culture, as it truly showed the pair navigating the culture shock that they experienced and showed what it was like to really live in the country, not just travelling there. As an animanga and Japan lover myself, I sometimes catch myself romanticizing the country more than I should, so I appreciate how Cejas stripped the rose-coloured lenses and shared about the difficult reality that she and Marc experienced during their year there.

Some parts that really stood out to me (other than the toilet bit):

- Taking artistic inspiration from famous mangakas, including one of my favourites, Candy Candy (Yumiko Igarashi) from the Czech-Japanese Soap Opera chapter. Cejas includes a list of all her inspiration at the end of the novel.

- The following quotes:

"Your version of common sense, it's maybe not the same as hers. Or his. If we only followed rules that played to our own common sense, then we'd probably not respect a lot of rules..."

"I can always communicate by drawing."

I really liked the first quote, because respect and being community-focused is such a huge part of Japanese culture that highly differs from the more individualistic Western view. As for the second one, I was thinking this exact same thing as I came across parts of the graphic novel that had no text, yet conveyed the situation and sentiments perfectly.

The (very) few dislikes:
- Wasn't a huge fan of the art style, but that's a highly personal preference
- Wish some of the comics were longer - sometimes they felt cut short and because of this, were slightly confusing (especially closer to the beginning of the novel)

I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novel, and would love to read more of something similar but for a different country!

{Thank you to NetGalley and Humanoids Inc for this eARC!}

[Anitamiarmita · Rating 4 out of 5]

🇯🇵Buenos días! Muchas ya sabéis que me encanta Japón, su cultura, su arte, costumbres... Por ello me llamó muchísimo la atención esta novela gráfica tan peculiar.
🏯#Hanami es la tradición japonesa de observar las flores florecer, asociado sobre todo a la floración de los cerezos, pero también es el nombre de este cuaderno de viaje de @juliacejas
🇯🇵Con este libro vamos a viajar con ella y su pareja al mismisimo Japón y nos va a enseñar lo duro y encantador que es embarcarse en una aventura así.
🏯Pero no es un viaje en plan vacaciones, con guías y excursiones planificadas, no, es un viaje de aprendizaje. #JuliaYMarc se van una temporada a la tierra del sol naciente.
🇯🇵Me ha gustado mucho el enfoque de #JuliaCejas En su día a día, vemos las tradiciones, costumbres, cultura y curiosidades.
🏯He aprendido muchas cosas que no vienen en las guías de viaje, claro que, este enfoque es de una persona que vive y sufre Japón en su rutina, por tanto nos muestra lo bueno y lo no tan bueno. Me han llamado mucho la atención el civismo que tienen.
🇯🇵Los trazos de Julia son diferentes, originales y cuidados al detalle. Muy expresivos y bastante personales.
🏯Está editado en tapa dura y tiene 136 páginas a color. Está publicado por @normaeditorial a los que doy las gracias por enviármelo.
🇯🇵#Hanami #TúYo19M2YJapón es sin duda una lectura de la que disfrutar y aprender. No solo sobre el país en sí, sino lo que supone y es un viaje de estas características, lo valiente de la azaña que sus protagonistas comparten en sus páginas con nosotros.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hanami is a set of mostly autobiographical stories (translated from Spanish!) from a woman who moved to Japan with her husband after both of them are jobless, ad their experiences during the duration of their visas in language school and general life living as normal people.

I enjoyed the linework, the simple colors, and the loving art of their daily live and their small adventures, whether it's a day trip to Nikko or just life in the neighborhood! But I 1000% cannot relate to just, 'well, I have savings before I lost my job so let's just move to Japan and I'll try writing video game music for the first time and you'll be an artist and we'll just get by on an education visa as long as we take four hours of language class and--". Like I know some people do this but it's completely unfathomable to me! Also that they just chose Japan (I'm assuming because they like video games and anime/manga considering the artist-writer lists a bunch of manga inspirations in the back) for fandom reasons (valid) but without doing like any research into what life is like there-- as one is Celiac and the other started off vegan.

I did also really like the story about the garbage separation as honestly the garbage separation is one of my favorite things about Japan (but maybe that's just because I've only been a tourist who's stayed for no longer than about two weeks at a time). and how many just, real life, basic life stories there were!

Thank you to NetGalley and Humanoid for the eARC in exchange for review!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a series of comics, though they're a bit longer than the standard slice of life ones I've seen that are just 4 or 5 panels. These are full pages of color and images, complex background, expressions, details, and so on. Each one addresses a specific topic (like sorting garbage) or memorable moment (like struggling to ask for directions).

I really liked the art, as it had plenty of detail without being overwhelming. The limited colors were enough to differentiate what was going on in each scene, but also allowed me to focus on what was happening without getting overwhelmed in color and movement on the page. I got familiar with it quickly and had no issues identifying people and locations that reoccurred.
The stories themselves were a mix of entertaining and informative. It feels intimate, as though these were comics she made for herself while there as a sort of memory journal. For the most part, they are not super emotional and focus primarily on the things occurring over how she feels about things. There is emotion included though, as with the stress of communicating, the fear of running out of money, the triumph of getting something correct, and so on. Still, I think they were not the primary focus of it all.

As a slice of life and cultural memoir, this was a sweet addition to the collection. I did learn a few things about Japan -- pretty sure the flu-season one would prevent me from ever living there -- and enjoyed seeing their reactions to it. This was especially true since they are originally from Spain, so their perceptions and opinions were not always coming from a base "normal" that would match my own. I had multiple directions of learning as I saw what they were used to as well as what they found in Japan!

Overall I was happy to read this one and felt a loose goodwill towards them. The art felt gentle and effective, and carried the stories and sentiments nicely.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for a free advanced copy. This is my honest review.

[Tavi Stallings · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Following an economic crisis, Julia and Mark decide to use their savings to move to Japan on a visa. They find a small apartment and enroll in a Japanese school to learn the language and become acclimated to Japanese culture. This graphic memoir focuses on their experience in Japan, their relationship, and their growth as individuals.

I initially picked up this book, since I hadn't read a graphic novel in months and wanted to read something different. I was so glad I picked up this book, I enjoyed it! The art style in this book is amazing and the simple color palette made it more appealing to my eyes.

Each mini-story was enjoyable and opened my eyes to Japanese culture, and their practices in a simplified and entertaining way. I enjoyed "The Garbage Drama", since it educated the readers about garbage practices in Japan and included a mini background of how they changed or why they do it a certain way.

Although we got lessons and explanations about Japanese culture, I also enjoyed the elements in each story about the author and her partner, and their journey before, during, and after staying in Japan. The portrayal of their relationship was transparent and didn't just include the good memories they experienced. Ultimately, I enjoyed how the story came together to the present time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Humanoids Inc. for the eArc!

[Yakira Goldsberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who wants to someday visit Japan, Hanami was a real eye-opener to how it really is to live there as a foreigner. I think my favorite thing about the story overall would be the raw honesty Julia gives us of her and Marc’s struggles in adjusting to this new world and the wonders of experiencing everything up close.
I found it a little hard to understand what exactly was going on in the beginning of Hanami beyond Julia’s first meeting with Marc, so it took me a little while to really get into the story. But once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed each chapter, and the expressive art style. Everything is painted in a wash of reds and pinks, giving the story at once both a positive and anxious feel. I especially loved the little one-page panels of their neighbor going about her daily life, and the chapter about the fancy Japanese toilet (which was hilarious and kind of makes me never want to try one).
Overall, I found Hanami a beautiful tribute to Japan in all its blessings and flaws. It’s a great story for anyone with their own aspirations to move to the island country.
NOTE: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley for review purposes only. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Logan H · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate the opportunity to read an e-ARC of this work via NetGalley and Humanoids Inc. Hanami is a memoir about an interval in Cejas’ life when she and her partner, between jobs, move to Japan from Spain. The narrative follows the couple as they experience the culture shock of trash sorting, the intricacies of learning Japanese, and the troubles of a drastic change in diet. Cejas’ art style really is exacerbated by the color palette she limited herself to. This color palette coupled with the vignettes of learning and trying something new, seemed as precious as the practice of “Hanami” itself. A majority of this narrative felt like an allegory for the relationship that is planted and sustained by two people as well as one a person grows within themself. Despite this, there were many moments I felt would have benefitted from being more introspective. For example, when Marc tells Julia to not rely on him as much for communication in Japan, Julia wasn’t as affected by that comment internally. Then, the next scene is her trying to communicate on her own. I enjoyed this little vignette of a time in someone's life when they subjected themselves to something different. We can learn a lot from narratives like this.

[Liralen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes a dream is just a dream—but sometimes we get to live it. When Spain's economy took a downturn and Cejas's partner lost his job, the couple took a leap of faith—they moved to Japan to learn Japanese and explore their creative options for a while. It wasn't permanent (and was never meant to be permanent), but that meant that they could really lean into exploring and enjoying the nuances and quirks of their temporary home.

Hanami is structured more as short vignettes than as a fully linear story. For that reason it's a more of a 3.5-star read for me (personal preference for longer stories rather than smaller things stitched together), but the vignettes do work really well both on their own and as part of a longer story. (There's one about sleeping on separate sleeping mats and Cejas insisting that her partner still suffer her cold feet—and, well, for apartment reasons my partner and I temporarily have two twin beds shoved together, and he still suffers my cold feet. So I showed that page to him, and it made us both laugh a lot.)

I've never been to Japan and have no immediate plans to change that, but I love reading about this sort of long travel—the sort where you have enough time to feel the rhythms of a place rather than just blasting through the top tourist spots. It's not all sunshine and cherry blossoms: finances are tight, doldrums loom, language barriers persist, and at some point they'll have to think about what comes next. But for the duration...this was well worth the read.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

[Ana Ćupurdija · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Hanami" is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel, depicting a young couple experiencing life in Japan for the first time. It is (by the author's words at the end) 95% autobiographical.

I really enjoyed this one.
The illustration style changed a bit throughout the book, but that makes sense since the author paid homage to different artists who inspired her (and referenced them in the end).
The color palette is beautiful and works so well in this book.

The story itself immersed me and I read it in a heartbeat. It is a light and quick read, but what kept me intrigued was the human experience. I related to the simple everyday experiences that were described, especially the anxiety about talking to people in a different language.

I also learned a lot about Japan and Japanese culture. I believe it is important to learn about different customs and experiences because that broadens our horizons and understanding.

I would recommend this book to anyone who would like a beautifully illustrated light read about everyday life, and to those who would love to read more about Japan and its culture.

Thank you to NetGalley, Julia Cejas, and Humanoids for providing me with a free copy of the book, in exchange for an honest review.

[aestchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover of this graphic novel immediately caught my eye, as did its intriguing premise. It tells the story of a Spanish couple who take a leap of faith and move to Japan to live there for a while. The narrative unfolds in short episodes—sometimes just a single page—offering glimpses into their daily lives and experiences. These range from major cultural adjustments to small, charming moments, painting a vivid picture of both the challenges and joys of adapting to a new society.

The artwork is stunning and perfectly complements the storytelling. The color palette is thoughtfully chosen, enhancing the mood and atmosphere of each episode.

What makes this graphic novel special is its universal appeal. For those who have never been to Japan, it offers an insightful introduction to aspects of the culture that might surprise, like the country's meticulous waste sorting system. For those who have visited, it evokes a sense of familiarity, bringing back memories of experiences that might resonate.

Overall, this graphic novel was an absolute joy to read. It beautifully balances humor, insight, and emotion, making it a perfect pick for anyone curious about Japan or simply looking for a heartwarming story.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!