Neighborhood Story, Vol. 4

ご近所物語 [Gokinjō Monogatari] #4

by Ai Yazawa, Andria McKnight (Translator)

After winning the Grand Prix award at the Yaza Arts Fashion Show, Mikako and Risa are offered the chance to study abroad in London for a year and a half with all expenses covered. As the initial thrill wanes, however, Mikako’s apprehensions grow, especially with the potential strain that leaving might put on her relationship with Tsutomu. Meanwhile, Ruriko is feeling sick, and everyone fears a relapse in her condition. After Ruriko receives a shocking diagnosis, Mikako is forced to reexamine her decision. Will she stay behind and choose love, or follow her passion and make her dreams of being a famous fashion designer finally come true in London?

Genres: Manga, Romance, Shojo, Graphic Novels, Comics, Young Adult, Comics Manga

320 pages, Paperback

First published December 20, 2005

About the author

Ai Yazawa (Japanese: 矢沢あい, Yazawa Ai) is a Japanese manga author and illustrator. Her pen name comes from singer Eikichi Yazawa, of whom she is a fan.
Yazawa started her comics career in 1985. She specialises in shojo manga (girls' comics). Most of her works have been serialised in the magazines 'Ribon', 'Cookie' and 'Zipper'.
Yazawa's stories focus on young, often rebellious women and their relationships. The characters are always very stylish, and Yazawa herself is known for her sense of fashion. (She even attended a fashion school for some time after high school.)
Among her most famous manga are Tenshi Nanka Ja Nai (I'm No Angel, 1992–1995), Neighborhood Story (1995-1998), Paradise Kiss (1999-2004), and Nana (2000-2009), the latter awarded a Shogakukan Manga Award in 2003. Some of these works have been adapted into anime and live action movies.

Reviews

[a · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe that this series is over 😭😭😭

I love these characters so much and I love their little friend group with all my heart. Mikako and Tsutomu are such a perfect example of childhood friends to lovers, but I also had such a soft spot for Ayumi and Yusuke and I was rooting for them throughout the entire manga and I was so happy to see them get their HEA. Honestly, I wish we could stay with these characters for ten more volumes and I'm so depressed that this series is over.

I have such a strong urge to go and reread Paradise Kiss now so I can read the next chapter in this world with a new perspective. Honestly, I love anything created by Ai Yazawa and she will forever be my favorite mangka and i will forever love all her creations.

[jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful end to a beautiful series

[Anna Quilter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sad to see this come to an end....but the story seemed to naturally finish with Mikako deciding whether to go to London to study.

[Yukino · Rating 4 out of 5]

SERIE CORTILI DEL CUORE n. 4
Non ce l'ho fatta a fermarmi e l'ho letto tutto. Bello bello bello...unica pecca..potevano almeno farmi vedere Tsutomu che la raggiungeva a Londra e che suggellavano il loro amore :D
Mi è anche piaciuto alla fine la cena di natale 8 anni dopo e così abbiamo visto i nostri protagonisti adulti e la Yazawa ci ha preparato un bel triangolo amoroso che mi incuriosisce parecchio...ora devo leggere Paradise Kiss!!!

[Gigi Farinholt · Rating 5 out of 5]

ai yazawa u r my god

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mikako Koda is faced with a big choice following the arts festival and spends half the book making it. You'd think that might get tiresome, but I actually enjoyed everyone giving their input and the process of maturity on display as the deadline for the decision comes closer and closer.

In previous volumes, the characters occasionally broke the fourth wall with metafiction references to the fact that they are in a manga, but Ai Yazawa (who also lends her name to a character in the book, the principal of the Yazawa Arts Academy) amps up those asides as the conclusion nears. She also uses a bonus "Comeback Chapter" to introduce the next generation of characters who star in the sequel series, Paradise Kiss. I read that series fifteen years ago, not knowing it was a spin-off, and might revisit it now that I have the full backstory and discovered that my local library has a 20th anniversary omnibus that collects the whole thing under one cover.


FOR REFERENCE:

Contents: Chapter 26. Studying Abroad in London -- Chapter 27. The Thing About Being a Grown-Up -- Chapter 28. That Thing Called Independence -- Chapter 29. Seventeen -- Chapter 30. Final Decision Revealed -- Chapter 31. Akindo's Last Day -- Final Chapter. Long-Distance Love Story -- Comeback Chapter -- Neighborhood Illustration Gallery -- Afterword

[nessa ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

IM SO SADDDD I DID NOT WANT THIS TO END 😭😭😭😭 im so happy how everything ends i just wish there was a bit more chapters of i guess the future that they briefly touch on especially since there wasn't a spin off and paradise kiss won't really answer what i want 💔 i loved this manga tho and ill forever think about it and it's definitely my favorite WHY IS IT OVERRRR IM DEPRESSED NOW UGH COME BACK I NEED MORE

[Léa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gokinjo est une série qui aborde de façon très touchante les bouleversements de l'adolescence et le passage à l'âge adulte. Une belle découverte !

[Noodle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gokinjo Monogatari forever. Ai Yazawa is my hero. The fashion is incredible. I’m so sad this is the final one!

[Brandie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe it’s over, I’m gonna miss Mikako and Tsutomu, and the rest of the gang 😭😭

[Dieudonné Lola · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Quand a moi, je sentis que l'introduction à notre vie d'adulte venait de s'achever"

Pitié je chouine, les récits qui montrent le passage vers la vie d'adulte me brise le cœur a chaque fois.

[Crito · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the series. Incredible in retrospect the extent that this is bizarro Nana; feelings are sincerely recognized and acted on; miscommunications are resolved in a timely manner; big decisions are considered and well-deliberated; characters start immature and learn how to grow into their feelings and their relations with others; romantic and professional pursuits have a healthy symbiotic balance; really this is the world where even though there are challenges and difficult dynamics, everything is navigated well and everything works out. And this is complimented by this being far more breezy, comedic, and I'd want to say slice-of-life if that didn't have a whole genre connotation implying the matters are more anodyne than they are. The perfect touch which elevates this work is the character of Mariko, a character assumed to have everything handed to her because she's pretty, but who instead spends every volume struggling; a well needed infusion of pathos, and a reminder of how well everyone else has it. I would recommend Neighborhood Story in light of Yazawa's other work, because there is an arc from here to Paradise Kiss to Nana which is impossible to ignore; this is the innocent childhood which is to lead into ParaKiss's confused young adulthood, then to the adult world of failures and compromises in Nana.

[Mia Lascarro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my review for full series I’m counting them all as one book in my reading challenge😋😋😋Actually one of my favorite things I’ve ever read. I’m so happy I read nana, then paradise kiss, then this because i get to see all the kiddos and know where they go from here. But like overall the quality is so good like the story is so interesting, the art is spectacular, the outfits are amazing, the humor is so appreciated, and the characters are just lovable. The mostly happy ending was actually wonderful. Ai yazawa is so good at writing characters that feel human despite the flashy outfits and big personalities and that really shined through in this book. She’s also great at writing relationship drama and this series had a lot of that but it felt so much more wholesome in comparison to the other series of hers that I’ve read and I just enjoyed the vibes so much. I think this series easily goes into top ten ever I loved it so much🥰🥰🥰

[sofs · Rating 5 out of 5]

no sé como lo hace, pero ai yazawa tiene un don para contar estas historias tan complejas y reales. creo que cada uno de los personajes tiene un pedacito de mi corazón porque con todos me he sentido identificada en un momento u otro.
una de sus mejores series sin duda. encapsula perfectamente lo que pienso del amor (romántico y platónico) y para lo que nunca puedo encontrar las palabras adecuadas.

[Ona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esta colección de mangas se ha convertido en una de mis favoritas sin duda. Que bien planteados estan los problemas que suceden entre los personajes, Ai Yazawa lo hace todo muy humano. Me ha conmovido mucho esta historia, es un sentimiento que no puedo explicar con palangana.
Sin duda mi personaje favorito es Miwako, aunque sea la prota. No voy a dar explicaciones pero la quiero muchísimo enserio es la mejor.
Algo que me ha gustado de este manga es como los personajes hacen referencia al “mundo exterior”. En el sentido de que muchas veces le hablan a los lectores o hacia al final del manga son conscientes de que se está acabando. Me ha resultado muy gracioso.
Por último me gustaría destacar la importancia del epílogo. Como me he leído Paradise Kiss, una historia publicada posteriormente, me ha encantado el epílogo. Literalmente te presentan los personajes de la siguiente historia. Si te lees Gokinjo Monogatari antes de Paradise Kiss siento que será más fácil entender las relaciones entre los personajes de la segunda historia. Me ha parecido algo muy bien pensado por parte de Ai Yazawa.

[Stella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Series review: 4*

[CJ - It's only a Paper Moon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felt the ending was a little rushed but otherwise great story

[inés · Rating 5 out of 5]

nada que decir ai yazawa te amo amo tu estilo y la forma en la que haces a tus personajes

[khair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Je suis trop triste que ce soit la fin, Ai Yazawa toujours aussi talentueuse, enfin une happy ending 🤍

[maeve · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHY IS IT OVER NOOOOOO

[Lee W · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this series so much !!! i just wish it were longer. i love how it ended with miwako, arashi, and hiro leading into paradise kiss

[Sungyena · Rating 5 out of 5]

People are like onigiri in vending machines!! Truly no villains, only mean people who are merely denying themselves greater happiness and freedom. Mikako is amazing. Tsutomu sucks and is co-dependent.

[Amina D'Anima · Rating 5 out of 5]

un happy ending comme je les aime :D
Cette série de mangas se place au top de mes séries chouchous <3

21/08/2025 : FAV FOREVER <3

[୨୧ Vi’s library ୨୧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

happiness in a book
love love love
thank u!!!!!!!!!!!!
NEED TO GIVE THIS 5+ BECAUSE YES

[ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

They could’ve had the cast of characters staring off into the distance for every panel and I’d still give it a 4/5 bc the outfits are simply just too good.

[kadee]

read 1/1/25. so sad that this series is over :’)

[Aydia MacGuire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t finish it yet so 3 stars is where I’m gonna sit for now. I’m only in the middle of chapter 2 but I need to get this off my chest.
This was such a wholesome and cute manga (with a few little things) until I hit chapter 2 of this vol!
Why Ai Yazawa! You keep writing “sensored because this is a shojo manga” ok?? then why add it in the first place? seriously.
Them sleeping together was NOT on my Neighborhood story bingo card. This is honestly disappointing for the story and I’m upset.

This is really just my calling to write clean romance comics because not even this comic clearly for kids-teens is clean.

I will admit, this could totally be apart of their character developments and arcs, and knowing Ai Yazawa it probably is… but couldn’t we get ANYTHING else??


Ok!! So I finished it!
It gets 5 stars like the rest… but it definitely wasn’t my favorite. I feel like the vibe really changed between the first three and then this one. It felt slow but also rushed. I also really dislike how it ended with these “random” kids instead of the main characters we’ve come to know and love?? Why was that a choice that was made??
I think it was a great manga and I’m really sad to see it come to an end. I like looking up at it and seeing all four proudly sitting on my shelf.

Idk. It was bittersweet.

Ending thoughts: This whole series is a great example of incredible storytelling. Ai Yazawa does a great job writing a fully character-driven story. I’ve always found it hard to write a story in which characters’ emotions are the highlight and serve to move forward the plot. So I plan on studying Ai Yazawa’s work futher. This was an amazing manga and Ai Yazawa is an amazing artist and storyteller.

[The Book Dragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mikako said Risa have won major awards during their school’s expo. And as a reward, the school is offering to send both of them to study abroad in London. Mikako is understandably excited at first, but when Risa turns it down because she doesn’t want to leave her boyfriend, Mikako starts having second thoughts.

These emotions get even more mixed up when she and Tsutomu take their relationship up a notch. So now she has to choose between a grand opportunity for her future and staying where she’s comfortable with the boy she loves.

There’s a lot of fourth wall breaking as the series hurtles toward its end, but there’s a really cute epilogue story that rounds out the whole thing. It’s very much an Ai Yazawa story, with the art style and the design of character outfits. It’s a lot more tame than Nana, but still manages to capture multiple shades of life, happy and sad. Very enjoyable.

This omnibus contains volume 7 and the epilogue.
This series has 7 volumes.

[Carlo Bugni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il mio scopo ultimo non è quello di conquistarmi un lieto fine… bensì quello di avere una “mente lieta”!

Ai Yazawa disegna stupendamente. E questo basterebbe. In più, la psicologia dei personaggi è sfaccettata e curata: il mondo dell’adolescenza viene raccontato in maniera divertita e non banale.
Sono molte le battute metanarrative, che a me fanno sempre scompisciare.
Dopo Il giocattolo dei bambini, questo manga mi pare confermare l’idea che gli shojo abbiano uno spessore assolutamente maggiore rispetto agli shonen, e anche se i sentimenti sono i costanti protagonisti, non c’è mai quella ridicolmente esagerata carica emotiva che colpisce certi passaggi dei manga “per ragazzi”.

[Ruby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this series and it makes me so sad it came to an end. I really liked this volume, though it did get a bit inappropriate for a shoujo manga at some points, which didn’t surprise me, as most of Ai Yazawa’s other mangas are josei manga. I really wish we got to see a bit more of what happens with the characters, as I don’t plan on reading Paradise Kiss soon due to the themes it covers, and how it mainly lacks the cast of neighborhood story other than a few mentions. This series was the first manga I got through, and I absolutely loved it, and wish there was more like it. Along with all this the artsyle was great as well. I liked how unique it looked, while still looking very pretty. I also loved how many of the characters wear alternative, as I love alternative fashion. I really would recommend this manga to anyone wanting to read it.