The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store Vol. 1

北極百貨店のコンシェルジュさん [Hokkyoku Hyakkaten no Concierge-san] #1

by Tsuchika Nishimura

Retail work has never been wilder than in this quirky manga that inspired a new animated movie!

Working retail is tough enough with regular human customers, but what about when they're owls, wolves, koalas...and a woolly mammoth? Welcome to the Hokkyoku Department Store, where new employee Akino's customers are talking animals--including extinct species! Just like any shopper, each has their own complicated request that Akino must strive to satisfy. From a wealthy laughing owl searching for the perfect present to delight his wife to a thespian sea mink attempting to find a gift for a long-awaited reunion with her father, Akino must learn to meet their needs, while also dealing with her challenging coworkers and elusive floor manager.

Genres: Manga, Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Animals, Contemporary, Adult

146 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 2017

Reviews

[Maia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Akino is a new hire at the Hokkyoku Department Store, a store build to serve talking animal customers including many unusual and nearly extinct species. Akino must find a way to be present, polite and helpful without hovering or intruding on the customers experience. This is harder than it sounds, especially with fussy managers always watching the store floors! Sweet, silly, and very warm hearted. I like the delicate, retro lineart style.

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

A extremely cute start to a manga series that focuses on service provided to animals that visit a department store. I appreciated all the information that we received about the animals as the main character interacted with them.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cutest manga I’ve read in a long time. This story is about a new concierge working at a large department store whose customers are all animals. The concierge is told to give special attention to VIAs, extinct species dubbed very important animals, with brief facts sprinkled in throughout the book about the species.

This is cute, heartwarming and very humorous. I think anyone could pick this up and enjoy it.

[Anna Quilter · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Hokkyou Department Store is frequented by all manner of animal guests.
and each of them has their own troubles"

This ain't no BEASTSTARS...but it's fun enough as new employee Akino tries to adjust to the various animals (a lot from extinct species) who pass through her store.

[J MaK · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5) A light-hearted, anxiety riddled romp about a young woman acclimating to working retail. Her clients are anthropomorphic beings representing the unpredictability and demanding nature of human customers.

[marcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up because the art style looks cool. This is a collection of episodic stories set in a department store for animals. While I was put off by how the mangaka would insert animal facts right in the middle of a story, I still find them fun and delightful.

[Méli]

Cute!

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a simple manga about a lady working her new job at a department store where she serves extinct animals in their various shopping needs.

[Ken Yuen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cute slice-of-life manga about customer service and animals. The little anecdotes are punctuated with facts about extinct or endangered animals

[aqilahreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

i just had to pick this manga up when i stumbled upon it on display, like .....come on........there are cute animals everywhere !!!!!! 😩

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. this charming manga is set in a department store where all the customers are........yes ur right!!!!!!! animals!!!! 🐈🐰🐹🐆🦣🐴🐨🦉 our main character, akino, works as a concierge, and her job is to solve problems & fulfill a wide range of requests from these animal customers. some tasks are simple while others are more complicated, making for a heartwarming and engaging read.

what really sets this series apart is its in-depth exploration of the concierge profession. it delves into the themes of professionalism, hospitality, and personal growth. 🌱 nishimura's narrative not only focuses on the everyday challenges of providing exceptional customer service but also highlights the emotional side of the role – understanding customers' needs and emotions is just as important as the work itself. 🥲

and lets not forget the occasional drama that arises as part of her work...like i mean...who doesn't love some drama??? lmao 👁️👄👁️ as someone who works in customer service myself, i couldn’t help but relate to some moments in this manga. its both a fun and touching portrayal of the highs and lows of working on the front lines. 🥲

i love the lil bits of animal facts here and there too and the limelight given to Very Important Animals ((the VIAs)) aka extinct species 😭 the only thing i wish is that the story was longer – its just TOO short!!!! 😩 i really got into the world & the characters and i definitely would have loved to see more of akino’s journey and the adorable animal customers she helps.

would still definitely recommend this manga for a light read!! ☺️ the illustrations are sO NICE and perfectly complements the lighthearted, whimsical vibe of the story, making it an enjoyable read overall.

theres also an anime ver. & i'll probably check it out once its easily available!!! 🥸

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, this is giving some delightful Wes Anderson vibes.

In this first volume, readers are introduced to the Hokkyoku Department Store and the concierges who make sure every shopper has a pleasant experience.

But, working retail has never been easy—which is even more true when your guests aren’t other humans but talking animals! Even animals that have gone extinct.

Every shopper comes with their own unique needs and Akino—the newest concierge—is doing her best to learn how best to help all kinds of creatures and navigate concerns as they arise.

So far, I find this story to be both cute and thoughtful.

The art style is so unassuming and quaint—it reminds me of cartoons from when I was a kid.

Every story features new animals and poses new questions for readers to consider about accessibility, empathy, and dignity.

I appreciate how this story includes information on extinct animals and how humans contributed to their extinction. This approach creates a lot of space for readers to consider their roles as stewards of the environment and the animals who share this planet with us. It’s not overly accusatory so much as it is inviting dialogue—which I really like.

Anyway.

I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of this story. This first volume is a strong introduction and I’d really like to learn more about this world~

[Sheridan Strang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute, feel good manga and very quick read

[Siulee Olivera · Rating 5 out of 5]

very cute!! will def continue reading

[Becky Sweger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never read any manga before. This was cute!

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A new concierge at a fancy department store must deal with an exacting supervisor and the customers. All of the customers are animals, which has an inbuilt critique of capitalism. The Very Important Animal customers are represented by endangered or extinct animals. A famous sculptor and artist is a great mammoth. The stories of helping the clients are bittersweet but have happy endings.

[Emmy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't say that I exactly "got" this series, but I was surprised toward the end to find a situation that felt so relatable to my own experiences as a librarian (dealing with difficult people) and that helped me to connect with the story a lot more.

[Linden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea of animal customers in the department store, but never really clicked with this book. It did not work on my Kindle (only text) but was okay on Edelweiss reader.

[Michele Benson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a fan of anime but this one is very cute. The illustrations are detailed and interesting. Because it is Japanese it is read back to front which was challenging.

[Giuliarum · Rating 5 out of 5]

“𝔹𝕚𝕤𝕠𝕘𝕟𝕒 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕝’𝕒𝕟𝕚𝕞𝕠 𝕕𝕖𝕚 𝕔𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕚 𝕡𝕖𝕣 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕦𝕚𝕣𝕖 𝕕𝕚 𝕔𝕠𝕤𝕒 𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕠 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕖 𝕓𝕚𝕤𝕠𝕘𝕟𝕠.”

Titolo: The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store
Titolo originale: Hokkyoku Hyakkaten no Concierge-san 北極百貨店のコンシェルジュさん
Scritto: 2017 - 2020
Tankōbon: 2 (concluso)
Edito: @dynitmanga

𝕋𝕣𝕒𝕞𝕒

La protagonista, Akino, ha appena cominciato a lavorare come concierge (persona incaricata di accogliere i clienti e gestirne le richieste e i bisogni) nel prestigioso Hokkyoku Department Store, un negozio di vendita al dettaglio, nel quale è possibile acquistare una vasta gamma di beni di consumo. La particolarità di quest’ultimo è che la clientela è composta esclusivamente da animali, di cui una buona parte estinti!

🎨Le tavole sono composte da disegni di puro contorno: i chiaroscuro vengono minimizzati all’interno stretto indispensabile, cosicché l’attenzione del lettore si concentri sulle forme e sulle proporzioni. I personaggi sono delineati con morbidezza e affetto.

📚 I vari episodi contenuti nei due volumi rispecchiano, anche se in maniera inusuale, le difficoltà che si incontrano lavorando a contatto con il pubblico: le richieste più disparate, gli atteggiamenti sgarbati, ma, anche, la soddisfazione nell’assistere qualcuno, l’apprezzamento che si riceve quando si è svolto in maniera impeccabile il proprio lavoro.

⭐️ Avendo un impiego che ha a che fare con la clientela, ho sentito questa storia molto vicina.

[em · Rating 3 out of 5]

i was so excited for this one because of its extremely cute premise and illustrations, but it really didn't feel complete to me.

the reader is thrust into the story from the beginning, with basically no information about our main character besides the fact that she works at a department store for animals. stylistically that's fine, but if that was intentional, the plot needed to make up for it-- and it just didn't.

the 5 stories were cute, but didn't intrigue me much and weren't even that interesting. i also am giving the book some grace, considering i think the lackluster story/characters has something to do with that fact its a translated work and may have just been a bad, or somewhat mediocre translation.

cozy vibes and definitely fits in the genre of healing fiction, but i think there are better books out there to get your fix.

[RunningRed NightBringer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up because I was curious about the concept. It follows Akino, a new concierge at a Japanese department store patronized exclusively by talking animals, some that are extinct species. Her job involves greeting and assisting the customers and the first volume shows her learning the ropes on such an unusual job.
The manga does zero explanation on what's going on with the store and why animals are wearing clothes or have money. And...it actually works well without the world building. You jump right into the story.
It's a decent enough comic but I took off some stars cause the stories are a little disjointed and choppy. And the art had some flaws. I was sometimes confused on which character we were following.

Overall, not a bad manga if you like anthropomorphic stuff.

[Zachary Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Starting today, I, Akino, will be working at this department store, where our guests are animals of all kinds.

Some have wings, others hooves... and sometimes you'll spot unfamiliar animals among the crowd."

The writing nor story blew me away, but the cuteness factor of this manga made it immediately 4 stars. It might be the cutest manga i've ever read and every panel is absolute eye candy. What is Akino's backstory? Don't care, there are cute animals in suits. Where is this story leading to? Don't care, there are cute animals in suits.

Appreciated how the author included sources where they got all of the facts regarding extinct animals. Had fun with this one! Highly recommend!!

[Travis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up book up thinking it looked cute and like it might be some sort of interesting surrealist story. It didn't really click with me. The setting is strange, even a bit surreal, but lacks any great explanation or meaning. Animals that can think and speak visit a department store staffed by humans; many of the animals are extinct and are given special treatment for such. Is this some sort of afterlife? Except the animals describe having lives and work outside the store similar to modern Japanese society. This was particularly off-putting for me in the first story, which is all about blatantly corrupt business practices: locking down business deals by spending lavishly on personal gifts for corporate higher ups. A bit too real and too ugly, and the zany way that the main character's boss pops up and harasses her doesn't help any.

[Elska Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

[3.25]

A cute episodic manga with some interesting facts about extinct animals, and pretty relatable for anyone who works in retail. It was a nice read, but it felt like it was written to be turned into an anime (which I think there is an anime film based on it). The characters were distinct but had limited page time and so their personalities barely came through. I could see the floor manager working well in animation in particular but felt underutilised here. The flow of the panels was not great in some parts and sometimes it was hard to visually tell what was supposed to be happening.

[fatima ❀]

the story follows a newly employed concierge at a department store for animals. it is a slice-of-life with uplifting motives, and the art is beautiful & detailed (it was particularly fun to scan each page to look at the variety of animals, clothes, and decorations). there is, however, an undercurrent of melancholy as most of the animals the protagonist interacts with are now extinct; each episode is accompanied by the narrator explaining how and when they disappeared.

all in all, a lovely read! very worthwhile

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this DRC from Edelweiss.

It was fine. I didn't love the art style. It's all in black and white, but also has a lot of hatching for shading, so it ends up just kind of busy looking.

The story was fine. It's just a cozy read with each story about a different animal that the main character helps in the store. The actual type of animal it was didn't really matter, though. I did like that there were facts included about the extinct animals, so I feel like I learned a little bit.

[Jeff Lewonczyk]

There's something weirdly unsettling at the center of this cute and quirky manga. Why is there a department store largely patronized by extinct animals, and who are these humans that seem to spawn from the void to serve them? The lessons about service and professionalism jar against scientific facts about animal behavior. Who is this for? Is something lost in translation? It's fascinating, but more as surrealism than light entertainment.

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

In an uncomfortable middle ground of not being hangout-y enough to work as a slice of life thing, but not digging into its few bits of crunch to be meaningful. The art is great though - the high-detail animals and their fancy clothes contrasted with the sketchier/more cartoonish humans, and lots of unique framing angles which especially sell the physical comedy. Admittedly, probably worth it for the two panels of the albatross putting on his hat alone.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun and sweet manga story! We follow a human concierge at the titular department store the staff are humans, assisting their animal clientele with exemplary customer service/hospitality! Part slice of life, part satire on hospitality work told in interesting individual chapter by chapter stories along the way. Such a unique story as a whole with many different animals drawn throughout —such a treat!

[scarlettraces · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 The Goreyesque art is the star here although the VIAs are also a gorgeous (somewhat sad) touch and cool that whēkau featured in the first chapter!

[Edit: now I am driving myself bananas trying to identify which other artists the style reminds me of. I think there's a bit of Thurber in there, especially for the humans - eyes, figures, movement.]