At 29 years old, carefree Hiroto Ikuta doesn’t have a girlfriend, a full-time job, or a plan for the future—and he couldn’t be happier. Hiroto’s breezy attitude isn’t easy for everyone to understand, though. In a world filled with anxiety, confusion, and grief, Hiroto and the people who surround him are all just doing their best to figure out this thing called life.
Christmas is right around the corner, but when Natsumi ends up hosting a holiday party, she runs into a bit more trouble than she bargained for! Meanwhile, Hiroto and Yomogi can’t seem to stop running into each other. As the lives of this laid-back part-timer and serious realtor continue to collide, they may just find themselves becoming less and less set in their ways.
Encore un tome paisible et agréable. J’adore toujours autant les personnages, les lieux, les situations, la bouffe… 💖 Ça me rend encore plus nostalgique du Japon, et en particulier de Tokyo, vivement que j’y retourne (ou que je lise le tome 5 !)
I read another review that called this volume ‘transitional’ and I think that’s such a spot-on description that I’m going to abscond with it for my own use here.
There isn’t really much approaching a big arc, but there are lots of little things happening that do finally add up towards the end. It’s a bit of a walk to get there, however, enough that I initially felt a tug of tedium until I re-read it and took in the bigger picture.
Natsumi sort of makes good with some of her fellow students and may have a new friend. Her manga career still hasn’t quite got there, but she does at least make an important declaration (in her mind anyway; as usual, parents know way more than they let on).
Akarin struggles with feelings of academic and romantic inadequacy. Natsumi is such a good friend to her, but she doesn’t change much at all this volume. It’s all little bits of life like this and any one moment is fine, but as a whole they work pretty okay. More than I had realized, certainly.
Hiro turns out to be surprisingly responsible when he needs to be, which is nice. He obviously loves the path of least resistance, but he doesn’t to the point of letting things crumble around him. I like the little hints of change for him.
Of course, Yomogi is in the frame as well, except not really. Their relationship, not that one, remains interesting. Yomogi has what is essentially a date this volume, but not with Hiro, and the latter’s own offering is politely rebuked. It offers up some intriguing story possibilities for the future, at least.
Slice of life, but with some heart to it, is how this story goes. The flashback with Hiro and the elderly woman who bequeathed him the house is just sweet enough without being cloying. A nice little diversion.
4 stars - it’s definitely not the best volume yet, there’s a lot of smaller pieces here versus a strong feeling of moving forward, but it’s still very enjoyable.
FUCK I love this manga so much. In Volume 4 of Hirayasumi, Keigo Shinzō continues to deliver a heartwarming and deeply relatable story that solidifies this series as a top-tier slice-of-life manga. This volume, in particular, shines as it delves deeper into the lives of its characters, balancing moments of joy and quiet reflection.
In this volume, Natsumi gets to shine, hosting a party with so many great moments. This includes some wonderful interactions with her friend, and a little snap taking picture of the love one. It's a small but significant detail that captures the quiet warmth of the series.
The stuff with Hiroto and Yomogi feels so organic and cute, and well done. Their interactions are beautifully handled, showcasing a natural progression from their initial, contrasting personalities.
I also love the flashbacks here with Granny. So sad, yet so beautiful as well as the manga stuff. These scenes add a layer of poignant depth to the narrative.
Hirayasumi remains a gem, and this volume is a perfect example of why. It’s a manga that finds beauty in the mundane and celebrates the simple connections that make life meaningful. Yeah this is the best slice of life stuff around. A 5 out of 5.
It's been a while since I've read Hirayasumi. That's how manga usually goes: I'll start a series, then pause, then continue, then pause again. Anyway, I don't recall everything about the earlier volumes, but honestly, I didn't feel lost during this one. I started it and immediately remembered what had happened in the previous. I like how easily I was able to get back into the series. Also, I think this volume does a good job at progressing the story and relationships. It's a good volume.
Au plus j'avance dans la lecture de ce manga au plus je l'aime ! Le dessin est superbe et c'est un plaisir de creuser les histoires de chacun des personnages, qui sont amenées petit à petit si bien qu'on ne perd pas le fil et qu'on a tout simplement hâte d'en savoir plus sur eux. Un bonheur !
This manga just feels so warm- when Hiroto is overwhelmed he runs really fast to collect his thoughts, the art students notice the beauty of the bricks in the walls, Christmas party and sharing manga. Really nice read.
Whereas earlier volumes have more self-contained chapters, this one is about the characters embarking on longer arcs. While it's not as satisfying as previous entries, the payoff should surely be bigger. One thing I appreciate about this series is the mangaka's commitment to drawing backgrounds. It does help the story feel more grounded.
Esta gente es tan tierna. Pensando en que cuando me enfadé voy a correr aunque sean dos pasos para sentirme mejor. Hiroto te mereces el mundo y Natsu también 🥹🥹🥹
I've been breezing through this Manga. Its actually my first Manga ever! I really love this series because it brings me right back to Japan 😌 the slice of life in the city, serendipitous encounters, sentimental moments, and a reminder to slow down and enjoy each bite, each light, and each passing day.
Really enjoying this series which is extremely chill, charming, and sensitive, though I'm worried that its good vibes only attitude will end up leaving some compelling thematic conflicts on the table. We'll see how it shakes out!
Tranche de vie par excellence, Hirayasumi confirme son statut de série simple qui me fait simplement du bien quand je la lis. Pas de complication incroyable, juste du quotidien et le plaisir d’y suivre nos héros qui évoluent au gré des saisons.
Le fil d’Hirayasumi est simple : la vie. Tandis que l’hiver s’installe, les fêtes de fin et début d’année arrivent et nos cousin-cousine avancent tranquillement au fil du temps qui passent. Sans tension, sans complication, nous assistons donc à leur premier Noël, premier retour à la maison, etc. C’est amusant, calme et reposant.
L’auteur concocte ici une histoire pleine de bienveillance où des gens très différents se rencontrent, s’ouvrent et se côtoient. C’est le cas de notre agente immobilière dans le premier chapitre qui, bordélique chez elle, fait la connaissance de quelqu’un de plus minimaliste qui lui ouvre avec humour de nouveaux horizons. C’est également le cas de Natsumi qui se pensait bien loin du clan des populaires de sa fac, mais qui à l’occasion d’une soirée va se découvrir des points communs avec eux. Keigo Shinzo nous apprend ainsi à briser nos préjugés et à oser aller à la rencontre des gens, comme l’avait déjà fait avec émotion, Hiroto avec la mamie qui lui a légué sa maison. Verdict : ça fonctionne plutôt bien.
Après la vie n’est pas qu’un long fleuve tranquille, le quotidien lui-même peut être source d’aventure et rebondissement. Hiroto va le découvrir avec humour à ses dépends quand le chauffe-eau qu’il aime tant le lâche, le poussant à changer sa façon de vivre : il va devoir travailler plus et ne plus tant se laisser vivre mais assumer. Natsumi, aussi, va se réveiller et assumer son rêve de devenir mangaka, l’avouant à ses parents, après avoir déjà fait le pas d’en parler avec des gens qu’elle pensait inaccessible. Chacun avance et c’est touchant à voir.
Keigo Shinzo manie donc avec brio la simplicité du quotidien et sa magie, ses hauts et ses bas, ce qui rend la lecture de Hirayasumi si tendre et touchante, si cocasse et amusante. On se sent bien avec ces personnages qui pourraient être nous et on aime les brefs instants de vie qu’il nous laisse à voir dont certains semblent reposer sur du vécu comme la rencontre avec ce tantô (responsable éditorial). C’est pour ça que ça semble si authentique.
Keigo Shinzo's "Hirayasumi" series continues to delight. Centered on a near-thirty slacker and his art-school cousin who lives with him, the comic offers fun, gentle scenes of community and romance.
There's nothing earth-shattering here. We get long-harbored crushes and a big Christmas party where the "cool kids" show up (carrying an intricately rendered bucket of KFC chicken, no less). Our art student, Natsumi, grows closer to possibly getting her manga published, even as she's embarrassed for the other art-school kids to know she draws manga, even as they all seem to secretly want to make manga themselves!
We close with a sweet reminiscence of the prickly old granny who bequeathed slacker Hiroto her house. There's a bit of a crisis too, as the house's water heater breaks, and Hiroto has to step up and take on more work to try to fix it. All of the characters show some nice evolution in this volume, even as the ties between them deepen organically.
this was a lovely volume! i feel as if all of the characters we have been focusing on have been progressing at a snails pace (not a problem to me, though).
we get lovely moments between hiro, nat, and their families in their home town. hiro honor’s his granny and their friendship while we also is forced to start working more. nat seems to make nice with those who previously bullied her and her manga agent has faith in her craft, despite her lack of progress right now. akarin hasn’t made much progress romantically, but it feels like we could get some real movement soon. additionally, yomogi has a faux date and both her and her current love interest change their actions in a positive way based on each other
I continue to enjoy this series, although no volume has stood out to me like the first one, perhaps because I didn't know what to expect when I first picked up the series. I like how Natsumi's mentor resembles the art teacher from Akiko Higashimura's autobiographical manga, and I'd be curious to see how her manga skills and career develop as the story progresses. I also wonder if the author has an end to this series in mind or if it's meant to go on for as long as possible. It would be nice to know that it has a planned arc, over 10 or 20 volumes, for example. At the moment, I would be happy to read any volumes that my library adds to its collection.
Il volume si estende dall'inverno fino al ridosso della primavera. Natsumi organizza una festa di Natale dove Hiro si presenta tardi. Natsumi trova finalmente il coraggio di dire alla famiglia che vuole diventare una mangaka e comincia a disegnare per una rivista per ragazzi. Hiro va a trovare la nonna defunta al cimitero ricordando il giorno che gli ha promesso di lasciargli casa e alcuni squarci dei suoi ultimi anni. Akari e Natsumi continuano ad avvicinarsi, con quest'ultima che regala dei dolci ad Akari mentre è ammalata a casa.
I still love this series a ton but I didn't love this one as much as the previous volumes. I feel that this one is in a way a very transitory installment because it felt more like it was setting up for the next one as opposed to being more self-contained like I feel volumes 1-3 were. I really liked the short bit we got from Akari's POV that showed her deep insecurities and really expanded on her character more. I also feel a little apprehensive about Hiroki, I'm not sure that the last bit of him and Nat on the scooter is boding well for him. I'm looking forward to volume 5.
The impromptu date for Yomogi and Ishikawa was adorable. (I need to study some minimalist tricks to keep a clean house) But the Christmas party was fantastic! I'm so happy for Natsumi for making new friends! And Akarin and Yamada!
But even better is the flashbacks to Hiroto and Granny which have a minor parallel with Natsumi and Editor Nikaido. This is the biggest thing I vibe with in this series, a younger generation forming bonds and learning from an older generation in the most meaningful way. MENTORSHIP!
Il primo numero e’ incentrato su una specie di appuntamento tra Yomogi (l’agente immobiliare) e lo scrittore: molto divertente e dolce. In un altro numero si approfondisce la figura di Nikaido, il vicecaporedattore della rivista per cui scrive/vorrebbe scrivere Natsu. In uno invece Hiroto e Natsu tornato alla loro città natale per l’ultimo dell’anno Nell’ultimo si percepisce che forse anche Yamada prova qualcosa per Akari.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.