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銀の匙 Silver Spoon [Gin no Saji Silver Spoon] #3
Silver Spoon, Vol. 3
A few weeks into his summer job at Mikage Ranch, Hachiken has proven himself a hard worker, even under the skeptical gaze of Aki's father. His first term at Ezo AG has given him a great deal to think about-the future, the fate of Pork Bowl-but open pastures and fresh air provide a very different backdrop to his worries than his previous life in the city. Still, when he chose not to go home for summer break, Hachiken hardly expected home to come to him!
192 pages, Paperback
First published April 18, 2012
17 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
About the author
Hiromu Arakawa
355 books2,869 followersHiromu Arakawa (author: 荒川弘) is a Japanese manga artist, best known for Fullmetal Alchemist (鋼の錬金術師 Hagane no renkinjutsushi).
Her real name is Hiromi Arakawa (荒川弘美).
Arakawa was born and raised on a dairy farm in Hokkaidō.
She thought of being a manga artist since she was little. After graduating high school, she took oil painting classes while working on her family's farm. During that time, she also created dōjinshi manga with her friends and drew yonkoma for a magazine. After eight years she moved to Tōkyō and started out as assistant writer for Hiroyuki Etō.
Her debut as manga artist is in 1999 with STRAY DOG. In 2001 she started working on her famous and award winning series Fullmetal Alchemist, that soon gets a successful anime adaptation.
Other works include Silver Spoon (銀の匙 Silver Spoon, Gin no saji Silver Spoon).
Her real name is Hiromi Arakawa (荒川弘美).
Arakawa was born and raised on a dairy farm in Hokkaidō.
She thought of being a manga artist since she was little. After graduating high school, she took oil painting classes while working on her family's farm. During that time, she also created dōjinshi manga with her friends and drew yonkoma for a magazine. After eight years she moved to Tōkyō and started out as assistant writer for Hiroyuki Etō.
Her debut as manga artist is in 1999 with STRAY DOG. In 2001 she started working on her famous and award winning series Fullmetal Alchemist, that soon gets a successful anime adaptation.
Other works include Silver Spoon (銀の匙 Silver Spoon, Gin no saji Silver Spoon).
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
July 28, 2018
The summer doldrums settle in during the first half of the volume as our hero, Hachiken, continues on as a helping hand on a classmate's dairy farm during a school break. The introduction of a new supposed-to-be-wacky character falls flat, and there is not much new or interesting knowledge offered about farm life.
The second half picks up as the students return to school and see how much can change in just a month apart. One change is that the little pig to which Hachiken has become attached is about to be sent off for slaughter. Hachiken's strong and conflicted feelings cause many of students to reflect on their own feelings about killing animals for food. It is not a balanced debate since this is a book promoting established agricultural practices, but it is good to see it touched on at least.
Hachiken's course of action at the end leaves me wanting to see the outcome in the next volume.
The second half picks up as the students return to school and see how much can change in just a month apart. One change is that the little pig to which Hachiken has become attached is about to be sent off for slaughter. Hachiken's strong and conflicted feelings cause many of students to reflect on their own feelings about killing animals for food. It is not a balanced debate since this is a book promoting established agricultural practices, but it is good to see it touched on at least.
Hachiken's course of action at the end leaves me wanting to see the outcome in the next volume.
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January 5, 2020Продовження саги про хлопчика, який не подумавши потрапив у сільськогосподарське ПТУ, й тепер йому треба не тільки давати собі раду з очікуваннями батьків, а й (а) швидко дорослішати і нести відповідальність за своє життя; (б) розуміти, що не він один унікальна квіточка, бо в усіх навколишніх теж є проблеми, зокрема з тими ж очікуваннями батьків; (в) ну і принагідно розбиратися з етичними дилемами штибу вирощування тварин на м'ясо, якщо ти цим тваринам уже ім'я дав, інвестував у них емоції і взагалі.
За переказом звучить похмуренько, але насправді там дуже симпатично виписані всі ці малі лоботряси, багато гумору і прекрасні ландшафти.
За переказом звучить похмуренько, але насправді там дуже симпатично виписані всі ці малі лоботряси, багато гумору і прекрасні ландшафти.
January 1, 2024
So much love for this cute manga <33
December 18, 2018
Not too much happened in this book. We met Hachiken’s brother who likes Ramen but is really bad at making Ramen. Then Hachiken bought Pork Bowl and now we’ll see if he can actually eat him. Fun little story like usual.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2020
An entertaining read. This is a bit the epitome of the "slice of life" genre.
June 16, 2020
Hachiken attends an agricultural high school even though he has no interest in pursuing an agricultural career. In this 3rd volume, Hachiken is conflicted about his favorite pig, Pork Bowl, being sent to the slaughterhouse. He has to work through his feelings about raising animals for slaughter, and it brings up a lot of debate among his classmates. He works hard to earn the respect of his teachers and classmates, and his thoughtfulness and kindness draws people to him.
This manga is hilarious! The characters are fun and some of them are really silly. After their summer break, they all come back to school with renewed energy and more of a sense of class unity. I really love the character dynamics and their friendships.
Hachiken has a lot of character development in this volume, and he struggles to decide how he really feels about a lot of things. He tries to help his friends to follow their dreams and goals, even though he doesn't know what his goal in life is going to be.
We get to meet Hachiken's older brother who has dropped out of college, and we get a little bit of a closer look at Hachiken's family life, but it's still a mystery why Hachiken left his family.
I love the drama and emotional development in this volume!
This manga is hilarious! The characters are fun and some of them are really silly. After their summer break, they all come back to school with renewed energy and more of a sense of class unity. I really love the character dynamics and their friendships.
Hachiken has a lot of character development in this volume, and he struggles to decide how he really feels about a lot of things. He tries to help his friends to follow their dreams and goals, even though he doesn't know what his goal in life is going to be.
We get to meet Hachiken's older brother who has dropped out of college, and we get a little bit of a closer look at Hachiken's family life, but it's still a mystery why Hachiken left his family.
I love the drama and emotional development in this volume!
September 9, 2016
Fools waste their money on foolish things. Only the wise use their money to better themselves. A man's worth can be determined by how he spends his money. --> jleb banget ini, lol
Don't go thinking you're a failure just because you made one mistake.
And yet you can kill livestock, but nobody wants to see their pet die. I wonder what the difference is.
All animals want to live, so...where do you draw the line?
The only justification is our tastebuds. If that is not a sufficient justification for dog meat, why do we consider it sufficient justification for what is done to millions of other animals?
Why are we not up in arms about the lorry loads of pigs, cows and sheep we see every day on our roads, being ferried to the slaughterhouse, scared, confused, thirsty, hopeless? What is the difference? It is only habit and tradition. There is no moral difference.
There is no moral difference between what we do to animals and what the Chinese do to the dogs at Yulin.
Until we recognise that and stop our own use and abuse of animals, our voice against Yulin has no credibility. (Source : Vegans are using this cartoon to make you think differently about meat)
Reason like there is a difference between livestock and domestic pet is basically made by human standard for human benefits. Only human categorize or label it for their own convenience. Because dog and cat is cuter therefore their lives matter more than cow and chicken? All lives has equal value.
Inilah manusia. Semuanya dipilah-pilah dan diklasifikasikan berdasarkan standar manusia, yg menguntungkan bagi manusia atau tidak. Mana yg layak dimakan, mana yg tak layak dimakan, mana yg patut dijadikan peliharaan, mana yg cocok dibudakin manusia, mana yg pantas dibunuh cuma karena dia eksis dan bikin manusia takut, mana yg pantas diburu buat sport, mana yg pantas dijadikan tontonan di kebun binatang, dll.
Setiap kali kita mendengar dan melihat berita kekejaman orang pada hewan terutama festival Yulin ataupun festival makan daging anjing serupa di Sulawesi itu, sebaiknya kita berkaca dulu, kalau masih makan hewan atau membunuh serangga atau memakai barang dari kulit hewan, pura-pura lupa pada penyiksaan yg diterima ayam dan sapi, sebaiknya tidak usah menghujat dan komentar, imo itu munafik dan sok suci namanya. Bukannya aku membenarkan kekejaman dalam penyiksaan hewan hingga mati, tapi argumen soal membunuh yg cepat dan painless itu juga tidak bisa membantah kenyataan bahwa nyawa makhluk hidup tsb hilang sebagai hasil akhirnya, tetap pembunuhan mau diperhalus atau gimana. Coba kita tanya sama diri sendiri, misalnya ada orang mau bunuh kita, pilih mana, dibunuh dengan obat tidur, atau pakai pistol atau ditusuk pisau. Mana mau kita dibunuh ya ga. Tapi ya tidak bisa menyangkal juga, jika harus dibunuh, yg cepat dan disertai doa lebih baik daripada menyiksa perlahan-lahan buat senang-senang.
Yah, aku sendiri juga masih makan ayam ikan, sesekali makan sapi dan babi, tidak memakai sepatu tas kulit asli atau baju bulu (selalu pakai yg sintetis), masih membunuh nyamuk, semut, kecoa, laba-laba (aku takut bgt sama laba-laba terutama yg kakinya berbulu-bulu XO entah kenapa mereka suka bgt dekat-dekat aku XO), jadi aku merasa tidak berhak berkomentar apapun walaupun aku sangat tidak setuju dengan penyiksaan itu.
Bisakah kita menghentikan kebudayaan itu? Mungkin, suatu saat, karena lihat saja ada banyak kebudayaan lama dan kuno yg ditinggalkan dan dilupakan di jaman modern ini. Tapi bisa juga tidak. Di Barat saja, ada budaya makan kuda, sedangkan di tempat lain, kuda buat tunggangan. Ada temanku orang Manado, dia suka anjing, pelihara anjing, tapi suka juga makan anjing dan menurutnya lezat. Nah loh. Ajaibnya manusia itu... Tapi apakah itu berarti temanku itu jahat sekali? Terkadang setitik noda tidak merusak susu sebelanga.
Tapi jujur aku meringis dalam hati dengarnya, juga tdk paham, sayang anjing tapi makan anjing? Secara aku pecinta anjing, kayanya aku ga sanggup makan anjing. X( Aku ga doyan yg aneh-aneh, misalnya daging anjing, kucing, kodok, ular, semut (sebagai obat). Dulu waktu kecil sempat cobain makan daging burung goreng (enak sih), sup penyu (dicekokin ortu krn dibilang bagus), sup sirip hiu (yg sejujurnya aku ga demen sama rasanya, kenyal2 aneh gitu), jarang sih dimakan, paling setahun sekali dua kali, tapi akhirnya stop sama sekali waktu dewasa karena tidak tega.
Ngomong soal binatang yg jadi makanan, si piglet pork bowl (pork bowl itu nama si piglet yg dikasi MC) akhirnya dimakan juga sama MC, aku mixed feeling liatnya. Bukannya dia galau banget tadinya waktu dengar si piglet favorit dia mau disembelih? Tapi rada somewhat understand but not quite understand gitu juga (I didn't make sense, I know, lol) sama guilty pleasure dia (hati nurani bilang NO, lidah bilang YES, LOL). Plus, aku rasa MC sadar kalo tidak adil cuma pork bowl yg diistimewakan gara-gara dia satu-satunya piglet yg diberi nama semacam binatang peliharaan, bagaimana dengan piglet lainnya? Bagaimana dengan hewan lainnya? Pada akhirnya dia menerima takdir piglet jadi bacon, at least, MC sukses raising awareness seluruh penghuni sekolahnya, teman-temannya yg tumbuh besar menganggap livestock itu oke2 saja dibunuh, lebih apresiatif pada hidup dan nyawa yg dipersembahkan livestock pada manusia, not taking them for granted. Kita juga yg lagi makan ayam dan ikan, jangan sia-siakan daging mereka, habiskan.
Ngomong soal makanan, aku ngiler abis waktu liat mereka rebus dan bakar jagung!! XP Mau rebus atau bakar atau dibikin sup, jagung itu salah satu makanan favoritku banget! Jadi ngiler ingat jagung bakar langgananku di kota asalku.
Aku juga suka sama MC yg begitu baik dan suka menolong orang tanpa pamrih. Memang, orang baik jadi cenderung mudah dimanfaatkan orang dan dianggap bodoh karenanya, juga mudah dicap orang ada maunya, dianggap suka ikut campur tanpa diminta, dianggap people-pleaser, dianggap lemah lugu polos karena seperti tidak pernah mengenal kekejaman dunia, dll. Be kind anyway, don't change yourself because you're afraid of what people think. Change yourself because you want to be better.
Don't go thinking you're a failure just because you made one mistake.
And yet you can kill livestock, but nobody wants to see their pet die. I wonder what the difference is.
All animals want to live, so...where do you draw the line?
The only justification is our tastebuds. If that is not a sufficient justification for dog meat, why do we consider it sufficient justification for what is done to millions of other animals?
Why are we not up in arms about the lorry loads of pigs, cows and sheep we see every day on our roads, being ferried to the slaughterhouse, scared, confused, thirsty, hopeless? What is the difference? It is only habit and tradition. There is no moral difference.
There is no moral difference between what we do to animals and what the Chinese do to the dogs at Yulin.
Until we recognise that and stop our own use and abuse of animals, our voice against Yulin has no credibility. (Source : Vegans are using this cartoon to make you think differently about meat)
Reason like there is a difference between livestock and domestic pet is basically made by human standard for human benefits. Only human categorize or label it for their own convenience. Because dog and cat is cuter therefore their lives matter more than cow and chicken? All lives has equal value.
Inilah manusia. Semuanya dipilah-pilah dan diklasifikasikan berdasarkan standar manusia, yg menguntungkan bagi manusia atau tidak. Mana yg layak dimakan, mana yg tak layak dimakan, mana yg patut dijadikan peliharaan, mana yg cocok dibudakin manusia, mana yg pantas dibunuh cuma karena dia eksis dan bikin manusia takut, mana yg pantas diburu buat sport, mana yg pantas dijadikan tontonan di kebun binatang, dll.
Setiap kali kita mendengar dan melihat berita kekejaman orang pada hewan terutama festival Yulin ataupun festival makan daging anjing serupa di Sulawesi itu, sebaiknya kita berkaca dulu, kalau masih makan hewan atau membunuh serangga atau memakai barang dari kulit hewan, pura-pura lupa pada penyiksaan yg diterima ayam dan sapi, sebaiknya tidak usah menghujat dan komentar, imo itu munafik dan sok suci namanya. Bukannya aku membenarkan kekejaman dalam penyiksaan hewan hingga mati, tapi argumen soal membunuh yg cepat dan painless itu juga tidak bisa membantah kenyataan bahwa nyawa makhluk hidup tsb hilang sebagai hasil akhirnya, tetap pembunuhan mau diperhalus atau gimana. Coba kita tanya sama diri sendiri, misalnya ada orang mau bunuh kita, pilih mana, dibunuh dengan obat tidur, atau pakai pistol atau ditusuk pisau. Mana mau kita dibunuh ya ga. Tapi ya tidak bisa menyangkal juga, jika harus dibunuh, yg cepat dan disertai doa lebih baik daripada menyiksa perlahan-lahan buat senang-senang.
Yah, aku sendiri juga masih makan ayam ikan, sesekali makan sapi dan babi, tidak memakai sepatu tas kulit asli atau baju bulu (selalu pakai yg sintetis), masih membunuh nyamuk, semut, kecoa, laba-laba (aku takut bgt sama laba-laba terutama yg kakinya berbulu-bulu XO entah kenapa mereka suka bgt dekat-dekat aku XO), jadi aku merasa tidak berhak berkomentar apapun walaupun aku sangat tidak setuju dengan penyiksaan itu.
Bisakah kita menghentikan kebudayaan itu? Mungkin, suatu saat, karena lihat saja ada banyak kebudayaan lama dan kuno yg ditinggalkan dan dilupakan di jaman modern ini. Tapi bisa juga tidak. Di Barat saja, ada budaya makan kuda, sedangkan di tempat lain, kuda buat tunggangan. Ada temanku orang Manado, dia suka anjing, pelihara anjing, tapi suka juga makan anjing dan menurutnya lezat. Nah loh. Ajaibnya manusia itu... Tapi apakah itu berarti temanku itu jahat sekali? Terkadang setitik noda tidak merusak susu sebelanga.
Tapi jujur aku meringis dalam hati dengarnya, juga tdk paham, sayang anjing tapi makan anjing? Secara aku pecinta anjing, kayanya aku ga sanggup makan anjing. X( Aku ga doyan yg aneh-aneh, misalnya daging anjing, kucing, kodok, ular, semut (sebagai obat). Dulu waktu kecil sempat cobain makan daging burung goreng (enak sih), sup penyu (dicekokin ortu krn dibilang bagus), sup sirip hiu (yg sejujurnya aku ga demen sama rasanya, kenyal2 aneh gitu), jarang sih dimakan, paling setahun sekali dua kali, tapi akhirnya stop sama sekali waktu dewasa karena tidak tega.
Ngomong soal binatang yg jadi makanan, si piglet pork bowl (pork bowl itu nama si piglet yg dikasi MC) akhirnya dimakan juga sama MC, aku mixed feeling liatnya. Bukannya dia galau banget tadinya waktu dengar si piglet favorit dia mau disembelih? Tapi rada somewhat understand but not quite understand gitu juga (I didn't make sense, I know, lol) sama guilty pleasure dia (hati nurani bilang NO, lidah bilang YES, LOL). Plus, aku rasa MC sadar kalo tidak adil cuma pork bowl yg diistimewakan gara-gara dia satu-satunya piglet yg diberi nama semacam binatang peliharaan, bagaimana dengan piglet lainnya? Bagaimana dengan hewan lainnya? Pada akhirnya dia menerima takdir piglet jadi bacon, at least, MC sukses raising awareness seluruh penghuni sekolahnya, teman-temannya yg tumbuh besar menganggap livestock itu oke2 saja dibunuh, lebih apresiatif pada hidup dan nyawa yg dipersembahkan livestock pada manusia, not taking them for granted. Kita juga yg lagi makan ayam dan ikan, jangan sia-siakan daging mereka, habiskan.
Ngomong soal makanan, aku ngiler abis waktu liat mereka rebus dan bakar jagung!! XP Mau rebus atau bakar atau dibikin sup, jagung itu salah satu makanan favoritku banget! Jadi ngiler ingat jagung bakar langgananku di kota asalku.
Aku juga suka sama MC yg begitu baik dan suka menolong orang tanpa pamrih. Memang, orang baik jadi cenderung mudah dimanfaatkan orang dan dianggap bodoh karenanya, juga mudah dicap orang ada maunya, dianggap suka ikut campur tanpa diminta, dianggap people-pleaser, dianggap lemah lugu polos karena seperti tidak pernah mengenal kekejaman dunia, dll. Be kind anyway, don't change yourself because you're afraid of what people think. Change yourself because you want to be better.
A truly compassionate attitude toward others does not change even if they behave negatively or hurt you. – Dalai Lama
It takes so much courage to face your enemy, but even more to be kind to those who hurt you.– Widewing
The most useful asset of a person is not a head full of knowledge but a heart full of love, with ears open to listen, and hands willing to help.– Anonymous
Creativity is the greatest power of the mind. Kindness is the greatest beauty of the heart.– Dr T.P.Chia
I see that being a kind human has value in any walk of life. This is what I took with me into future work. Even though I many not be the manager other people want me to be, I am valuable in any organization because I am kind.
I care about the people who work around me. I care about each individual client, customer, and colleague. This may not be a prerequisite for a successful career, but it’s my prerequisite for a successful life.
Each kindness changes the world. Being kind is what makes my world significant.
Whatever values you hold dear—whether it’s kindness, gentleness, calmness, or honesty—live it. Be it, even if the people around you don’t seem to value the same things; especially if the people around you don’t seem to value those things. That might be the very reason you came into their lives.– Linnaea Bohn (Being Kind When It’s Seen as a Weakness)
Our prime purpose in this life is to help others and if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them. This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.– Dalai Lama
The simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful than a thousand heads bowing in prayer.– Mahatma Gandhi
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.– Ralph Waldo Emerson
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.–Mother Teresa
March 4, 2019
I continue to be amazed at the amount of detail taken with this series! I love seeing our characters grow and change with each phase of this story. I'm excited to see what is in store for our characters!
June 7, 2024
i like this series a lot more than i expected to. the characters are fun, the hijinks are funny, and it actually does teach a lot about what it's like working on a farm.
August 25, 2018
This continues to be an enjoyable, relaxing read. Hachiken's relationship with his paretns will hit home for a lot of people, and I loved seeing him bloom on Mikage's farm, surrounded by kind and understanding people.
March 12, 2019
Such a fun story but also super educational read.
January 13, 2019
I'm glad that I got through this volume today (I kept setting it down and reading only a few pages at a time, which is unusual for me to do with manga at all. It felt very odd.) I already have the fourth volume, and I didn't want to put this off for very long.
So if you've kept up with the Silver Spoon manga thus far, we last left off with our boy Hachiken agreeing to work over his summer break at Mikage's farm. In this volume, we not only see what comes of his job there and his interactions as he gets to know his crush's family, but we also see more into Komaba's life, we meet Hachiken's wayward older brother, and the most important part of it all...we see what happens as things come to a head regarding the fate of Hachiken's favorite pig, "Pork Bowl", and how he takes steps to work through his conflicting emotions over "Pork Bowl".
I love this installment for a great number of reasons, not the least of which are the various, rich character interactions and Hiromu Arakawa's fantastic sense of humor and comedic delivery, but the way in which Hachiken has to overcome his feelings and accept that he cannot keep "Pork Bowl" as a pet, no matter how cute the pig was or how attached he got. His approach over time creates ripples and affects his classmates, prompting them to try understanding things from a different perspective. A character's actions prompting reactions and changes within others in the environment is a sign of thoughtful, impactful, and all-around just good writing. And as we will get the final result in the next volume, I think this is a good set-up for how people change and impact those around them.
I love this series to bits and pieces and I still highly recommend it to anyone who is willing to give it a shot. Silver Spoon is no longer up on Netflix as far as I can tell, but it is on Crunchyroll if you would like to watch it there, and may be on various other anime streaming sites as well!
So if you've kept up with the Silver Spoon manga thus far, we last left off with our boy Hachiken agreeing to work over his summer break at Mikage's farm. In this volume, we not only see what comes of his job there and his interactions as he gets to know his crush's family, but we also see more into Komaba's life, we meet Hachiken's wayward older brother, and the most important part of it all...we see what happens as things come to a head regarding the fate of Hachiken's favorite pig, "Pork Bowl", and how he takes steps to work through his conflicting emotions over "Pork Bowl".
I love this installment for a great number of reasons, not the least of which are the various, rich character interactions and Hiromu Arakawa's fantastic sense of humor and comedic delivery, but the way in which Hachiken has to overcome his feelings and accept that he cannot keep "Pork Bowl" as a pet, no matter how cute the pig was or how attached he got. His approach over time creates ripples and affects his classmates, prompting them to try understanding things from a different perspective. A character's actions prompting reactions and changes within others in the environment is a sign of thoughtful, impactful, and all-around just good writing. And as we will get the final result in the next volume, I think this is a good set-up for how people change and impact those around them.
I love this series to bits and pieces and I still highly recommend it to anyone who is willing to give it a shot. Silver Spoon is no longer up on Netflix as far as I can tell, but it is on Crunchyroll if you would like to watch it there, and may be on various other anime streaming sites as well!
June 12, 2020
Things I took away from this volume:
Families are a great thing. They are a center of support and a safe harbor when things get rough. (Or they’re supposed to be anyway) But more often than not, family are the hardest people to talk to.
You know that crushing feeling when you mess up so bad and it hurts people you care about? That feeling is ten times worse when you don’t get yelled at. But that inner turmoil forces you to grow as a person. Even though you’ll still feel the shame every time you think about it.
Also, spend your money wisely.
Sometimes, asking others for advice is good. Other times, it’s frustrating because they don’t see things the way you do. So they brush you off as being too sensitive. However, sticking with your feelings and finding your own answers will make you stronger.
And this series gets written off as a silly farm story.
This series has 15 volumes.
Families are a great thing. They are a center of support and a safe harbor when things get rough. (Or they’re supposed to be anyway) But more often than not, family are the hardest people to talk to.
You know that crushing feeling when you mess up so bad and it hurts people you care about? That feeling is ten times worse when you don’t get yelled at. But that inner turmoil forces you to grow as a person. Even though you’ll still feel the shame every time you think about it.
Also, spend your money wisely.
Sometimes, asking others for advice is good. Other times, it’s frustrating because they don’t see things the way you do. So they brush you off as being too sensitive. However, sticking with your feelings and finding your own answers will make you stronger.
And this series gets written off as a silly farm story.
This series has 15 volumes.
January 4, 2024
Silverspoon is funny and will take you back to the simple countryside where everything is routine and everyone has a role. I learned a lot about responsible animal farming. If you like slice of life and the country life then I hope you’d enjoy this one.
September 26, 2018
In Summary
Summer vacation arcs often mean fun outings with friends, trips to the beach, swimsuits, and festivals. But that’s not the case for Hachiken. While he does manage to attend a festival, his summer is marked by more unpleasant incidents in the countryside and unwanted visits from his free-spirited older brother. As usual, Arakawa-sensei does an excellent job balancing the comedy of Hachiken’s city boy bungling and his angst over the fate of Pork Bowl and other farm animals.
The Review
Hachiken’s summer at the Mikage Ranch continues. Our city boy’s sojourn in the countryside continues to deliver a nice combination of laughs and education (Hey, I’m a city slicker, too!), but when he and Mikage talk about dreams and family expectations, the narrative also touches upon the family dynamic that made Hachiken choose not to go home.
Then the story plunges deep into the Hachiken family dynamic when Hachiken’s older brother Shingo bursts unannounced onto the Mikage Ranch. Personality-wise, carefree Shingo is the exact opposite of Hachiken, and his particular talent for ruining food introduces a new running joke into the story. But even though Hachiken bears an intense dislike for his brother, the feeling is not mutual. Rather, Shingo admires what his younger brother is doing and encourages him to do what he wants. Their parents never make an actual appearance in this volume, but the bits of communication that they direct to their sons paint a pretty clear picture why Hachiken wants to get away from them.
Then school resumes, and the story shifts away from the family situation Hachiken’s trying to escape and back to the dilemma he can’t seem to get over: the fate of Pork Bowl. Rather than come to terms with the fact that Pork Bowl was born to be meat, Hachiken gets more tied up in knots now that Pork Bowl is full-grown. Unfortunately, there’s no stopping Pork Bowl’s slaughter date, and when it’s finally staring Hachiken in the face, he makes a surprising proposal. I love this part of the story, how Hachiken has become so acutely aware of the animal lives that make meat possible and how that pushes him to acknowledge those lives the best way he can. Vegetarians probably won’t be too happy with his decision, but as another person who can’t become a vegetarian, I really enjoyed it.
For those who have seen the anime, the manga and TV series share the same major scenes and general timeline. However, there are a number of small scenes in the manga that were not included in the anime, and the last-minute fattening of Pork Bowl in the anime was not part of the manga.
Extras include story thus far, character profiles, bonus manga, and translation notes.
For more manga and book reviews, drop by my blog Keeping It In Canon!
Summer vacation arcs often mean fun outings with friends, trips to the beach, swimsuits, and festivals. But that’s not the case for Hachiken. While he does manage to attend a festival, his summer is marked by more unpleasant incidents in the countryside and unwanted visits from his free-spirited older brother. As usual, Arakawa-sensei does an excellent job balancing the comedy of Hachiken’s city boy bungling and his angst over the fate of Pork Bowl and other farm animals.
The Review
Hachiken’s summer at the Mikage Ranch continues. Our city boy’s sojourn in the countryside continues to deliver a nice combination of laughs and education (Hey, I’m a city slicker, too!), but when he and Mikage talk about dreams and family expectations, the narrative also touches upon the family dynamic that made Hachiken choose not to go home.
Then the story plunges deep into the Hachiken family dynamic when Hachiken’s older brother Shingo bursts unannounced onto the Mikage Ranch. Personality-wise, carefree Shingo is the exact opposite of Hachiken, and his particular talent for ruining food introduces a new running joke into the story. But even though Hachiken bears an intense dislike for his brother, the feeling is not mutual. Rather, Shingo admires what his younger brother is doing and encourages him to do what he wants. Their parents never make an actual appearance in this volume, but the bits of communication that they direct to their sons paint a pretty clear picture why Hachiken wants to get away from them.
Then school resumes, and the story shifts away from the family situation Hachiken’s trying to escape and back to the dilemma he can’t seem to get over: the fate of Pork Bowl. Rather than come to terms with the fact that Pork Bowl was born to be meat, Hachiken gets more tied up in knots now that Pork Bowl is full-grown. Unfortunately, there’s no stopping Pork Bowl’s slaughter date, and when it’s finally staring Hachiken in the face, he makes a surprising proposal. I love this part of the story, how Hachiken has become so acutely aware of the animal lives that make meat possible and how that pushes him to acknowledge those lives the best way he can. Vegetarians probably won’t be too happy with his decision, but as another person who can’t become a vegetarian, I really enjoyed it.
For those who have seen the anime, the manga and TV series share the same major scenes and general timeline. However, there are a number of small scenes in the manga that were not included in the anime, and the last-minute fattening of Pork Bowl in the anime was not part of the manga.
Extras include story thus far, character profiles, bonus manga, and translation notes.
For more manga and book reviews, drop by my blog Keeping It In Canon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2020
Hachiken finishes his summer job at the Mikage family farm but not before his brother tracks him down for a visit and leaves the entire farm with intense memories of his ramen making skills. Hachiken feels like he made so many mistakes and learned so much he doesn't deserve to be paid, but the Mikage family has a lot to teach Hachiken about giving yourself grace for mistakes and the value of hard work. When school starts back up Hachiken must finally face the fact that the piglet he named and grew attached to is about to be sent to the butcher. He's learned a lot from the farming families about how they can value animals, care for them, and still send them to be slaughtered. But can he let go himself? Meanwhile Keiji has gone wild over the summer and must pay for it, he then mishears something and starts a wild rumor at school. And the Ezo Ag students descend on a local festival where the food vendors vow they will outlast the students' appetites for once this year, but it will be a tough competition.
This was the funniest Silver Spoon volume yet. First there's the dad of the Mikage family giving Hachiken a serious stink eye while mom on the other hand is plotting to get him to marry Aki (purely because he works hard and they don't have to feel guilty about stealing him from another farming family). Then there's the older Hachiken brother's epic cooking skills. And then the way the illustrator chose to depict the showdown between the Ezo Ag students and the food vendors at the festival. So, so funny. So many teens have no clue what farm life is like these days, and this series really does a great job of depicting what it is like both for kids who grew up on the farm and those who are new to it, like Hachiken. I also like that the teens in this series are not afraid of hard work physically and academically, and they're more focused on the end goal than their grades. They are very good for Hachiken who grew up obsessed with grades. The book also gives a good look at the importance of farmers for the food we eat, and weighs the ethical questions of farming. Looking forward to the next one!
Notes on content: 3 mild swear words. No sexual content. (The rumor is based on a kid mishearing that a girl has a baby bump on her head from a cow butting it and him thinking she is pregnant, but it is handled tactfully and not crudely. Also the kid who starts the rumor gets punished with mucking stalls. I wish we had stalls we could send students to muck for certain infractions.) The same kid brings 2 items to school with a fantasy character in it that's wearing a loose bathrobe but it isn't too scandalous and everything is still covered up. The students watch a video of a pig being butchered for one class, just a little is shown.
This was the funniest Silver Spoon volume yet. First there's the dad of the Mikage family giving Hachiken a serious stink eye while mom on the other hand is plotting to get him to marry Aki (purely because he works hard and they don't have to feel guilty about stealing him from another farming family). Then there's the older Hachiken brother's epic cooking skills. And then the way the illustrator chose to depict the showdown between the Ezo Ag students and the food vendors at the festival. So, so funny. So many teens have no clue what farm life is like these days, and this series really does a great job of depicting what it is like both for kids who grew up on the farm and those who are new to it, like Hachiken. I also like that the teens in this series are not afraid of hard work physically and academically, and they're more focused on the end goal than their grades. They are very good for Hachiken who grew up obsessed with grades. The book also gives a good look at the importance of farmers for the food we eat, and weighs the ethical questions of farming. Looking forward to the next one!
Notes on content: 3 mild swear words. No sexual content. (The rumor is based on a kid mishearing that a girl has a baby bump on her head from a cow butting it and him thinking she is pregnant, but it is handled tactfully and not crudely. Also the kid who starts the rumor gets punished with mucking stalls. I wish we had stalls we could send students to muck for certain infractions.) The same kid brings 2 items to school with a fantasy character in it that's wearing a loose bathrobe but it isn't too scandalous and everything is still covered up. The students watch a video of a pig being butchered for one class, just a little is shown.
May 29, 2020
Hachiken is finishing up his summer job at Mikage’s family farm. His mother is so worried because of lack of communication from Hachiken that she sends his big brother to look for him. After proving that his dream of becoming a famous ramen chef is highly unlikely, Hachiken’s older brother decides to report to their mother that they should leave him be. Hachiken causes a disaster with the milking machine and tries to refuse the payment offered to him for his summer work, but the Mikage family won’t hear of it. Then, it’s time to go back to school, and for Hachiken that means more agonizing over the fate of Pork Bowl, the pig he named in volume two.
The pacing of this story continues to be methodical, and yet each volume contains a lot of story elements. Hachiken's friends continue to warn him not to get attached to the animals he's helping to raise, but this is a lesson that Hachiken is learning very slowly. This reflects how difficult it is for anyone coming into the farming industry, as Hachiken is, rather than being raised in that culture from childhood. There is a struggle of attachment to animals, and balancing the care to remembering their ultimate purpose. Secondarily, there is a lot of conversation within Hachiken and with his friends about having dreams and direction for their lives. High school is a time where students are often pressured to decide on future aspirations, and Hachiken is perfectly reflecting the struggles many of our students face when planning their futures.
Yen Press has this title rated as Teen for language. There are some swear words, but many are censored.
Sara's Rating: 10/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12
Read more graphic novel reviews at www.graphiclibrary.org.
The pacing of this story continues to be methodical, and yet each volume contains a lot of story elements. Hachiken's friends continue to warn him not to get attached to the animals he's helping to raise, but this is a lesson that Hachiken is learning very slowly. This reflects how difficult it is for anyone coming into the farming industry, as Hachiken is, rather than being raised in that culture from childhood. There is a struggle of attachment to animals, and balancing the care to remembering their ultimate purpose. Secondarily, there is a lot of conversation within Hachiken and with his friends about having dreams and direction for their lives. High school is a time where students are often pressured to decide on future aspirations, and Hachiken is perfectly reflecting the struggles many of our students face when planning their futures.
Yen Press has this title rated as Teen for language. There are some swear words, but many are censored.
Sara's Rating: 10/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12
Read more graphic novel reviews at www.graphiclibrary.org.
January 22, 2020
It’s a tough summer for Hachiken. He takes to heart a mistake made on his last day of summer as he calculates the cost. But, the Mikage family's assurances over his summer of hard work help to ease his burden. Then, upon his return to school, he finds his favored pig is primed for the slaughter house. Hachiken makes a tough decision to keep Pork Bowl the pig on campus. All that and we also meet the older Hachiken brother Shingo, the ramen chef... oh my goodness! This is my favorite of a series of exceptional volumes of Silver Spoon. The high school life Hiromu Arakawa explores is unlike any that you have encountered in manga so far. The art is brilliant. The cover splash page for chapter 20 is fantastic! This is definitely a must read manga not just for the art, panel layouts and composition, and character design, but because of the thoughtful storytelling. If you have never read manga before, request this one from your favorite library, or have your favorite indie bookstore order you up the first three to five volumes. You may be pleasantly surprised!
September 7, 2020
As someone currently re-watching The Good Place I find myself drawn to stories with a philosophical/ethical message and Vol 3 of Silver Spoon provides that in spades. I picked this series up mostly because it's Hiromu's work, partly because I was in the mood for some slice of life, but so far it has surpassed all my expectations regarding comfort storytelling and excellent artwork. The questions Hiromu has her characters struggling with - What are you working towards in life? Is it okay to take one life to feed another? Does one big mistake outweigh lots of smaller good deeds? How far should you go to please your family and at what point do you carve your own path? - continue to drive the story, making it a far more compelling read than what I assumed I was getting when I first saw 'City boy goes to an agricultural school.' Volume 3 is no exception. If anything, I can see how carefully Hiromu is building these themes and can't wait to see where she takes these characters next. Basically, if you're a fan of Fullmetal Alchemist you'll find the same depth and care here, out on the farm.
December 24, 2022
So there were elements in this one I didn't like. I had thought it would be similar to the first two bit it definitely took a different turn. I suppose
I should have expected it but I didn't. I guess one could say the reality of the school he is at came along to hit him (and me) in the face.
I didn't like the ending at all...
I had thought something from the second book would carry over to this one (and it did but not in the way I was hoping) so yeah....
This book is more about pigs as you can guess by the cover. And poor Hachiken has fallen for a particular one.
The horses and cows are in here too but its definitely a pig story.
There was also a few scenes in here that confused me about his one female classmate. In my opinion it makes no sense? I don't know. I just don't get it and that also affects my review of the book. I don't get how her appearance can change so quickly and then go back a time later?? Makes no sense! Unless something fishy is going on!
Anyway the end of this one was a real downer.
I should have expected it but I didn't. I guess one could say the reality of the school he is at came along to hit him (and me) in the face.
I didn't like the ending at all...
I had thought something from the second book would carry over to this one (and it did but not in the way I was hoping) so yeah....
This book is more about pigs as you can guess by the cover. And poor Hachiken has fallen for a particular one.
The horses and cows are in here too but its definitely a pig story.
There was also a few scenes in here that confused me about his one female classmate. In my opinion it makes no sense? I don't know. I just don't get it and that also affects my review of the book. I don't get how her appearance can change so quickly and then go back a time later?? Makes no sense! Unless something fishy is going on!
Anyway the end of this one was a real downer.
February 18, 2024
More day-in-the-life charm from this Hokkaido ag school series. I continue to love this series’s mix of quirky character drama, cozy rural life, and a surprisingly informative depiction of the multifaceted realities of the agricultural lifestyle and careers it depicts.
Notable happenings this time include the end of a live-in summer job at the family home of a classmate (and current secret crush), an unexpected visit from a college dropout older brother, wrangling escaped cows, a costly mishap at the milking barn, some unexpected back to school looks from classmates, the comically voracious onslaught of the students against the vendors at a seasonal food festival, misguided romantic rumormongering, and maybe most importantly, Hachiken coming to terms with the fast approaching slaughter date of a now nearly grown piglet he took a liking to when he first got to school.
Notable happenings this time include the end of a live-in summer job at the family home of a classmate (and current secret crush), an unexpected visit from a college dropout older brother, wrangling escaped cows, a costly mishap at the milking barn, some unexpected back to school looks from classmates, the comically voracious onslaught of the students against the vendors at a seasonal food festival, misguided romantic rumormongering, and maybe most importantly, Hachiken coming to terms with the fast approaching slaughter date of a now nearly grown piglet he took a liking to when he first got to school.
August 20, 2017
This has such great messages wrapped in such an amazing story and beautiful illustration.
Two examples of these messages being "Fools waste their money on foolish things. Only the wise use their money to better themselves. A man's worth can be determined by how he spends his money." and "Don't go thinking you're a failure just because you made one mistake."
So Hachiken is staying on his friend Mikage's farm and learns the art of butchering and even more hard work, but actually in a farm rather than in agricultural school. It was really sweet to see Mikage's family accept Hachiken, especially when we know that he struggles with his own family.
I am getting bored of the "eating meat is cruel to the livestock but omg it tastes so good". It's repetitive and annoying.
Two examples of these messages being "Fools waste their money on foolish things. Only the wise use their money to better themselves. A man's worth can be determined by how he spends his money." and "Don't go thinking you're a failure just because you made one mistake."
So Hachiken is staying on his friend Mikage's farm and learns the art of butchering and even more hard work, but actually in a farm rather than in agricultural school. It was really sweet to see Mikage's family accept Hachiken, especially when we know that he struggles with his own family.
I am getting bored of the "eating meat is cruel to the livestock but omg it tastes so good". It's repetitive and annoying.
September 5, 2018
My favorite manga this year have involved animals. Usually I avoid stories with animals because I don't do well with sad stuff and cute things. One title has been pretty much free of really sad stuff (Plum Crazy! Tales of a Tiger-Striped Cat). Silver Spoon makes up for it. Animals are cute, but also tasty. Hachiken--and some of his classmates--have to come to terms with the places animals have in our lives.
We get an unflinching look at what some animals are for. Like the volumes before this one, it's very honest but not preachy. I feel no different being a meat-eater now. I'm just glad I'm not in an agricultural area. I couldn't handle it.
We get an unflinching look at what some animals are for. Like the volumes before this one, it's very honest but not preachy. I feel no different being a meat-eater now. I'm just glad I'm not in an agricultural area. I couldn't handle it.
December 28, 2018
As with the first two books, there are many lessons to be learned in this book. Hachiken himself has grown so much as a character already, and has made a final decision about the pig he named pork bowl. He has bought it. But not to keep alive, but to buy as meat.
Also very exciting, we meet Hachiken’s older brother, Shingo-San, who turns out to be a horrible Ramen cook. He makes a call home to their parents, which gives us a little more insight as to what Hachiken’s family life was like, and why he left.
As always, the book ends with a slight cliff hanger, and I look forward to reading the next book in this amazing series!
Also very exciting, we meet Hachiken’s older brother, Shingo-San, who turns out to be a horrible Ramen cook. He makes a call home to their parents, which gives us a little more insight as to what Hachiken’s family life was like, and why he left.
As always, the book ends with a slight cliff hanger, and I look forward to reading the next book in this amazing series!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2019
Hachiken winds down his time helping on a friend's farm and has to decide if he can eat the pig he named 'Pork Bowl'.
This series succeeds because it makes me get invested in the characters. Hachiken is a good guy who is slowly learning to grow up a bit. The thought put into the 'yes, you're not a vegetarian, but see this pig over here - this really cute one - could you eat that?' makes the storyline interesting. I'll definitely be continuing in the series.
This series succeeds because it makes me get invested in the characters. Hachiken is a good guy who is slowly learning to grow up a bit. The thought put into the 'yes, you're not a vegetarian, but see this pig over here - this really cute one - could you eat that?' makes the storyline interesting. I'll definitely be continuing in the series.
March 24, 2019
Saatnya liburan musim panas, Hachi ikut Mikage pulang ke rumahnya dan bekerja sambilan di sana. Melewati berbagai hal yang membuatnya semakin dekat dengan gaya hidup pertanian yang dekat dengan alam. Namun demikian, kecerobohan juga dapat berakibat fatal.
Pulang ke sekolah, si Hachi berhadapan dengan tantangan lain, merelakan hewan ternak yang dibantunya lahir dan dirawat sejak lahir dikirim ke rumah jagal.
Pulang ke sekolah, si Hachi berhadapan dengan tantangan lain, merelakan hewan ternak yang dibantunya lahir dan dirawat sejak lahir dikirim ke rumah jagal.
September 4, 2021
I'm always on the hunt for manga without profanity or fan service and this almost fits the bill. Close enough! YAY!
Hachiken returns from summer "vacation" back to school where he has to decide what to do about Pork Bowl and his attachment to him.
Content Notes:
Sex/Sexual references: Very little. One character brings back a busty woman poster from Tokyo which Hachiken refuses to take
Profanity/Swearing: 3 damns, 1 OMG
Religious references: None
LGBTQ +: Not specified
Hachiken returns from summer "vacation" back to school where he has to decide what to do about Pork Bowl and his attachment to him.
Content Notes:
Sex/Sexual references: Very little. One character brings back a busty woman poster from Tokyo which Hachiken refuses to take
Profanity/Swearing: 3 damns, 1 OMG
Religious references: None
LGBTQ +: Not specified
March 13, 2022
Je suis de plus en plus conquise par cette série vraiment bourrée d'humour et de pédagogie sur l'agriculture et le quotidien d'ados étudiant dans un lycée agricole au Japon. La scène de la foire durant laquelle les stands de nourriture se font dévaliser par les élèves m'a fait beaucoup rigoler. Mais on peut lire aussi des réflexions sur le rapport à l'animal élevé et au fait de consommer sa viande qui sont très intéressantes.
August 13, 2018
I live where dairy and beef farms (and farm life in general) is common, but I still learn so much with each volume. Arakawa tackles the often unpleasant aspects of farms (mostly the deaths of animals for food) but in such an honest way to explain the importance of each decision and the impact of society and farm life.
April 29, 2019
I enjoyed this just as much as the others. This one had a real "Summer Wars" vibe with the protagonist going to stay with his crush- where nothing really happens between them. I'd have liked to see more love triangles going on. Real curve ball at the end with Pork Bowl. I can't wait to see what happens next!
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