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Days on Fes
Days on Fes, Vol. 1
Kanade Sora has never been to a music festival before. But when her friend Otoha lures her along with the promise that her favorite band will be playing, she finds herself having more fun than she ever imagined. And if one small show is enough to hook her, what might a huge overnight event at a major venue be like? As Kanade dives into a whole new world of rocking out, will her life ever be the same?!
212 pages, Paperback
First published April 10, 2019
6 people are currently reading
161 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 19, 2022
3.5 Stars! This was surprise for me. I wasn't sure what it was about, but the cover was really interesting so I went for it. Days on Fes is all about characters who love going to music festivals. That's it. There isn't a huge amount of other things that happen. BUT I think I enjoyed learning more about the different types of music festivals and watching the characters further discover their love for these festivals. I'm not sure where the rest of the story is going to take me, but I definitely will be continuing.
March 14, 2021
Ahhh! I am so excited. If you’re a fan of the comforting series Laid Back Camp you’ll love this series.
I’m seriously missing concerts and festivals myself right now and this manga with it’s wholesome content was exactly what I needed.
I’m seriously missing concerts and festivals myself right now and this manga with it’s wholesome content was exactly what I needed.
February 28, 2021
Kanade gets a surprise invite to a rock festival from her friend Ohota. Then Ohota’s brother goes to a festival with his dour employee. Then they all discuss festivals. Then they plan for festivals and you finally realize that nobody’s going to be suing this book for false advertising.
This is a real puppy kicker of a book, where you feel really bad for dumping on something that’s trying so very, very hard to express the joy of attending a music festival. Seriously, this book’s heart is in the right place but all the pumped blood in the world can’t bring this to life.
The parts with Ohota and Kanade are genuinely fun. They’re boisterous teenage girls and I do think the book does a great job selling the ebullient nature of youth. There’s a lot of ‘how-to’ coverage of the festival scene and this at times feels like a mash-up of Laid-Back Camp and a Ticketmaster.
Then Ohota’s brother makes the scene and this book becomes interminable. He’s an anal ball of older wisdom and energy and a little of him goes a long, long way. His accomplice in these sections is his 20 year old employee, whose hilarious thing is being a quiet grump until he gets drunk and then he gets loud and whiny. They make for a terrible pairing and while I appreciate the wisdom Ohota’s brother has, it’s... really... plodding...
It’s all very well meaning, but it’s also boring. It takes a LOT to make a manga about music interesting because of the inherent loss of the all important aural component. Off the top of my head, Beck and Whisper Me A Love Song handle that pretty well, but they’re also a lot more interesting than this book ever gets.
Had the festival been in service to a larger story, I think it would have made out just fine. But being nothing but a travelogue with four different people, two of whom I want nothing to do with, lowers the boom on this maiden voyage.
2.5 stars and I have to round down because, as I say, this book has a fun vibe for half its pages and is a real drudge for the rest. Even with that fun vibe, it’s a fairly dull exercise that’s close to being a reference material presented via comics and one case where the story cannot come close to conveying the experience. I cannot imagine myself enjoying another volume of this and it’s rather a shame.
This is a real puppy kicker of a book, where you feel really bad for dumping on something that’s trying so very, very hard to express the joy of attending a music festival. Seriously, this book’s heart is in the right place but all the pumped blood in the world can’t bring this to life.
The parts with Ohota and Kanade are genuinely fun. They’re boisterous teenage girls and I do think the book does a great job selling the ebullient nature of youth. There’s a lot of ‘how-to’ coverage of the festival scene and this at times feels like a mash-up of Laid-Back Camp and a Ticketmaster.
Then Ohota’s brother makes the scene and this book becomes interminable. He’s an anal ball of older wisdom and energy and a little of him goes a long, long way. His accomplice in these sections is his 20 year old employee, whose hilarious thing is being a quiet grump until he gets drunk and then he gets loud and whiny. They make for a terrible pairing and while I appreciate the wisdom Ohota’s brother has, it’s... really... plodding...
It’s all very well meaning, but it’s also boring. It takes a LOT to make a manga about music interesting because of the inherent loss of the all important aural component. Off the top of my head, Beck and Whisper Me A Love Song handle that pretty well, but they’re also a lot more interesting than this book ever gets.
Had the festival been in service to a larger story, I think it would have made out just fine. But being nothing but a travelogue with four different people, two of whom I want nothing to do with, lowers the boom on this maiden voyage.
2.5 stars and I have to round down because, as I say, this book has a fun vibe for half its pages and is a real drudge for the rest. Even with that fun vibe, it’s a fairly dull exercise that’s close to being a reference material presented via comics and one case where the story cannot come close to conveying the experience. I cannot imagine myself enjoying another volume of this and it’s rather a shame.
December 12, 2021
So, I went into this not knowing anything about it. Honestly, I thought Fes was a planet before I started reading it. Apparently, Fes refers to festival! Hah!
Overall, an enjoyable read. The story arcs revolve around going to different food and music festivals. It was a little meandering. But I really loved how it captured the awe, excitement, and rush of seeing your idols live, of feeling music in your bones, of a collective experience.
Overall, an enjoyable read. The story arcs revolve around going to different food and music festivals. It was a little meandering. But I really loved how it captured the awe, excitement, and rush of seeing your idols live, of feeling music in your bones, of a collective experience.
February 25, 2021
Super bored. Unlikely to continue.
January 7, 2022
First volume is cute. I really enjoy the style of the artist. Also, I'm sending a musical theme with my recent/upcoming reads (lol).
December 6, 2023
more like a 3.5 but i rounded up bc i read the bad reviews and now i'm feeling really defensive. is there a plot?? not really!! do i care?? not really!! it's just a chill story about a girl who discovers she loves going to music festivals, and i'm very happy for her.
March 13, 2021
Two girls attend a music festival together. Otoha is a veteran on the festival circuit, but it's Kanade's first experience, and she's hooked. They both take part-time jobs so they can save up enough money to attend another festival over the summer. Meanwhile, we're introduced to Otoha's older brother, who owns a coffee shop and regularly attends music festivals with one of his employees, another music lover. They're die-hards who travel long distances and camp out on location at small festivals. Meeting up means making plans together.
I love slice-of-life stories that give a peek into subculture. This is that.
I love slice-of-life stories that give a peek into subculture. This is that.
October 6, 2021
The characters are quirky. The story is slice-of-life. It's perfect to just relax and enjoy.
August 30, 2021
I think this is a perfect manga for a young teenager who is looking to get into manga but isn’t interested in superheroes or the more violent elements, and not something overly romantic. This entire series is based around a young woman finding her love of music and music festivals. She travels to a festival for the first time with a friend on a whim, mostly to appease her friend and see a band she enjoys, and in the process discovers a love for music and festivals. This manifests in her and her BFF getting part-time jobs to supplement their new passion to go to more shows.
Along with this, Otoha, Kanade’s BFF, has an older brother in his twenties who owns a café in town and is also a big music fan. We end up reading a lot about his adventures with his friend and co-worker, Ritsuru. Ritsuru is a bit lost in the world, fresh into college, and not at all sure about what he wants to do with his life and where it will take him. All he knows is he loves music and feels the most at peace when he’s at a festival, though not drinking because he turns into a sad, teary drunk anytime he indulges.
I have a feeling this is going to lead to a light romance as Kanade and Ritsuru spend more time together and experience festivals together, which is fine. They don’t really have much to do together yet in the story so there’s no chemistry just yet, but I’m sure it will come. It’s hard to rate this volume because honestly there’s no plot and nothing happens, but also nothing bad or heavily problematic happens. It’s just low-key and sweet so hopefully, it will have potential.
Blog / Twitter / Instagram
Along with this, Otoha, Kanade’s BFF, has an older brother in his twenties who owns a café in town and is also a big music fan. We end up reading a lot about his adventures with his friend and co-worker, Ritsuru. Ritsuru is a bit lost in the world, fresh into college, and not at all sure about what he wants to do with his life and where it will take him. All he knows is he loves music and feels the most at peace when he’s at a festival, though not drinking because he turns into a sad, teary drunk anytime he indulges.
I have a feeling this is going to lead to a light romance as Kanade and Ritsuru spend more time together and experience festivals together, which is fine. They don’t really have much to do together yet in the story so there’s no chemistry just yet, but I’m sure it will come. It’s hard to rate this volume because honestly there’s no plot and nothing happens, but also nothing bad or heavily problematic happens. It’s just low-key and sweet so hopefully, it will have potential.
Blog / Twitter / Instagram
October 11, 2022
2.5 stars (rounded up)
This YA manga has 4 main characters, 2 best friend teen girls, an adult older brother, and a college student restaurant employee. The storyline revolves around 2 music festivals and the characters’ experiences at these festivals. I loved the strong female friendship, and the good-spirited sibling dynamic in the characters. I have been to several live concerts and musical festivals, so this story was sweetly nostalgic for me. I could put myself in the shoes of Kanade, reliving the excitement and wonder of such a unique environment for the first time. Overall, there wasn’t much to the plot, and the characters did not have a lot of depth, however it was an easy, nice read that made me smile.
The only reason – that I could tell – that this is not in the Juvenile section, is the Ritsuru character. He is very depressed and has dialogue that seems to have suicidal ideation….though I think his pessimism is intended to be humorous. If a young reader has difficulties with mental health, they may either commiserate with him, or be triggered.
~ Miss Emily
This YA manga has 4 main characters, 2 best friend teen girls, an adult older brother, and a college student restaurant employee. The storyline revolves around 2 music festivals and the characters’ experiences at these festivals. I loved the strong female friendship, and the good-spirited sibling dynamic in the characters. I have been to several live concerts and musical festivals, so this story was sweetly nostalgic for me. I could put myself in the shoes of Kanade, reliving the excitement and wonder of such a unique environment for the first time. Overall, there wasn’t much to the plot, and the characters did not have a lot of depth, however it was an easy, nice read that made me smile.
The only reason – that I could tell – that this is not in the Juvenile section, is the Ritsuru character. He is very depressed and has dialogue that seems to have suicidal ideation….though I think his pessimism is intended to be humorous. If a young reader has difficulties with mental health, they may either commiserate with him, or be triggered.
~ Miss Emily
December 25, 2021
I went into this manga with low expectations because of the other reviews, but surprisingly, I really enjoyed it. It was comedic and dynamic, and the art style really drew me in. Even without the audio of the music festival itself, I could still get into it and understand the excitement the characters were feeling (because it's fun and relatable). My favorite parts of the book were with the guys--Ritsuru Umino and Gaku Yamana. They were so wildly different that I found their pairing quite intriguing, considering that it's very similar to one between my friend and me. Ritsuru is a deadbeat guy unsure if he can make it through college, and Gaku is a loud cafe worker who surprisingly shares the same music interests as Ritsuru. There isn't very much plot to it, but the story was a fun read.
January 3, 2022
Days on Fes was a big surprise, and only at the beginning of the year!
I love the music festival parts of this manga. And the girls are some cool classmates/friends. And then we get introduced to one of the girls' sibling, a 28-yr-old guy that loves music festivals and his chronically-negative worker. There's so many times I laughed out loud while reading this manga. So much of it is relatable to anyone that attends any kind of outdoor festival. The excitement and new-ness of it all is reflected so well in the characters.
I love the music festival parts of this manga. And the girls are some cool classmates/friends. And then we get introduced to one of the girls' sibling, a 28-yr-old guy that loves music festivals and his chronically-negative worker. There's so many times I laughed out loud while reading this manga. So much of it is relatable to anyone that attends any kind of outdoor festival. The excitement and new-ness of it all is reflected so well in the characters.
August 24, 2022
I loved the chapters with the teenage girls, Kanade and Otoha, discovering how much they love music festivals. They're adorable and enthusiastic and it's just so much fun to read. The adult characters are a real drag, though. Otoha's older brother, Gaku, is loud and obnoxious, and his college aged employee is beyond a drag. I guess it's supposed to be funny, but when he's constantly making comments about how it would be easier if he weren't alive, it's really hard to take as a source of humor. If those characters were gone, I would have loved this book.
August 11, 2022
I picked this volume up on a whim from the library, unsure of what to expect, but I really enjoyed it. The illustrations are cute and bring the magic of music festivals to life. I like the characters a lot, and their excitement about music festivals makes me feel happy. I also enjoyed learning about the culture of music festivals through this series.
On a side note, I really wish these bands existed because I would love to listen to their music and watch them perform.
On a side note, I really wish these bands existed because I would love to listen to their music and watch them perform.
June 24, 2024
This was so much fun! Days on Fes captures the joy of live music events so accurately. I loved watching these characters experience something that's so relatable to me. It feels so much of what my life was like in college and my early 20s, basically working and surviving until my next show. I love how it captures that feeling. I definitely want to read on in this series. It's a perfect summer read!
July 18, 2021
Don’t go into this one expecting anything action packed , because that’s not what Days on Fes is here for.
However, if you are a lover of slice of life manga, or a fan of Laid Back Camp, I highly recommend.
Super cute story about people going to music festivals. That’s literally it. It’s like Laid Back Camp but with bands in the background. And I love it.
However, if you are a lover of slice of life manga, or a fan of Laid Back Camp, I highly recommend.
Super cute story about people going to music festivals. That’s literally it. It’s like Laid Back Camp but with bands in the background. And I love it.
September 21, 2021
I have never wanted to read any boring manga. This is on a particular list of boring manga to read. Half of the pages were of two different festivals happening at two different times. While, I knew that the manga would hold festivals, i wasnt expecting it to just be that. Disappointed in the manga.
Not really worth paying $13.00 USD for.
Not really worth paying $13.00 USD for.
April 14, 2021
It’s okay
July 29, 2021
2.5 eh it was just okay. i usually like slice of life’s but this one was pretty mid. i have the second volume so i’ll read it but idk if i’ll pick up the third volume
August 26, 2021
Enjoyed this first volume but the story is very flat. I'll have to read the second volume to see if I continue.
dnf
October 22, 2021DNF'ing this for now. The art is cute, but I'm just not super interested in the storyline. (Also, the dialogue feels very repetitive to me.)
October 26, 2021
4.5 stars, damn i wanna go camping...
January 28, 2022
Go to vol 2 for review on first 2 vols because I read them together and don't remember where the first one ends and the second starts. ;)
March 17, 2022
Really enjoyable! Same vibe as Laid-back Camp, but with music festivals instead
January 12, 2023
This was cute. I might pick up more if the library has them.
February 5, 2023
It was alright! This was my first manga, and it was okay. All the characters were really fun and unique, and I might read the second one (maybe).
August 23, 2025
This is a very simple story with fun scenes and lovable characters. I'll continue the series.
January 27, 2026
So glad I started reading this manga 😊
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews