Midori and Sayaka travel to the countryside where they learn of local legends involving tanuki, ninjas, and treasure. Midori, inspired the learn the truth and to find the treasure spends a transformative night in the forest with the tanuki. Once morning comes she's no longer interested in the actual treasure because she knows the next story she needs to tell.
This is the first volume of Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! that takes place after the anime ends so I was beyond excited for this and it really didn't disappoint.
I just love the characters and I really enjoy seeing their process and, now that I know it is inspired by Sumito Oowara trying his hand at anime in school also it makes it all the more entertaining.
I absolutely love this series and can't wait for volume 5!
Still one of the best Manga I've ever read! And this volume finally gives us new content as it continues the story after the anime ended. It's so positive and energetic and honest.
We finally get an Eizouken volume that progresses past the anime's end, and, spoiler, it's some of Oowara's best stuff yet. Asakusa wrestles with how to avoid being righteous as an artist and having one's own personal frames infect their storytelling. There's an adventure involving tanuki dogs, and Kanamori gets to explore more of the behind-the-scenes workings of Shibahama high with the imposing Sowande. This is some really engaging, funny, character-driven drama going on in Eizouken, along with the usual conversations and process around making anime.
Speaking of process, Oowara really digs deep into creating and challenges the notion that any writer should portray a world with a black and white morality. A lot of Asakusa's debates with the rest of Eizouken over the merits of different types of stories brought to mind many an anime and manga I've enjoyed. Specifically, I'm thinking of those like the Gundam series, that often portray war as a horrible thing, yet still do their best to animate it in as insanely cool a way as they can. It's hard on one level to not think that undermines the message a bit, and it's this very storytelling struggle that Oowara has Asakusa coming to terms with, as she reflects on how fight-oriented Eizouken's output till now has been. Fun, heady thoughts going on in this manga. This is some peak stuff. Nourishing even. Looking forward to volume 5!