Youko and Airi’s next stop is Umihotaru, a rest stop in the middle of Tokyo Bay famous for its nighttime view. But with the Aqua-line tunnel from Kawasaki flooded, they’re forced to take a huge detour all the way to Chiba. On the way, they make a stop in Akihabara to investigate a mysterious radio signal. Could someone still be alive there…?
It’s time to roll in to Akihabara, where you will be relieved to know that maid costumes survived the apocalypse. Nature finds a way. And man too. The girls are trying to find a radio signal and facing the elements, but is there anything still left of the world?
I don’t think I want very many post-apocalyptic manga in my life, but I do have room for at least one and it’s definitely this little gem of a story that combines the thrill of freedom with… the absolute terror of freedom.
As an excuse to explore parts of Japan and paint them with an overlay of societal collapse and natural reclamation, this works quite perfectly. It also tosses a little bit of the whole loneliness side into the equation, even though Youko and Airi have one another (for now, anyway; that double cliffhanger is a belter).
Youko always has a genuine love for travel, I don’t think it’s faked on any level, but she also gets overwhelmed at times by the inherent emptiness of the world. The two of them have been on their own for a long time, so much so that it seems hopeless.
Then again, what’s the precise definition of hope here? As we see, in a clever turn of events, Akihabara has a brand new population of critters that escaped from the zoo and were apparently very fruitful at multiplying. The planet has hope, even if humanity might not (Youko nearly makes a great snack though).
Another strong point is that it also offers a lot of insight on the danger of travel when you’re dependent on a solitary vehicle with no repair options besides your own gumption. There’s a delicate balance of danger, awe, terror, optimism and fear.
And fanservice, naturally. The maid cafe is both a tribute to Akihabara and yet another case where a manga knows that it’s manga. Commitment to the bit makes this one get a bit of a pass, but it goes everywhere you’re expecting.
Speaking of hope, the search for human life continues, to not-so-helpful effect. The source of the radio station is found and that’s another example of our heroes trying to make things better than they were originally.
I just like the atmosphere to this story a lot. Youko is cautious, but she pushes things farther than she probably should, as evidenced by the bridge journey they take, where they misread or ignore all the signs that things are turning rough.
A world untamed is both scary and beautiful and this gets that balance between both aspects just right. This is clearly not safe, but the rewards are there for the risk takers and Youko can’t just stay where it’s safe when the world is waiting for her to explore it.
4 stars - this is a good little story. It nails the atmosphere, has reasonably strong action, clearly conveys why these two are even out here, and why that might not be the best idea. This is a worthwhile journey and one worth following.
Still a delightful read, though here with a bit of trouble. This series marks its own space with its chipper and energized heroine. The world seems so much less dour around these two.
Well, it took me a bit longer than one year to read this one, haha. But finally they are up on ComicsPlus and I got read them, just in time for Halloween!
In this one as the quest for the voice on the radio continues we visit Akihabara (cute girls everywhere, and yes art of cute girls is definitely a hobby, haha / maid outfits (I was surprised they were still there) / a bunch of animals that probably escaped the zoo and are having a great time / we get to meet the voice of the radio (and I wasn't surprised) which made for a fun segment that made me so happy even if it was also a tad sad. And after that we are on the road again, camping!, sweet moments, a big storm, rats, and then that ending *gasp* I know I am reading on but seriously you can't end it here!
I love getting instructions on how to do motor cycle stuff, camping, and other things. It really gave an extra feeling to the manga.
Oh, and I am glad those dumb dreams have lessened. Only one of them and it wasn't even a bad one but just memories (if my hunch is correct) and/or because she just watched those photographs.
Love the art!
Review to come (longer that will be bundled with the third volume), probably in January.
This was a cute read I like the artwork and the adventures that Youko and Airi Go on are very cute but still have that dark appeal of after the apocalypse they do a good job and his volume two of balancing the cuteness with the darkness of surviving after the apocalypse I’m looking forward to reading the third edition when it gets translated in English and I think it’s July
J’avais beaucoup aimé le premier tome, cette ambiance si paisible qui n’est pas sans rappeler Escale à Yokohama est si agréable à lire. Le premier tome avait été une très belle découverte et j’étais impatiente de découvrir la suite avec ce second tome. Sans surprises, j’ai beaucoup aimé ce que j’ai lu. J’ai retrouvé ce qu’il m’avait tant plu, le monde post apocalyptique, l’ambiance « road trip » dans ce monde, la sensation de calme lorsqu’on lit ce manga. Ça confirme vraiment ce que je pensais, ça va être une chouette aventure!
Dans ce second tome, on retrouve Yôko et Airi qui continuent leur voyage à moto dans ce monde anéanti. Elles vont enquêter à Akihabara sur une station de radio, mais aussi se reposer à Nagareyama ou encore affronter une étrange tempête à Kisarazu avant d’atteindre Umihotaru. D’ailleurs Yôko va faire un drôle de rêve là bas…
J’adore la dynamique du duo entre Yôko et Airi! J’aime beaucoup les suivre dans leur petite aventure. Ça ne doit pas être facile d’évoluer dans ce genre de monde. Elles sont seules il n’y a aucun réseau, le monde est complètement détruit, il n’y a pas un chien dans les rues. Ça doit vraiment être particulier. Ici elles vont devoir faire face à une énorme tempête et vont devoir à tout prix trouver un abri tant la tempête est violente. J’espère qu’à force d’avancer dans les mangas, ça ne va pas s’essouffler. En attendant, j’aime beaucoup pour le moment. C’est surtout cette ambiance calme et apaisée qui me plaît dans cette histoire. Ça nous fait passer un très bon moment de lecture!
Ce second tome est clairement dans la lignée du premier. Si vous recherchez de l’action, ce n’est pas ici que vous le trouverez. Ici c’est un road trip à bord d’une moto, suivant deux jeunes filles dans un monde dévasté. Une ambiance sereine, calme et apaisée. C’est hyper agréable à lire. Ça me rappelle énormément Escale à Yokohama le côté apocalyptique en plus. Je suis déjà très impatiente de découvrir le prochain tome!
Youko and Airi are continuing their quest to find the find the radio station that's broadcasting music and meet the DJ. They find a cat maid cafe with costumes to dress up in, run into more animals who descended from zoo escapees, and encounter a serious storm.
More travel fun with Youko and Airi. Running into capybaras and spider monkeys on the streets of Tokyo is a fun concept, and believable. The radio station added some momentum to the plot, and the storm definitely adds excitement. Those who hate rats may need to skip one part of the storm part. Hand this to low key dystopia fans.
Notes on content: No language issues that I remember. No sexual content. There are some vicious rats they have to battle. There's a dangerous storm that threatens harm.
Continue to feel a little bit of Japan's energy in this series where two girls are taking on the landscape of Japan after an apocalypse as they tour around on their motorcycle not necessarily looking for life, but hoping they might find a little of it as they move around and this time it takes them to Akihabara, the electric city where they find a signal and find the radio station that they're listening to only to discover what's really behind the radio station.
It's a lighthearted adventure story... just as the end of the world.
Ugh, this volume was so good. It was so heartfelt in the first half, but there was an undercurrent of danger in the second half. The girls get a cold reminder that not everything is peaceful and fun in a life after the apocalypse... but they also wouldn't trade it for the world. Even when times are scary, there is still beauty to be found. I adore that message, and I love our main characters.
I already have a few guesses about a possible future twist...! I'm excited to keep reading!
This is still one of the sweetest and most wholesome post-apocalyptic things I've ever read. Even with the back half of this volume concentrating more on pitfalls in this apparently post-human world, it's kind of a relaxing read.
I'm here for the cool post-apocalyptic world building and slow-drip reveal of all that's happened to Japan to lead up to this point. I do find the main characters kind of annoying, but I'll stick with the series for now. (trigger warning: soooo many rats)
Tarina jatkuu suoraan siitä mihin ensimmäinen osa jäi. Taide on edelleen kaunista ja juoneltaan manga on yhä melko leppoisa, mutta samalla edelleen arvoituksellinen. Ja koska teos jäi taas kesken pieneen cliffhangeriin, seuraava osa pitää napata lukuun mahdollisimman pian.
I don't think I will be continuing this one. The one thing that had me intrigued kind of already resolved itself, and there isn't much else to keep me picking this one up sadly.
Vol.1 ended with Youko and Airi (probably the only two survivors of the apocalypse) discovering a radio signal in Akihabara, an area touted as the biggest “electric town” in Japan. They also want to visit Umihotaru, the rest stop in the middle of the Tokyo Bay famed for its spectacular night views. In a hopeful and desperate attempt to discover signs of human life while continuing to recreate Youko’s sister’s travelogues, the post-apocalypse tour of the two young girls astride their sturdy YAMAHA Serow 225 motorcycle goes forth with determination and youthful enthusiasm. But new, intriguing, and sometimes terrifying surprises might be around the corner which will have to be handled with all the wits and skills at their disposal.
There is something special about this series. The upbeat optimism of Youko tempered by Airi’s practicality (for a reason I would rather not reveal as it amounts to a massive spoiler), their childlike otaku glee over trying out the maid café costumes sitting comfortably with their hardcore survival skills, their awe to witness the destroyed ruins of Japan being reclaimed by animal life warring with the ever present niggle of loneliness in a human-free land….all these contradictions throw a painful satirical light upon our society and the irreversible damage that we are inflicting upon our environment.
The book ends on a mysterious discovery and a terrifying cliffhanger. I am emotionally invested and completely in awe of the author’s intuitive grasp on her subject and the artist’s painstakingly beautiful illustrations. Yep, I am in for the long haul.