My Summer in Manga

This summer, after work, I found myself too tired to read the books piling up on my shelf and with too little time to watch the movies queued up on my Netflix list. Instead, I would come home, put my things down, and immediately open up a manga to read. This went on (and continues to happen) for the entire summer. Pretty soon, it went from me reading after work to me reading during my lunch break.

Maybe to feel like the hundreds of hours I spent reading (and rereading) manga on my phone weren’t a waste, here’s a short list, in no particular order, of the ones I enjoyed the most. A lot of these weren’t ones that I recently discovered but instead, old favorites I keep revisiting.

Cardcaptor Sakura — CLAMP

I grew up reading and watching ten-year-old Sakura Kinomoto getting ready to head to school everyday; she would put on her skates and — usually running late —begin to tail her older brother. But besides being a fifth grader at the local elementary school, Sakura is also chosen to retrieve the missing Clow Cards, a set of magical cards created by a deceased sorcerer. The Clow Cards, in their missing state, were a threat to the balance of the universe.

Young me was entertained by her antics, the magic of the Clow Cards, and how relatable she was — despite having magical powers. Reading this again, I see a girl who had to juggle not only the qualms and anxieties of adolescence but also the fate of the entire universe. The way CLAMP portrays this juggling act made me realize that the younger me perhaps was not only attracted to the superficial (and honestly, very enjoyable) aspects of this manga but also to the underlying messages passed on by not only Sakura but also by those around her.

Sakura taught me to be brave, to be kind, and most importantly, that friendships and relationships are precious and more powerful than any adversary.

Hirunaka no Ryuusei — Mika Yamamori

Hirunaka no Ryuusei is probably one of my favorite mangas to read of all time. Whenever I’m feeling a bit down and want to revisit something that never fails to make me feel hopeful and happy, I turn to this manga.

At first glance, Hirunaka no Ryuusei is a typical shoujo manga. A protagonist — here, Suzume — falls in love, basically at first glance, and tries to pursue that love. There is a secondary male character who, at the beginning, does not seem like he has much of a chance but nevertheless, pursues the protagonist anyway. Typical shoujo storyline really. But looking past that, I think Hirunaka no Ryuusei is more.

Moments like this

How will you live if every little thing from your memories always hurt you so easily?

or this

A love where no one gets hurt doesn’t exist.

or even this

There were many tears, many unsure times, many troubled moments. The fun memories were only a few, but even so, those memories will shine bright like stardust, and continue to shine on in my heart.

and this

I’m going to move forward, facing in your direction with all my might.

really sum up what Hirunaka no Ryuusei, at its core, is about: love, loss, and growth stemming from these two things.

Living vicariously through Suzume, you experience not only the maelstrom of emotions that come with falling in and — whether you like it or not — out of love with someone, but also the immense amount of growth and clarity that come out of these experiences.

The Children’s Teacher, Mr. Kwon — Woo Ho

I had been following this manga (really webtoon) since I was younger and stumbled upon it again recently to find that it was completed. Naturally, I reread the entire work from start to finish in a single sitting.

I caught myself smiling, laughing, and crying.

Mr. Kwon, a former mob boss with a painful past, is sent to a small school in the countryside to teach a group of kids with ages ranging from five to 12. Through a series of events, the kids warm up to him and go from addressing him as a neighborhood uncle to their beloved teacher.

Though slow, the story had so much heart. What it lacked in plot twists and dramatic fights, it more than made up for in its heartfelt portrayal of family, friendship, and love through the endearing characters. The children lie at the core of this portrayal. Tough and scarred Shiru, joyful yet shielded San, a kind-hearted and calm Suhri, and the boisterous Suh siblings — each with their own unique circumstances and struggles — tie the story together. Their interactions not only amongst one another but also with the alien Mr. Kwon propel the story forward.

The innocence of the kids and their hopeful futures, paired with Mr. Kwon’s regret-filled, and traumatic past, make for a story about redemption, forgiveness, and coming to terms with the past to look towards a better future ahead.

Reflecting on all the different mangas I’ve read, I definitely see that there is a certain “type” I gravitate towards. Perhaps I find myself reading things that make me feel warm and fuzzy inside because I want to relax and feel good. Or maybe I’m too tired after a long day at work or lack the time and energy to digest a full-on work that is both complex plot-wise and thematically. I can’t really say that what I’ve read is considered “good” but I don’t think I’m really looking for that after a long day at work. Maybe what I’m looking for is a portrayal of the aspects of the human experience that currently are relevant to me. Maybe the works I enjoy are those that, at their core, are life-affirming.

Or maybe I just really like shoujo manga; who knows.

Thanks for reading this really long (and really weeby) story! :-)