Feature: Holiday Wishlist #4

Holiday sales are upon us, ravaging our wallets and stealing our little pennies!  Can a book fit into a stocking?  I doubt you’d want to fray the pages and bend the covers in such a way.  Wrapped packages are always great to see piling up under the tree.  Whether classic literature or comic, books are a wonderful gift to receive.  Some people desire to neatly fill their shelves, and others yearn to become the ultimate collector, letting their assortment overflow into stacks throughout their entire house.  Otakus stake out sales across the internet and bookstores, trying to locate deals on their favorite titles.  And, of course, the manga cows are grazing around this time of the year, congesting store aisles and soaking up all they can find.  Need help in discovering a new manga series that your bookworm friends, hubbies, or siblings will enjoy?  Is one of them just beginning their journey into the vast world of manga?

Don’t worry, because there is a ton to choose from!  I'm here to provide you with a couple lists of titles you should keep an eye out for this Christmas.  They’re good items to read by those fake or real fireplaces in your homes.  Also, be sure to check out this and future Holiday Wishlist feature(s) to get an idea for what to purchase this festive season.  Merry Christmas and happy shopping, everybody!

Manga Holiday Wishlist #1

We can’t have doom and gloom right at the onset, so here’s something light-hearted and fun to kick-start this list.  Currently published by Yen Press, Yotsuba&! is a manga that is bound to smear a smile on your face as soon as you flip open the first page.  The story begins with a little girl named Yotsuba and her father moving to a new town.  As they settle into their new surroundings, Yotsuba develops a friendship with the next door neighbors, and her adventures and discoveries begin.  Her lack of shyness and her forward demeanor in talking with people are adorable to see.  The interactions between her and her father are precious—his dry humor messing with her naïve mind, which I’m sure many parents have harmlessly done with their own offspring.

Who knew a cute little girl doing cute things could be entertaining?  Have you ever come across a kid and just watched them for a few seconds?  Observing their inexperienced logic and straightforward approach to problems can be an amusing activity.  This manga’s simplistic nature and depictions of childhood—where everything is fresh and wondrous to explore—are enough to cause a fuzzy feeling inside you.  Most of Yotsuba’s antics and discoveries are believable for her age and will likely conjure up memories of your own past childish experiences.  The artwork is nothing earthshattering.  Backgrounds are basic in composition and can occasionally be nonexistent.  However, your curiosity in what Yotsuba will get her hands into next is what keeps you leisurely turning pages.  It’s a story you can relax on the couch with, never worrying about mind-bending twists or crazy action slapping you in the face.  The author, Kiyohiko Azuma, was able to capture the essence of innocence and produce a character that warms your heart.

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The ocean possesses a mysterious air that draws you into its beauty and vastness.  Whenever looking out across the roaring waves at the beach, I imagine the diverse species deep down in the bottom’s darkness, swimming in a world so different from ours.  It holds a sense of attractive adventure, and it’s refreshing to read a series that tries to explore it.  Consisting of only 5 volumes and licensed by Viz Media, Children of the Sea by Daisuke Igarashi revolves around a young girl named Ruka, whose parents are separated.  Her father works at an aquarium, and there Ruka meets two strange boys named Umi and Sora.  Their otherworldly connection to the sea fascinates her, compelling her to learn more about them.  As she spends time with them, she begins to realize that she may have the same supernatural connection to the ocean.  Abnormal events start to take place in the waters—disappearances of aquatic animals around the world, creatures spreading to unnatural territories.  Ruka must investigate the mystery unfolding in front of her before the bizarre ecological occurrences increase in number.

This manga is another peaceful read, which allows one to soak up the atmosphere permeating from the pages.  Its beautiful artwork is easy to pause and stare at, and the fluid storytelling effortlessly captures the reader’s attention.  Scenes flow right into the next without anything coming across as forced.  With the pacing being quite slow—almost with a wandering type of feel to it—those seeking action and fast paced adventure should go elsewhere.  However, individuals looking for a series that engrosses the reader one page at a time should consider Children of the Sea.  Even with the supernatural elements, the rich characters and their personalities feel real and interesting.  Their lives and the spectacular sights they witness are worth diving into, especially if you desire a slow build to magical incidents and a stunning world.

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Whether we yearn to remain in contact with certain friends or not, there are cases where we lose a valuable part of ourselves as we grow.  Our days become filled with routine duties like college and work, and time slowly slips through our fingers, escaping into the past that we will either recall fondly or bitterly.  We can regret our mistakes for the rest of our lives, or we can choose to move forward even when things appear impossible and dark.  5 Centimeters per Second by Makoto Shinkai attempts to convey these harsh realities of life in an exquisite, yet almost tragic manner.  It is a tale of two close friends, a boy named Tono Takaki and a woman named Shinihara Akari.  When family situations separate them, they continue to talk to one another through letters that begin to diminish over time.  Their exchanges gradually falter as the months and years pass, and the letters ultimately cease.  Takaki recalls the days they once spent together, wondering if he’ll ever have the chance to see Akari face to face again.

I had the privilege of watching the animated movie adaption of this manga; I remember how the ending with Takaki’s realization about people and the world around him tugged at my heart, bringing tears to my eyes.  We may not fully realize the importance of a particular person until they are truly gone.  A response that is put off for a day may develop into a response put off for a week, a month, a year.  The seconds and minutes tick by without any care for our worries and obligations, and our minds regress into hazy forgetfulness.  This title explores these sad and happy moments that take place throughout our existence.  Its tender handling of such real themes is engaging; it can propel you into quiet contemplation about your own life and the opportunities possibly overlooked.  For those who love drama with slight tastes of romance, 5 Centimeters per Second is a perfect addition to your bookshelves.

*first two images from ANN and third from Rightstuf