A soft, warm slice-of-life manga about living comfortably at a slow pace and appreciating the little things in life, like a home-cooked meal. I enjoyed the story, though it didn't blow me away. I'll continue to pick up the series.

TW: death of a pet

I received an ARC of Hirayasumi, volume 2 by Keigo Shinzo published by Viz from NetGalley and Viz in exchange for an honest review. This review contains spoilers.

As you may recall, I loved volume one of Hirayasumi. So to say I was excited about Hirayasumi volume 2 is probably an understatement. I wanted as much of the story as I could get, as soon as possible. Volume 1 did an amazing job of introducing the characters and giving us just enough about them to feel them out. Volume 2 picks up right where it left off and while it continues the breezy feel, it expands on everyone in surprising ways.

Natsumi's Growth in Hirayasumi Volume 2

Natsumi is an easy character to love because she's at the peak of growth. Eighteen, away from home for the first time, and dealing with a lot of growing pains. Sometimes she doesn't do or say the "right" thing but it's clear she's learning as she goes. I appreciate her willingness to own up to her mistakes and do better once she knows better.

In this volume, we see Natsumi become more vulnerable to Akari in multiple ways. Natsumi opens up to Akira about her mangaka dreams and shares her manga with Akira. Only Hiro had read her manga in the past. Akira is so supportive and encourages Natsumi to submit to a different publication, which ultimately leads to her manga winning an award.

We also see Natsumi get her first job, also thanks to Akira. At the job, she sees Akira in a different light and even thinks, "She's out of my league." Which then leads her to question why she thought that in the first place. It's interesting to read because some of Natsumi's thoughts about Akira border the line between admiration and crush. I'm not sure if that's the direction this relationship is going in, but regardless, I love to see the bonds between the girls deepen. It's clear they both have such a positive influence on each other. I only see more growth for Natsumi as a result of this bond.

Another relationship we see Natsumi appreciate is the one with Hiro. When Natsumi makes a throwaway comment and believes that she hurts Hiro's feelings, we see her hold on to this until she apologizes. We get to see Natsumi being so wrapped up in her life that she has to step out of herself for a moment and take in what is going on around her.

Hiroto's Past

At first glance, Hiroto is an always positive, upbeat guy, who knows what to say to family and friends. I was glad to see other sides to him that humanize him and also give context to why he is the way he is now.

Firstly, I loved Hiro calling out Hideki multiple times on his bullshit. "Why are you even friends with that jerk?" Natsuki asks the question that we are all thinking! For me, it was also notable that Hiro calls out Hideki regarding the fight with his wife. So many people would not get in between a couple's problems. However, I do think as a good friend, if you see your friend being a shitty partner, you absolutely have the right to say something. To me, it shows how much Hiro values Hideki and that he's able to speak his mind candidly.

We also learn a bit more about Hiro's acting journey and how he walked away due to the pressures of competition. It's clear to everyone that Hiro has the looks and is talented. But I get his refusal to want to be a part of the hamster wheel of competing for a spot. Always having to prove your worth and fight for roles would feel so demoralizing. I wonder if we will see Hiro make a return to acting down the line.

Yomogi Being Honest

It's hard to pick a favorite character when all three of the main characters are so charming, but with this volume, Yomogi is making a case! One thing I appreciate about her character is the stark comparison she provides about the satisfaction of life. It's clear to see that she feels very "meh" about where she is in life. This comes to a boiling point when she lashes out at Hiro during the festival prep.

Since volume one, Yomogi has felt contempt towards Hori because she perceives him as "breezing through life." When he makes a positive comment to her during the festival prep, not knowing her cat died, this sets her off and makes her confront exactly what she has been avoiding in her own life. When Yomogi later apologizes to Hiro, it looks like one of her walls has come down.

I'm a lover girl by default, so of course I am shipping these two. However, I wouldn't be mad if they became good friends down the line. Hiro has the right amount of optimism someone like Yomogi needs in her life.

What's to Come

There's so much groundwork laid in the fabric of this manga, that there is a lot of room for speculating what comes next. Things that seem to be throwaway comments or insignificant moments come around and have bigger impacts down the line in the story. Yet because the story is so open-ended, I'm not sure what to expect. Either way, I am so excited for the next volume and to see what unfolds next for these three.

Hirayasumi, Volume 2
Mangaka: Keigo Shinzo
Translator: Jan Mitsuko Cash
Publisher: Viz

Volume 2 is available for now.

Published by Viz Media and available August 20, 2024, Hirayasumi Vol. 2 is the followup to a book I reviewed previously. I really loved the first book in this series, so I was excited to get to review the second. I'm pleased to say it's just as good as the first, perhaps even better. This is a series about a laid-back character in a world of stress and anxiety and Hiroto's calm rubs off on the reader, even as it manages to influence the characters around him. The art is unique and all the characters are well-written, and this volume expands on the supporting cast as they experience anxiety, marital strain, and grief. One interesting feature of this series is the text narration, which is uncommon in manga, but here moves the story along and gives insight into the characters. It's an iyashikei (lit. "healing", a genre that focuses on soothing and healing the reader) and moves at a day-to-day pace that we all need from time to time.

Hirayasumi may be a slice of life story, but it is the manga equivalent of drinking a cold drink on a hot day. The characters are entertaining without reporting to caricatures and this second volume builds nicely on the events of the first volume. The blurb lists five characters and somehow you learn new things about all of them in this volume without having to devote a full story arc to show character development. We also get a lovely flashback in one chapter featuring the granny that left Hiroto the house which serves as the centerpiece of the story. I am looking forward to the next volume.

Hiroto Ikuta, his cousin Nat, his friends, Hideki and Yomogi, and Nat's friend Akiria all have their problems as summer heats up around them. Despite the all stress, Hiroto manages to keep calm which can be galling to those around him. In various of the chapters, we learn how he cam to be a movie star and why he left (at least two different versions) acting. We also get to see the triumphs and tragedies that come with navigating what we call life. Sometimes, it is nice to just set back and enjoy the flow with Hiroto!

Thanks Netgalley and Viz Media for the chance to read this title.

This was a strong follow up to the first book in the series. I'm intrigued by the characters, though there's little in the way of plot. It has a very relaxed vibe which makes sense considering Hiro's characterization. I also enjoy that we still get flashbacks of Granny, although I definitely do wish we had a little bit more. Many of the side characters did get fleshed out further, which I liked, and I still hope to see more of Natsumi's relationships develop in future volumes.

Loved this! Nat is finally starting to appreciate Hiro (as she should!) and she’s really grown for the better in his presence. It was great to see more about her journey and the journeys of a bunch of the side characters. And we even got some Granny moments! As someone the same age as Hiro, it’s so wonderful to see him be behind the milestones expected of him, but be so genuinely happy as he moves at his own pace. A relatable story told beautifully!