Edit - nomination withdrawn due to furigana ruling. Find this entry in the BBC!
This is on the higher end of the difficulty scale, I think, but after some consideration I think it fits here - largely because it’s short and Horimiya was one level higher. If it meets some pushback I will send it up to the BBC though.
/edit damnit, i forgot about the furigana guidelines down here. Maybe it’ll have to bump up to the BBC because of it.
Look Back / ルックバック
Natively: Level 21
Summary
The overly confident Fujino and the shut-in Kyomoto couldn’t be more different, but a love of drawing manga brings these two small-town girls together. A poignant story of growing up and moving forward that only Tatsuki Fujimoto, the creator of Chainsaw Man, could have crafted.
Availability
Free online at Shonen Jump+ | Amazon | CD Japan
Kindle | Rakuten | BookWalker
Personal Opinion
An incredible, powerful read that is nonetheless I think very parseable at lower levels. With the club, I think it will be within reach even for absolute beginners, as long as their expectations are a bit tempered. (Though I am open to moving it to the BBC instead potentially).
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Entire thing is officially free on Shonen Jump Plus
- Yes, even beginners can read award-winning manga!
- Majority of dialogue is at the elementary and middle-school grade level
- Gorgeous art
- Significant portions of storytelling only through art (textless) meaning I would say the manga has a lower wordcount than most
- Short at I think 144 pages or so
Cons
- No furigana!
- Noticable slang use in early segments (elementary/middle schooler level) and some handwritten text.
- Multiple in-universe news articles in the latter half that while not necessary to read thoroughly you do need to get the gist of it
- Heavy themes after the halfway point
