ひらやすみ （Hirayasumi)
Natively: Level 23
Full furigana: No
Summary
After developing an unlikely friendship with the grouchy old woman who lives in his neighborhood, Hiroto suddenly finds himself inheriting not just her house but some rather difficult emotions as well. His 18-year-old cousin, Natsumi, moves in with him, but as a struggling art student, she has her own troubles to deal with and may just put Hiroto’s easygoing lifestyle to the test. (source: VIZ)
Availability
Physical:
Amazon JP
CD Japan
Kinokuniya
Digital:
Kindle
Bookwalker
Personal Opinion
I have not read this book yet but it keeps popping up in my life, and it looks right up my alley so I thought I’d nominate it. It seems really adorable. In lieu of personal opinion, I will be listing opinions of those in /r/manga (reliable source ??) I picked the top comments and didn’t filter anything out. Recommend those interested to click into the thread and read more opinions. There’s obviously some serious selection bias here but people seem to enjoy it - big hit for fans of Yotsuba and other SoL manga. Anyway - make of this what you will
[Reddit: What are your opinions on hirayasumi?]
One of the most heartwarming series out there, especially if you like adorably messy people
It’s 3-gatsu no Lion but for college/early adulthood. I like how characters have realistic issues that troubles them and although there is a main character, the side characters are very well developed. The art is cozy and comforting.
Really good, every character is flawed but endearing
10/10
chill and wholesome
its flat out the best manga ive ever read.
there’s a lot more going on under the surface of what initially seems like a simple slice of life; it has a really strong moral perspective on both working life and how we treat others, and makes some pretty profound statements about both.
Oh, and the only natively review for good measure:
The slice of life genre is generally very efficient for language-learning, as stories cover everyday situations with everyday vocab. Sadly, the overwhelming majority of japanese SOL manga is set in highschool, which isn’t necessarily optimal. That’s where manga like Hirayasumi come in: The cast here are generally all working adults or university students, and deal with more grown-up conflicts and situations.
The art is comfy and evocative, and really creates the perfect atmosphere for this easygoing, but sometimes very real story. I was holding off tears a few times here! The language isn’t super difficult per se, but its a fair step above the general beginner recommendations. So I would say this is the perfect manga to tackle after you’ve gotten a few easier ones under your belt, and are tired of plucky 15 year olds as main characters. Easy recommendation.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Adorable art style
- Slice of life, common vocab
- Seemingly well liked characters and story
- Ongoing and seemingly popular, so new chapters likely to come
Cons
- Some of the scans are really bad, but bookwalker seems okay
- VIZ English translation is only up to tankobon 6, so if an offshoot happens, there’s not really a good reference for those that like to compare to official translations
