Favorite Slice of Life Manga Vol.3

Today on the blog, I’m delving into the wonderful world of Slice of Life Manga! If you’re interested in seeing my previous post on other Slice of Life Themed Manga click here!

The “Slice of Life” genre claims a large section of the Japanese manga market and usually focuses on school, which is the most dominant force in young people’s lives, including their interpersonal relationships both in and out of their families. A common trait in slice of life anime and manga is their emphasis on seasonality or procedures.

I’ve read so many over the years, but here are some picks of stories that I’ve read and continue to stick with me. Enjoy! 

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My Neighbor Seki

This manga series follows a girl named Rumi Yokoi who is constantly distracted by her neighboring classmate, Toshinari Seki, as he indulges in elaborate hobbies and somehow never gets caught in the process.

Tonari No Seki Kun has a predictable formula in its plot but what makes it so entertaining to read is how it focuses on the wacky aspects of mundane school life. The manga keeps repetitive form but what keeps you reading is Seki’s outlandish behavior and tricks. Each thing he does becomes even more shocking, but anticipate seeing just what he’ll do next.

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A Nico-Colored Canvas

A Nico-Colored Canvas follows the story of Nico a young woman from Kagawa who wants to pursue a career in the arts. Nico sets her sights on attending the Osaka University of Arts and is excited to learn new things and meet new people. However, she finds art school a bit different from what she thought it would be like, but charges headfirst into any new opportunities. Nico meets many artists who practice different mediums and ideas about what art should consist of her. Her day-to-day experiences continually shape her school life and artistry ideas.

This is a soothing slice-of-life manga that I thoroughly enjoyed. As a person who loves art myself, I saw a little bit of myself in Nico when I reminisce about my own school’s numerous art classes. As the author, Shikita comes from an art university background herself you can really see in this first volume that this story gives back to her artist roots. The story showcases artists from all different backgrounds, and it has a positive narrative about pursuing your dreams. The illustrations are gorgeous including the many works of art included in the story.

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My Wonderful World

In My Wonderful World, readers are introduced to Shinobu who has struggled with reading and writing since childhood. Because of this, he has had trouble keeping jobs, learning in school, and navigating life. One day he meets a café worker, Haruka, who opens his eyes that he has been living with dyslexia, which gives him clarity as to why reading has been so difficult for him. Determined to have a new outlook on life and try new things, Shinobu takes the reins in his life.

I’m always trying to look for manga that is new to me and this series piqued my interest as I had never heard of a manga that discusses dyslexia. Dyslexia is a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words. Though I have read about dyslexia I did come away from this series with a greater understanding of it. Aimoto does a solid job of detailing this disorder as well as showing how it can affect those that have it differently.

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Silver Spoon 

Silver Spoon (銀の匙 Gin no Saji) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa, set in the fictional Oezo Agricultural High School in Hokkaido. It depicts the daily life of Yugo Hachiken, a student from Sapporo who, unlike his new classmates, has no intention of following an agricultural career after graduating. Instead, he decided to study there under the misguided notion that he could easily be the top student in the class. (description from Goodreads)

Arakawa is one of my top favorite mangaka due to her series Fullmetal Alchemist. This story is way different from that series as it has more of a slice of life focus.The story is a fish out of water narrative about a city boy who transfers to an agricultural high school in a rural town. The main character learns a lot about life and farming as he pushes himself to adapt to new surroundings (I also learned a lot of information about agriculture and live stock). The cast of characters is very lively and I felt it matches the sometime silly tone of the story and all of the crazy antics that ensue at the farm.

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The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting

Kirishima Tooru is the right-hand man of the Sakuragi crime family. For him, the job is a perfect excuse to let his violent instincts run wild, earning him the nickname “the Demon of Sakuragi”. It seems like nothing will stand in the way of his vicious nature.

But then one day, he receives an assignment like never before from the boss—babysitting his daughter!

This is the heartwarming (or is it bloodcurdling?) story of a little girl and her yakuza caretaker!

Sometimes you just need to read a manga that is silly and fun. The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting just from the title and synopsis alone fits that description. What starts out as an outlandish premise actually turns into a touching story of a bond that is formed between the duo and how they help each other to grow. It’s very cute and has many wacky laugh-out-loud moments. If you’re looking for a story that is wholesome story of a man learning to take care his family, but also himself check out this series.

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That concludes my favorite Slice of Life manga list! What are your favorites or recommendations?