Reseñas de libros

AkemiTheSunbro13
Apr 15, 2021
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou review
Yokohama shopping trip is truly the best slice of life manga out. Told through the lens of Alpha, an undying android, it's set in a post apocalyptic japan where the sea level has risen (and continues to rise), flooding cities and roads. There aren't many people left but those who do group together in tight-knit communities.
Our main character, Alpha, runs a remote cafe on the coast. She gets few visitors and she waits for the return of her mysterious master. Her origins are unclear and very little is revealed as the manga progresses.

The setting and characters are unique and enjoyable - Seeing the interactions between Alpha and her friends and her going about her life. It's light-hearted and relaxing.
Each chapter starts and ends peacefully. Life is slow and you can almost feel the sea wind, blowing through the grass and trees as the world quietly slows down.

Alpha is given a camera as a present from her master which she uses regularly. She drives her scooter around meeting new people and finding new places.
The art really shines when Alpha is travelling - beautiful landscapes of sunken cities, streetlights silently glowing under the waves; sand swept coastlines and bustling cities.
On her travels Alpha meets many people. Some mysterious, some normal. Every character feels real and their life, past times and comings and goings are interesting and genuinely engaging.

Alpha, being an android, doesn't age. As the manga goes on, you see Takihiro and Matsuki, friends of Alpha who are children at the start, grow up. Their views on life, relationships with others and their hopes for the future change and mature.
Individually each chapter isn't massively special but, like life, looking back over it makes you appreciate the changes and is incredibly emotive, helping you to appreciate the small, seemingly insignificant stories told - There's a great joy in Takahiro and Matsuki's growing up, but a deep sadness as the world around Alpha slowly dies out.

As the sea rises, characters, with relationships and lives built and explored throughout the manga; age and move on, slowly leaving alpha alone.

Yokohama Shopping Trip is a celebration of life, of people and relationships as well as a lament to how all good things come to an end. It's a stunning, engaging and incredibly emotive manga incomparable to anything I've ever read.
It can be summarised by a beautiful chapter where Alpha grows a sunflower which ends with: "After a while the sunflower died and wilted without thinking of our feelings."
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xMiki-chan3
Apr 15, 2021
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou review
By now I have re-read YKK in full 3 times, and all I can say is that with each reread my enjoyment for this manga has only grown. Every reread has offered up new secrets and details I hadn't noticed, or had forgotten.

Note: I highly recommend finding a cozy soundtrack and listening while reading this. Personally, doing so has enhanced my experience tenfold. If you don't have any particular music in mind, I recommend the soundtracks to the YKK OVA's as they do quite well at capturing the tone of the series.

Ashinano Hitoshi's art goes from good to great to amazing over the course of the first dozen chapters. He knows how to capture serenity within his linework and produce absolutely beautiful scenery. I find that my favorite phase of his artistic evolution is around the middle, where it retains a decent amount of detail, but with more simlified forms than the very first few chapters. While I enjoy the latter half, it does get, a lot simpler. Of course that's not a bad thing by any means, I just like a balance. However, the artwork by the end of YKK is something I think worked for his next series, Kabu no Isaki even better, as his simplified forms are complemented by the vastness of the sky.

The characters are delightful and feel very natural in their portrayal. He allows us to experience the world through them, and their experiences help add to the subtle worldbuilding.

tl;dr
YKK is an absolute masterpiece, and if you ever need a story to soothe the soul and help you appreciate the little things in life this is it.
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Knightmare_Otaku11
Apr 15, 2021
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou review
"Mono no aware é uma antiga expressão japonesa, que pode ser traduzida em algo como “empatia pelas coisas”, ou “se sensibilizar pelo mundo”. Num sentido mais amplo, a expressão remete a um sentimento de tristeza com a passagem do tempo, com a impermanência das coisas. É a percepção de que tudo muda, e inevitavelmente se emocionar com essa transitoriedade. Mono no aware é a melancolia que surge da contemplação, o que é bem característico de YKK. "

Em Yokohama Kaidashi Kikoi a história se passa num Japão pós-apocalíptico, o nível do mar aumentou e muitas cidades foram submersas, os humanos posteriormente voltaram a ter uma vida mais simples.
E nesse deleite, acompanhamos o dia-a-dia de Alpha Hatsuseno, uma robô que administra um isolado café à beira-mar.

Yokohama foi um dos mangás que mais me surpreendeu, a obra expressa tranquilidade e relaxamento durante a leitura de uma forma tão surreal, tendo aquele ritmo calmante, sem pressa e às vezes sutilmente monótono de contar histórias, dando a obra um conjunto de emoções distintas que é muito bem expressada. Veja isso tomando um café ou chá e ouvindo Lo-Fi e sinta a atmosfera única que YKK proporciona, é simplesmente incrível, realmente é o epítome do gênero slice of life.

A arte é incrivelmente linda aos meus olhos, contendo um estilo bem detalhado, com lindo cenários que vai fazer seus olhos brilharem.
a beleza simples mais muito bem expressada através da arte de Ashinano Hitoshi é algo que me deixa encantado.

A protagonista Alfa é um androide e ela não muda, mas a percepção regular de que o tempo passou antes que ela soubesse, transmite a sutil atmosfera melancólica por trás da personagem, principalmente enfatizada no final da obra.
Sim, como robô ela é imortal. Mas o mundo ao seu redor não é, o mar continua subindo e subindo, sempre aos poucos...

YKK realmente me conquistou, cada capitulo que eu lia eu era fortemente envolvido pela magnífica atmosfera da obra, não contém os elementos principais da maioria dos mangás, e de certa forma pode não agradar a maioria das pessoas, mas com sua arte, atmosfera e escrita magistrais que faz você admirar, suspirar, imaginar e refletir, ao meu ver, é nitidamente digna do termo obra-prima.


"Meu lugar é o café Alpha. As coisas que vi. As coisas a cerca de todo mundo, eu nunca esquecerei... O mundo inteiro que foi como um festival vagarosamente se acalmou.
E esses dias...
Se tornaram a tranquila época que é chamado de a 'Era da tarde calma.' Deixe me mostrar-lhe só um momento dessa curta era, antes que chegue a noite.
Sente-se mais uma vez...
A noite da humanidade...
Que essa seja uma era pacifica."
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iTofuu6
Apr 15, 2021
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou review
This is my first review but this manga definitely deserves one! I originally watched the first OVA of the anime over a year ago and was completely blown away about how a two episode OVA could captivate me the way YKK did. So after about a year I decided to read the manga and wow it might be the best manga I've read. Alpha is an android living in a post-apocalyptic Japan and runs a coffee shop that only gets one or two customers a week. We see Alpha's everyday adventures of learning about the world, appreciating the nature around her, and watching her and the people around her grow. The art is beautiful and makes you look for a minute before turning the page. It is very relaxed and laid back and just makes you feel good. It captures the idea of "mono no aware." It is light-hearted but also a but melancholic and sad in a sense. I would put it into the category of slice of life and "iyashikei," or in other words, "healing manga." It makes you understand the concept of impermanence and makes you appreciate the present as much as you can, because time moves faster than you know it. I recommend this manga to everyone because it definitely has a special place in my heart. Also definitely check out the OVA! The first OVA is one of my favorite animated pieces ever, but the second one is good as well. When you finish reading and watching yokohama kaidashi kikou, you will definitely feel some type of way, but in a good, tranquil way.
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PaiYuri11
Apr 15, 2021
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou review
The waves find their way past the shining streetlights and crash onto the eroding street. There's someone watching, a figure made to look, act and feel human. Here she stands, taking in this beautiful sight. There's no hurry, she's already closed her shop. There probably wouldn't be any customers anyway...

This is the setting of Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou (YKK), a calm beautiful and post apocalyptic slice of life manga.

Story(10/10): YKK is the journey of Alpha Hatsuseno, a human like robot, through the "twilight age of humanity". Human civilization is in decline. Sea levels have risen and once big cities became small towns or were abandoned completely. Alpha lives alone in the countryside, her next neighbors live a few kilometers away. Waiting for the return of her owner, she takes care of the house and runs a coffee shop. People come there just to see her. She has developed a habit of sitting down next to her customers to chat and drink coffee with them. However the shop is located in the middle of nowhere, so only a few customers visit each week. Because of this, Alpha has a lot of free time and ends up spending much of it with her neighbors or roaming through the countryside.
Throughout YKK's story, we learn more about the mysterious world, the robots and their development and accompany Alpha and her friends through years of living and growing up in the countryside.
The story is not great because of any exciting things happening, but because of the care for detail and the perfect pacing.

Characters(10/10): Alpha is a multilayered, realistic, yet interesting and unique character. She's more of a human with a few robotic properties than the other way around. These robotic properties were implemented in an astonishingly brilliant way. While reminding of their robotic origin, they're often used to instead emphasize their fundamentally human abilities to feel and to imagine. This results in Alpha and the other robots having a uniquely different but still "human" perception of the world. Alpha is one of the best protagonists to be seen in manga and anime.
The side characters also don't disappoint. They're all likable, interesting and understandable in their actions.

Art(10/10): Not only is it exceptionally beautiful, but the art is also used as a way to communicate large parts of the story itself. This manga doesn't use a lot of words and instead decides to use the strengths of its medium to the fullest extend. This results in a unique, calm and subtle way of story telling.

Enjoyment(10/10): There's no feeling quite like reading YKK. It is interesting, beautiful and relaxing in a way that'll have you starve for more. Even after reading it, its mystery and themes will keep you thinking for a while.

Overall(10/10): It feels wrong giving this a 10 in every category, as nothing, not even YKK, is perfect. However with this manga everything fits together so well and the strength outweigh any flaws, that you could only find with a magnifying glass, by a large margin. While it's not something everyone will like, YKK does what it sets out to do almost flawlessly.
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MultiLoisa11
Apr 15, 2021
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou review
"Today will be tomorrow's yesterday"

The time is set in future where rising sea level has flooded most of the costal areas. The story
of Alpha Hatseno, an Alpha 7 M2 series robot left by her owner at a countryside coffee shop,
she acts fully like a human being running the coffee shop named 'Cafe Alpha'. The story
surrounds Alpha as she is synchronizing with commoners in behind the backdrop of a
futuristic country-side Japan. The story begins with Alpha making a shopping trip to
Yokohama. Marionette and yet like an elegant woman Alpha's character is able to captivate the heart of most of the male readers.
About the manga in General, YKK is a 'mono no aware', a Japanese concept that awares us of
the transience of things and describes beauty. The fragrance of the country side and it's
transcending charm, sober warmth of long scooter ride through desolate streets, a coffee
shop in the country side with entertaining customers, the sober country people, scenes like
the setting sun and mysterious essence of the ocean gives it a color blooming atmosphere evoking overwhelming feelings of nostalgia, reminding us how time is fleeting.
Ashinano is one of those few mangaka who can make you feel the warmth through his
pages, the warmth as if a blurry reminiscence to those days when you were light headed and
comfortably numb, those days you still long for, a nostalgia drive. Very much unlike the
usual manga where you find string of events with cliches and other elements to stew it up.
This infact exhibits the traits of a country novel and short stories, with simple events and colloquial monologues. It is a piece that syncs with readers of all ages though only for
people with a certain desire for this warmth. Most amusing part is the characters, how
natural they are and able to blend through progressing events with just simple acts and that
again captivates the readers, it's as if the readers can relate them to their daily lives. To sum
it up YKK is as simple as amazing it is.
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Roflmaows15
Apr 15, 2021
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou review
This review only applies for the first 14 chapters of the series and it does not constitute for the overall experience of the manga itself and it will be comprised of what I liked and disliked about the manga and the reason I have had dropped it for.

But really the only thing I actually liked about this manga is the art. It's simplistic and it does look really good but other than that, it has nothing going for it. Like, it's not there's anything bad or anything good in it, there is just nothing happening. The chapters don't draw to any conclusion, there isn't any conflict, nothing to leave you thinking about, just some simple events happening. Honestly, if your favorite activity is staring at a wall, this is the perfect choice for you, because the manga is that monotone. I don't really want to be rough on it because it has nothing actually bad by any means in it, but the reason is because it has nothing actually happening. The chapters I've read are the main character drinking coffee and talking to other villagers. I suppose you could try the manga if you would like to read about how the characters in a world where most people are gone and most end up living frugally, with some robots to boot around to see how is that imagined. But other than that, this manga is as eventful as looking at a rock. Now if you look at a rock, do you expect it to move? Yeah, me either, so this is why I dropped the manga. I don't think I could recommend this manga to anyone but if a really uneventful setup interests you, with nothing to take from the entire thing, this is perfect for you.
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Profesor_Teto9
Apr 15, 2021
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou review
Change: many claim they welcome it with open arms. Yet in practice, even non-serious or dangerous ones can be distressing for they might challenge our values, biases, and comfort zones, let alone changes tied to mortality (such as disease and aging). And outside changes themselves, mere knowledge on impermanence and ephemerality can be painful; understanding that no matter the value attached at anything or anyone they will not be the same can suffice.

However, this knowledge also has another aspect: transitions in life can make individuals more appreciative of the beauty and importance in details they would normally overlook, given often hectic lifestyles, and value life overall more. Also, acknowledging mortality can provide with a powerful incentive to live more zealously, to be more receptive to knowledge and fresh experiences and to break the mold of a more stagnant lifestyle (whenever and wherever possible, of course).

The object of this review builds upon those ideas, in creative ways courtesy of great visual storytelling.


[1. First, a brief introduction…]

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou is both post-apocalyptic fiction and part of the iyashikei subgenre of the slice-of-life genre, aiming at portraying peaceful daily lives in a serene environment to soothe readers. Does that seem like a paradoxical combination?

It’s a match in heaven, for slice-of-life capitalizes on appreciating humble moments and constantly experiencing something new by simply living, whereas the post-apocalyptic element creates an ideal environment to display the transition of all things as well as the fact nature’s course transcends mankind’s plans. There is no overarching narrative in the traditional sense, most chapters are self-contained stories, focused on the adventures of the gynoid named Hatsuseno Alpha in what barely is the Miura Peninsula.


[2. Proceeding with characters…]

Alpha is a fascinating protagonist; although not a biological human she is warm, sweet and gentle, and seems more than content with leading a simple lifestyle even when hardly getting any customers in her café for days, and that attitude extends to her interaction with the environment and other inhabitants.

Saying however she is too carefree or beyond conflict would be false. Her personal circumstances and her surroundings make her very much aware of the passage of time and in turn, this causes intrapersonal conflict, yet without leading her at being aggressive towards others or insufferably angsty.

Other characters include the human inhabitants of the former peninsula (including her neighbours with whom Alpha is close), gynoids that juxtapose with Alpha and more enigmatic denizens whose origins are left in shrouds. All in harmony form part of a grand tapestry, to which they may or may not provide alternative perspectives but certainly contribute to the worldbuilding and enjoyment.


[3. And concluding with the star, artwork.]

Few manga I know draw the most out of artwork in comparison to Yokohama. And that does not refer to quality of design, but to Ashinano cleverly exploiting individual strengths of the medium rather than demoting artwork to eyecandy. Character designs are smooth to eye, highly memorable and easily distinguished and there are many well-drawn backgrounds, but the true virtuosity is found elsewhere.

To elaborate, proper encapsulation plays a key role; rather than either extending chapters at too many pages or filling them with too many details, Ashinano instead keeps a modest number of 10-20 pages per chapter and focuses on the minimal required to keep harmony and convey more than words or excessive pencilling can. Layout of panels is creatively toyed with, from richly detailed and awe-inspiring splash pages (full-page illustrations) and double-page spreads, to borderless panels of varied sizes contrasting or even blending with overlapping bordered ones of varied sizes. Also, chapters fluctuate between being more dialogue-focused with a modest amount of speech bubbles to being introspective and caption-based to even entire ones following a total “show, don’t tell” approach, letting environment and close ups do the talk.

Full coloured chapters are also featured (at least one per volume), a more than welcome addition to the already broad artistic arsenal of Yokohama. In my opinion though, the more impressive tool is the calculated use of blank space at parts rather than fully drawn backgrounds, where key details make powerful contrasts with or even sprout out of blank space, presenting highlights more poignantly and allowing for the reader’s imagination to go rampant.

This fluid, dynamic and oftentimes economical approach is not just for looks or "resource management", for above all Yokohama is a sensory experience and its storytelling is more visual and implicit rather than script-based and explicit; artwork serves to immerse readers into a rich environment fitting the tone and purpose.

Hope you enjoyed my review!


---------------------------------(En Français)--------------------------------------------

Le changement : beaucoup prétendent l'accueillir à bras ouverts. Pourtant, même les changements qui sont parfois anodins peuvent être pénibles, car ils peuvent remettre en question nos valeurs, nos préjugés et notre zone de confort, sans parler des changements liés à être mortels (comme les maladies et la vieillesse). Même en dehors de ça, la simple connaissance de l'impermanence et de l'éphémère peut être douloureuse ; il suffit de comprendre que, quelle que soit la valeur attachée à quelque chose ou quelqu'un, ils ne resteront pas les mêmes.

Cependant, cette connaissance a aussi un autre aspect : les transitions dans la vie peuvent faire que les individus apprécient davantage la beauté et l'importance des détails qu'ils négligeraient normalement, étant donné leur mode de vie souvent mouvementé, et qu'ils accordent une plus grande valeur à la vie en général. En outre, la reconnaissance de la mortalité peut constituer une puissante incitation à vivre avec plus de zèle, à être plus réceptif aux connaissances et aux expériences nouvelles et à briser le moule d'un mode de vie plus stagnant (chaque fois que cela est possible, bien sûr).

L'objet de cette revue s'appuie sur ces idées, de manière créative grâce à une narration visuelle de grande qualité.


[1. D'abord, une brève introduction...]

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou est à la fois un récit postapocalyptique et une partie du sous-genre iyashikei du genre « slice-of-life », visant à dépeindre des vies quotidiennes paisibles dans un environnement serein pour apaiser les lecteurs. Cela vous semble-t-il être une combinaison paradoxale ?

C'est un mariage parfait, car le slice-of-life capitalise sur l'appréciation de moments humbles et sur l'expérience constante de quelque chose de nouveau par le simple fait de vivre, alors que l'élément postapocalyptique crée un environnement idéal pour montrer la transition de toutes choses ainsi que le fait que le cours de la nature transcende les plans de l'humanité.
Il n'y a pas de narration principale, la plupart des chapitres sont des récits autonomes, centrés sur les aventures du gynoïde Hatsuseno Alpha dans ce qui est à peine la péninsule de Miura.


[2. Procédant avec les personnages...]

Alpha est une protagoniste fascinante ; bien qu'elle ne soit pas un être humain biologique, elle est chaleureuse, douce et gentille, et semble plus que satisfaite de mener un mode de vie simple même si elle ne reçoit pas de clients dans son café pendant des jours, et cette attitude s'étend à son interaction avec l'environnement et les autres habitants. Il serait faux de prétendre qu'elle est trop insouciante ou qu'elle ne se sent jamais en conflit. Sa situation personnelle et son environnement la rendent très consciente du passage du temps, ce qui provoque des conflits intrapersonnels, sans pour autant la conduire à être agressive envers les autres ou à éprouver une angoisse ennuyeuse.

Parmi les autres personnages figurent les habitants humains de la péninsule (y compris ses voisins dont Alpha est proche), les gynoïdes qui se juxtaposent à Alpha, et des habitants plus énigmatiques dont les origines sont laissées dans des linceuls. Tous en harmonie font partie d'une grande tapisserie, à laquelle ils peuvent (ou non) apporter des perspectives alternatives mais qui dans tous les cas contribuent certainement à la construction du monde et au plaisir du lecteur.


[3. Et pour conclure avec l'étoile, le dessin.]

Peu de mangas que je connais tirent les meilleures qualités de dessin par rapport à Yokohama. Et cela ne concerne pas la qualité des illustrations elle-même, mais le fait qu'Ashinano exploite intelligemment les avantages individuels du médium au lieu de réduire le dessin seulement aux images sympathiques. Les dessins des personnages sont lisses à l'œil, très mémorables et faciles à distinguer et il existe de nombreux arrière-plans bien dessinés, mais la véritable virtuosité se trouve ailleurs.

Pour élaborer, un encapsulage approprié joue un rôle clé ; plutôt que de prolonger les chapitres sur un trop grand nombre de pages ou de les remplir avec trop de détails, Ashinano garde plutôt un nombre modeste de 10-20 pages par chapitre et se concentre sur le minimum requis pour garder l'harmonie et transmettre plus que les mots ou le crayonnage excessif ne peuvent le faire. La mise en page des panneaux est jouée de façon créative, depuis les pages de garde (illustrations pleine page) et les doubles pages richement détaillées et impressionnantes, jusqu'aux panneaux sans bordure de tailles variées qui contrastent ou même se mélangent avec des panneaux à bordure chevauchante de tailles variées. De plus, les chapitres varient entre une approche plus centrée sur le dialogue avec une quantité modeste de bulles, une approche introspective et basée sur les légendes, et même des chapitres entiers suivant une approche "montrer, ne pas dire", laissant l'environnement et les gros plans faire la conversation.

Des chapitres en couleur sont également présentés (au moins un par volume), un ajout plus que bienvenu à l'arsenal artistique déjà très étendu de Yokohama. Mais à mon avis, l'outil le plus impressionnant est l'utilisation calculée de l'espace vide à certains endroits plutôt que des arrière-plans entièrement dessinés, où les détails clés contrastent fortement avec l'espace vide, voire jaillissent de celui-ci, présentant les points saillants de façon plus poignante et permettant à l'imagination du lecteur de s'épanouir.
Cette approche fluide, dynamique et souvent économique n'est pas seulement une question d'apparence ou de "gestion de ressources", car Yokohama est avant tout une expérience sensorielle et son récit est plus visuel et implicite que basé sur un scénario et explicite ; l'art sert à immerger le lecteur dans un environnement riche, adapté au ton et à l'objectif de récit.

J'espère que vous avez apprécié ma critique !
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TheFutureIsAni18
Apr 15, 2021
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou review
10s across the board on this manga,

With only 16 pages so much is seen and said, the start is a bit slow it may be too much slice of life for some people, but give it some time and its no easing and subtle motions will pull you into a world of sights emotions and understanding, you will feel something, sometimes joy, sometimes sadness, sometimes little smiles and other times just plain aloofness like a cloud.

I hate slice of life anything and this is the epitome of it! and I loved it! So if that doesn't explain how great it is, it literally set out to be one and achieved it in such the perfect none boring and non dull and unique way, i mean its part syfy without hardly any syfy and its amazing, its simply amazing how enthralled you can get just from taking in the visuals and just by slowing reading and taking in the words.

Literally the most slice of life thing i ever read, wanted a bit more info on the story, but that may have torn away from its seemingly aloof and simply living life value of it all, overall awesome, felt good reading it and finishing it, also sad, but overall, a swell feeling of sorts, fulfilling i wouldn't say, but certainly a calm of sorts, and a nice emotion, maybe satisfyingly filling in an emotional and zen way though.

Kinda interesting how alpha takes it in all of the world she lives in there, and the manga just pulls you along with her, the way she experiences it, it kinda just shimmers off and you experience it as well with her like you're there watching the time float by, and its just so down to earth and feels like my reality as well at times, i understand her so well, and the facial expressions are so well you just feel and know what shes going through, it was just ever so submersive, in every way it was... A damn well deserved masterpeice.

I didn't think so at first but little by little i grew more and more attached to it, and at one point i was wondering what it was all about and then eventually i stopped wondering, and i just didn't want it to end in the end, i just wanted the experience to drift onward... you know.... thats probably the best way to explain this entire story. Such a life, a life we all live.

And the way so little is said but so much implied in day to life, that was really real to, and i enjoyed that, though again sad, its a nice perspective, a nice sense of things while reading,,,, nice recommendation for sure, so thanks for that. Thanks to the author who wrote and drew this, you are the man my man! And you deserve a good life, hope its happenin!

And thanks to you all for reading! This is the first manga I've ever reviewed and it deserved it and one of the first i've ever really finished, and a rare reader of sorts, let me tell you, it really goes to say just how good it was for me to stick around till the end, sure it was a while from the start, but once i had some time and got back into the immersion, i really wasn't wanting it to end.

End Note/Comment
Hmmmm, so i finally finished yokohama,,, two years now, well two years reading the first 60, i read the other 60-80 in about 3 months. But kinda sad there was no chapt 142 like mal says, and 141 was an epilogue but also involved in a novel written by someone else, and that novel sounds sad and way off track of the mangas ending so i just like to think that 141 was the true ending,

I also like to think one of the last characters who showed up unnamed, was a descendent of one of the main characters, but who truly knows how or if they were related.
But it was interesting in the final 2 volumes that they have tons of time skips, this manga covers a lot of ground and i think you should read it if you're reading this! - It really had a pretty complete ending, and though i wanted a bit more of it, that was well enough for me. - 10/10 - Certainly a masterpiece of calm flowing art and subtle shimmering writing my dudes and dudets.

Again, thanks for reading and this has been a review by God-Of-Wolves! - Later to the lovely ladies who've taken the time to read, and to all my home dogs, you dudes keep things cooler than cool out there! And until next time! Farewell,,,,
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chaspete9
Apr 15, 2021
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou review
I was shocked and disappointed after I decided to pick YKK up after checking it had nothing but 10 reviews. So here comes a balancing effect, observations of one of the few who do not consider it a masterpiece.

This manga is a lot like some children's TV program about "what the Teddy Bear did today".

Sure it's "pleasant" to read but that's about where it's good aspects end.

There doesn't seem to be any kind of real continuing story, except "life, which goes on" which hardly is sufficient for a "masterpiece".

We are presented with very haphazardly explained new technology - one might even say, perfectly justifiable, that it doesn't make any sense. For "science fiction" YKK is laughable.

Character designs are heavily caricatured, which subtracts from the realisticality and adds to the "this is for kids" feel.

There're also fanservice-ish moments and things, like how the fembots exchange information by tongue-kissing. (And no, that cannot be justified by "it just adds to the realism, their creators happened to be perverts you see, and many people in technical careers are really perverted nerds".)

Not really anything more to say. Simple summary of a simple manga.

Does it succeed in attaining its goals? I think so.

Are theis goals something so brilliant, original, mature and mind-revolutionizing YKK deserves a 10 or 9? I don't think so.

Do/did I enjoy reading it? Save for the disappointments in relation to the hype, mostly yes.

Is sole personal enjoyment enough to earn something a 10 or 9, if all other important parts of a story lack and the whole thing's mostly a carbon copy of a dozen of similar works? Not in my system.

Now that you know what is defective in YKK, and don't just face a wall of 10 reviews giving impression of "this is for everyone", you may confidently proceed to read it and form your own opinion. I pass the baton.
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tuwueah12
Apr 15, 2021
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou review
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou is one of those works that just comes along and doesn't manage to gather a huge fanbase, but the cult following it does gather will remember this story for a lifetime. It's simply outstanding, and manages to carry a story larger than its obstensibly slice-of-life tone with just enough subtle hints to carry it into the realm of mystery and science fiction.

Story: 10 (Outstanding)

The story is about Alpha Hatsusueno, an unusual young woman living in the outskirts of Yokohama, Japan. After a brief conversation with Ojisan, her closest neighbor, we quickly discover that this sometime-in-the-future Yokohama has been wiped out by rising water levels, and we also discover just what makes Alpha so unusual - she's actually an A7M1 android (or rather gynoid, to be gender-correct), a practically perfect mechanical representation of a young woman constructed for purposes not even she is aware of, other than to serve as a prototype for mass-produced others like her during some forgotten time. She spends her days looking over a cafe waiting for her never-seen owner, until one day a package arrives delivered by another young woman named Kokone, who just happens to be a robot herself. Their mutual loneliness gravitates them towards each other, and Alpha learns to venture further away from Yokohama on a voyager of self-discovery while learning more about the few people left in her life.

A fantastic story indeed, heavy on character and storytelling visuals, we get a true sense of what this world is like and what these characters are experiencing.

Art: 10 (Outstanding)

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou is masterfully illustrated in both its character designs and landscapes, something most closely matched by the grand works of Myazaki. Alpha and her fellow female robots are downright gorgeous (admittedly a major part of the appeal of this work for the author :) and the scenery is breathtaking. What really elevates this work to a masterpiece is the magic integrated into the art - the surreal imagery of streetlights glowing underwater and having an out-of-body experience in midair is something that has to be seen, especially when it's done so well on the static page.

Character: 10 (Outstanding)

Alpha Hatsusueno is a very well-done character who has everything to offer to the reader - a gorgeous young woman who learns to have a love of life through the friends that surround for her and love her. I realize what I just wrote may make her sound out to be the ultimate Mary Sue but this characterization is carried off very well. Her character is an interesting mix of various things, ranging from childish naivety to piercing wisdom and insight, serving to illustrate the contradictions of living as a young woman who is in fact older than most people left alive. The other characters around her are just as richly told, with Kokone displaying many of the same degrees of naivety-to-wisdom but in a different manner, reflecting her different interests, motivations and aspirations; the humans serve to reflect off the robots, and to reminds us that these robots are reflections of ourselves.

Enjoyment: 10 (Outstanding)

All of these factors come together to make Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou an absolute triumph of storytelling. Truly, it is a deep experience that one is not likely to forget and reminding the reader as to why it may just about be perfect.

Giving Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou a final score of:

10: Outstanding
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MitsukiAkashi9
Apr 15, 2021
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou review
It is the time when the whole world, which
had been like a festival, slowly calmed
down. Here is an introduction to the gentle
time called The Age of the Calm Evening..

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou, one of the simplest manga you may see, I encouraged to write this review after reading the Epilogue chapter (I didn't do that before ). Yes, it's 14 volumes but the simple story and details made this looks like 5 volumes manga, but it has its own charm, YKK's story is Post-Apocalyptic while the life is changed after rising the sea level, and the population is reduced, there was a lot of new animals, and the life became much simpler. The female roboat 'Alpha' who have a cafe located in Japan, it's nearby to Yokohama. Alpha have a really really cheerful, light-hearted, optimistic, jovial character, she owns that cafe while nothing outside the scope of daily life happens.

Story: 9
story of YKK is really simple, cheerful robot, a cafe and neighbors, it shows you the simplest way to live your life. The field of story isn't wide, it supposed to be wider because it's 14 volumes, so you won't find a lot of flaws in this. Language of this Manga is great, really luxurious and elegant.

Art: 10
Art is exceptionally great, simple, unbelievably cute, no devils, just smiling, the sun is shining, nothing can stop that, It really fits the atmosphere of this manga, and it shows you the Moe in another way.
Background artwork is awesome too, colored ones are mostly green, blue, and the colors of nature, I wasn't even able to close my eyes, the art of Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou is really great.

Character: 10
didn't you know why I gave this a 10? because this is realistic, It's similar to Miyazaki's works, there's no devils, they're smiling, always similing, no dark side and no supernatural things.

Enjoyment: 10
read this when you're calm, listen to calm music (Vashiti Bunyan's songs are great :) ) and relax
you will enjoy this, totally!!

thank you for reading
- zanac
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iridi12
Apr 15, 2021
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou review
First of all, I’m going to start off by saying that I think YKK is amazing. Not just amazing. Absolute genius. It possibly the most thoughtful, beautiful, and well crafted story of any manga. It takes real skill to create an interesting manga, essentially, about several people living their 'run-of-the-mill' everyday lives. From something as simple as a friend visiting, or going to the beach, its creator, Ashinano, crafts a wonderful, detailed story with equally as beautiful art to match.

I'm not going to bother going through a detailed synopsis, but basically, YKK follows Alpha, a robot looking after a coffee shop for her owner who is away on an indefinitely long trip. It's set in the future after an ecological disaster. Sea levels have risen and a lot of towns have been submerged. The dwindling humans have reverted to a simpler life; living alongside these exceeding human-like robots. Alpha's coffee shop on the far coast of Japan is out of the way of most people, and her weekly number of customers rarely enter double figures. Alpha interacts with the few local people, other robots and her surroundings and each chapter show a new adventure normally from her perspective.

Where to begin now? The characters. Alpha is a lovely character, and instantly likeable. She’s kind, friendly and most of all interesting. The small number of humans and robots that make up the primary characters are all excellent too. Oji-san, Takahiro, Makki, Kokone, Ayase, Sensei and others leave you wanting to know more about their history as pieces of their past are shown to the reader asthe story follows their lives in these slower, more reflective, years.

The story is slow. Very slow. There is no action. No rapid character development. And none of the usual plot points that make up a generic shounen manga. But, of course, that is in no way a bad thing. It’s perfect for the audience it's try to reach and the mood it's trying to create. The peacefulness is shown in the characters, surroundings and story. Reading it is a calming experience and even though the subtle melancholy that is left after each chapter is sad, there are plenty of happy moments, bound to make you smile.
In fact, the overhanging story is very subtle itself. Its better described by the genre, 'Slice of Life'. Because that’s the obvious thing there is to it; watching a period of the lives of the characters. You see how the times of changed and how the remaining humans, and robots, are living in this time.

The art also suits the story perfectly. The landscapes are beautifully drawn and the characters appearance and expressions tell you more about their personality. Its some of the nicest art I’ve seen in a manga. Simple, but it's perfect for the mood of the story. It flows excellentlyl and isn’t full of ruled boxes and panels; adding to the relaxing appearance. Also, the art tells a lot of the story. It requires your full attention to take note of the hints that it gives. The story doesn’t explain everything. But links and answers can be found in the artwork.

All in all, YKK has won me over. It really is a classic and although I can see why a lot of people would not like it (the lack of action, drama, etc, will put people off it), it's something everyone should give a chance. It's cemented itself as my favourite manga, if not favourite story ever. Mainly because I was sad when it ended. More so than any other book or series. Knowing that I wouldn’t be able to follow the life of Alpha and her friends anymore is quite upsetting; yet the ending provides suitable closure for the series and draws together a few of the loose ends to provide a nice ending to the mysterious world of Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou. And I think it’s kind of sad that I got attached to the characters so much. But that’s what the series does to me. And I hope if you give it a chance, it'll do the same to you, because, if it does, you'll find a real gem with Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou.

~Maltos
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hexashadow1312
Apr 15, 2021
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou review
"The festival like world, had slowly settled to a leisurely pace. To think that an era... came to its twilight so pleasantly. I think i will continue... watching this twilight world...as long as time flows".

Nothing remains motionless; all - whether quickly or quietly - moving, mutating, turning, hesitating between being and non-being.
The world is conceived as a single stream, eternal emergence and disappearance: some things go away, others come; some blossom, others wither and dry up; some become stronger, others weaken; The wet dries, the dry moistens; some things are created, formed, others are destroyed. Formed with time again transformed. Everything gradually passes from one state to another. Appearance and disappearance, life and death, birth and death - being and non-being constantly pass into each other. Change, origin, disappearance is an endless process of transition from non-existence to being and vice versa: something that does not exists - begins to exist or disappears what it was. Everywhere birth and everywhere death.

So, Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou - popular manga in Japan and abroad, written by Hitoshi Ashinano.

Format:

Manga written in a laconic style that allows you to take it to the works of literature. In some chapters completely absent dialogues, and the feelings and the atmosphere transmitted only by graphically. And this is one of the basic qualities and features of manga. Melancholically and succinctly, this original style quickly hypnotizes the reader, plunging it into this amazing world.

Story:

The story takes place in the distant future after an unknown disaster. The main character - woman-robot Alpha, which looks exactly like a human. She lives in a small cafe, in which waiting for the "host".

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou - is several interconnected stories that describe the world of Alpha. Humanity has reached unprecedented heights in the science and technology, but the cutting-edge of the city is gradually overgrown with grass and go under water. Motorways are filled with sand and crumbling. Sunset of humanity...

The author very skillfully portrays the charm in sad things, through the protagonist, It shows something that people usually do not pay attention. Alpha is a kind of a window for readers in this "era of twilights".

Characters:

So, story telling on behalf of Alpha, throughout his life, she meets other characters who, in turn, give her a new look at the world. The main thing is pay attention is how well the characters interact with each other, that is, they paid a lot of attention, such as Takahiro and Matsuki does grow up before our eyes. I can not call no one manga, where the characters revealed so well. This difficult to convey in words, how brilliant this idea, author shows the Alpha, as an immortal robot, thus creates a perfect environment for the disclosure of the other characters. Alpha - never gets old, but the surrounding people are gradually changing, this is the whole essence of the drama and melancholy, Alpha (and the reader) will see how things will change, all begins to fade, earlier civilized and noisy life.

Art and style:

Art is made at a very high level, although it may have drawbacks, namely in faces characters, but environment shown is very beautiful. From the first chapter of the manga, the first thing you notice - this is the beauty of the environment, some episodes are striking rendering quality and landscapes force to admire them for hours. Sometimes, even the simplest landscapes beckon his post-apocalyptic style, it is causing a lot of interest to details.

As for style, it stands out separately. YKK has its own invented by author the art style. Here we see the old technology, radio, gas stations, fields, all this gives tranquility and relaxation while reading. Soothing, unhurried, sometimes bitter pace of storytelling give set of different emotions in the soul. Style largely corresponds to the relaxed atmosphere. Certainly this is one of those things by which this work can be considered a true masterpiece.

Overall:

The conclusion to this series is very subtle moment, since it is not easy to mention all great aspects of such a large work (manga was published 12 years).

In summary, YKK does not belong to any genre to which it refers, but ideally show their best advantages. I think that is hardly possible to find such a deep and thoughtful stories related in one, except in Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou.

-------------------------------

Look around you ... feel all this life that around you. Think about the change of seasons and look again at the sky filled with ever-changing clouds. Understand that all exists independently from you and not for you, but with you. Try to least once in life, believe in what you have lived and will live forever - as part of this ever-evolving world. Should we be afraid of death, if the world will not end out with you?

The joy of existence - is not the main goal in life? A method and measure, you choose for yourself...
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hexashadow136
Apr 15, 2021
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou review
“The spaces between the lines on a page epitomize the bulk of your life… but oh does that not make for a banal narrative?” — Krunchyman

Has Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata taught us nothing about the art of slice-of-life? Over the years, I have entertained a myriad of the aforementioned genre in hopes of finding a relative facsimile of the famed Studio Ghibili. Shows like Mushishi, Haibane Renmei, A Whisker Away and A Silent Voice have been nothing short of utter disappointments and have soured my tastes for the genre. Even the preordained replacement of Miyazaki, Mamoru Hosoda, feels like an extremely watered down version of the anime master. Before the audience gets the wrong idea, Hosoda’s Wolf Children is probably the best slice-of-life I’ve seen outside of a Studio Ghibli project; that being said, the rest of his works are rather jejune and uninspired. The problem, however, does not rest at the doorstep of the genre itself, but the manner in which most directors approach the genre. And if we consider the creative process, it’s really an issue of apprehension. Directors and mangaka’s are fully aware of the infinitesimal attention span of younger audiences, hence they throw in sexualized scenes, prosaic jokes, and character quirks that do not feel natural in the least; which makes the whole notion of labeling numerous works slice-of-‘LIFE’ rather nonsensical; Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou (YKK) does little-to-nothing to change my opinion on this matter.

YKK features a disaster-stricken world where most people live in sparse towns and spend their days lazing about whilst drinking coffee. While YKK is not a tale about mental health or nihilism, I couldn’t help but wonder if the manga panel featuring a gun sitting on the table while Alpha is sipping on her coffee was a reference to an Albert Camus quote, “should I kill myself, or have a cup of coffee?” Philosophical pondering aside, YKK is about the life of Alpha (an A7-M2 model robot) as she lives her cheerful life in her quaint town. As the reader quickly learns, most chapters are placid affairs and many of them contain little-to-no exposition whatsoever. This minimalist approach is quite rare these days and is generally encouraged to permit the viewer to enter a meditative experience about the conundrums of life; however, the conundrums of life are nowhere to be seen in YKK, making the experience in congruent to the human experience. In other words, the characters of YKK feel like idyllic, unrealistic versions of what humans truly are, giving the reader no base in which they can identify with the characters in a meaningful fashion. Life, after all, is about struggling with one’s inner desires and instincts, but when a work of art discounts the essence of life — it is already dead!

One cannot help to draw a parallel with Alpha’s existence and the surface world of Texhnolyze. Both of which are nihilistic ‘paradises’ in which comfort and security of prioritized over the grind of creating a better version of oneself. As a point of contrast, Isao Takahata’s, Only Yesterday, takes the ‘banality’ of human existence and brings to LIFE all of its good and bad aspects. The highs and lows of numerous Studio Ghibli films give the viewer a sense of purpose and fulfillment, even when purpose itself doesn’t exactly exist; whereas YKK is a symbolic representation of heaven, in which you must be comatose to ‘enjoy.’ This is why random scenes in which Alpha takes a bath with Takahiro or the transfer of information between robots through kissing (female kissing, by the way) are used to liven things up, if you will. But all this did was remind the reader that most ‘artists’ in the manga industry are rather indolent, and prefer to give the reader superficial experiences as opposed to literary depth.

It still boggles the mind, though, that YKK, Mushishi, Haibane Renmei, and the like have fooled numerous people into believing that this typifies life — let alone art.
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blazebolt77
Apr 15, 2021
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou review
A gentle breeze blows past, the overgrown grass seeming to dance through it, you can near taste the saltiness of the sea. You're heading towards Cafe Alpha, a lonely, quiet cafe on a cliff overlooking a small beach. You know that on a quiet day like today, you'll be the only visitor. Alpha will take your order, and sit with you while you drink your coffee, talking to you about anything, everything, laughing, getting mad, and maybe after a while she'll just start staring off into space, deep in thought. It's hard to believe that she's a robot, with the way she moves and acts, the beauty of her mind, the music that she plays, the way she wistfully looks off into the distance. The last time you visited her, the first time, was years ago, yet she remembered you instantly. Maybe next time you visit, years down the line, you'll be considered a regular...

It's hard to put into words the way Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou makes me feel, with its constant beautiful art, most often taking up whole pages or close to it, its amazing use of colors, of silence, of sound, and of smell. The incredibly memorable characters and world; the blend of lighthearted and comfy slice of life in a quiet place where everyone knows each being offset beautifully by the knowledge that the world around Alpha is dying, or perhaps already dead. The oceans continuing to rise, whole civilizations disappeared without a word...

Alpha Hatsuseno. A robot who never grows older, who lives alone at her cafe, which gets about one visitor every three or so days. Her life is melancholic, waiting for news from her owner, who's been abroad for years, watching her young friends grow older, watching time pass all around her, but not for her. The world around her is peaceful, but somber. There's something strikingly beautiful about Alpha, behind her pretty looks and cheerful demeanor, there's an incredibly human feeling to her. The manga does well to present this to you with the use of Kokone, who, as a fellow robot, reminds the reader that Alpha is, in fact, artificial. Kokone is a more normal robot, acting less emotive than Alpha, when the two meet, Kokone is entranced by how human Alpha acts in comparison to her. There's something special about Alpha, the way she puts her emotions into playing her moon harp, the way she acts so carefree and content, the way she casually talks to everyone she meets. Everyone is entranced by her image.

The writing of the manga is superb, and very hard to talk about without also including a discussion of the art. The manga has so many moments where so little is written out in word, but so much is said otherwise, a fair handful of entire chapters with nothing or next to nothing said, Hitoshi Ashinano only using the art to communicate to you the emotions felt by Alpha, or what otherwise is occurring. These chapters may not be the majority, but they left so much of an impact on me, I found myself moved near to tears many times. When actual words are used, they're always used well, interactions between characters give you exactly as much as you need, there's never any unnecessary words exchanged. Alpha's thoughts written out to you have a beautiful feel to them, in many cases being nearly, or perhaps properly, poetic in nature. The manga doesn't shy from exploring the nature of Alpha's artificial intelligence and the way it causes her to interact with the world around her, but it doesn't go too far, it never bores the reader with any technical bits, or anything of that sort. Ashinano's use of words is superb, his descriptions of sounds, smells, and the animation of the world is so very immersive, it really solidifies the setting in your mind. His characters also benefit from this, not one isn't memorable, the friendly Ojisan who's always growing too much vegetables, the elusive Misago and her mysterious ways, the young Takahiro who's very fond of Alpha, or even the little seen characters like Nai and his airplane.

The writing is complimented greatly by the beautiful, breathtaking art throughout the manga. It's hard to really think of any particular part where the art of the manga wasn't at the absolute least good, with Ashinano not at all shying away from using the whole page as a single panel, or from having a lot of blank space showing just backgrounds, the sky, and the like in order to give the work a more gentle, and perhaps more lonely feeling. Speech bubbles, when they are actually used, never really get in the way of things too much, and in general the art isn't cluttered. When color is used, which happens more often than most manga I've read (with at least 1 full chapter in color in each volume), it's used very well, and looks very, very pretty and soft in all cases. It's hard to really describe in words just how beautiful the art is, so instead I will put here some examples:

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/479018845852401684/759152551597441054/x20.png
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/479018845852401684/759153713616388126/tumblr_mly7toWeSg1snxlqfo2_1280.png

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou is an amazing, wonderful manga. Ashinano's use of writing, art, characters, settings, and the like are all incredibly well done, there's truly nothing I can say about this piece that is in any way "bad" whatsoever. The work was so extremely touching, emotional, introspective, and beautiful that I started crying when I finished reading it. I absolutely, 100% recommend Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou to everyone, regardless of your taste. It's more than just a simple shopping trip to pick up coffee beans, it's a journey of the self. Thank you for this wonderful work of art, Hitoshi Ashinano.
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Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou
Autor Ashinano, Hitoshi
Artista --