Manga

First, I want to echo what I posted in the anime thread this week. Happy Thanksgiving this week to all my fellow US residents. However, that means I am traveling and staying with family this week. Most importantly, I do not have regular access to the internet while I am here (neither a land connection nor a reliable cell connection). So, apologies in advance for my delayed/reduced posting this week.

I discovered a series this week that I have really enjoyed and wanted to share here.

• Oyacocco

I randomly came across this series in the updates page on Mangadex and decided to check it out. The description there is extremely succint:

Oyacocco centers around the relationship between a single dad and his child.

I have really enjoyed what I read so far (up through chapter 5), and thought it could do with perhaps a better synopsis. So, here is my (spoiler-free) take:

Takashi is called back to his hometown, along with his wife, after his father falls ill and is hospitalized. Having left his alcoholic, single father after growing up, Takashi is surprised at the emotions that invade his thoughts as he explores his old hometown and sees his father infirmed. Remembering his turbulent childhood as an adult gives him a different perspective on the relationship with his father, his hometown, and his past.

If you couldn't tell from my version of the synopsis, prepare for emotions. The artstyle belies the very real and complex emotions being portrayed. One of my favorite things about this series is how the flashbacks are sudden and random, almost like intrusive thoughts. It is exactly like how old memories will come back to me suddenly and without warning sometimes from some kind of trigger. Also, the fact that he is going through all this while with his wife is fantastic. After just a couple chapters, the relationship that these two share is already very special.