YOKOHAMA KAIDASHI KIKOU

DESCRIPTION

CAST

CHAPTERS

OVA Sci-FiYokohama Kaidashi Kikou
OVA AdventureYokohama Kaidashi Kikou: Quiet Country Cafe
NOVELYokohama Kaidashi Kikou—Mite, Aruki, Yorokobumono

REVIEWS

• 

  suflors

  100/100
  The wonderful, melancholic, and wistful life of a robot named Alpha

  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:

  

  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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• 

  GGShang

  95/100
  Even normal days have so much to offer

  Now, this review is primarily going to focus on what I think is the big theme of the story rather than the manga as a whole, so I would suggest reading the other review for it if you want a more well rounded and tastefully written review.

  But anyways, Yoohama Kaidashi Kikou (YKK for short) is a manga I found myself being enamored by for reasons beyond the typical good plot, characters or setting of many other manga. And that makes sense seeing as though it is a slice of life. But I think that it is the fact that this manga only focuses on certain slices of the MC's life that really give it the weight that it carries for me.

  Our MC for this story is Alpha, an android that does not physically grow older as time goes on. The setting of the manga is that of a post apocalyptic world that is ever losing more and more ground to the sea. And based on this setup, I'm sure that you can think of dozens of story ideas revolving around the plight of the remaining population as they need to find new resources and land to survive, the potentially strained relationships between androids and the humans that created them, the political turmoil and strife as world leaders vie for power in an ever changing landscape. Yet this story chooses to focus on a small coffee shop at the top of a seaside cliff. It spends more time showing Alpha drinking tea in her coffee shop on a slow afternoon than on any potential major world events that might be going on. It spends more time on a day trip to the beach than dwelling upon the future implications for humanity and the earth. Heck, it spends more time on Alpha playing a tune to a friend than on how she manages to keep the shop open with her meager funds. And I think that's the beauty of it. It spends so much more time on the small, daily activities in life than on anything 'major' that happens in the world or any individual's life.

  Within the manga, there are a handful of human characters that show up. And despite Alpha's ever static appearance, you see the people in the story slowly grow and change over time. They grow up, get married, have kids, grow old and eventually die. And yet, basically not a single one of the many major, personal events is shown in the story. We always learn about what happens long after it happens through exchanges that would seem ordinary and mundane to the characters at the time. And to me, this feels so brilliantly done. Because yes, while everyone does have certain, specific timestamps in life where very important things change, those are far far outnumbered by the ordinary days in life, and this manga really wants the audience to recognize that. Life is not primarily about the crazy, exciting and life changing moments that come and go in a flash, but rather about the small moments that fill up each and every day: a nice cup of coffee in the morning, the satisfaction of finally finishing the chores for the day, a quiet night of manga/anime in bed, etc etc.

  When you have a character that lives for a long time, one that never changes or gets older while the world around them does, then the things that the author chooses to show and the things that the author chooses to overlook become very important. In the case of YKK, you can honestly find yourself forgetting that time is moving forward when you look at Alphas calm life. And that is enough for me to understand and appreciate the messages being highlighted in this story. With the world becoming faster and faster and things trying to grab our attention left and right, pushing us towards the next life stage and to the next big thing, I'm really glad that YKK reminds me to slow down and to just appreciate each day as it comes, not looking towards tomorrow or dwelling upon the past. There is so much to enjoy in the present that we overlook so easily. And YKK wants us to notice those things. To me, that's the main focus of the story.

  So then, would I recommend this?
  Of course.

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• 

  Krankastel

  90/100
  Τwilight of men, tale of memories and joy for life. / Crépuscule de l'humanité, récit de souvenirs et de joie de vivre.

  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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