Room for two persons

By { Justinn } - Tuesday, April 28, 2015 - No Comments

This isn't a confession no matter how suspiciously so it may sound to anybody out there; I should probably marry a mangaka or somebody who owns a manga store if I could in this lifetime. The sudden uprise in what seems to be the starting point of a paperback mountain isn't surprising, since books and I generally have an amiable relationship if it doesn't concern the dark side (?) like that sleep-inducing short stories collection which a clueless or intentionally self-denying relative thinks that I have lapped up its entirety, or the self-help book that was given to me as a Christmas gift with much blessings yet rather unfortunately my interest couldn't sustain past the table of contents. If this would come across as a saving grace (?), those books are still somewhere collecting dust in my room. Anyway, the point is that reading would only become habitual if the reader has the freedom to indulge in what he or she truly prefers. I'm sorry, but manga and light novels maketh the reader in me. Well, for now I'm more inclined to the former!

The fun, interesting thing about browsing around in the bookstore is the largely pleasant surprises that await the victim...uh, potential reader while lying comfortably and alluringly on the various shelves. Naturally, other necessary factors unspoken or otherwise give those titles a great boost which then creates a bigger probability of being taken home by the grateful customer. Seriously, a lot of what I've read were sparkling gems from the trenches. Recently, several more such treasures have been threatening...uh, enticing me to add them to the paperback mountain. One such title is 'Room for two persons' by illustrator Yukiko. It also happens to be her first manga book. It also happens to be four-panel. Now, haven't we all heard that before somewhere? This is a pot of gold!

Well, I suppose that having a straightforward title helps pave an easier way for potential readers. The obi reads: One room for two high school girls. A four-panel of their co-existing lives. Pardon the rough translation. At first glance, the manga has a somewhat suggestive undertone. However, the synopsis assures (?) otherwise. Okay, there are two girls (duh) Kawawa Sakurako and Yamabuki Kasumi, who have become high school freshmen in the beginning of Spring. Their high school has a policy that requires all students to reside in dormitories. The first chapter introduces Sakurako as she arrives at her room. While unpacking her stuff, she wonders what her roommate would be like. Soon, Kasumi makes a dazzling entrance, slightly (?) baffling Sakurako in the process.

The duo then goes shopping as they are lacking furniture and such. Due to the space constraint of their room, the girls decide to share a bed instead. Sakurako also ends up buying similar mugs for them, somewhat resembling a newlywed couple. Their personality traits are more or less apparent by then. Kasumi is the extremely laid-back, 'my pace' type while Sakurako is the caring, big sister type. I have to say that Kasumi really feels like a child compared to Sakurako! Kasumi is also easily prone to tiredness and dozing off (low energy?). The scenario where a genki Sakurako drags (?) a perpetually tired Kasumi to the entrance ceremony just screams moe.

'Room for two persons' was released in tankoubon on March 25th (just a little over a month ago). The manga spans over twelve chapters (the last is a specially drawn chapter) and makes a great companion on a lazy afternoon. I would love to believe that many four-panel titles elicit that sort of feeling. Naturally, I highly recommend this to everybody! Who doesn't love a sparkling gem?

Eccentrically Yours.

Written by J.Fluffysheep ♪