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ばらかもん [Barakamon] #4
ばらかもん 4 [Barakamon 4]
国際電話って…島は国外じゃねぇよ!?
来る書展への出品も決まり、久し振りに創作活動に勤しむイケメン書道家主人公。そんな中、島で一番ヤ●ザっぽいおっさんに船体への名入れを頼まれた…!! ピ…ピンチ…!? 新キャラ続々、笑い満載、ちょっぴり癒しのハートヒートアイランドコメディ、第4巻!!
来る書展への出品も決まり、久し振りに創作活動に勤しむイケメン書道家主人公。そんな中、島で一番ヤ●ザっぽいおっさんに船体への名入れを頼まれた…!! ピ…ピンチ…!? 新キャラ続々、笑い満載、ちょっぴり癒しのハートヒートアイランドコメディ、第4巻!!
Kindle Edition
First published May 21, 2011
9 people are currently reading
160 people want to read
About the author
Satsuki Yoshino
80 books93 followersYOSHINO Satsuki
Name (in native language): ヨシノサツキ
Zodiac: Gemini
Name (in native language): ヨシノサツキ
Zodiac: Gemini
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
August 14, 2018
The first chapter had a bit too much cruelty to animals. I know it is normal that kids in a rural fishing village wouldn't worry about the feelings of bugs and fish, but still -- I'd suggest an "avoid" for sensitive friends, especially vegans.
Other than that this was an excellent installment, with interesting stories and Handa starting to grow up a bit and think about things that aren't about him. Like, yeah, where ARE Naru's parents? It only took him three months to wonder.
I especially liked the calligraphy on the boat and the final story about visiting graves for Obon.
And I learned that Neko (cat) is slang for the submissive partner in a homosexual relationship, and that there is a folktale about a man who becomes rich by trading starting with one straw (which actually sounds really familiar).
Other highlights:
Tama completes and submits her manga.
Handa does not know how to use a rotary phone. This makes me feel old, but it was still funny.
Other than that this was an excellent installment, with interesting stories and Handa starting to grow up a bit and think about things that aren't about him. Like, yeah, where ARE Naru's parents? It only took him three months to wonder.
I especially liked the calligraphy on the boat and the final story about visiting graves for Obon.
And I learned that Neko (cat) is slang for the submissive partner in a homosexual relationship, and that there is a folktale about a man who becomes rich by trading starting with one straw (which actually sounds really familiar).
Other highlights:
Tama completes and submits her manga.
Handa does not know how to use a rotary phone. This makes me feel old, but it was still funny.
August 23, 2019
Beautiful little tales of heart and culture.
World: Simple art that hits home with the emotions. The world building is simple and also beautiful, it's muted but effective in setting a very rural tone for Sensei.
Story: Beautiful little tales that continue to grow and change Sensei as a character. I love the beautiful end with Naru at the grave site and it's that story alone that shows how wonderful this series is. The emotions are small and earned and just stunningly good.
Characters: Beautiful character moments and slow and earned growth. Interaction with the kids this time is great with a lot of deep emotions. I love how the town is changing Sensei and his art and his passion. I love it.
This series is great!
Onward to the next book!
World: Simple art that hits home with the emotions. The world building is simple and also beautiful, it's muted but effective in setting a very rural tone for Sensei.
Story: Beautiful little tales that continue to grow and change Sensei as a character. I love the beautiful end with Naru at the grave site and it's that story alone that shows how wonderful this series is. The emotions are small and earned and just stunningly good.
Characters: Beautiful character moments and slow and earned growth. Interaction with the kids this time is great with a lot of deep emotions. I love how the town is changing Sensei and his art and his passion. I love it.
This series is great!
Onward to the next book!
January 17, 2024
More laid back adventures.
Naru tries to take charge and become a big Sis to a 'lost' child.
Handa's calligraphy skills are put to test on a fishing boat.
and Handa tries to figure out how everyone gains access to his shack.
I really have nothing negative to say....❤️
Naru tries to take charge and become a big Sis to a 'lost' child.
Handa's calligraphy skills are put to test on a fishing boat.
and Handa tries to figure out how everyone gains access to his shack.
I really have nothing negative to say....❤️
May 4, 2015
Some books are made to be read on a pleasant, summery day with the windows open, fans blowing and a glass of lemonade at your side. This is one. The plot is thin (Handa's cell phone isn't working and he needs to get a new one!), the progress glacial (Tama's finally psyched herself up to submit a manuscript to a contest!), but it's so overwhelmingly pleasant that I'd gladly read another dozen volumes right now.
February 3, 2021
I'm enjoying this series; Naru is super cute and I really like Handa and the other main characters but nothing has me hooked yet. I didn't enjoy this volume as much as the previous ones though the chapter at the gravesite was my favourite part of this volume and finally someone asked what I have been thinking since volume 1, 'where are Naru's parents'.
May 23, 2018
Adorable, but a little meandering.
April 29, 2019
When Sensei realizes Naru needs him in her life 😩😭
July 3, 2016
Saya sangaaaaat menikmati jilid ini! Favorit saya cerita tentang capung! Ahahaha... sadis banget, kepalanya sampai copot berkali-kali, paraaaaaaah Maestroooooo!!! Naru ngajarin(?) Maestro yang enggak-enggak nih!
Saya jadi inget masa-masa kecil saya demen nangkepin capung sama adek! Yang paling diincer itu capung merah dan emas, yang ijo mah pasaran ahahahaha~
Saya juga suka cerita yang nulis nama kapal ayahnya Miwa. Maestro kereeeeeeen~~~ <333 Nulis hurufnya "ceplok-ceplok" terus "syat-syat" gitu <333
Dan saya gak bisa berenti ngakak pas Maestro "memangkas" pohon paprika!!! Sasuga Maestro Handa, paprika aja sampe dipangkas!! Tapi ending bab memangkas paprika sangaaat heartwarming, bikin mata saya berkaca-kaca macem Maestro juga :")
Omong-omong, saya jadi jago nebak "joke" karakter si Tama. Pas dia nulis kanji "neko" (kucing) pas Maestro minta dia nulis kanji yang merepresentasikan diri Maestro, saya langsung "ting!" gitu. Nyambung lah, otak saya sama si Tamasama-sama fujo. Kalo ada yang gak ngerti alasan Tama nulis kanji kucing buat merepresentasikan Maestro, berarti kalian fujo/fudan yang masih perlu banyak belajar! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!! #bukan
Padahal waktu masih ngantor dulu, ada mbak editor yang ngomong soal neko-neko ini ke saya, terus saya bener-bener gak ngerti maksudnya apa, terus beliau bilang, "Gimana sih Gie, katanya demen BL, tapi gak ngerti neko maksudnya apa!". Nah, sekarang saya udah ngerti~ Saya udah level-up(?) berarti~ #bukan[2]
Udah, udah.
Kepengen lanjut baca jilid 5 <3
Duh, diskon tokbuk emang selalu menggiurkan, si Gie jadi ngeborong Barakamon dan akhirnya maraton gini :")
Saya jadi inget masa-masa kecil saya demen nangkepin capung sama adek! Yang paling diincer itu capung merah dan emas, yang ijo mah pasaran ahahahaha~
Saya juga suka cerita yang nulis nama kapal ayahnya Miwa. Maestro kereeeeeeen~~~ <333 Nulis hurufnya "ceplok-ceplok" terus "syat-syat" gitu <333
Dan saya gak bisa berenti ngakak pas Maestro "memangkas" pohon paprika!!! Sasuga Maestro Handa, paprika aja sampe dipangkas!! Tapi ending bab memangkas paprika sangaaat heartwarming, bikin mata saya berkaca-kaca macem Maestro juga :")
Omong-omong, saya jadi jago nebak "joke" karakter si Tama. Pas dia nulis kanji "neko" (kucing) pas Maestro minta dia nulis kanji yang merepresentasikan diri Maestro, saya langsung "ting!" gitu. Nyambung lah, otak saya sama si Tama
Padahal waktu masih ngantor dulu, ada mbak editor yang ngomong soal neko-neko ini ke saya, terus saya bener-bener gak ngerti maksudnya apa, terus beliau bilang, "Gimana sih Gie, katanya demen BL, tapi gak ngerti neko maksudnya apa!". Nah, sekarang saya udah ngerti~ Saya udah level-up(?) berarti~ #bukan[2]
Udah, udah.
Kepengen lanjut baca jilid 5 <3
Duh, diskon tokbuk emang selalu menggiurkan, si Gie jadi ngeborong Barakamon dan akhirnya maraton gini :")
October 28, 2015
3.5 stars is probably more accurate, but the slice of life stories aren't exciting enough for me to bump it up. The art is nice, the characters and story are fine. The author switched things up a bit with four panel comic strip style that I don't recall being in past volumes. They confused me (about how to read) at first, but I think they were a good choice for sharing lighthearted stories that wouldn't really be told better in full page panels. I didn't feel a lot of plot in this volume, it was just kind of lazy summer stuff and life on the island.
January 3, 2022
I had forgotten how incredibly funny this series was.
First things first, I love how the chapter titles are in Nagasaki/local dialect, and translated to "regular Japanese." Partly because I love learning about dialects and partly because it truly adds to the experience of Handa, our Tokyo-born main character who is send to this remote island and has to try and fit in, while he's not used to the countryside, and not to the local dialect/customs etc.
It's easy to read this book, because even customs unknown to the reader are often also unknown to Handa, the main character and cleverly explained in the manga. It has a pretty good depiction of living in the Japanese countryside (even when comparing it to my experiences in a completely different prefecture), though of course certain things are exaggerated for comedic effect.
Despite this manga being incredibly funny, it also deals with some heavy topics. Handa is a perfectionist, and is terrified of failing.
Naru is a little girl, yet often left by herself/with her friends, and is kinda lonely, without people to look after her.
Hina is extremely shy and scared of people.
Tama has a lot of insecurities, though not quite to the extend as Handa does.
Handa helps these people, sometimes with small things, sometimes with bigger things, and the other characters help Handa.
I really liked how they depicted Obon in this manga. It's different from what I know from around here, but it looked really fun, and the scenes where actually really touching, especially at the end. I also liked the traditional dance depicted here. It's very different from the ones I know, so that was fun.
The manga has some Nagasaki dialect. Some characters use it heavily, and it gets explained for Handa, but sometimes it's small things, like the end of words/sentences, ways of speaking, that could confuse non-native speakers (or they might not notice them at all, depending on their level of Japanese). They could also confuse native-speakers, I suppose, depending on how used they are to hearing dialects. I like it because it helps with the immersion. I've also lived in Nagasaki for a short period, so it also feels very nostalgic to me, and that might give me some personal bias, as I quite like the Nagasaki dialect.
All in all, this was a very strong manga. It was funny, but also had serious topics, and gives an interesting view of countryside Japan. I'd definitely recommend it.
First things first, I love how the chapter titles are in Nagasaki/local dialect, and translated to "regular Japanese." Partly because I love learning about dialects and partly because it truly adds to the experience of Handa, our Tokyo-born main character who is send to this remote island and has to try and fit in, while he's not used to the countryside, and not to the local dialect/customs etc.
It's easy to read this book, because even customs unknown to the reader are often also unknown to Handa, the main character and cleverly explained in the manga. It has a pretty good depiction of living in the Japanese countryside (even when comparing it to my experiences in a completely different prefecture), though of course certain things are exaggerated for comedic effect.
Despite this manga being incredibly funny, it also deals with some heavy topics. Handa is a perfectionist, and is terrified of failing.
Naru is a little girl, yet often left by herself/with her friends, and is kinda lonely, without people to look after her.
Hina is extremely shy and scared of people.
Tama has a lot of insecurities, though not quite to the extend as Handa does.
Handa helps these people, sometimes with small things, sometimes with bigger things, and the other characters help Handa.
I really liked how they depicted Obon in this manga. It's different from what I know from around here, but it looked really fun, and the scenes where actually really touching, especially at the end. I also liked the traditional dance depicted here. It's very different from the ones I know, so that was fun.
The manga has some Nagasaki dialect. Some characters use it heavily, and it gets explained for Handa, but sometimes it's small things, like the end of words/sentences, ways of speaking, that could confuse non-native speakers (or they might not notice them at all, depending on their level of Japanese). They could also confuse native-speakers, I suppose, depending on how used they are to hearing dialects. I like it because it helps with the immersion. I've also lived in Nagasaki for a short period, so it also feels very nostalgic to me, and that might give me some personal bias, as I quite like the Nagasaki dialect.
All in all, this was a very strong manga. It was funny, but also had serious topics, and gives an interesting view of countryside Japan. I'd definitely recommend it.
February 11, 2023
Lot of fun slice of life stories. The characters are really fun as well. This is a comfort read. Better read when spaced with other novels in between.
Minor observation - there’s not a lot of character growth for the cast. Not really a complaint because not all novels need to have major character arcs.
Minor observation - there’s not a lot of character growth for the cast. Not really a complaint because not all novels need to have major character arcs.
January 19, 2024
Continuing on this wonderful journey of this story is such a joy!! I love how Handa was looking for how everyone kept getting into his house and even after all his looking ... they still kept showing up !! :P But on a more serious note... things got a little emotional and I am curious to see how that comes into play!
April 25, 2024
とっても可愛かった。
一番面白いことは文化の違うところと文化の共通点。
アメリカも日本も死人を覚えるための祭りがある、それが共通点。だが、どうやってその祭りを祝うするのはすごく違うの。アメリカの方は墓を行って花を飾ってバーベキューを食べる。この島では、墓を行って、花火と遊ぶこと。結構違うでしょ。
他の面白いところは。。。日本語の言葉が忘れた、けど人に食べ物をあげる。そしてその人から別の食べ物をもらう。アメリカでもそいうことします。同じ時間ではないかも。そして必ず海藻ではない、普段は焼いたもの、例えばクーキとかケーキとかブラウニが、私は近所達にクーキを挙げて、次の週間とか次の月その近所達はパンとかケーキを私にあげる。日程るでしょう？これは人間の癖かな？
一番面白いことは文化の違うところと文化の共通点。
アメリカも日本も死人を覚えるための祭りがある、それが共通点。だが、どうやってその祭りを祝うするのはすごく違うの。アメリカの方は墓を行って花を飾ってバーベキューを食べる。この島では、墓を行って、花火と遊ぶこと。結構違うでしょ。
他の面白いところは。。。日本語の言葉が忘れた、けど人に食べ物をあげる。そしてその人から別の食べ物をもらう。アメリカでもそいうことします。同じ時間ではないかも。そして必ず海藻ではない、普段は焼いたもの、例えばクーキとかケーキとかブラウニが、私は近所達にクーキを挙げて、次の週間とか次の月その近所達はパンとかケーキを私にあげる。日程るでしょう？これは人間の癖かな？
July 31, 2017
More than just the bonus 4-panel comics this time! One of the chapters is told in this format. The calligraphy lessons continue. Plus, a graveside visit for the Bon holiday!
March 30, 2018
Barakamon bringt einen einfach immer zum lachen und auch die Storys an sich sind egtl immer schön und unterhaltsam. Einfach was tolles für zwischendurch! :)
August 7, 2018
C’est toujours aussi drôle 😆
September 13, 2019
Pretty great adorable slice of life manga, really love it!!😻😁📖🖋
January 22, 2020
I'm really getting into this series. Funny thing is I have students coming all day while I am trying to read this wanting to know what I am reading and asking if it is in the library.
April 24, 2020
4.5 stars
August 6, 2020
Read for TLP
August 11, 2020
4.5/5 stars
October 13, 2020
Kucuriga, jangan2 meskipun Handa ini kaligrafer hebat, bagi warga desa dia dianggap gak beda seperti Naru cs 🤣
February 20, 2022
Chronique à venir
March 27, 2023
I love how Handa is just fitting more and more into the village, and how he's realizing how much he means to Naru. My heart!
July 6, 2023
Love all the characters
January 13, 2024
It just warms my heart ❤️
March 25, 2025
La mayor parte de este volumen cuenta historias muy sencillitas y divertidas, y me ha recordado bastante a Yotsuba. La que menos me ha gustado es tal vez la del obon. Este tomo se me ha hecho más cuesta arriba por el dialecto, y hay trozos que no he entendido... Pero en el texto del final ya dicen que hay demasiadas palabras que no se han llegado a explicar, y que oye, qué bien que podamos ser como el sensei y no enterarnos de qué va la cosa, ¿no? (笑) En definitiva, aunque me ha costado un pelín leerlo, ¡me ha encantado!
December 11, 2015
Another very enjoyable volume. Yoshino is spending some much needed time filling in the gaps when it comes to rounding out the most-present secondary characters, particularly Miwa-nee. It isn't until late in the volume that Handa-sensei (and therefore the audience) start contemplating more complex island relations (e.g., "Come to think of it, I've never seen Naru's parents. . ."), but to learn that Yoshino is heading in this direction at all is an intriguing shift.
Sensei doesn't get much actual work done in this volume, but he's preparing for an autumn calligraphy exhibition/contest. As such, he's mixing and matching frustration and inspiration all while fending off the kids from breaking into his home and doing his best not to get killed by the wakame-seaweed-fishing yakuza dad (i.e., Miwa's scary father).
Highlights from this volume of BARAKAMON include the building out of Miwa Yamamura, the broadening of Tama's admiration of sensei, and the tactful incorporation of more adult characters.
Miwa-nee is always sharing screen time. And yet, despite never having been a spotlight character in any particular chapter thus far, she remains a dynamic influence on the story. She's bright and athletic and is often found applying common sense solutions to hilariously overblown dilemmas (e.g., How come people keep entering sensei's home? Well, maybe they have spare keys.). Interestingly, she's constantly downplaying how hard she works and has a knack for identifying situations that reveal a certain depth of charisma. Miwa Yamamura, it seems, is a lens through which the audience might better observe others in action.
Also of note is the evolution of Tamako's relationship with sensei. In the earliest chapters, she frequently blushed and stuttered around him. Now she appears to genuinely admire his creative drive and focus. When Tama-chan finishes her first (manga) manuscript and has trouble mailing it (because it won't fit into the tiny mailbox at the street corner), it's Handa-sensei's command of the creative impulse that drives her further (i.e., "If you produced it with confidence, you're sure to get a good result.").
The balance of adult characters in BARAKAMON is generally lax. This particular volume includes Miwa's father, Iwao Yamamura (a gruff, phantomlike figure); more of the nurse, Ikue-san; and an entire chapter dedicated to sending sensei and Naru around the village on a food-exchange adventure, which forces him to interact with all the others, regardless of how frequently they've appeared in BARAKAMON thus far.
There are strains of growing up that are cropping into focus here and there (e.g., Hiro-nii thinking about college), but for the most part, it's more "hot 'n hearty island comedy" comics from Yoshino.
Sensei doesn't get much actual work done in this volume, but he's preparing for an autumn calligraphy exhibition/contest. As such, he's mixing and matching frustration and inspiration all while fending off the kids from breaking into his home and doing his best not to get killed by the wakame-seaweed-fishing yakuza dad (i.e., Miwa's scary father).
Highlights from this volume of BARAKAMON include the building out of Miwa Yamamura, the broadening of Tama's admiration of sensei, and the tactful incorporation of more adult characters.
Miwa-nee is always sharing screen time. And yet, despite never having been a spotlight character in any particular chapter thus far, she remains a dynamic influence on the story. She's bright and athletic and is often found applying common sense solutions to hilariously overblown dilemmas (e.g., How come people keep entering sensei's home? Well, maybe they have spare keys.). Interestingly, she's constantly downplaying how hard she works and has a knack for identifying situations that reveal a certain depth of charisma. Miwa Yamamura, it seems, is a lens through which the audience might better observe others in action.
Also of note is the evolution of Tamako's relationship with sensei. In the earliest chapters, she frequently blushed and stuttered around him. Now she appears to genuinely admire his creative drive and focus. When Tama-chan finishes her first (manga) manuscript and has trouble mailing it (because it won't fit into the tiny mailbox at the street corner), it's Handa-sensei's command of the creative impulse that drives her further (i.e., "If you produced it with confidence, you're sure to get a good result.").
The balance of adult characters in BARAKAMON is generally lax. This particular volume includes Miwa's father, Iwao Yamamura (a gruff, phantomlike figure); more of the nurse, Ikue-san; and an entire chapter dedicated to sending sensei and Naru around the village on a food-exchange adventure, which forces him to interact with all the others, regardless of how frequently they've appeared in BARAKAMON thus far.
There are strains of growing up that are cropping into focus here and there (e.g., Hiro-nii thinking about college), but for the most part, it's more "hot 'n hearty island comedy" comics from Yoshino.
August 25, 2015
In Summary
After the extended arc in Volume 3, Barakamon returns to its pattern of standalone chapters. Themes range from Handa painting the name onto a local’s boat to managing the food gifts lavished by his rustic neighbors. The volume ends by touching on Naru’s family situation. Until now she’s been a pretty simple character, but the story hints that the boisterous, free-spirited kid might turn into something more complicated for Handa.
The Review
Volume 3 left Handa with no means of communication following a powerful typhoon. I thought it would be a lead-in for another extended arc like the Tokyo visitors one, but it merely flows into a single chapter about Handa’s laughable attempts to use a rotary phone before switching back to Barakamon’s usual pattern of standalone chapters. The content is pretty entertaining though as Yoshino-sensei expands beyond the kids-getting-in-Handa’s-way storylines and into territory where Handa and Naru are collaborating on something. I found the fish preparation chapter especially funny, having dealt with overly lively fish myself.
However, Volume 4 does have a new feature: chapters rendered in four-panel style. Chapter 29, in which Handa and Naru catch dragonflies, and Chapter 32, which features a calligraphy tutoring session with the local kids, use this format along with a simplified character design. Because of this style, these pages have more of a gag manga feel. The humor in Chapter 29 is mostly visual so it translates pretty well, but the kanji-based jokes in Chapter 32 may require a visit to the cultural notes. In general, though, they’re pretty amusing, and except for some yaoi allusions, everything stays in “All Ages” territory.
The volume closes with a chapter on the Obon Festival. In addition to showing Gotou’s particular take on the Japanese holiday, it also touches on a subject I’ve wondered about, namely Naru’s parents. We’ve seen plenty of her grandpa, but her parents have yet to make an appearance. For a community that’s so unnecessarily well-informed about their neighbors, it’s a little strange Handa’s yet to learn anything about them, and I’m guessing that will provide fodder for future chapters.
Extras include a bonus three-page manga, translation notes, and information about the story’s island setting.
For more manga and book reviews, drop by my blog Keeping It In Canon!
After the extended arc in Volume 3, Barakamon returns to its pattern of standalone chapters. Themes range from Handa painting the name onto a local’s boat to managing the food gifts lavished by his rustic neighbors. The volume ends by touching on Naru’s family situation. Until now she’s been a pretty simple character, but the story hints that the boisterous, free-spirited kid might turn into something more complicated for Handa.
The Review
Volume 3 left Handa with no means of communication following a powerful typhoon. I thought it would be a lead-in for another extended arc like the Tokyo visitors one, but it merely flows into a single chapter about Handa’s laughable attempts to use a rotary phone before switching back to Barakamon’s usual pattern of standalone chapters. The content is pretty entertaining though as Yoshino-sensei expands beyond the kids-getting-in-Handa’s-way storylines and into territory where Handa and Naru are collaborating on something. I found the fish preparation chapter especially funny, having dealt with overly lively fish myself.
However, Volume 4 does have a new feature: chapters rendered in four-panel style. Chapter 29, in which Handa and Naru catch dragonflies, and Chapter 32, which features a calligraphy tutoring session with the local kids, use this format along with a simplified character design. Because of this style, these pages have more of a gag manga feel. The humor in Chapter 29 is mostly visual so it translates pretty well, but the kanji-based jokes in Chapter 32 may require a visit to the cultural notes. In general, though, they’re pretty amusing, and except for some yaoi allusions, everything stays in “All Ages” territory.
The volume closes with a chapter on the Obon Festival. In addition to showing Gotou’s particular take on the Japanese holiday, it also touches on a subject I’ve wondered about, namely Naru’s parents. We’ve seen plenty of her grandpa, but her parents have yet to make an appearance. For a community that’s so unnecessarily well-informed about their neighbors, it’s a little strange Handa’s yet to learn anything about them, and I’m guessing that will provide fodder for future chapters.
Extras include a bonus three-page manga, translation notes, and information about the story’s island setting.
For more manga and book reviews, drop by my blog Keeping It In Canon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews