Two of the chapters in this volume deal with very similar topics, and are two of the strongest chapters in the series. One with Oji and Sensei talking about the passage of time for human beings, and another with Alpha looking at Mikki and realizing how fast everyone else ages while she stays the same. I look at the volumes of this series and realize I'm almost at the end and am hit with the same feelings- so many little things have been happening one by one and now I realize that 'life' has passed by, that these characters have grown and will eventually stop when the series ends.
It's strange that Alpha only begins to verbalize what has clearly been happening all series as Mikki/Takahiro have grown before her eyes. It reminds me of the earlier chapter where Alpha talked of jealousy that Mikki would get to grow up alongside Takahiro. There are so many things to experience and while Alpha has the benefit of living a long time and experiencing so many different things... there are still some experiences, like growing old, that will forever remain foreign to her.
In which robots think about their lifespans in comparison to humans, and my heart kinda breaks. Matsuki tries to learn things from Alpha which is hilarious. And in more emotionally traumatizing moments, Takahiro's grandfather and sensi talk about loneliness. Slice of life, how dare you have such sad moments?!? You can tell the manga is drawing to a close soon as Alpha lives past a generation of humans.
A post-apocalypse story... that’s actually extremely wholesome, relaxing and uplifting. There’s no darkness, violence, despair or evil to be found within these pages. Nothing but ambient, atmospheric, nature-fueled positivity between the last remnants of humanity and humanoid androids coming together to live peacefully in harmony and give each other the love and support they need to find purpose in their daily lives.
Alpha is a sweet robot girl that runs a cafe at the end of the world. She invites the few guests she receives into her shop to sit down and talk with her over a steaming cup of coffee. She bonds with locals and travelers by sharing heartwarming stories of the past and dreams for the future. They share happy memories in the present rather than dwelling on the past. Communities come together to raise children with hope for a brighter future. The population has decreased immensely, but loneliness has become a thing of the past.
The story plays out in a seaside country with boundless blooming nature with no pollution or industrialization in sight. Nature has reclaimed the earth, sea levels are rising and rich vegetation covers nearly every inch of land. The last survivors of the world respect nature and treat it like a friend rather than as a resource to be abused for profit.
It’s a mature apocalypse story that balances whimsical childlike wonder with coming of age self-discovery and finding contentment in a world that’s been robbed of most living things.
The continued winding down -- I love watching Alpha and Matsuki trying to connect around Takahiro's absence, and I felt for Alpha's pain in realising the length of her own life to come and the shortness of the lives of those she has been 'growing up' with. Beautifully done.
at this point, my ratings for these volumes are merely superfluous; it’s more a rating of the overall series, reflecting my enjoyment of this endearingly melancholy (and softly, textually gay) manga
The painter and the pilot? Alright. That sure was unexpected. I mean, I guess they can send emails. Sure.
Yokohama Shopping Log Review
5/5 stars
This will be a spoiler free review. Onto the review!
This is a manga series I picked up on a whim because I saw something about it somewhere and thought it looked cool. It's about this android girl named Alpha who lives in the middle of nowhere and runs a coffee shop. This is a really sweet, cozy manga that will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I don't want to say much about the plot because it’s really easy to spoil this, but I'll do my best.
Alpha spends most of her time bicycling around the countryside, sitting at the beach, and taking photos. She is friends with the townsfolk from the nearby town, and as the series goes on she makes friends with some people from other cities, including some other androids as well. There’s a really silly email system between androids, which you’ll have to discover for yourself. I will not tell you what that means aside from that it's super gay and very cute. If you are confused, just go read it and you'll immediately understand.
If you are feeling burnt out or need a break from the stresses of life, I think this is the perfect series to read. It's got this tranquil feeling to it that will instantly help you relax. I read it during a busy moment in my life and I realized after I had binged the entire series in one sitting that I really needed exactly what this series offers. It's got enough character development to keep you engaged, but is otherwise all vibes, no plot, so you can just relax and enjoy all the beautiful drawings of the seaside.
I’ll have to see what other manga this mangaka has written, because this was so lovely.