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ヨコハマ買い出し紀行 [Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou] #12
ヨコハマ買い出し紀行 12 [Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou 12]
ある昼下がり、アルファは夢を見た。それは、彼女のオーナー・初瀬野が旅に出る前の、遠く懐かしい記憶――。緩やかに、しかし確実に周りの景色も変化していく中、タカヒロやマッキの成長する姿を間近で見てきたアルファは、永遠の時を生きるロボットであるがゆえに、彼らと同じ時間をずっと過ごせないことを実感する……。「早いなあ……早すぎるよ」
154 pages, paperback
First published November 22, 2004
1 person is currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Hitoshi Ashinano
64 books67 followersHitoshi Ashinano (芦奈野 ひとし, Ashitano Hitoshi) is a Japanese manga artist.
Prior to his professional debut as a solo cartoonist, Ashinano worked as an assistant to manga artist Kousuke Fujishima, while also releasing some doujinshi (amateur manga) under the pen name 'suke'.
Ashinano's comics are known for their contemplative, laid-back, nostalgic feel. His first and best-known series is Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō, a slice-of-life manga set in a post-apocalyptic world. The manga was serialised in Kodansha's comics magazine 'Monthly Afternoon' from 1994 to 2006, won the 2007 'Seiun Award for Best Science Fiction Manga' and was adapted into an anime.
Prior to his professional debut as a solo cartoonist, Ashinano worked as an assistant to manga artist Kousuke Fujishima, while also releasing some doujinshi (amateur manga) under the pen name 'suke'.
Ashinano's comics are known for their contemplative, laid-back, nostalgic feel. His first and best-known series is Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō, a slice-of-life manga set in a post-apocalyptic world. The manga was serialised in Kodansha's comics magazine 'Monthly Afternoon' from 1994 to 2006, won the 2007 'Seiun Award for Best Science Fiction Manga' and was adapted into an anime.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 24, 2022
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.
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.
January 17, 2017
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.
May 14, 2023
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.
An underrated classic gem.
My rating: 4.5/5
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.
An underrated classic gem.
My rating: 4.5/5
January 16, 2025
Me encanta este tomo.
Ver a Maki crecer y madurar, tratar de aprender con Alpha.
Ver a Takahiro con Nai visitando a su familia a pesar de la distancia.
La charla de Sensei con Oji san es maravillosa, ya que todos pasaremos por un punto similar.
Cada vez está más claro que el tiempo pasa, que a pesar de que Alpha sigue igual (visualmente) algún día Alpha quedará sola en la ciudad.
Ver a Maki crecer y madurar, tratar de aprender con Alpha.
Ver a Takahiro con Nai visitando a su familia a pesar de la distancia.
La charla de Sensei con Oji san es maravillosa, ya que todos pasaremos por un punto similar.
Cada vez está más claro que el tiempo pasa, que a pesar de que Alpha sigue igual (visualmente) algún día Alpha quedará sola en la ciudad.
December 5, 2018
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.
December 2, 2024
nai and takahiro my fucking boys
January 4, 2022
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
March 26, 2013
I've written a short review over here.
September 29, 2025
The painter and the pilot? Alright. That sure was unexpected. I mean, I guess they can send emails. Sure.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews