Mangaka: Hojo
Tsukasa
3 Volumes (finished)
Serialized in: .... Jump Comics (Shueisha Inc.)STORY
Hojo Tsukasa is perhaps best known for CITY
HUNTER, the manga about a lecherous sweeper with
extraordinary aim and a heart of gold. While this
remains his most widely known, and perhaps most
successful title, Hojo has a number of other
titles to his name, such as CAT'S EYE, RASH!, and
KOMOREBI NO MOTO DE, not to mention a compilation
of short stories. Aside from Hojo's trademark
humor, many of his stories seem to share the same
"heartwarming" theme, people trying to
solve problems and heal wounds for those around
them.
When Nishikujo Sara and her father arrive in town
one day and set up the Komorebi flower shop,
Tatsuya doesn't know what to make of her at
first. Sara isn't your average 10-year-old: she
has the unusual ability to talk with plants.
Aside from giving her a green thumb, this power
enables Sara to reach out to people in a way that
others can't (on one occasion, Sara talks to a
tree to locate a missing person. "It's as if
she's using it as a pay phone," quips
Tatsuya), and Sara uses her unique gift to work
wonders to those around her, healing emotional
wounds, reuniting friends, and restoring hope to
those who've lost it. For instance, when Tatsuya
blames a tree for his sister's accident (his
sister fell from the tree and is crippled from
the waist down), Sara asks the tree, then quietly
tells Tatsuya that the tree actually saved
his sister's life - by redirecting her fall away
from the river below.
The mystery surrounding Sara deepens when Tatsuya
discovers a photo taken by one of his teachers 7
years ago: the girl in the photo is definitely
Sara, but she looks just like she does now - she
hasn't aged! Or has she? One night, Tatsuya
witnesses the spirit of a grown-up Sara
emerge from the 10-year-old body, and tries to
fit the pieces together. Who, or what, is this
girl? Why doesn't she age? Why did she disappear
from the neighborhood 7 years ago, only to come
back? Tatsuya doesn't know what to make of Sara
anymore. But when Sara uses her power to heal the
relationship between Tatsuya and another
classmate who has a crush on him, Tatsuya decides
to let it be, and keep Sara's identity a secret.
"Because," Tatsuya mutters to himself,
"I don't want to spoil the part of me that
likes her..."
Months go by. Tatsuya begins to fall in love with
Sara, and Sara notices that Tatsuya has grown
(while she herself has remained the same size).
On one fateful day (with the cherry trees
blossoming two months early), as the two are
walking down a road, Sara mentions wistfully:
"I wish time would stop, for the two of
us." What does Sara mean? Will Sara have to
say goodbye to Tatsuya, and depart the
neighborhood as she did 7 years ago? Or will this
relationship last...?
At only 3 volumes, KOMOREBI NO MOTO DE (English
title: Under the Dapple Shade) is relatively
short compared to CITY HUNTER'S lengthy 35, but
if anything the smaller number of volumes should
make this less of a considered purchase. During
the years, Hojo has constantly improved his
drawing style (which seems to have solidified
around vol. 24 of CH), and as the story was
written after the conclusion of CITY HUNTER, fans
of Hojo's particular drawing style can rest
assured that KOMOREBI NO MOTO DE is particularly
well drawn. The story is exceptional as well.
Sara's character has a unique childlike charm
that draws the reader in, and Hojo is very
accomplished at writing emotional stories that
succeed in warming the heart and bringing tears
to your eyes. KOMOREBI NO MOTO DE is, quite
easily, the best manga story I've read in a long
time. Hojo fans in particular who don't have this
little gem in their collection will definitely
want to get this title. Synopsis taken from
Ex.org, by Keith Rhee.
Characters
Links
Synopsis by
Ex.org (same as above)
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