This is probably the sweetest, most innocent thing I’ve ever read. Sweet, but also very very bittersweet. Definitely one of the most distinctly Japanese things I’ve read (maybe a strange thing to say in a thread only about Japanese comics). It has a very simple concept: what if “freeloading mascots”, characters like Doraemon, were both real and ubiquitous?
It’s prime material for humorous gags and good-natured shenanigans. Not a surprise given the original mascot mangas this is inspired from, but the author could have easily taken the grimdark edge route with the premise. So I think it’s something worth noting. That’s not to say to this is all rainbows and sunshine, it does explore certain… ‘darker’ sides…
No, but really it does occasionally go to some fairly tragic places.
One of the things that stand out to me about this comic is just the abnormal amount of world-building. Seriously! This comic about cute anthropomorphic creatures wanting to play and have fun with kids has more legit interesting world-building in it’s ~70 chapters than most series’, eastern or western, ever attempt to do in their whole runs. Well, it still ain’t got shit on Centaur’s Worries. That comic seems to exist solely for the author to flex his stuff.
Some may be initially turned off by the art, but I find it very appropriate for the story and characters it presents. It has it’s own charm to it.
The thing about Noramimi is you just feel happier after reading a few chapters, even the heartbreaking ones. The character are all so likable and the motivations so pure. Although, I was personally pretty disappointed with it’s ending. All the Dottari chapters more than make up for that though.
It’s a really good comic. It’s a damn shame how it seems to have gotten largely overlooked by western manga fans. No doubt because it lacks a certain flashiness. It may not be flashy, but it’s chock full of Good Stuffs™.
It’s also really short, so just go read it, ya bums!!!
El Sloth, May 2016
Manga OT 