Asako

Fantastic manga. Some people will be put off by its premise and rather controversial nature. While I don't fault them, I do want to note they're missing out. The longer the series goes on, the more apparent it becomes that the focus in 'Asako' lies way beyond the taboo/immorality. In fact, the controversial aspect eventually gets shoved off to uncover the real depth of the story. This is a tale of identity, grief and longing, of maturing. And ultimately - of closure. Because every human being yearns for closure and the heaviness of this concept only piles on as time passes. I'd say it's exactly 'closure' thatestablishes itself as THE keyword to describe the manga and the process through which its cast goes through. From naive child-like adoration to matured sentiments in retrospect; from juvenile delinquency to moral ambiguity; from domestic violence to the hierarchy of bullying, 'Asako' tackles a lot of themes. And, to the reader's satisfaction, it explores them rather well. 'Melancholic' or 'nostalgic' are words we throw out rather easily. I know I'm fond of overusing them. Yet both truly fit what 'Asako' stands for. To a great extent, the emotional impact comes from to series' apt structure - rotating between the viewpoints of Masashi 'then' and Masashi 'now'. Side characters are approached intelligently and may (or may not) go through self-reflection, outlining their differences now, as adults, from then, as children. Asako's enigmatic influence is the uniting factor of their process of growing up; their buoy so to speak. With how it's layered, the manga beautifully explores the process of aging and changing, of past reminiscences and threads that were buried, yet never let go. It's a mystery, a drama, an eerie love-but-not-exactly-love story. A heartfelt work of art. Extremely solid 8/10. I would've gone as far as 8.5/10, but I had some nitpicks with the series' last third.