Real Clothes

Clothes, stress and finding one’s self! Those are the 3 main components of this work and it manages to capture the essence of maturing over various obstacles and new experiences. If anything, it goes a step further into exploring the meaning of enjoying your job to the fullest and the struggle of priorities. And on the positive side, you do not really need to have any knowledge on clothing, as its focus is never on that technical side and offers the basic information you need (although, some better explanations of how things work would have been nice sometimes!). This is the story of a strong andhard-working woman who has every problem an average person would have; love, insecurities, job, ambitions, etc. It is very relatable in many aspects, but while it tries to showcase how she can succeed in a culture that usually gives men the power, there are some contradicting messages that the characters even endorse themselves. For example, it starts with solidifying the idea of your clothing style shows who you are and it makes sense, especially in fashion world. But then, instead of embracing women’s power and style, the work focuses a lot on having the perfect figure and it is shocking as the main character looks thin, but it is just not enough. Stereotypes like these, which no one ever goes against, really hurt the case of showing power and independency. Be that as it may, the manga is very enjoyable and has a pretty steady pace through every arc. The only drawback can be that once a job is done, we almost never see what happens next to that project or person; the story moves on to the next project. Other than that, you can see the main character’s journey from the start and how she doubts herself in every step, how she tries to do her best, how she handles the problems in her workplace and private life and it feels really natural. By the end of this, there is a sense of accomplishment over how much she has been through and matured in a way. Romance exists, but it is not the main focus, although it affects behaviors and the story, as any love problem would in real life sometimes. It is very realistic most of the time although maybe a bit shoujofied for more impact, just some instances seemed a bit too stiff on their handling. A relatable story brings relatable characters and although the whole manga seems like a wild ride going from one place to another and always trying to achieve the best, the character development is definitely there. Most prominently, as everything is from the point of view of the main character, we have seen how fleshed out she is. Albeit, she seems lucky in many things, the way she thinks is very real and slowly changes as it should. Everyone else has some spotlight here and there, but not that much and usually just to solve one of their problems. However, they are all pretty likeable and may remind you types of your co-workers. As expected from a manga that has to do with fashion, there is a wide variety of clothes and each character is given care in that department, while keeping a distinct style for every person. The style can be generic and not so memorable, but there are enough details, without being heavy and the background can be simple most of the time, yet recognizable. The faces have been given enough care to have many various reactions, although sometimes exaggerated for comedy’s sake, which makes this even easier to read. It is a generally easy manga to read and it never goes too deep into the machinations of fashion; the story revolves more on the practical problems of a strategy or something similar and it tries to touch all kinds of problems on that scale. It definitely manages to show enough, although as said before, it seems some things come too easy for our main protagonist who always claims she just says whatever comes to mind when she needs to solve a problem (and incidentally happens to be the correct thing). It is very interesting to see her growth and how she takes care of herself and how everyone comes to terms with their job and their goals, so there is nothing to lose by reading this!

This manga was most likely inspired by The Devil Wears Prada movie. The first chapter was released a few months after the release of the movie. If the author was influenced, it was merely a spark because both works are completely different. Both stories feature a young woman who finds herself chosen by a highly esteemed dame in the fashion world to work close to her. As the story progresses, both young ladies must immerse themselves into the clothes industry. The similarities stop there. The author, Satoru Makimura, takes this idea and transforms it into something very distinctive and very Japanese. I really like howthe author must have done heavy research regarding department stores and the fashion business to create this work. Real Clothes has as setting Echizenya, a fictional Japanese department store. A long time ago, Japanese commerce centered around shotengais, name given to local market streets. Throughout the world, these commercial districts would see a decline as consumers flocked to acclimatized department stores which would be the equivalent to shopping malls. There is a necessity to explain this because future generations might not understand what these are/were. Online shopping has changed everything and it is currently an existential threat to physical stores. Kinue Amano is a hard working sales clerk at the futon section of Echizenya. As she is chosen to be transferred to the clothes section of the department store, she is thrown into an unfamiliar environment that forces her to reinvent herself. As she gets into the frenetic pace of the workplace, she gradually discovers a love for fashion and her job. I love how this story isn't centered around romance. The romantic relationships are there, but aren't the focus. They prompt important issues like marriage, family, pregnancy, balance between work and private life, the future, etc. Just like a real relationship. The weakness of this manga for me unfortunately are the illustrations, specially the close ups. Many times the drawings feel too simplistic. There is a lack of polishment, a finishing touch that could greatly improve the pages. It is weird how the serious, more dramatic drawings contrast so much with the more caricaturesque images. Whenever the author draws chibi versions of Amano, they are so full of life and expression. Good storyteller, unfortunately not the greatest artist. This manga has definitely a wider appeal than just people interested in fashion or just women. Just like The Devil Wears Prada, it is a charming tale about a plucky woman who faces a lot of stress as she makes difficult choices on her path to finding her ideal self. Andy Sachs, the protagonist of the movie, and Kinue Amano go into completely different journeys. Both are entertaining in their own way. I particularly prefer Amano's odyssey.