Blue Proustian Moment

When I first got into manga, I asked my friend if they had ever had a story they loved get cancelled "before its time", and the immediate flash of cold disappointment that crossed their face told me the answer was a resounding yes. I wondered to myself when the same thing would happen to me... and now, it finally has. And I hate it. In just twenty-five chapters Ginsei no Proust exhibits of some of the best writing that I've seen from the genre, deftly tackling complex themes like classicism, teenage romance and friendship, familial abuse, coming-of-age and young adulthood, the Japanese educational system, and more.The messaging is intelligent but not heavy-handed; the author has something important to say, yet leaves the reader room to make their own conclusions and interpretations (even with an unfortunately rushed ending, due to being axed). The art is especially a high point and is both both mature and hilariously expressive, with an excellent blend of physical and written humor throughout the story. Likewise, the beating heart of the story shines throughout every chapter, and there are a few emotional peaks in particular that blow other mangas stretching hundreds of chapters totally out of the water. Reading Ginsei no Proust reminded me just how much a talented author can pack in such a short amount of time, all without unnecessarily dragging the characters through bland tropes or infuriatingly unrealistic scenarios designed to stall the plot and milk the reader's time and attention. I can only hope the author returns with another work, and that it gets more credit and attention the next time round. A final note (*slight spoiler warning*): the social dynamic between Kazuki and Moka effectively drives the entire manga, but I do wish - along with many other readers - that the author had committed more strongly to the romantic premise strongly alluded to in the first chapter. Even without that, I still highly recommend this manga. TLDR: Incredible art paired with a story that is thematically mature, emotionally moving, and peppered throughout with humor. The ending is a tad unsatisfying due to the manga getting axed, but still good overall and is without a doubt 100% worth your time! Don't sleep on this one. 9/10