Futaribeya: A Room for Two

This is probably the best true to form slice of life I have read, though it is more than just a slice. For 9 years, the manga follows the mundane lives Sakurako and Kasumi starting from the beginning of high school and ending after the second year in the work force. Either way, it is divisively boring but so entertaining in the same breath. Sakurako is the perfect roommate that can do anything and everything they put their mind to. She is incredible in the home and the classroom, and she will help anyone and everyone in whatever way she can. Her attentiveness, love and carefor Kasumi only grows throughout the series, and she becomes her own interesting character as time goes on. Kasumi is the lethargic and lovable beauty that does very little for herself, though Sakurako doesn't mind at all. As the series goes on, it reveals that Kasumi is more than just a sleepy beauty; she is attentive and caring while being true to herself. As the story is long, there are a lot of developments and regressions of relationships with the numerous characters that are met along the way. I usually wouldn't have mentioned the timeframe of the series, but I feel it is especially important here. There are a LOT of characters, and it is easy to forget someone when they aren't part of the story for years at a time or just go away entirely. Since there are so many, there will be at least one character that each reader will like as well as dislike. The story is SUUUUUPER long. 9 years, and there are no time skips. There might be a few months between two chapters, but 108 months in about 116 chapters is a lot. It took me over 2 full days of reading to finish this, and there is a lot that happens... for a true slice of life. There is very little drama--and I use that term loosely still--so expect a very dry story. Get used to talk about food, cooking, cleaning, classes, and more. What makes the story move is time itself. Like reality, these characters have to grow from children, to young adults, into proper working adults. Watching them grow up is the story. The romance is deep but vague, and that is divisive amongst readers. The main couple's relationship is more than what words can express, and I loved it. 10/10 This series is something truly special, and I think it is a must read for those that deeply love dry slice of life. Even as I type this after finishing it, I am fighting temptation to go back and read from the beginning to see how different the characters were from the high school era compared to work life. It is incredible in the truest sense.