Little Miss P: The Third Day Review
While most women are visited by Little Miss P once a month, when it comes to the manga series, we’re on a yearly schedule. After Volume 2’s release in August 2020, enough time has passed where we’re now able to read Volume 3 of this quirky series!
As always, this entry in the series is made up of episodic stories but, unlike Volume 2, there is a more serious tone running through them. The book opens with a story about a young model, who is fired due to her skin condition not being good enough on the day of the photoshoot. Of course, this is because of Little Miss P and our model is understandably frustrated with the fact a model must always be flawless and if they aren’t, then surely they did something wrong rather than it being due to a factor outside of their control (as this is).
The second story takes more of a fantastical twist as it focuses on a Hero and the Princess he marries after fighting off the Demon Lord. The two enjoy their lives together but after a year passes, the relationship starts to become stale and the Hero realises he doesn’t even know how to look after the Princess in her time of need. It’s a thoughtful read on what it means to be in a long-term relationship after the shine has worn off.
Our third chapter is about a young woman who is trying to get into the film industry when she unexpectedly falls pregnant. With a boyfriend who is only working part-time and the fact it would mean so much time off from her job, she’s nervous about the thought of having a child right now. With nowhere else to turn, she asks her family for advice on what to do.
The other stories included here involve a girl going on a first date while on her period (poor timing I’m sure many of us can sympathise with!), and a manga artist who’s looking for advice on how to write his female characters. This story is probably the one that feels the most out of place in this particular collection since while it’s also well written, it doesn’t quite fit with the other emotional themes presented this time around.
The final tale in this collection is based on a real experiment where a Japanese department store asked women to wear a pin to let customers and their coworkers know they were on their period. Although they did ultimately decide to rethink the concept, the manga does illustrate the pros and cons of it well. This one also led me to learn about the Menstrual Leave policy that Japan has and why women often don’t want to take it. The chapter as a whole demonstrates why talking about periods openly is important but also why some people are so reserved about the subject and often refuse to do so. It’s certainly the most thought-provoking story in this collection and I appreciate the fact it tackles something based on true life as opposed to some of the more whimsical stories the series often presents.
Having said that, Little Miss P has been a lot more down-to-earth this time around compared to Volume 2. Since there aren’t as many supernatural storylines, it’s easier to relate to the woes of the cast which is what I always liked about Volume 1. While we’ve come a long way from just focusing on periods, the decision to branch out into other emotional and physical problems that are roughly related is a good one.
Little Miss P: The Third Day comes to the West thanks to Yen Press and continues to be translated by Taylor Engel. The translation reads well with no issues to note and there are a few pages of very helpful translation notes at the back of the book. The series recently finished in Japan with Volume 4, which Yen currently have scheduled for release in January so we won’t have long to wait to see how the series draws to a close.
Overall, Little Miss P: The Third Day is an interesting read that captures the charm of the original book more than Volume 2 did. If you’re a fan of the series then you’ll certainly enjoy what it offers and learn a thing or two along the way!
