A Galaxy Next Door Volume 5 Review

Back when I last reviewed a volume of A Galaxy Next Door, the series had its anime adaptation approaching. Now that has been and gone and the manga has reached its conclusion in Japan, but here in the West we still have a couple of volumes left to go. Still, with the end coming into sight let’s see what Volume 5 has in store for us! 

When we last saw Ichiro and Shiori, they were struggling with their respective careers in manga. Ichiro’s long-running series was coming to an end, while Shiro got some of her work published which left her boyfriend with mixed feelings, due to how talented she is. However, Ichiro and Shiori manage to work through their complex feelings, rather than have them drive a wedge between them, and come out better for it on the other side. 

So, as we reunite with the pair for Volume 5, we find them enjoying both their work and personal lives. However, their peace is soon interrupted when two of Shiori’s attendants, Keigo and Makado, arrive from her homeland and tell her that her father has had an accident! Nothing life-threatening, but he has been stuck in bed for ten days and in the meantime, Shiori’s mother has been acting very out of sorts. 

While the two have come hoping Shiori will agree to return to the island permanently, our heroine firmly rejects the notion. However, with the encouragement of Ichiro, she does agree to visit so that she can tell her parents she won’t be moving back and that she intends to continue living her life here with Ichiro. Deep down, she also wants to know what her mother thinks of her first published work. 

Together with Ichiro and his younger siblings, Shiori returns home. This proves to be an entertaining sightseeing opportunity for the others as they’ve been interested in Shiori’s home for a while now. But, of course for Shiori, it brings back all the memories she’s been trying to forget, such as the fact that she’s treated as a princess and not the ordinary person she sees herself as. She was lonely there and, having spent almost a year living with Ichiro, she’s realised that all the more. 

Much as I’d been hoping for A Galaxy Next Door to put more emphasis on the manga industry side of the story, I’d also hoped it would readdress Shiori’s relationship with her family. The last time we met her parents was back in Volume 3, where the whole returning home thing was more or less put on the back burner after they agreed that Shiro had a year to make a name for herself. That’s gone by quickly in the series and arguably she’s managed to fulfil that requirement, but her parents certainly haven’t given up on bringing her home. 

So, I’m certainly happy to see the spotlight focused on this particular storyline here in Volume 5. With the end closing in for the story in general, I think this was the right time to address it while setting up for the conclusion. Plus Shiori’s parents are interesting characters in their own right with plenty to explore, which Gido Amagakure certainly does here. The mangaka takes the time to flesh out the past and present-day state of Shiro’s family and the island they call home. 

Of course, while the majority of this volume is about Shiro’s family, there are still plenty of romantic scenes between her and Ichiro, which prove to be a good reprieve from the more serious moments here. There’s even some notable character development for Ichiro when the two discuss the fact he doesn’t seem to be as attracted to Shiro as she is to him, which ultimately boils down to his sex drive not being as high as hers. But I appreciated this as it’s something very rarely discussed in manga, particularly in a series like this. Once a couple get together, they’re either too awkward to discuss anything beyond holding hands or kissing, or they’re all over each other with very little room for a more nuanced look at what it means to be in a relationship and desiring different things at different points in it. 

A Galaxy Next Door Volume 5 comes to the West thanks to Kodansha and continues to be translated by Max Greenaway with lettering by Lys Blakeslee. The release reads well with no problems in terms of translation. There are also a couple of pages of translation notes at the back of the book, which is nice to have as they do explain some of the more specific Japanese terminology this time (such as coming-of-age ceremonies). 

As mentioned, the series is now complete in Japan with Volume 6. Here in English, Kodansha have that volume scheduled for release in March so we won’t be waiting too long to find out how the story ends! 

Overall, A Galaxy Next Door Volume 5 ties up loose ends as it prepares for the conclusion. A trip to Shiori’s home proves a breath of fresh air for the narrative as we learn more about her family and upbringing.