Suzuki-kun’s Mindful Life Volume 1 Review
Kaoru Suzuki, fifteen, on the way to his first day at high school, is hassled on the crowded train by a drunken man who thinks he’s looking at him in the wrong way. Suzuki has only narrowed his eyes because the morning sun is blindingly bright – but given the fact he’s tall and well-built, with sanpaku eyes that make it look as if he’s glaring intimidatingly, people are always misjudging him! Luckily for Suzuki, another boy in the same uniform steps in and floors the aggressive drunk with a brilliant judo throw. And then he introduces himself as Arata Haruna. He’s slight in stature and very good-looking. It seems that Suzuki has already made his first friend. Which is very important because Suzuki, in spite of his scary exterior, loves to bake, is good with growing and arranging flowers and is a doting older brother to his little sister Tamako; he’s a gentle giant.
Inevitably, Suzuki’s new classmates instantly get the wrong idea about him – but luckily Haruna is in the same class and his cheerful and accepting attitude help Suzuki to feel less stressed. But he’s not yet ready to go to hang out at Mockey D’s (cough McDonald’s cough) with Haruna after school because he has to go pick little sister Tamako from daycare. Worried that his face will scare the little ones, he turns up wearing a whole-head pigeon mask but is persuaded to remove it, only to produce the anticipated effect on the children. However, one of the teachers, Sakurako-sensei, says gently to him, “You look just like your little sister. What an adorable face.” Suzuki is smitten. Everything around her seems to be shining. From that moment onward, any time the word ‘sakura’ comes up, he’s overwhelmed by powerful and unfamiliar feelings. Haruna, seeing his new friend’s distress, suggests that he comes to his judo dojo (run by his grandfather) to help clear his head with some healthy exercise! For a while all is well – and the exercise suggestion works well – until Sakurako-sensei decides she needs to get out more (she’s a secret games otaku) and turns up at the dojo…
Suzuki-kun’s Mindful Life appears to be the first of Yuhki Fujimoto’s manga to be licensed in English, although the mangaka has been publishing (shojo) since 2005 in Japan. Suzuki-kun’s Mindful Life is a truly charming introduction to their work. Their art style has changed quite a lot over the twenty years and the portrait of Suzuki-kun on the cover was what initially caught my eye as it captures everything about the eponymous hero that makes him such an endearing character. Looks can indeed be deceptive! Even though the initial premise seems a little reminiscent of Aya Kanno’s Otomen (the MC’s secret passion for baking, sewing, etc.) or My Love Story, this new manga establishes itself from the get-go as having different objectives. The mangaka’s experience in telling a story shines through as the chapters flow smoothly from one significant event in Suzuki-kun’s high-school life to another. The characters are not just well drawn but believable too, especially Suzuki’s mother who relies on her capable son quite a lot (his father is working abroad) but understands him, worrying when he’s been up all night, baking to calm his nerves but also happy to take his delicious baked goods into the office to share with her fellow workers. Sakurako-sensei is also a neat/nice piece of characterization: all sweetness and light with her young charges during the day but needing to let her hair down after work with a good beer or two as she plays online games. (A side to her character that Suzuki is totally unaware of, although a chance encounter in the local supermarket nearly gives her secret away!)
But it’s the portrayal of Suzuki that keeps us turning the pages. Books really shouldn’t be judged by their covers. There’s something appealing at a deep level about watching a young man who’s had to struggle to be accepted because he looks like a bruiser. On the school trip these strengths begin to show through as he dispenses wet wipes, first aid and snacks to his classmates. So what if his voice is sometimes overloud? Some can’t help but be reminded of… “Mom?”
Translation for Yen Press is by the ever-capable Leighann Harvey and makes for a smooth read, helped by Katie Blakeslee’s wonderful variety of lettering which bring the manga to life in English. There’s a very helpful page of translation notes covering cultural references that English readers might not pick up on and a one-page trailer for Volume 2 promising us, among other delights, the return of Suzuki and Tamako’s father! But we’ll have to wait for December to find out more about the Suzuki family (the series is ongoing in Japan, currently published in Melody shojo magazine).
Will Suzuki-kun get to go to Mockey-D’s and hang out with his classmates? What happens when a middle-school classmate recognizes Suzuki and is determined to bring up unhappy memories in front of his new friends? What better time to find a copy of Suzuki-kun’s Mindful Life and discover what happens next?
Our review copy was supplied by Yen Press.
