Usagi Drop: A manga about living, and learning
Posted by sunggyu on April 6, 2010
A rare gem, and a fulfilling read; Usagi Drop intimately portrays its characters with depth and complexity
That was a profound title for a blog entry wasn’t it? No I’m joking. Now I’m not being smug believe it or not, there is some truth to the overbearing title. Also spoilers ahead, you’ve been warned, but no worries, this isn’t a manga where spoilers will have any impact on the enjoyability of the series. It is something that must be experienced, to be fully appreciated. Usagi Drops synopsis follows something like this:
Going home for his grandfather’s funeral, thirty-year-old bachelor Daikichi is floored to discover that the old man had an illegitimate child with a younger lover! The rest of his family is equally shocked and embarrassed by this surprise development, and not one of them wants anything to do with the silent little girl, Rin. In a fit of angry spontaneity, Daikichi decides to take her in himself! But will living with this overgrown teenager of man help Rin come out of her shell? And hang on, won’t this turn of events spell doom for Daikichi’s love life?! -yenpress
Misleading is the first word that comes to mind when I read the synopsis. Somehow you get a semblance of slapstick comedy that focuses on the mis-happenings of Daikishi. Somewhat true, but it’s definitely not the center piece of this manga. This manga focuses on the Daikishi’s ongoing struggles with parenthood, and the many obstacles that must be faced in the face of adversity. Learning to mature, learning to bond, learning to sacrifice, and ultimately learning to become content and satisfied with his life.
This manga really shines because it’s a indepth character study of so many people. Not just the story around Daikishi and his journey with Rin, but all the people that surround them and their journeys as well. I’m really interested in Daikishi’s sister and to see how she’s fairing. She was apprehensive about having children and she was to get married. It’s been 10 years, where is she now? I’m sure it’ll be addressed and that’s what makes this manga so fulfilling to read. Watching characters grow and evolve, powerful stuff. If you want a reference point Usagi Drop rings similarly to Solanin, and Ciguatera . Not in terms of tone or plot, but in the way the author chooses to focus on building up these characters, and focusing on their journey as individuals. One could also compare it to Harukana Machi-E and My Girl, that both deal with similar character studies.
The author is deals with the manga in subtle ways. Each character represents a different thought plane and allows the characters to learn from each other. This makes the interactions between characters not as a device to move the plot forward, but as a necessity that mirrors life. The characters become alive, and black and white ink becomes vivid color when combined with the imagination of the human mind. The depth, and the dimension of these characters allow people to read and to bond with these characters, learn with them, grow with them. They say the trickiest craft of writing characters, is to make them appear plausible. Usagi Drop accomplishes and so much more.
All in all Usagi Drops is a rare gem. It’s a snippet of the lives of a rag-tag collection of people with their own foibles, strengths, and fears. After reading each chapter you ask yourself “where are these characters going, where will they be in the future, and what have they learned?” These are questions that are interconnected with the reader, and thus the manga becomes personal, and in a sense quite intimate. Usagi Drops is certainly not a masterpiece in this regard, Even Onani Master Kurosawa felt far more intimate, but one must remember, Usagi Drops has a much bigger scope and deals with a far more relevant and delicate issue.
Chapter 24 is perhaps the best chapter in the manga to date, and I strongly urge anyone who is in the mood for a good slice of life manga give it a go. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.
