Masakazu Ishiguro "And yet the town keeps turning"
There is a term called "everyday magic."
This is a genre of story that refers to a style of writing in which a reality-based worldview is enhanced with extraordinary elements.
For example, when it comes to Japanese manga, the works of Fujiko Fujio are often cited as representative examples. I absolutely love this kind of work, and when it's mixed with humor and features attractive characters, it's impossible not to get hooked.
"And yet the town keeps going."
This time I would like to talk about this wonderful work that is filled with all of my favorite elements.
The story begins with the protagonist, Arashiyama Hotori, a high school student who lives a lively life in the shopping district, working at a maid cafe started by the idea of the old lady at Seaside Cafe, where he is taken care of.
Ayutori thinks about things in complex ways, or has intuitive realizations, and inevitably drags everyone she comes into contact with into a world of comedy and mystery.
This story is woven with such a detective-like idea, that is, with the thrill of discovering mysteries in the everyday. Before you know it, the reader will no longer be an unrelated presence, but will be drawn into the world of "Soremachi."
In addition to episodes that are entirely focused on the dialogue between the characters, there are also various parody, horror, and sci-fi-like episodes, making you want to read episode after episode to see what the characters do.
There are too many episodes I like to list, including "Graduation Ceremony," "Guide to the School Labyrinth," "Autumn Festival," "Walking Bird," "Conspiracy in the Fog," "Dark Table Tennis Girl," "Dream Novel," "With My Big Sister," and many more.
I re-read it while writing this article, and it almost makes me want to erase my memory and re-read the whole thing, using that thing that appears in the story.
This work was serialized from 2005 to 2016, but the timeline was shuffled halfway through, and episodes from a certain period in time involving Ayutori and the people around her are depicted in a non-contiguous manner.
My favorite among them is the "Bulk Buying Plan."
This is a truly fascinating story starring Kameido Shizuka, the owner of an antique shop who inspired Ayutori to aspire to become a detective.
By the way, all the characters are unique and each has their own interesting moments to shine, but my favorite out of all is Kon-senpai, also known as Kon Futaba.
She is older than Ayutori, blonde, slender, and androgynous in appearance, but she is actually lonely and clingy, making her a wonderful person with many wonderful qualities.
However, apart from her, the story is full of lively characters, and is peppered with episodes involving Ayutori's younger brother Takeru and his classmates, making it an irresistible series of dazzling ensemble dramas that take on the theme of everyday life.
Speaking of which, I was fortunate enough to previously voice Sanada Hiroyuki, a classmate who has feelings for Ayutori, in the motion comic version of this work.
In the animated version, Irino Miyu gives a wonderful performance, so I was nervous about recording, but I was really happy because I felt like I had become a part of the world of "Soremachi," which I love.
I love Ishiguro-sensei's currently popular works "Nemurubaka" and "Gakutenrou," but I would also recommend "Soremachi" to anyone who hasn't read it yet.
Once you read it, you will surely be captivated by this world and this revolving town.
