That Time the Manga Editor Started a New Life in the Countryside 1

English language

Published Oct. 3, 2023 by Kondansha Comics.

ISBN:: 978-1-68491-827-0

Sick of his job and the city, Yohei “Kuma” Sakuma has a grand plan-to start anew in the countryside and live off the land. Thing is, he hasn't told his wife yet, nor does he know the first thing about growing rice. Between crooked houses, swarms of bugs, and grueling work under the sun, the city slicker Kuma and his wife Miyu get a crash course in country life. But at the end of the day, with beer in hand as they take in the sights, they begin to understand that country life can be real hard, but real good.

1 edition

lastblossom reviewed That Time the Manga Editor Started a New Life in the Countryside 1 by Kumagae (That Time the Manga Editor Started a New Life in the Countryside, #1)

A pleasant read about the joy of growing things and finding balance in your life.

No rating

The title and some of the narrative riff on the fact that living in the countryside is practically "another world" compared to busy city life. But the longer I read, the more I wonder if the city is the strange alternate reality instead. Yohei Sakuma is an exhausted manga editor, doing his job one day at a time simply because he must. When his division is shut down, he realizes he'd rather be anywhere but here, and takes up rice farming as a hobby just to get a change of pace. And it's here that he finds the joy of growing things. The narrative makes sure to point out that this isn't a romanticized "escape to the country life" story (there's a Starbucks just down the road, after all), but more about finding balance. Yohei and the reader are introduced to the concept of "half farmer/half x," someone who grows …

The title and some of the narrative riff on the fact that living in the countryside is practically "another world" compared to busy city life. But the longer I read, the more I wonder if the city is the strange alternate reality instead. Yohei Sakuma is an exhausted manga editor, doing his job one day at a time simply because he must. When his division is shut down, he realizes he'd rather be anywhere but here, and takes up rice farming as a hobby just to get a change of pace. And it's here that he finds the joy of growing things. The narrative makes sure to point out that this isn't a romanticized "escape to the country life" story (there's a Starbucks just down the road, after all), but more about finding balance. Yohei and the reader are introduced to the concept of "half farmer/half x," someone who grows enough food for themselves, and spends the rest of their time pursing a career based on their own interests. It's a message that probably resonates with everyone, but seems especially sharp in the high-pressure world of manga publishing. The story meanders through these thoughts at an easy pace, and I found myself cheering for Yohei and his excellent wife (she cosplays and I love her), but also examining the balance in my own life. I can't wait to read more!

Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for the advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.