Manga Reviews (2010-2019): After the Rain vol. 2 by Mayuzuki Jun (a Neo-Tokyo 2099 Manga Review)

A delightful and entertaining manga series, if you want a romantic comedy-driven storyline and a story that is easy to follow and enjoy, definitely give “After the Rain” a try! Definitely recommended!

MANGA TITLE: After the Rain vol. 2

STORY AND ART BY: Mayuzuki Jun

FIRST PUBLISHED IN JAPAN: Shogakukan

PUBLISHED IN USA BY: Vertical Comics

RATED: 14+

Available on December 18, 2018

Akira’s feelings toward her boss grow more intense, and Kondo, in the face of such unwavering attention, finds that emotions he thought he’d lost long ago are welling up once again, and he meets up with an old college classmate. Meanwhile, Akira clashes with her best friend Kiyan, as she feels the distance between them has grown too much. And so the summer of Akira’s 17th year passes by…

Vertical Comics is currently releasing mangaka Mayuzuki Jun’s hit manga series “Koi wa Ameagari no Youni” (After the Rain) in North America.

Serialized in Shogakukan’s “Gekkan Big Comic Spirits” back in 2014 and then finding its final home in “Shukan Big Comic Spirits” in 2016, the series would receive an anime adaptation and also a live action film adaptation in 2018.

The series revolves around its two protagonists, Tachibana Akira, a high-school student who was a promising track star until a significant ankle injury forces her to abandon running.

Depressed about not being able to train and run anymore, while walking in the rain, she was offered free coffee by Kondo Masami, the manager of a family restaurant.

Taking shelter in the rain, Tachibana would eventually work at the same family restaurant.

As for Kondo, he is 45-years-old and is a divorced father and has a young son named Yuto who comes to visit once in awhile. When he sees Tachibana, she often has an angry look on her face and wonders if she hates him, but in truth, Tachibana is falling in love with her manager.

While Tachibana tries to understand this feeling she has towards Kondo, what will happen if she gets the nerve to tell him that she likes him?

Meanwhile, Tachibana’s friend Kyan Haruka hopes that Tachibana will someday heal and return, while Tachibana’s co-worker, a playboy chef named Kase Ryosuke, likes Tachibana (because she’s not like other girls who falls for him) and sees her as one of his targets. Also, working at the restaurant is Yoshizawa Takashi, Tachibana’s classmate who started working at the restaurant because he likes her.

In volume 2, Kondo’s son Tsubu wanted to surprise his dad, so Tachibana goes with him, as she wants to see how Kondo is living. But with Kondo arriving home early, she hides in the closet and nearly has heat exhaustion. As comes out fainting, Kondo goes to help her and Tsuba accidentally spills water on her shirt. So, as Kondo goes to the laundry to wash his shirt, Tachibana stays at his home and when the two see each other, she tells him that she wants to know more about him.

The following day, as Kondo is receiving advice from everyone at the restaurant on how to care for a hamster, Tachibana gets a little jealous that everyone is trying to help him, but she hasn’t done a thing. This may be a way Tachibana can find herself closer to Kondo and have more communication with him.

The second volume also focuses on the deteriorating friendship between Tachibana and Haruka. Both were close friends growing up but now they are so distant since Tachibana had her surgery. Haruka wants to get to the bottom of things and wants to know why their friendship has suffered.

Also, we get to learn more about Tachibana and her relationship with her father. Is he a part of her life?

Vertical is really releasing interesting manga that explores unique relationships. We have “The Delinquent Housewife” about a teenage boy who is in love with his sister-in-law, but finds out that she is a former gangster girl. “Arakawa Under the Bridge” about a businessman who starts living under the bridge with odd characters and falls for a girl who thinks she is from Venus and “My Boy” about a 30-year-old woman and a young 12-year-old boy which started out as a fill-in mom that wanted to teach the young boy soccer but instead starts bonding with the boy, and he with this woman.

With Mayuzuki Jun’s “After the Rain”, the story revolves around two people who have non-interesting lives. For Tachibana Akira, her life was about running and with that passion taken away due to a significant injury/surgery, she has given it up to work at a family restaurant.

At the family restaurant is a 45-year-old man who just works as a manager and never thought anyone would be interested in him because he’s 45 and has a kid. But it turns out that the athlete, Akira, has fallen for her manager. And she intends to let him know.

But will he reciprocate the same feelings? Or will he feel inconveniences because he know that a 45-year-old man with a young woman would be perceived as very wrong?

The second volume pushes things even further. As Tachibana has fallen hard for Kondo and wants to be even closer to him. While Kondo, he knows he’s an older man and feels that it’s not right to be with someone so young. But at the same time, he likes the feeling of knowing that someone has a crush on him and each time he’s with Akira, he is happy. But can an older man be with a younger woman? He no doubt has conflicted feelings. But this volume, it raises things even higher as both grow even closer.

And as they grow closer, we see the opposite as two best friends are drifting apart, Tachibana and Haruka. They always had track together, but with track no longer a part of Tachibana’s life, this saddens Haruka who feels that their friendship was more than just track. But does Tachibana feel the same way?

For the most part, the manga is refreshing, humorous and delightful. I love the build up of the characters and Mayuzuki does put a lot of time into developing them and making sure their interactions are worth it or have some impact.

For manga fans, I feel that many can easily get into “After the Rain” because it’s not difficult to follow and there are only 10 volumes released in Japan (Note: Vertical releases two volumes per graphic novel, so there will be total of five).

Also, I found Mayuzuki’s artwork to be appealing and well-done, not confusing, chaotic but straightforward and easy to enjoy and appreciate.

A delightful and entertaining manga series, if you want a romantic comedy-driven storyline and a story that is easy to follow and enjoy, definitely give “After the Rain” a try!

Definitely recommended!

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