Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni (In This Corner of the World)

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Synonyms: To All the Corners of the World

Japanese: この世界の片隅に

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Information

Type: Manga

Volumes: 3

Chapters: 48

Status: Finished

Published: Jan 9, 2007 to Jan 20, 2009

Genres: Award Winning, Drama

Theme: Historical

Demographic: Seinen

Serialization: Manga Action

Authors: Kouno, Fumiyo (Story & Art)

Statistics

Score: 8.09¹ (scored by 1,811 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #597²

² based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #2535

Members: 8,590

Favorites: 126

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Dec 28, 2018

Revisionary

Recommended

It goes without saying that the Second World War had an immense impact on Japanese culture and society. Depictions of the conflict in anime and manga have typically shown the nation’s part in the global event in a sympathetic light, which is in contrast to Western media. The pacifistic attitudes of the new generation of Japanese people comes is justifiable, given the country’s status as the only country to have been attacked with nuclear weapons. Regardless of one’s opinions towards the controversial nature of Japanese involvement in the Second World War, it is hard to deny the horrific nature of these weapons.

Following in the the ... same vein as “Grave of the Fireflies,” “In This Corner of the World” is a manga written and illustrated by Fumiyo Kouno that primarily focuses on the everyday life of civilian and Hiroshima resident Suzu Hojo during the final years of the war. Throughout these years,, a myriad of issues occur, ranging from maintaining relationships with her new family to surviving American bombing raids. It’s a tale that’s rife with conflicts small and large. Suzu is a captivating heroine because of how relatable she is. In spite of the global scale of the war, the manga’s focus on her life creates a sense of intimacy that is oftentimes lost when it comes to depictions of the Second World War. War is never glorified in this story, and aside from inherent pacificistic undertones, there is no political message. This is not a story meant to serve as propaganda or attempt to victimize the Japanese; rather, it is a story about just surviving and living.

There is a sense of ongoing tension in the story. Hiroshima’s status as one of the two cities that the nuclear bombs were used on is a fact that is almost universally known. As such, readers are constantly aware that the story will involve this major event in some shape or form. As the story progresses, it is hard to not feel anxious for the diverse cast of characters present. Kouno effectively uses history as a way of driving reader engagement, rather than using it as just an excuse to artificially draw sympathy and empathy from its readers.

The story isn’t all doom and gloom, however, as there are light-hearted moments spread throughout. Even amidst the tragedies and obstacles that frequent her life as a result of the war, Suzu and the other characters find moments to smile as well. There are ups and downs in life, and “In This Corner of the World” shows us the human side of a war that is so often glamorized in media.

I will mention that there isn’t a particularly strong narrative thread connecting the events in the story. The story is arguably disjointed at points, but it is my opinion that this was intentional on the mangaka’s part. While this style of storytelling is effective at points, there is a lack of closure for some plot elements that are to the manga’s detriment. However, as a whole, Suzu’s tale is cohesive and wraps up well for the most part, although there will be some points that will require reader speculation.

Kouno’s art is a strong point in this manga. The art is aesthetically pleasing, although not overly complicated. There is an underappreciated simplicity in her drawing. There are occasional coloured inserts which look like watercolour, which carries on her minimalistic theme. Backgrounds are drawn in a very unique manner, with a mixture of styles that varies depending on context. Even if one did not find the story particularly engaging, it is hard to deny the appeal of Kouno’s illustrations.

To conclude, “In This Corner of the World” is a look into the lives of ordinary people who just happen to be caught up in a war. I highly recommend everyone to at least give this manga a shot.

I would also like to take the time to say that the anime adaptation of the source material is also absolutely fantastic as well. It is a highly faithful rendition of the story that is on par with the manga.

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Jul 27, 2017

Agerno

Recommended

Story – 9
Draw – 8
Characters – 9
Enjoyment - 9
Overall - 9

Kono sekai no katasumi ni is one of that tough stories that touch you deep. With this manga Kouno Fumiyo show us the life of a young woman from Hiroshima during World War II.

The story begins with the announcement of the convenience wedding of the main character, Suzu, with a man from Kure, a military port near Hiroshima. She must leave her hometown and go with her husband to live ...

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Nov 24, 2024

Mara2463

Recommended

In This Corner of the World – Spoiler Free – Recommended

TLDR
Story – 5/10 – 5 x 0.275 = 1,375
Art – 8/10 – 8 x 0.2 = 1,6
Characters – 5/10 – 5 x 0.225 = 1,125
Enjoyment – 6/10 – 6 x 0.3 = 1,8
Total: 5,9 -> 6

Story – 5/10
... In This Corner of the World is a manga about survival and overcoming difficulties. The manga's time span is during the 40s, when we follow a girl – called Urano – as she marries a soldier who serves in the Navy.
It ultimately aims to depict civilian lives at the end of the war, and how it affected them. We follow short episodic stories that describe how things went. It also has a high educational and pedagogic intent, as there are multiple informative notes throughout the manga.
There isn't a coherent story, but more of fragments of a pedagogic and episodic slice-of-life during the last years of the war.
There is also, obviously, a depiction of what happened before the drop of the bomb on Hiroshima, as the story is passed in the vicinity of the city. Moreover, we know that this will happen from the beginning, as the table of contents includes August 1945 as one of the chapters (more than one, actually).
However, the story isn't all gloomy, as there are multiple moments that inspire hope for the future and that everyone may return alive, even when things look the bleakest, to help lighten the story, not overburdening the reader with constant depression – although, personally, I wouldn't have seen it as a bad thing. There are also some chapters that are passed after the war, which can mostly be seen in, once again, a pedagogic fashion to teach the reader what truly happened in those times.

Art – 8/10
This one is the strongest point in this manga. In This Corner of the World, having a unique but simple art style is absolutely gorgeous, especially when it comes to the landscapes and the aeroplanes. The cadence of the panels isn't that good, however, making the story rather confusing at times. Moreover, the nature of most chapters – which are very short – doesn't help in the overall scenario of things and in following the story. Character design isn't particularly enticing.

Characters – 5/10
Characters aren't the main focus of In This Corner of the World: it is true that there are main characters, Urano and her husband, but in no way, shape or form are they the centre of the action: what's important is the livelihood of the people during the last years of the war and how it shaped the lives of everyone involved: the agony, the suffering, and the dying people of Japan.
In this sense, the main characters represent a universal character – the common people –, and ought to be represented as such.

Enjoyment – 6/10
In This Corner of the World is a manga about war and the repercussions of war in the daily life of the common people. It is a slice-of-life mixed with the pedagogical and informative dimension; it's quasi episodic nature also doesn't help in creating a coherent story, as, as already stated, it is a collection of small fragments more than a story in itself. Although not the most engaging, the story is interesting enough to keep the reader from leaving. It is nevertheless unique enough to deserve a recommendation, although close to a mixed-feeling stamp.

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Aug 13, 2020

cecropiamoth

Recommended

I read the manga about 5 years ago and found it delightful in the beginning and deeply moving later. I was glad to see the many details of the traditional life of ordinary Japanese people in the period leading up to and encompassing WWII, and I loved little Suzu and her artistic development and sensibility.

The art is memorably sweet and evocative of the fragility of young girlhood, and the main character is one of the most lovable I've experienced in manga simply because she is so honest, simple, and unaffected. The manga's depiction of the way of life of ordinary Japanese people in the period ...

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Feb 27, 2023

knarf_37

Not Recommended

It tells the story of a young woman named Suzu Urano, who lives in Hiroshima during World War II. The manga follows her life as she experiences the hardships of war, including air raids, food shortages, and the loss of loved ones. While the story of In This Corner of the World is certainly emotional and poignant, there are several aspects of the manga that make it a disappointing read.

Firstly, the artwork in this manga is subpar. While some readers may argue that the simplistic and minimalist style of the art adds to the emotional weight of the story, I found it to be a ...

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Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni
In This Corner of the World
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In This Corner of the World
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