My Broken Mariko

Edit

What would you like to edit?

SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links  

This is my first time writing a review so please bear this with me haha.
I personally believe that this is NOT a fetishization of abuse and suicide. The emotions are raw and the art only amplifies it. Do remember that the entire manga is 4 chapters long with an extra bonus one where it's just another cute flashback and you can practically read the entire volume within 40 minutes.

(Spoilers ahead? I'm not sure) Story&Character: 8 - Art&Enjoyment:10 - Overall: 9

Story & Character: 8 - I give the overall story and character(s) an 8 as with only 4 chapters you can really only do so much ... and it gives a great one throughout the entire run. We are introduced to the main character Tomoyo Shiino at the beginning just having a meal and hearing that her friend Mariko committed suicide. We are given flashbacks throughout the story that gives the readers the details between Shiino and Mariko's relationship. We are shown the beginnings between Shiino and Mariko where they start off in elementary school, then to middle school, then to high school, then adult life before and after Mariko passes. It's clearly shown that the love, whether romantic or platonic, between the two girls are true and strong between each other. We then notice that Mariko becomes obsessive sometime in high school and then develops the personality in which she loves/wants to make Shiino worry for her and to yell at her. I don't know how people can see this story as a fetishization of suicide in my opinion, as it gives a new insight to the change in personality between those who are abused and what could have led them to commit suicide. People like Mariko develop a twisted perspective and obsessive personality that makes them unable to really feel any emotions as they grow up. This can be seen when Mariko is obviously upset and crying when her dad beat her up during elementary and middle school, but sometime around the end of high school and adulthood she doesn't care anymore when she's beat up and seems to approach it as something she actually deserves and wants. Shiino on the other hand obviously cares about Mariko and still stays true to her love and friendship with her especially after Mariko's passing. OF COURSE THE CHARACTERS ESPECIALLY SHIINO ARE GOING TO BE CRYING AND YELLING, BECAUSE THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE UNSTABLE WITH THEIR MIND AFTER A LOVED ONES PASSING. Throughout the story, Shiino is the only one really crying and screaming besides Mariko's father though not as extreme compared to Shiino. This establishes the difference between Shiino and the rest of the world as she seems to be the only one grieving for the loss of Mariko(if you don't want to include her father). Shiino REALLY cared about Mariko and tried to make due with what they missed out on when they were younger and when Shiino was busy due to her job by taking her remains from her father and going out. There are several character interactions that I won't write since I don't want to spoil it for anyone.
- Reason why I'm giving it an 8 and not a 10 is because there are obviously more things that could have been added, and some parts become confusing in the story or are just unnecessary for it to become a 'perfect' read.

Art: 10 - The art is expressive and Waka Hirako is amazing at portraying raw expressions even while adding some humor in the mix.

Enjoyment: 10 - As I said, the story can be read entirely within 30-40 minutes. As a short story and a quick read, MY enjoyment rating is a 10 because it delivers emotions nicely and the art and interactions between the characters are great and albeit realistic. I think what also made the story enjoyable is its humor. There are times where topics about suicide and abuse tend to be fetishized by making the characters too pitiable, too sad, and the story being outright depressing to the point where the story becomes unbearable to read just because it focuses heavily on the sad part and not anything else. My Broken Mariko does a good job of adding humor and other emotions such as anger, confusion, love/compassion in the mix while staying true to the subject matter. The humor is added to lighten the mood and to make the depressing moments even more sad. The anger, confusion, and love/compassion etc. are added in a timely manner when they matter the most.

Overall: 9 - OBVIOUSLY this is not /the/ best manga there is especially when tackling the subject of suicide and abuse, but with all my heart I can definitely say that this is one of the best that I've read so far about the topic. I feel like a lot of people forget that depressed and suicidal people have more emotions that being sad and happy in the past. Not all depressed and suicide people are pitiable and empathetic, there are people such as Mariko who become unlikeable and tend to be one of the people you want to avoid. This story was refreshing to read due to it's content that involves more than the sad and negative tones often displayed in depressing manga. I'd give this a 10/10 just for the enjoyment alone and making me cry. The funny part is, the parts where I cried where also the supposedly funny parts in the story. Do note that this story isn't really supposed to be a manga that "teaches" about suicide and abuse, but more so on a different perspective/outlook about the effects it has on certain people. There are times where people REALLY want someone to be the bad guy where they feel nothing at all, and there are times where people want to show a different side of someone who is supposed to be a bad guy. This doesn't ruin anything but add on to how even if you feel remorseful about what you've done to a certain person and regret your actions, you can and will never be forgiven whether fully or partially as your past actions are too heavy and too sinister to even ignore.

Side note: This manga as well as several others are very personal to me as someone who is also suicidal and depressed. Even when there are people who love us and care about us, in times we just really don't care about anything but ourselves no matter how many times we're reassured with something. Even if we're having fun, even if nothing bad is happening, it still lingers in our mind. And it's only a matter of when and where that we'll actually go through with it. Not all depressed and suicidal people think and feel the same way. But as someone who is part of the 'category' that acts and behaves like Mariko, I can truly say that this is a great manga even with it's minor flaws (just like any other manga to be quite honest haha).

My Broken Mariko is about a woman who reminisces about the times she spent with her best friend after she learns that her best friend committed suicide. But it's too short for a work that deals with topics such as suicide, abuse, longing, and sometimes regret and anger. There is no story in particular, and for the reason I just mentioned about it being way too short, there isn't enough time to connect with or empathize with the characters. While the feelings of a woman who lost her best friend and her anger towards life in general are beautifully presented at times, I think the ... manga fails to deliver any message. In addition, the most unacceptable part for me is that the manga does not reach any conclusion.

I won't comment on whether to recommend it or not because despite the problems I mentioned above, it is a very short manga that does not require much time.

English:
Manga highly appreciated by critics. I found the narrative very boring, I didn't like the development of the plot, nor the ending.
In my opinion, the author failed to work well with the text that the story was following. The idea when I saw it was phenomenal, but saying that the work is good just because it was is a serious matter, it's something I don't talk about.
I recommend reading it if you are a woman and interested, because just because it is a JOSEI does not necessarily make the work good for women. I was so disappointed.
Not to mention the imbecility of putting ... a one-shot by the author into the final chapter and the extra chapter, this really breaks the mood from one to the other, and this one-shot is still bad, I'm not even going to comment.
The manga itself isn't bad, it's getting a 6 because it managed to make an impact, but it wasn't done well.

Português:
Mangá bem super estimado pela critica. Eu achei a narrativa bem chata, não curti o desenvolvimento da trama, e nem o final.
Na minha opinião, a autora não conseguiu trabalhar bem o texto que a história estava seguindo. A ideia quando eu vi era fenomenal, mas dizer que a obra é boa só por causa que era é um assunto sério, é algo que não falo.
Recomendo ler se você for uma mulher e esteja interessada, pois só porquê é um JOSEI não faz a obra ser necessariamente boa para as mulheres. Fiquei tão decepcionado.
Isso sem falar da imbecialidade de por uma one-shot da autora entra o capitulo final e o capitulo extra, isso faz quebrar muito o clima de um para o outro, e essa one-shot ainda é ruim, vou nem comentar.
O mangá em sí não é ruim, está ganhando um 6 pois ela conseguiu passar um impacto, só que não foi bem feito.