Futari Escape

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READ! FUTARI ESCAPE!!
This is a slice-of-life comedy manga about a mangaka and her lazy freeloader girlfriend, and the various ways they attempt to escape reality and work.

I didn't have huge expectations going into it, but it is FUNNY. It has a surreal, Japanese sense of humor that still translates well into English. It's refreshing in that they're adults, dealing with adult problems, but the tone is never serious unless it counts (and when it does, it's actually very sweet). It's not boring, and it isn't typical either-the two main characters, until later volumes, are really the only ones throughout the entire manga, and so ... you get a real sense of their relationship and past just from their interactions. It sometimes feels like they're the only ones in their world, and it's strangely comforting.

The yuri subtext is really great too. The plot doesn't revolve around it, but it's very clear that they're more than friends, and especially in the last volume, it's a super rewarding type of romance that's established but, again, not boring. It's perfect for someone who likes slice-of-life and yuri together, in just a way that it's nice that it's there.

The best part about this manga is that it doesn't drag or stretch: its the perfect length of rereadable content and it has an amazing, satisfying and sweet conclusion that ties the entire manga into a comprehensible story. I really do recommend this manga.

The story revolves around two girls, a senpai and a kouhai, as they come up with different plans and activities to distract themselves from responsibilities and reality in general. The story is very lightweight - simply put, it doesn't leave you with crippling depression, just what you would expect from a happy go lucky slice of life manga. However, it goes much more from that.

Commenting on the art of this manga, I'd say it was done greatly. Most of the setting in the manga is an actual place in Japan - and they are drawn in neat details. Although, I really cannot make a fair ... judgement on a manga's art, I believe this manga deserves a 10/10.

The characters are amazingly made. The characters are made with flaws - like any other person you would see in real life. This allows readers to (somehow) relate to the characters and makes it a less abstract read in general. The senpai and the kouhai are also very cute together!!!

In terms of enjoyment, as I really enjoyed this manga and eases my burdens in life.

Overall, I guess a 10 would work? This manga deserves a solid 10/10 as it is, in my opinion, somewhat flawless.

Ah, Futari Escape. Further proof you don't need a super complicated premise, plotline, or characters to come up with an entertaining manga. Somehow, I feel like these sorts of manga are even harder to make work (i.e. keep the reader interested) than your more conventional dramatic yuri.

Art -- A bit above average for a manga of its type. Characters are drawn consistently well, and backgrounds during the more travelogue chapters are well-rendered and easily recognizable. Great character expressions and slapstick, above-average panelling work eases the eye along. Senpai's pretty cute.

Characters -- Over about 30 chapters, there is very little character ... progression. That being said, they do get fleshed out more as the series goes on; they feel a bit like flanderized stereotypes in the first few chapters, with rather one-note traits, but become a lot more rounded and realistic in later chapters. The series kind of hits its stride towards the end of the first volume, imo. Did I mention Senpai's really cute?

Misc -- Speaking of hitting its stride--the longer the series goes on past its initial travelogue phase, and the more the two main idiots kind of settle into their roles, the chapters get absolutely wacko. Probably Futari's selling point--the two MCs are simultaneously idiotic and psychotic, and their antics are just super entertaining. Maybe not laugh-out-loud funny like Nichijou, but with the same surrealistic, over-the-top, how-far-can-we-push-this-joke vibe. Pretty cool.

Great yuri subtext too. It's refreshing to see this type of yuri, actually--it's pretty clearly implied the two MCs are together, or at least interested in one another, but there's zero drama surrounding it. There's no dramatic love confessions, no over-the-top feelings, blushing's kept to a minimum--they're basically friends/roomies first, GFs second, sharing a kind of ordinary domestic intimacy together. They just kind of...are.

Futari Escape's a strange manga. Not really for everyone, but if you like the idea of a half-travelogue, half-SOL with two useless lesbians as MCs, then you'll probably enjoy it as much as I did.