Nagai Michi
Long Road

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A josei slice of life. My first encounter with Kouno Fumiyo's work, and best I think, because it's more subtle and playful than her war themed manga. It's been years, but I find Nagai Michi unforgettable because the dynamic between Michi and her incorrigible husband Sosuke is one of a kind, and from another era. Supposedly based off Kouno and her real husband, Michi the heroine initially comes across as a clumsy, hapless young woman, but later reveals she can be quite shrewd when she wants to. Her arranged husband is a ne'er-do-well who knows what he is, yet shows his "kindness" to Michi by ... not expecting much from her either. Together they make an oddly stable and mutually understanding pair. Michi pulls all the domestic weight, on top of being the breadwinner, but she accepts this arrangement because she was the one who brought the marriage form to Sosuke, to chase after love lost- another man who happened to live in the same area as Sosuke. And Sosuke is aware of this.

The chapters cycle between surreal daydreams, comedic tales of Sosuke's scumminess, poverty, Michi's (mis)adventures, moments where she shows her mettle, and a few genuinely sweet memories. Some chapters are completely sans text, change the drawing style, and have a markedly poetic quality to the paneling, showing off Kouno's creativity and visual storytelling strengths. The variety is a real treat to experience and perfectly appropriate as Michi and Sosuke grow inseparable against even their own expectations.

Long Road is a manga I discovered at the library after reading Koko (from the same author) during my childhood...no wonder I was attracted to that soft drawing style!!

Fumiyo Kouno really has a sweet touch when it comes to creating stories.
As I said, not only the drawing are smooth, but the characters give us a glimpse of reality; whether they may be clumsy, grumpy or determined...they eventually all begin to feel wholesome.
Especially here, our protagonists really are "losers"; they are either naive and useless or grumpy and driven by their sexual instinct...but the story portrays them in a way we can approach their world ... and see what drive them into life.
The story in itself isn't very complicated, but it doesn't mean it's boring. Following the characters in a chapter feels like strolling around for a pleasant walk, bringing the light in everyday life.
If I were to put words on this manga I would say it's a bittersweet reality.
We know they're pathetic and have to live together because of it...still, they can feel joy between themselves.

This is a slice-of-life about a poor couple in an arranged marriage who slowly fall in love with each other.

Normally, I'm a sucker for that kind of plot. And this one is told with quite a lot of charm. The woman is care-free and extremely likable. The artwork is a little sketchy at times, but adds a lot of charm. The plot is told across a series of very short stories, each of which have some central joke or revelation about the characters, and it's a lot of fun.

But...

The man is such a complete jerk. He gets fired repeatedly for ... incompetence. He constantly falls for gambling and "get-rich-quick" schemes. He regularly insults is wife. He hits on every pretty girl he sees, including his sister-in-law and often in his wife's presence, and at one point it's implied that he cheats on her.

How can I recommend a manga where one of the two main characters--who I'm supposed to be rooting for!--is such a horrible human being? 6/10