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A good story doesn't have to be cleverly written.
A good story doesn't need to have interesting characters.
A good story doesn't really have to be stimulating.

First of all, I will share this popular stanza from the poem "The Road Not Taken":
"I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference." - Robert Frost
...
What does Kakukaku Shikajika mean? I have no idea but according to google it means "blah-blah-blah". So this story is an autobiography of the mangaka who is known for her work Kuragehime. Its about her childhood dream to be a manga artist and her experiences along the way that shaped the way she is now. As the title suggests, its the ramblings of a woman who reached her thirties as she reminisces her fond(or not-so) memories.

Story: 9
There are brilliant works out there that makes one struck in awe or those that can stir emotions. This is not really the case for Kakukaku Shikajika. For this genre - slice of life, one creates it with a touch of realism in which the reader can empathize with the character. Also, since its non-fiction, this is purely based on real events and characters. One could say its not creative but how the story is told is done in a creative manner. For those reasons, I gave this a 9.

Art: 8
Of course the art is the first aspect that readers would consider upon reading. This might not be on an outstanding level but it gives off the realistic vibe which makes it very fitting for the story. The sceneries are what I love the best.

Character: 8
There is really nothing to judge here since the characters are based on real persons. But aside from the main character, what makes this manga engaging is her art instructor. Reading about him gives me warm feelings.

Enjoyment: 10
Personally, I very much enjoyed it. The mangaka's reminiscing has drawn me into her world. There are also those humorous moments that makes it well-balanced and an enjoyable read. It made me also think back on those up and downs I had in college. This is best read on a lovely afternoon when you just want to relax.

Taking the average, 8.75 - rounding off, the overall is 9.

On the surface, it seems like just a story about her journey on being a mangaka but I think it is also written for her late art instructor and her fond memories of him. Some stories makes you want to read it over and over again and this is one of those few that makes it on my list. In my uneventful life, its difficult to empathize with the main character but I'd definitely read it again when I'll reach that prime in my adulthood as this manga will surely make you want to jog down your memory lane.