When I originally read Mizuno to Chayama, (水野と茶山) the thing that struck me, not in a positive way, was the lack of joy or humor or happiness. The only emotion that series instilled in me was relief. When I re-read it in English, it didn’t hit me as hard, but again, my primary emotion was relief that Chayama managed to get out alive at all and that she and Mizuno might be okay.

I say all this because Onaji Tokoro De Nemuru Made Matte (同じ所で眠るまで待って) feels a lot like a Mizuno to Chayama in which one of the principals absolutely refuses to be bound by society’s opinions. As a result, the conclusion felt less like a relief and more like joy.

Leah is…well, she’s a really nice girl, honestly, that everyone in town has something terrible to say about. She’s in a gang, she sells her body, her mom’s in with the Yakuza. The kids in her class are horrible and the adults not better at all. But Leah doesn’t care…that much. She refuses to have her joy in life destroyed by the petty jerks around her. All she really wants is to talk to Shouko. She met Shouko when she was young, and very hungry and her mother who is not well, was not able to care for her. Now she cares for her mother.

Shouko is the star of the school. Her family is famous as a celeb mill. Shouko is already famous as an actor and…whatever her family needs. She hates it, but what is she supposed to do about it? She avoids Leah because she does not want to be reminded of the child she was and Leah’s happiness makes her more aware of her misery.

Of course things do not stay this way. Leah gains an ally in her class and eventually wear Shouko’s walls down. When Shouko finally confronts the lie that has made her miserable all these years, Leah is there. Leah lets her go. Shouko finds herself somewhere far away from her family and Leah follows. They are reunited happily.

There’s a lot of dark here. Old wounds that need to be reopened to heal, a lot of terrible, petty people being terrible, but Leah floats through this story, almost untouchable. You have faith that she will be able to help Shouko, if only the other girl would take her hand…and then she does and she does.

The art is loose and not particularly pretty throughout most of the book which makes the final chapter an extra pleasure. But I want to note that the cover design is a lot. White letters and black letters on yellow, with hats, and candy and scrollwork and dots and stars and then the main characters. Phew. It’s a bit of a headache. I don’t hate it, but I can’t look at it directly, either. ^_^

There is one thing very much of interest in the book design – this series ran in Wings magazine and has been sold under the Hirari imprint. It’s been 8 years since Pure Yuri Anthology Hirari was canceled as a magazine, but it’s legacy lives on. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7, but Leah carries it to 8
Characters – same as above
Service – 1 There’s a pervasive creepiness about Shouko’s family
Yuri – 6

Overall – Solid 7

If you enjoyed Mizuno to Chayama but wished it was a little less violent, you’ll probably enjoy Onaji Tokoro De Nemuru Made Matte. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for more work from Aki60.