Honey and Clover, Vol. 1-9

Honey and Clover, Vol. 1-9
by Chica Umino
Published by VIZ Media

This is a series that I first read when VIZ published their collective magazine Shojo Beat. It was something that was hard to read in a chapter a month format, just because this manga is very slice-of-life.

The art style appealed to me, so I picked up vol. 1-9 (10 is the last volume in the series) from the library and dived in.

The story follows a group of art school students as they go through school and deal with the struggles of transitioning from students to adults, and dealing with expectations that are given to them by the people and world around them.

Hagumi "Hagu", a 18 year old girl who appears (and acts) as a child. Sheltered from her upbringing, she's brought to art college by her cousin and guardian, Shuji, a professor at the art college.

Takemoto, who deals with his place in not only art school, but the role he wants to play in the world.

Morita, who appears as a slacker but also a gifted artist, who has a tendency to miss his final exams and has to repeat and his relation to a mysterious man who shows up to offer him jobs with good pay.

Mayama, who is in love with an older woman that doesn't seem to notice his feelings, and how he has to deal with growing up and proving to her that he is capable of taking care of her.

Yamada, who is in love with Mayama, struggles with staying true to her feelings and wishing Mayama would love her in return.

Because this is a slice-of-life, the themes and point of views change with each volume, but each small snippet of story leaves you with a happy, bittersweet feeling. Some of the stories are cheerful, some of the stories are darker. There are love triangles, there are real emotions that you feel as you come to know these characters.

I haven't gotten to read the last volume in the series (because for some reason the library doesn't have it?!) but I might cave and get it as a ebook, just so I can know how everything ends. I would definitely recommend this for people who don't have the attention for long stories, but enjoy small separate stories with fun characters who learn and grow the more volumes you read.