Tamaki & Amane

Gr 10 Up–Tamaki: a regretful husband, a lonely friend, a dying woman. Amane: a misguided wife, a vengeful widow, an ill child. Both names thread this set of six sentimental stories together, while their plots are woven into one message through their shared motif. Each brisk vignette features different Japanese pairs of characters from various eras and backgrounds who are experiencing troubles. Their relationships are authentically complicated but overall illustrate how love makes life more bearable. For the husband who suppressed his sexual identity, shared responsibilities with his wife result in an amicable family. In another case, for two soldiers it means reintegrating into civilian life. None of their paths ever truly converge though, leaving a regret-tinged feeling of affection and solace. To befit this mature tone and the everyday dialogue, Yoshinaga illustrates in a more realistic josei manga style. Characters display emotional nuances, which become all the more rewarding upon reaching the end.