Akira Kawashima of the comedy duo Kirin appeared on the Yomiuri TV program "Kawashima and Yamauchi's Manga Swamp" and talked about popular manga that are trending on social media.
The popular segment "Kawashima and Yamauchi's Recommended Manga!" was broadcast, in which Kawashima and Kenji Yamauchi of "Kamaitachi" passionately present their personal manga recommendations. The second work Kawashima recommended was Nene Atsuki's popular work "Mii-chan and Yamada-san" (Kodansha).
"Mii-chan and Yamada-san" is a 12-month story set in the nightlife district depicting the lives of Mii-chan, a slightly lacking newcomer to a cabaret club, and her coworker Yamada-san. The cute illustrations are unexpectedly contrasted with the harsh plot and suspense elements that have attracted attention, making it a shocking work with a total circulation of over 1.2 million copies in its five volumes.
Kawashima began by saying, "I know I'm saying contradictory things, but I really don't want to introduce it. There are mixed opinions in the manga world." He continued, "Some people say, 'It's too sad, I can't read it,' or 'He shouldn't draw manga like this,' but others say, 'It's so realistic, I can't take my eyes off it.'"
"I think the author has obviously put a lot of thought into his writing. There is this kind of society, there are these kinds of people, and there are people who cannot be saved. There is also a story about accepting that, and the suspense is also really interesting," he said, talking about the appeal of the work, but added, "I have mixed feelings about recommending it, though. It's a work that will really take you over, so I hope you will read it when you have the time."
