Reading Japanese manga: Yuru Camp

I recently started reading my first manga series, Laid-Back Camp by Afro (Yuru Camp in Japanese). It's about a group of female high school students who go camping in their spare time, and it shows that a comic doesn't have to have a grand idea and action behind it to be entertaining, popular, and explore universal themes like friendship.

The series now has thirteen volumes published between 2015 and 2023, and it has also been adapted into anime, which is how I first became aware of it. But first, I'd like to read all thirteen volumes before watching the animated movie. I'm grateful that my library has them all translated into English.

Reading the pages and comic panels from right to left takes some getting used to. In addition, unlike in Western comics, the speech and thought bubbles are long rather than wide. I wish the illustrations were in color so I could appreciate them more, but I understand the practicality of black-and-white illustrations. I enjoy the comic's humor and lightheartedness, which serves as a good reminder for me to be a little less serious in my own comics.

This comic is surprisingly educational about camping and Japan in general. I particularly appreciate the translation notes (see below), which provide additional context for Japanese customs and vocabulary used in the comics that non-Japanese readers might not be familiar with. I’m learning a lot about different regions, including their natural beauty and cuisine, and I'm surprising my husband with new vocabulary 🙂. It would be a good read for anyone interested in Japan, whether you enjoy camping or not. And who knows, it might encourage you to spend more time in nature, as it did for many people during the pandemic.

Have you ever read manga, and if so, which series is your favorite?