After everything, I think this page represents the series best.

Jyoshikausei (女子かう生, also Joshi Kausei, lit. Carefree High School Girl) is a “silent” manga by Wakai Ken (若井ケン) about a carefree high school girl and her two friends. When I say “silent”, I mean this manga has essentially no actual dialogue, instead letting the pictures (and occasionally words written down) speak for themselves. The most famous manga of this kind is probably Gon, which I haven’t read but I do know about so that’s something. Jyoshikausei kind of surprised me. The first volume cover, first few chapters, and some pages I’d seen posted before picking it up led me to think this was a quiet version of Kyou no Asuka Show. Kyou no Asuka Show is a manga/anime I like about events in a strange high school girl’s life. She does weird things and people react to her weirdness. It’s pretty good, though terribly lewd, and Jyoshikausei isn’t really like it much. The two title characters are a little similar in that they’re both “odd”, but their oddities are separate. Also, Jyoshikausei isn’t nearly as perverted as Kyou no Asuka Show can get. Instead of being a series about one bizarre high schooler, I’d say that amusing scenes aside the core of Jyoshikausei is “friendship”. It is definitely a healing manga.

There isn’t much to set up here in terms of premise. The series revolves around Futo Momoko (Momo), the titular “carefree high school girl”, and that’s indeed what she is. She’s also very creative, rather a prankster, and super nice (great with kids!). Soon after the manga starts we’re introduced to her two best friends, Shibusawa Shibumi and Koi Mayumi (Mayu). Of course, these characters are never formally introduced, you just sort of pick up their names as you go along.

Made distinct by her glasses, Shibumi is a mostly straight-laced girl who’s known Momo the longest of the three and it shows. The two tease each other regularly in a way that demonstrates a strong bond, such that they can take one another’s burns. Made distinct by her eyebrows and adorable smallness, Mayu is a shy and easily flustered girl who’s the newest among the friends. Her job is to be MEGA CUTE. The eyebrows help a lot to that effect. All the girls at any given moment can become terribly silly.

Most chapters of Jyoshikausei revolve around these three girls, usually together, fooling around or chilling out. They are, in fact, all creative sorts when it comes down to it, particularly in the realm of crafts. This means you’ll often see silly thrown-together things in the manga. It’s cute and charming; I like it.

The pillar of this series is of course Momo, though, and that’s probably why the first few chapters are pretty much all about her and her eccentricities. After we get a feel for her, the series is quick to bring in the full cast and establish the regular atmosphere (although it sometimes focuses on one or two of the cast only). That atmosphere is relaxed, goofy, cartoonish, funny, and cute. Jyoshikausei has gotten me to laugh heartily and smile pleasantly, even managing to pull on my heartstrings more than a few times. The series has a bit of “fanservice”, but it feels more like “well, duh, of course you’d see her panties from this angle” than outright “are you feeling it?” service. That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if this manga tickled any readers’ more base fancies. The art’s quite nice, after all.

And…I honestly don’t have much else to say. This is a review for a silent manga that has no real plot and is instead mostly entertaining, healing delight in comic-form. What else do you think I could say? I like it. Actually, I like it a lot! I’m happy it was a comfy iyashikei series in the end — I love those.

This review’s ending at ~650 words! It’s a miracle from writer, Terrence Smith! He has no more to say on a subject without spoiling things!

Okay! Bookwalker (guide)! CDJapan! Honto (guide)! Ebookjapan! And you can find this series licensed “in English”! The English translation is good! It had better be, since there’s almost nothing to translate! Buy it! Read it! 読んで、お前ら！！

(Oh and by the way you can read the latest three chapters of Jyoshikausei [here] at any time and for FREE. Since it lacks dialogue, there’s no actual language barrier. Check it out!)



ギャラリー

Since I’ve been reviewing comedies that often have something to do with school, the next review will be on Hinamatsuri, my favorite comedy and my second favorite manga of all time. Until then, thank you for reading.