In Volume 4, Asako and Miyako move ever closer. Asako takes Miyako to visit her parents and it’s charming and heart-warming. The pair address Asako’s issues around her birthday and other “learning to be a partner to you” kind of things.
So, when we reach Maitsuki Niwatsuki Ooyatsuki – Monthly With Ooya, Volume 5 (毎月庭つき大家つき) the final volume of Yodokawa’s slice-of-adult-life story, what is there left to cover? Well, the initial premise provides us a chunky plot complication.
You will recall that landlord Miyako was, not too long ago, a lead singer with a popular idol group, Elm. Over the New Year holiday, Miyako and the members of Elm spend some time together…and are seen by paparazzi. Immediately, a rumor pops up that Miyako will return to Elm and take over once again. Miyako, having walked away from that life forever, is in distress and Asako isn’t really able to help.
Once again, this manga pulls out a resolution so elegant, so adult and so thoughtful that it is a tremendous pleasure to read what happens, and the consequences of the decisions made. Honestly fantastic. Fandom is shown as not being as fickle as tabloid press, which rushes to judgement, but there is a undercurrent of “this could go very dark.” Luckily, Yodokawa is not drawing that kind of series. Instead we get more instances of women supporting one another and a new relationship in which the partners are there for one another. Just what I needed to read this week.
My favorite panel is one that made me laugh out loud, very loudly, as Asako and her manga artist friend (and ride-or-die Elm fangirl,) Hatomori both react to the “breaking news” that Elm’s leader Miyako is now – gasp! – a landlord! Fabulous art, and you can just *hear* them both saying “Oh, wow, who knew” in as flat and sarcastic a tone as one can get.
I have enjoyed every volume of this series, and while some part of me wises it did not have to end, I’m thrilled that it ended so well. I am also thrilled that you are able to read Monthly In The Garden With My Landlord, Volumes 1-3 in English from Yen Press now and Volume 4 will be on the way next spring.
Ratings:
Art – 9
Story – 10
Character – 10
Service – 0
Yuri – 10
Overall – 10
This story was never about the destination, but about the journey. And the journey has always been filled with friendship and emotional support.