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When I looked at the upcoming releases from Yen Press, this manga series with its interesting concept that sounds a bit strange definitely stood out. "Friday At The Atelier" or "Kinyoubi wa Atelier de," as the manga is called in Japan, is drawn by manga artist Sakura Hamada. The series was published from February 2019 to February 2022 in the seinen magazine Harta and will comprise a total of four volumes. For Sakura Hamada, it was the first series publication after previously working on single and short story collections.
How Was It?
Emiko Tamaki is an office worker who no longer finds much beauty in her life. When she approaches a man who has stumbled on the street, she is surprised by his sudden request for her to model for him. The man turns out to be the famous artist Shunsui Ishihara, who wants to depict her naked and covered with fish! And to the artist's surprise, Emiko agrees and soon finds herself in the artist's apartment.
"Friday at the Atelier" by Sakura Hamada is a refreshing work distinguished by its mature themes and artistic style. This series presents us with a complex relationship between a mature office worker and a celebrated surrealist artist, accompanied by a rather curious plot.
Through a chance encounter with the artist Shunsui, Emiko is drawn into an unusual relationship, where she serves as a nude model for his surreal artworks. After their first meeting, several months pass before they meet again and Shunsui hires her as his regular model. Emiko agrees not just for the money, but also because Shunsui serves her the fish as a delicious meal after each session. The basic plot of the manga is indeed bizarre, but that is precisely what makes it appealing.
Shunsui is a classic tsundere. The confident, quirky, and somewhat arrogant artist reveals a shy and vulnerable side through his interactions with Emiko. He loudly and repeatedly declares that he would never date one of his nude models, that he is not "that kind" of artist, but we see how he slowly becomes interested in Emiko's unsuspecting personality and wants to spend more time with her outside of the sessions. The relationship between the two develops slowly, which is part of the series' charm. Emiko, often portrayed as naive and guileless, brings a refreshing innocence to Shunsui's world.
An essential aspect that sets "Friday at the Atelier" apart is its portrayal of an adult romance. Unlike the often idealized and simple relationships in many manga, Hamada hints at the difficulties and insecurities that come with mature relationships.
The manga is shrink-wrapped by Yen Press and marked with a "explicit content" warning. However, the warning on the cover only refers to nudity, as the first volume contains no sexual content. The nude depictions are not intended for fan service but solely to support the story and showcase Emiko's gallant demeanor. Hamada captures the main character's expansive, somewhat clueless personality in her facial expressions and movements.
The illustrations are finely crafted, with some panels drawn much more detailed than others. In the page layout, Hamada remains true to the traditions of seinen manga, with the panels separated by frame lines. Particularly noteworthy are the two-page panels and full-page drawings at the beginning of each chapter. These visual elements significantly enhance the manga's emotional depth and aesthetic appeal.
Yen Press publishes the title in large format. Although there is a color page, it does not show the two characters.
Is "Friday At The Atelier" worth reading?
Sakura Hamada succeeds in telling an unusual and at the same time captivating story that captures both the beauty of art and the complexity of human relationships. For readers looking for a mature manga experience, this work offers a varied story, and one can look forward to how the relationship between Emiko and Shunsui will develop further.
Friday At The Atelier GN Vol 01
€16,50
Tamaki, a woman who's grown tired with her life, is one day asked by the famous painter Shunsui Ishihara to become his model. Not just any model, that is-a nude model. But when she accepts without hesitation, Ishihara is taken… read more
