Novels/Manga/Anime

SHOSHIMIN Series: The Case of the Winter-Exclusive Bonbon Chocolat (Novel)

An everyday mystery series I really like. As a layperson, I find the mysteries sufficiently meticulous, suspenseful, and interesting. But my favorite part is the relationship underneath them: the two leads seem to keep each other at arm's length, yet share an unspoken understanding. It stays with me. I think both the Classic Literature Club series and the SHOSHIMIN series are great works for readers who don't like blood and violence but enjoy thinking about everyday matters; or for readers who like watching a work gradually reveal its characters' thoughts and emotions, and their conflicts or affection for one another, through one incident after another.

Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk (Manga)

A gentle, delicate manga set at a university, where the characters' feelings for one another gradually emerge from their everyday lives. The artist draws beautifully, and the characters' daily lives are lovely to look at. Not a great deal happens in them. But sometimes they use words to confirm or test their relationships, then leave it at that, giving readers room to think for themselves. I really like that feeling. The protagonists start out with a clear sense of distance between them, and that distance keeps shrinking as you read. It's not just the distance between the characters that shrinks, but the distance between the reader and the characters, too. It's comforting.

Food for the Soul (Anime)

A slice-of-life anime centered on university life and food. Through the characters' everyday stories, it portrays ordinary university life that's somewhat relatable, along with comforting relationships. It let me briefly immerse myself in their largely carefree university lives. Although the animation isn't good, I watched it with every meal while it was airing, and felt more relaxed every time I finished an episode. I think it's a good way to unwind amid a busy life.

Shirobako (Anime)

At the beginning of this year, as I was getting ready to graduate and looking for a job, a lot of Shirobako resonated with me. Like the characters in Shirobako, my friends and I were heading off to different companies, worrying about our first steps into working life. Shirobako is a story about the animation industry, but it's also a story about new graduates entering the workforce, continually revising their understanding of society and growing along the way. Shirobako's story is gentler and more encouraging than reality, and it moved and inspired me.

Music Albums/EPs

ベイビー、ぼくらはL.S.D. (2018) (EP) (Baby, we're L.S.D.) by STEREOGIRL

ぽちぽち銀河 (2022) by Satoko Shibata

Tow Moon (2018) by TOMOO

ムーン・ダンス (2003) (moon dance) by Ann Sally

Tea Party (1992) (EP) by yes, mama ok?

9BIT (2018) by QUBIT

Sons of 1973 (1996) by Satellite Lovers

BUMSMONK (2025) by Akiyama ritsuki