I read this manga because I had seen so many people raving about how incredible it is, how touching and poignant. I do not particularly agree with that statement, though I do not disagree either. It is certainly not the best single volume work I’ve ever read, but it had a clear and emotional message that, having dealt with both my own and many other’s depression for years, can thoroughly appreciate.

Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan is about a suicidal young woman who meets an inmate on death row and slowly learns to appreciate life. It is an adaptation of a Korean novel called Maundy Thursday by Gong Ji-Young. The story is a little predictable, though the ending is still quite emotional. The art is interesting; the watercolors are beautiful, and the interior art is rather different from what one expects in a dramatic romance manga (but reminded me a bit of the work of Junji Ito, had he gone in a much different direction). The story is short, a single, 8 chapter long volume, that can be easily appreciated to its fullest in an hour or less.

Although I do not quite agree with the sheer amount of praise this story is getting, it is worth reading. It is a touching and emotional story that forces its audience to ask some questions that one might not ask on a daily basis. Definitely worth checking out if you have some free time.

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