A Mangaka's Weirdly Wonderful Workplace

Episode 4

Have you ever worked so hard that you don't even think about what you would do if it were actually successful? Nana brings that up as an idea in this episode, and I can't really describe how hard it hit home for me. While I can't necessarily relate by saying that I am also a published manga author, sometimes I get so involved in my work and just meeting deadlines that I never stop to reflect on what it is that I am actually building. This idea that you get into such a routine, fulfilling deadlines, that you become detached from the idea that what you're working on is actually going to be seen by other people out there is palpable. It's almost like there's no room in your brain to really think about it, and considering how much anxiety Nana is constantly filled with throughout the show, it's not too surprising that she was caught off guard by her own success.

This episode took a step back from the comedy and felt slower. Almost half of this episode was Nana going around with her editor to sign copies that would be sold in bookstores. But I like that I was never bored because the slow reality of the situation settling into Nana was at the forefront. I like how her modern success offered a great opportunity to give us some context on how Nana and Kaede began working with each other. The fact that Nana went from an editor who rejected all of her ideas because they didn't fit his personal preferences to an editor who seems to give her plenty of space to let her creativity blossom was actually really sweet and explains so much.

I still don't know if the show is pushing for romance between them (I can't tell if the bar scene at the end of the episode is leaning into the idea or making fun of it), but I do like the camaraderie they have for each other. Nana seems to genuinely respect and look up to Kaede, while Kaede truly does see a lot of talent in Nana. The two believe in each other in a way that they don't believe in themselves, and I think that's really important. There's not much to add here outside of the fact that this was just a solid feel-good episode. I wonder what the next step on Nana's journey will be.

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A Mangaka's Weirdly Wonderful Workplace is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.