A Mangaka's Weirdly Wonderful Workplace

Episodes 1-3

When this show first popped up in front of me, I thought it was just going to be laid-back yuri baiting. The first episode definitely leans into that a little bit, and there are hints at an affection brewing between our titular mangaka and their manager. However, I was pleasantly surprised at just how layered the series actually is. So far, three episodes in, I found numerous points of relatability with our very small and intimate cast. So far, this show uses the creative workplace of a manga artist to talk about insecurity, anxiety, and the life of being a creator. Even the small hints of yuri love are more about our lead Nana just dealing with constant anxiety as someone with no social skills whatsoever.

The show doesn't go into the specifics of making manga, but I don't think that's the intention. This isn't BAKUMAN where the behind-the-scenes aspect is the point. This is more about the environment and the intentions of all of the characters involved. I loved how episode two went into the background of the assistant, whom I first thought was just going to be the straight man to everyone else's antics. But turns out she has her own fears of growing as a creator. This idea of finding complacency by not growing because you're afraid of what happens when you make it big is a plot point that I feel a lot of real-life shows don't delve into. In fact, the show really doesn't try to glorify what it means to be a manga creator, and I respect that. But it also doesn't make the profession a soulless machine (even though you could argue that parts of the industry are like that).

We see Nana still dealing with the stress of reaching deadlines, and how even when she gets additional help, the pressure still boils down to her to finish the actual chapters. It's clear she doesn't have a social outlet, but that's also a sacrifice she needed to commit to this job. The comedy is in Nana making mountains out of molehills, but not irritatingly. As someone who does content creation myself, I have thought about things in almost the same way that she has.

Maybe that's why I like the show so much, so far it seems to be speaking specifically to people like me. I know what it's like to be worried about growing too fast. I know what it's like to reach out to people online for assistance and not know how they'll respond. I'm used to asking people for help, but still feel the pressure of being the one to make the final corrections on a big project. I'm also really bad at accepting praise when I do a good job. I don't think you have to be me to enjoy the show, but I'm glad that it has merit beyond what I initially expected. If every episode is just another snippet into the lives of these characters, dealing with a specific aspect of the creative process, then I have found my comfort show for the season!

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