The publisher categorizes it as slice of life/human drama rather than mystery, but that doesn’t really sound right either.
And here I thought this would be an easy book club idea.
Obviously people can discuss their ideas of what constitutes iyashikei, but in the end I’m happy to leave it up to the individual as to whether they think their nomination is suitable.
I’ve read some of the manga in English, and I think that would definitely count as iyashikei - he may be a villain, but it’s his day off, and all he wants to do is enjoy cute things and avoid conflict!
Title: ふらいんぐうぃっち
Book type: manga
Available formats: physical / ebook / full-furigana
Summary - Japanese
黒猫のチトと一緒に横浜からやってきた真琴は、青森の親戚の家で暮らしはじめました。実は彼女は魔女。今はまだ空をとぶくらいしかできないけれど、又いとこの圭や千夏たちと毎日げんきに暮らしてます。
黒猫のチトを連れて横浜から青森にやってきた木幡真琴15歳。ちょっと方向音痴な普通の女の子です。これから又いとこの圭や小夏の家で一緒に暮らします。青森の高校にも通いはじめ愉快な友達も出来ました。畑なんかも作って魔女の修行も順調です。
Summary - English
Makoto, who came from Yokohama with Chito, a black cat, started living at a relative’s house in Aomori. Actually, she is a witch. I can only blow up the sky now, but I’m also living in good life with my cousins Kei and Chinatsu every day.
Makoto Kohata, 15 years old, came to Aomori from Yokohama with a black cat Chito. I’m a normal girl with a little no sense of direction. From now on, I will live together at my cousin Kei and Konatsu’s house again. I started attending high school in Aomori and made pleasant friends. I made a field and the witch’s training is going well.
Content Warnings
Alcohol (only in the later books I think), dog chase (no one is attacked though)
Reason(s) for nominating: I’ve enjoyed reading through it and found it very relaxed and wholesome with sprinklings of humour.
Just goes to show how variable books can be, I guess. Reminds me of all the “what is a light novel?” discussion.
I think it would fit, I find it to be a very relaxing and sweet read. It does occasionally touch lightly on some themes like life and death but it never feels heavy. Plus cute sea creatures
Title: 妹は猫 1 | L20??
Book type: manga
Available formats: physical / ebook / full furigana
Summary - Japanese
ねこ可愛がりたい妹、登場。
猫人一家に引き取られた人間の猫太くん。そこには、とっても可愛い「猫」な女の子がいて…。
お兄ちゃん大好きな義理の妹・ねねこちゃんとの、ラブリーでキュートなキャットフル・ライフ♪
Summary - English
After losing his mother at a young age, Nekota is taken in by family friends…who happen to be a couple of human-sized walking, talking cats. Not only do his new parents have paws, tails, and furry pointed ears, but now he also has an adorable little sister, Neneko-chan! As a high schooler, he’s integrated well into their household, and his precocious adoptive sister has fully accepted him as her big brother. Whether she’s showing him things she brought home from elementary school, purrsistently asking him to play with her mouse toy, or waking him up at the same early hour every morning for breakfast, life with this charming feline family is never dull!
(Source: Seven Seas Entertainment)
Content Warnings
The MC is taken in by the cat family because his mother passed away, although this is only briefly mentioned at the very beginning of the manga.
Reason(s) for nominating: I’ve read the manga in English and loved it, so I bought the first volume in Japanese. The MC’s new little sister is completely adorable, his adoptive parents are so sweet and supportive, and he himself tries really hard to be a good big brother and son. It’s really heartwarming and lovely!
Excellent, good enough for me! Thanks!
Title: マグメル深海水族館 1 | L24
Book type: manga
Available formats: physical / ebook
Summary - Japanese
マグメル深海水族館は、東京湾の水深200メートルにある世界唯一の水族館。ここでは、深海に潜む生き物たちを身近に観察することができる。清掃員のアルバイトとして働くことになった天城航太郎は、深海生物が大好きで、少し引っ込み思案な青年。ある日、館長の大瀬崎湊人に出会ったことで、彼の人生に変化が訪れる――。深い海の底で生きる深海生物たちの魅力とひとりの青年の成長を描く、心あたたまる物語が始まる。
Summary - English
(DeepL) Magumel Deep Sea Aquarium is the only aquarium in the world located at a depth of 200 meters in Tokyo Bay. Here, visitors can closely observe the creatures that lurk in the deep sea. Kotaro Amagi, a part-time cleaner, is a young man who loves deep-sea creatures and is a bit withdrawn. One day, he meets Minato Osezaki, the curator of the museum, and his life is changed–and then. A heartwarming story of one young man’s growth and the fascination of deep-sea creatures living at the bottom of the ocean begins.
Content Warnings
None known
Reason(s) for nominating: Another one on the TBR. I really like aquariums, and being able to visit a deep-sea one sounds amazing!
Title: 事情を知らない転校生がグイグイくる。 1 | L22
Book type: manga
Available formats: physical / ebook / full-furigana
Summary - Japanese
園辺野小学校(そのへんのしょうがっこう)5年1組に転校して来た高田太陽は、同級生に「死神」とあだ名を付けられた少女西村茜がいることを知る。茜は「死神」とあだ名を付けられイジメを受けているのだが、転校生でクラスの事情を知らない太陽は、「死神」と言う「かっこいいあだ名」を持つ彼女と仲良くなりたいと行動を起こす。やがて太陽の茜に対する素直で真っ直ぐな言動は、周りに少しずつ変化をもたらす。
Summary - English
Nishimura Akane is a black sheep in her class, and not a day passes without her classmates picking on her. But Takada Taiyou is new and has no clue why they would treat her that way. Will his straightforward nature become a ray of sunshine in Nishimura’s gloomy days? Let their wholesome story bring you back to the carefree times of your youth!
Content Warnings
Bullying, parental death
Reason(s) for nominating: I’m about halfway through the anime and it’s sweet and wholesome and would totally fit the vibes of this book club.
I don’t read a lot of manga, so will probably not participate, but I have one series I can nominate because I loved it and it fits this perfectly, imo.
It’s quite expensive, so I’d wait for a sale.
Title:
Book type: manga
Available formats: physical / ebook
Summary - Japanese
とある町に、ひっそりとたたずむ一軒の甘味処。熊と鮭が営むこのお店は、夜だけしか営業していません。
提供するのは温かいお茶と、甘いもの一品だけ。今夜も、疲れて泣きたい人々がこの店に迷い込みます。
夢をあきらめた夜、
愛する人を想う夜、
自分のことが嫌いになった夜。
―そんな夜は、この店で涙を流してもいいんだよ。
主人公たちが知らない、もうひとつの視点から綴った描き下ろし52Pに加え、11のお菓子レシピがついています。
Summary - English
A sweet shop tucked away in a town. This store, run by a bear and a salmon, is only open at night.
All they serve is hot tea and a sweet dish. Tonight, too, people who are tired and want to cry wander into this store.
The night they gave up on their dreams,
The night they think of their loved ones,
A night when you hate yourself.
-On those nights, it’s okay to shed a tear in this store.
In addition to 52 pages of newly illustrated stories from another point of view, unknown to the main characters, 11 recipes for sweets are included.
Reason(s) for nominating: I loved it and I think everyone should read it if they enjoy iyashikei.
I don’t think there’s any reason why someone couldn’t nominate a novel or LN, right? Manga is probably just a lower-hanging fruit to pick from, is why I figure all the noms are manga so far.
Absolutely true. Was just basing it on the current nominations. The only non-manga I can think of is コーヒーが冷めないうちに (series) | L28 and I have read all of the volumes already.
Ah, very true, very true. Honestly I’d love to see a full-fledged iyashikei novel nominated; I don’t know if I’ve heard of one before or not.
accodring to google そして、バトンは渡された | L28 (which I have read and where a child is handed from parent to parent like a baton) and 天国はまだ遠く | L27 (which I am currently reading and deals with depression from burnout and CW: attempted suicide) are 癒し系 and… I guess? it’s the “books that are meant to make you feel emotions, so you get relief in your own life” definition of iyashikei rather than “wholesome”.
So if that is the definition ちょっと今から仕事やめてくる (series) | L28 works, too. But, again, already read it.
Yup, although all the suggestions have been manga so far, LNs/novels are totally fine to nominate, too!
I feel like お探し物は図書室まで | L30?? would count as an iyashikei novel. I can’t nominate it myself though because I’m not ready to read it yet!
(The description says “ハートウォーミング小説”)
We’ve got quite a few nominations already - I’m thinking of starting the vote Friday or Saturday this week, so there’s still time to get your suggestions in for this round!
Any limits to the number of noms per user for this first round?
Nope, go nuts!