“Alpha stands witness to chronicle the end of humanity’s days with coffee, a slice of watermelon, and the sound of her moon guitar backed by distant seagulls. Quiet and bittersweet, this tale is about the melancholy beauty that can be found even as the end approaches”. (Seven Seas Entertainment)

Such a precise and beautiful description of this manga. Long story short, Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou is a sci-fi slice-of-life masterpiece. There aren't many stories that depict the end of the world in such a soothing fashion. As this manga is a sci-fi slice of life, it's a slow burn by its nature. I would advise you when reading it, to take it in slowly and process it.

Atmosphere
The atmosphere is unique, interestingly there are little bits of philosophising you wouldn’t realise until you think upon it. The themes explored have stuck with me. Inherently what should be a pessimistic story, on the contrary, is the opposite. It showcases the best of people, even when the world is dying. Exploring the core themes of blade runner and expanding on them. I love it tackling memory, optimism, and faith. There’s almost a Buddha aspect to it, of letting life go on. Overall, this is a thought-provoking sci-fi story with an incredibly cosy atmosphere. More importantly, it's not about grandiose ideas, it's about people, it's about connections and unity. There's a beauty to this series that you won't see elsewhere, it depicts individual lives and the things that matter to us. I love the depiction of human emotion (even through a robot), and the sincerity and goodness it preaches.

Time-Plot
I do love the portrayal of time, witnessing Alpha's daily life over the span of years. I adored following her perspective and witnessing the change in her peers over that duration (which is both fulfilling and sad to witness). Alpha has to deal with the fact that people around her will pass away before she does, yet she remains optimistic. The same can be applied to the locations changing over time. This manga virtually has no plot it’s purely character and atmosphere driven. It’s exactly as the descriptor states witness the end of humanity one day at a time.

Art & Writing
Hitoshi Ashinano is one of the best-stylised artists working in the industry. It's difficult to express why the art is so immersive. It's a see-it-and-believe situation. The art is consistently amazing throughout. It’s not meant to be photorealistic, and I think it would defeat the intended atmosphere if he chose that route. The simpler character designs complement the story he chose to tell. The shading is brilliant, he’s so good at utilising contrast, not to the level of Nagabe (but it's damn close). The sequences are just so expertly crafted it’s impressive to read. The author knows how to set a scene through his writing alone and then complement his visual storytelling it becomes one of the most immersive experiences you will witness. The colour pages are surprisingly plentiful and smartly implemented, it’s simply gorgeous. In general, the author knows less is more and that’s the approach he takes with his manga. His prose is surprisingly fantastic. One of the most impressive feats was the first-person chapters. It’s not a dumb gimmick but yeah, he pulls it off just like that. Anyways the panel work is top-notch, the spreads are used appropriately, and there’s never excessive clutter but just a smooth and soothing experience. As a whole, he’s a master in his craft.

Characters
The characters I thought were excellent and executed what he intended well. The characters aren’t morally complex, they are just good people living their daily lives. There’s still internal conflict and characters do grow over time. It’s just not like REAL with its exploration of depression it’s a more soothing slice of life. In terms of the ending, I thought it was appropriate. There are still questions you might have by the time you finish. However, in life you’re might not stumble upon the answer to certain mysteries. Certain subplots can seem like it stopped suddenly, but it was more there to explore a certain theme rather than a certain outcome occurring.

Conclusion
In conclusion, this is a manga I've been reading slowly for a while and it's a rewarding experience. I would highly recommend checking out this sci-fi slice-of-life masterpiece.