Tsuki Iro No Invader is probably going to be my new example of manga that could have been really great if they were allowed a little more time to flourish and come into their own. Previously I would refer to the 1st volume of a certain manga about cleaning and Gyarus but I think I best not mention that.
This was a hidden gem that by the look of it never got to shine as bright as it could have done.
I think this manga is important to read, not just because it tells a surprisingly compelling story in the 12 chapters of its short run but also because it is the direct antithesis to what i think a lot of slice of life romcom manga have as the main crux of why i drop them or fall behind on releases.
Slice of Life in its most superficial of forms is a genre that is sustainable indefinitely, this leads to an abundance of manga out there running on for waaaaay longer than they have any right to just because situation writing is so easy when you have a cast of characters like this- there's an almost infinite amount of things your characters can be getting up to even after the beach, school festival and all the other tropes have been done. Even after the MC and FMC hook up, there's still content beyond that or the author can simply keep them in a permanent will they won't they state.
Tsuki Iro no Invader tragically never got to suffer from this problem I have with Slice of Life, perhaps that is for the better but I must admit i wouldn't mind going through the motions of the genre with these characters. The premise is really unique, Lunar is interesting enough that I want to see her grow into her own and the cast of side characters whilst not reinventing the wheel provide good enough comedic stipulation that i wouldn't at all mind the inevitable love triangles and maid cafes that the manga never got to have.
It's weird to lament not getting the opportunity of getting bored of a manga and it isn't like I wish that i could get bored of it, I just wish that this manga had been given the opportunity to run for at least another volume or two- even ending at 30 chapters wouldn't be asking too much.
The way the author was able to create a story that even so short was able to evoke feelings in me of wanting more and also a bittersweet goodbye that it desperately scrambled to pull off is really commendable. Whilst Gal Cleaning careered itself into a flaming wreck upon news of its cancellation, Tsuki Iro no Invader bowed humbly out and a conclusion was rushed in the most delicate way possible as to not feel as abrupt as it was in reality.
That conclusion whilst nothing particularly captivating or special was one that I think made the best of its circumstances, there's no way anything could be resolved in a way that made the manga seem like anything but a plot concept that never quite got fleshed out all the way. In fact I think it's kind of fitting that Lunar's stay on Earth was transient and it makes the experience even more poignant for her.
Despite this, I still think it's very much worth the read, even if that's just so there are more people like me out there that will miss never getting to grow bored of it.
Sometimes the most interesting manga and experiences in our life are fleeting and transient; whilst they may never truly blossom or reach their full potential it's important to recognise just how influential something short lived can be.
Whether it's a new opportunity to move forward, a project you're proud of never quite reaching completion or maybe even a short-lived love with a slug from outer space. Sometimes things that sound amazing never quite work out but that in itself is sort of beautiful, don't you agree?
