Preface

Is it possible for a story without any conflict to exist? If so, is it possible for a story without conflict, without drama and with such a slow, almost imperceptible narrative progression, where any problem is totally dismantled in a mere 2 frames, all for the sake of an immense and devastating peace, to exist? Would something like that be interesting enough to last long-term? Would be enjoyable? For the lazies who refuse to read my review, I'll answer in advance. Yes, it's definitely possible.

Now, for the curious, the brave, the adventurous, come and explore with me the reasons why Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san, a story so simple, so raw, so ordinary, in an equally simple way, is so perfect.

Two-in-one - The moefication of Durga and Parvati


First of all, Maiko-san is not a story without conflicts, this information is entirely false. The manga does have conflicts, there is drama, there are problems, what makes me ''sell'' the story in this way are its conclusions, which never extend the problem presented to something beyond it. Problems obviously arise, they are inevitable, the question is what is done with them, and for Maiko-san's narrative, the answer is always short and to the point, problems solved as soon as possible, usually within the same chapter. When long problems that are difficult to solve arise, the story often deliberately omits them in order to maintain the status quo of its premise, which prizes a totally undisturbed peace. In a place where only peace exists, for the balance to be maintained, to sustain this totally unimaginable fable, more unreal than a world with flying cars and talking animals, the existence of two semi-divine characters is necessary, Kiyo-chan and Sumire-chan. The rectification of two ideas, shaped like two cute girls, the moefication in action.

Kiyo-chan is our main protagonist, she's the one driving our story, she's the one who primarily, not solely, moves its structure. She's the one who prints the covers, she's the one who starts the story, she's the one who gives color to the colorless. We see in her a young girl who has left her hometown of Aomori in search of her dream, to become a Maiko in the city of Kyoto. The manga begins her journey at its conclusion, where we discover that Kiyo-chan failed in her mission, didn't manage to become a Maiko, didn't fulfill her dream, but ended up becoming the caterer at the establishment that houses the Maikos in training. In contrast, we have Sumire-chan, her best friend, who together also moved to Tokyo in pursuit of the same dream, to become a Maiko. Unlike Kiyo, Sumire is spectacular at everything she sets out to do, a character created to be totally skilled and dedicated, a pure talent.

From the start, Kiyo-chan is presented with a clear and traditional dramatic scenario. The life of a young girl who left her hometown in search of her dream, which was completely dismantled by her lack of skills, leaving her nothing to do but watch her best friend live alone, what she had dreamed of but had been unable to achieve herself. This is what the imaginary of a man eternally tormented by conflicts has built up, but to my pleasant surprise, I couldn't have been more wrong and farther from the manga's purpose. The malice of my disturbed heart couldn't even scratch the immense, irresolute purity of Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san's narrative.

Always calm and detached, with her mind constantly innocuous, the thoughts that circulate in little Kiyo head are entirely concentrated on the well-being of others. In the world of manga, Kiyo Nozuki is the closest character to achieving Buddha status. She doesn't feel envy, she's proud of her friends' achievements, she doesn't complain about anything, her happiness is found in making others happy, pure and simple. Plus, she's super cute. A goddess among mortals. Within a hostile environment that could have devoured her completely, Kiyo chose to embrace and love it, discovering a new and perfect aptitude for her own life. And what strikes me the most, and what highlights the quality of the story, is how the world itself and its characters make no point of highlighting Kiyo-chan's situation; on the contrary, everything is naturalized, there is no talk about it, which only serves to further expose the detachment of its protagonist, and her happiness found in other activities. There's no room for mourning what has been lost when there's something much better to be celebrated. On the other side of the coin, we can discuss her best friend, Sumire Herai. If we find in Kiyo-chan the strength of love, acceptance, tenderness and empathy, we find in Sumire all the weight of that same love, its consequence, demonstrated by her character's resilience, persistence and obsession with perfection. Sumire is someone who is obsessed with her own art, the best of her generation is precisely the hardest-working and most fanatical artist, who fills her head with only one thing: perfecting herself. Plus, she's super cute too. While Kiyo distributes her affection and love, Sumire carries the responsibility of expectations, of others and of herself, giving herself entirely to what she has always dreamed of, and which she now carries for herself as well as for her friend. Kiyo is the scabbard, Sumire is the sword, the goddess of affection and the goddess of effort benefit each other, each surviving through the love of the other. Both complete each other, both love each other and recognize the value of each other, a different but still unique entity. A cute entity.

A perfect world: The comfort of eternal immobility

img500( https://i.imgur.com/2I8y3k8.jpg) Stories of overcoming and not giving up on your dreams are countless, I'm tired of them. Now, how many stories do we read about letting go of that dream and finding something more fulfilling? Well, Maiko-san Chi no Makanai won't give you that answer, since it's not a story about acceptance, nor is it a story about perseverance, it's more a mixture of the two, with a powerful leaven that solidifies the dough of the two, helping it to grow, a leaven called “daily life”, the good old “Slice of Life”. There's also what's more blatant, which is the beautiful story of being able to share experiences, to enjoy the best moments of your life alongside a partner. It's about taking joy from everything that is done in communion with others. The joy of doing something for someone else. But that part is simple, you absorb it from the start. Let's continue talking about what isn't so explicit.

I dealt with two central characters in the story, Kiyo Nozuki, the goddess of love, compassion and patience. Sumire Herai, the goddess of effort, perseverance and resilience. In addition to the two, there is a third protagonist, a character central to the functioning of your story, who serves to connect your plot, both visible and invisible. I'm not talking about you, my dear Kenta, you have your importance, but not for my review; more important than you, though, is the Kitchen. Not the kitchen environment as a physical, material space, but the kitchen environment as a “historical space”, which only exists through the interactions of its characters.

The Kitchen is where it all happens, where the beautiful recipes take shape, in the succulent and appetizing dishes that leave you salivating with each chapter, it is in this space where we see the process of creation, the love that Kiyo puts into each meal made, the results of his labor manifested, and a meal that isn't just food, but the manifestation of your work for the benefit of someone else, the happiness you find just by sharing something with others. The Kitchen serves to synthesize the perfection of everyday life, which compels us to let our guard down, forget about our problems and cling to a story so mundane that it depends on nothing more than the simple, straightforward mediocrity of our routine. During my reading of Maiko-san, my greatest pleasure was to always read the manga before going to sleep. I didn't read it extensively and in a hurry, I read it only at the end of my day, because I knew it would be the most pleasurable way to enjoy the story, both for its quality and as a personal benefit, getting an excellent night's sleep. Maiko-san Chi no Makanai became my bible.

The Kitchen, that space that is more immaterial than material, where the banal takes shape, is what gives this wonderful story its beauty and quality. The plot doesn't allow any stain on its endless peace. Its structures are not swayed because they do not allow themselves to be swayed, they cannot and should not be disturbed. The utopia of his narrative works because it is utopian, it is utopian because it is ideal, it is ideal because it is desirable, and it is desirable because it is perfect.

Maiko-san's world needs to be unshakeable in order to exalt the beauty of normality. And in its search for an eternally perfect normality, that's where we find total abnormality, the fruit of this absurdly unattainable perfect world. A world where you always do your best, where you always have someone to support you, that someone who motivates you to go after what you're destined to conquer. With two alien protagonists, endowed with human qualities that are immensely desired and rarely achieved, who serve as inspiration and motivation, inspiration not only to carry out challenging and complex activities, but to simply carry out our lives in the best possible way, in the most mundane accomplishments possible, in the most mediocre, banal and passionate way possible. All of this, just for the sake of any other day, just like a slice of our tiny life.