Title: 世界の果てよりこんにちは (Say Hello from the End of the World)
Author: Nekono Mariko
Release Date: April 10, 2015
Publisher: Libre Publishing
This was the first manga I read by Nekono Mariko. It ran in Be Boy GOLD magazine and since I liked the series I picked up the tankoubon when it was released. The story is about Subaru who was an aspiring singer but was fooled into thinking he was going to become a recording artist and ended up owing money to the yakuza. As a result he was forced into prostitution to pay back his debt. He then meets Simon who comes from thousands of years away looking for the creator of the tune played in a music box that was given to him when he was a child. Subaru happens to be the one who created the song and Simon saves him from his treacherous life and they end up living together. Simon’s hopes is that Subaru becomes a singer and delivers his music to others. Not long after, Eugene from Simon’s world appears to tell him to return. Simon refuses but Eugene tells Subaru that unapproved time travelling is a crime and that Simon would be arrested and lose his life privledges. Subaru tells Simon that he does not want to become and singer and tells him to return home, purposely getting upset at him. Simon leaves but not too long after images of Subaru and Simon and the sound of Subaru’s song makes it onto all media screens across the country.
It’s a happy ending but apparently the author’s first idea was not. I am glad it ended the way it did. I hope she writes a sequel one day. The manga is a nice combination of serious parts and comedy in one book. I like the fact that the ring that Simon gives to Subaru to turn into money to pay his debt originally ends up as a necklace on Subaru’s neck later on in the book. It’s a nice addition and explanation to what happened to it, as he never exchanged it for money.
Cover image from Amazon Japan.