It's already been two years since Hiramoto has given Me and the Devil Blues the attention it deserves! I heard he has been plugging his way with his other series (the gag manga one). What a shame.
And yeah, the art is fekking amazing. The facial expressions especially, which comes out alive and real. I love the rural South American setting and the bleakness and hardships that are conveyed here in just a few arresting panels. And it's bound to have more Bonnie and Clyde in it, which makes it even more of a waste that it's been discontinued. *sobs*
As for Pumpkin and Mayonnaise, I dunno, I liked the pacing and thought the austerity was well-justified on the themes of prostitution and finding meaning to a restless life. And though the ending was fairly positive, I liked how the author didn't magically make the relationship set in sugar and rainbows. The rest of Nananan's works are very short, and you might not really get much out of them (except for the art of course). There's
Blue which is also quite somber but the themes are nevertheless sensitively told and substantial; the art is once again very muted, panels highlighted by subtle movements, impressionistic rather than expressionistic. It’s quite hard to find it nowadays; the last time I checked from my local bookstore was that it has been out of stock for the longest of times. I’d let you borrow mine if I could! I suppose it isn't a surprise to say that I love her works, but I agree that she's not really for everyone.
Natsu no Arashi has been surprisingly enjoyable. I didn't really expect this from the same author as School Rumble. Though I still find his character designs quite unappealing, the backgrounds have that rough, sketchy quality which I love. It kind of reminded me vaguely (very, very vaguely, mind you) of YKK in the early chapters, thinking it would be much more focus on the slice-of-life aspects and the country-side cafe; it's become more focus on the sci-fi aspects now (as of chapter 10) with the beginnings of a plot, I'm not quite certain what to think of those inclusions for now. It is deliciously atmospheric in most parts, and I absolutely adore series where it's set in the rural areas. Thanks for the recc! =>
Oh, and yeah, Giant Killing's OP rocks! The anime is subbed now, and while it doesn't quite capture the stunning visuals of the manga, it's still as low-key and charming. Much better than expected, especially coming from lol!Deen. What did you think of it?