Muku Sakisaka/MANKAI Memory

Childhood Memory: MUKU

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2Part 3

Muku	Alright, I’m going to take a look at the shoujo manga corner.
Yuki	I’ll check out the fashion magazine corner.
Muku	Sure, got it.
	Umm, the place the latest issues are displayed is…
	There it is…! The newest issue of “First Love After Clear Skies”!
	(The cover is also really pretty and cute this time.
	Fufu, I can’t wait to read it.)
	(Hmm, Yuki-kun is… ah, there he is!)
	Yuki-kun!
Yuki	Ah, you’ve found your book already. I got the magazines that I wanted too, so I was just thinking of heading over there.
Muku	Huh, you’re buying that many magazines?
Yuki	They had several ones with special features I was interested in, so I figured I'd get those too.
Muku	That makes sense.
	This is the new volume I’m buying.
Yuki	Ahh, did that manga go back to its release schedule? Wasn’t only one volume coming out per year before?
Muku	Yeah, it looks like they’ve gone back to their pace of one volume every six months.
	But you actually remember this manga, huh, Yuki-kun?
Yuki	I’d know that much just being together.
	I’ve borrowed lots of different manga from you, and more importantly, we spend a lot of time together. So I know you really well now, don’t I?
Muku	Fufu, I see.
	(I’m happy Yuki-kun knows about the things I like.)
	(Alright, let’s dive into the latest volume!)
Kazunari	Hold up! Is that the latest issue of “First Love After Clear Skies”!?
Muku	Yep! I bought it on my way home today.
Kazunari	Aww, man~. I’m dying to know what happened to Yorurun and Asako-ccha~!
Muku	Would you like to read it together, Kazu-kun?
Kazunari	Ugh, I’d totally love to, but I’ve got an assignment so I probs can’t today~.
Muku	I see… Good luck on your assignment!
Kazunari	Thanks~! I think I’ll be able to work super hard thanks to your support, Mukkun!
Muku	Hehe, I’m glad if you say so.
	*Sigh*… the 7th volume was so interesting…!
Kazunari	Seriously!? It's a bummer I can’t read it yet…!
	But I’m really looking forward to it~!
Muku	I'll keep it on my bookshelf, so read it whenever you’d like, ok?
Kazunari	Thanks, fam~!
	Let’s talk about our reactions to the manga after I’ve finished it!
Muku	Sure! I’m looking forward to it.
	Ok, I’ll put it on this shelf…
	Ah, the bookshelf is full…
Kazunari	Well, you buy manga every month, dontcha~.
Muku	Yeah, so that’s why my bookshelf fills up really quickly.
	I'll have to go back to my parents' house some other time to drop some books off.
Kazunari	Ah, right! Speaking of your fam’s home, Mukkun’s birthday bromide photoshoot is coming up soon—.
	So prepare the “memorable item from before you joined the theatre troupe” you’re gonna use for that too, ‘kay!
Muku	Oh, that’s right! I have to think about that.
	Thanks, Kazu-kun.
Kazunari	Don’t mention it!

Muku	Good morning!
Izumi	Morning, Muku-kun.
	Oh, come to think of it, your birthday is coming up soon, right?
Tenma	Have you chosen the memorable item you’re gonna use in your bromide photoshoot yet?
Muku	I vaguely have something in mind, but I haven’t decided yet.
	I’m going home to drop off some manga today, so I think I’ll search for something while I'm at it.
Izumi	I see. I hope you find your item.
Yuki	You’re going home to drop manga off again?
Muku	Hehe, my bookshelf filled up again.
Izumi	Isn’t it tough bringing them home by yourself every time?
Muku	Well, it is a bit heavy, but I’m totally fine!
Tenma	Wouldn't it be easier to send them home using a courier service or something?
Muku	That’s true, but I want to keep them neat since they’re really important to me. So I'd like to do it myself.
Yuki	I understand how you feel.
Tenma	I see. I’d also like to keep my bonsai in a nice environment.
Muku	Everyone’s the same, huh?
Izumi	It's great to be thoughtful and take care of the things that are important to you like that.
Muku	I’m home.
Muku’s mom	Welcome home, Muku.
	Oh my, you came back with manga again?
Muku	Yes, I couldn’t keep them at the dorm anymore.
Muku’s mom	I’ve suggested this before, but how about switching to e-books?
	The space in our storage room at home is limited…
	So it might be fine now, but the storage room is also going to fill up at this rate.
Muku	I know that, but…
	I’d like to think a little more about whether to switch to e-books.
Muku’s mom	Oh? …Alright then.
Muku	I guess I'll put the manga I brought back with me on the shelf here… and I’ll bring the ones that were in the bookshelf to the storage room.
	Ah, right. I also need to think about which manga to bring to the bromide photoshoot.
	Which one should I choose?
	I like this one, but I love this series too…
	Hmm…
	…! This monthly magazine…
	“Star and Moon”… that sure brings back memories. I borrowed this magazine from onee-chan and fell in love with shoujo manga.
	*flashback starts*
Muku’s mom	I’m going to fetch the laundry, so play nice, you two.
Muku	Sure!
Muku’s sister	Gooot it.
Muku	(…I wonder what book that is that onee-chan’s having so much fun reading.)
	(There’s a picture of a girl surrounded by animals drawn on the cover…)
	Onee-chan, I wanna read that too.
Muku’s sister	This one? Are you sure? This is a shoujo manga magazine.
Muku	Yeah!
Muku’s sister	Alright. I finished reading it just now so go ahead. I’ll lend it to you.
Muku	Thank you!
	(Ehehe, onee-chan is really nice.
	The picture on the cover of the book is really cute too!)
	(I wonder what kind of story it’ll be…?)
	“Rumi’s Animal Clinic”…
	It’s a story about a doctor for animals.
	Uh… *sniffle*…!
Muku’s sister	EH!? What’s wrong, Muku!?
	Mooom, Muku’s crying!
Muku’s mom	Oh my, what’s wrong!
	Are you hurt somewhere, Muku!?
Muku	UuUh, I’m so glad the kitty cat feels better…
Muku’s sister	Ah…! He read the manga and felt moved!
Muku’s mom	Ahh, so that’s what happened.
Muku	I’m sorry I startled you…
	But tears just came out while I was reading…
Muku’s mom	It’s fine. You’re a kind child, Muku.
	Now then, mom will go bring in all the laundry, alright?
Muku	Ok.
Muku’s sister	Did you like the story?
Muku	Yeah!
Muku’s sister	Then I’ll lend you the next issue after I’ve finished reading it, ok!
Muku	Wahh, thank you! I’m so happy.
	Ah, onee-chan… if it’s alright, can I have this?
Muku’s sister	Sure. But the magazine is really big, so isn’t it a hassle? Are you ok with it?
Muku	It’s no problem.
	Thanks, onee-chan. I’ll treasure it!
	(This story is such a wonderful tale.)
	(When I grow up, I wanna become an animal doctor and save kitties and doggies too.)

Muku	…My dream and what I want to do has changed since then, but I fell in love with shoujo manga thanks to this manga.
	(I also started track and field because I admired the ace from a shoujo manga…)
	(The reason I am where I am today, and how I learned to admire and to want to become something…)
	(All of it is thanks to shoujo manga, which gave me the drive to want to change.)
	(So when it comes to memories, it’s possible to say this magazine is my starting point.)
	I'll bring an issue of "Star and Moon", which has one of my favourite stories from "Rumi's Animal Clinic" to my bromide photoshoot!
Kazunari	Happy birthday, Mukkun!
	CHEEEERS!!
Troupe members	CHEERS!
Izumi	Cheers!
Kumon	Happy birthday Muku!!
Misumi	Happy birthday~!
Muku	Thanks, everyone!
Tenma	Speaking of which, what did you choose as the memorable item for your bromide photoshoot in the end?
Muku	I used the monthly shoujo manga magazine “Star and Moon”!
	Hold on… it’s this one.
Kumon	AH! That’s right, I remember you read that lots and lots in the past, Muku!
Yuki	To think you kept something that old—you really do love shoujo manga.
Izumi	I saw that during the shoot, but it sure takes me back.
CHOICE 1: The picture on the cover is really pretty. [+] Izumi The picture on the cover is really pretty. Yuki That’s true. Was it always this pretty? Muku It always has been. I initially wanted to read it since I was interested in the cover. Yuki Heh, I see. Izumi I get what you mean, feeling curious about seeing what’s inside just from this cover. Muku The cover of "Star and Moon" is always so beautiful and cute... My heart starts racing and I get excited every time I see it! Actually, an art book of just the cover illustrations of "Star and Moon" was released. Izumi Oh, really! Muku It's a pretty big book, so I left it at my parents' house. But I'll bring it over next time. Izumi Eh, are you sure? Muku Yes! I’d love to look at it together with you. Izumi Thanks! I can’t wait to look through it with you, Muku-kun!
CHOICE 2: There was 'All-Serve' or something, right? [+] Izumi There was something like “All-Serve” for magazines like this, right? Tenma All-Serve? Misumi What’s that~? Izumi Eh, don’t tell me nobody knows what I’m talking about!? Kazunari It was called "All Applicants Service", and everyone who applied could get something, right! Kumon They still have that sometimes! Everyone who pays 2000 yen can get it! Muku Yeah, they have that! Izumi Eh, doesn’t it only cost around 500 yen!? Tenma 2000 yen—isn’t that just the same as buying it…? Muku But they offer items you can’t get unless you apply, so that makes you want it.
Misumi	Anyways, this magazine sure is in good shape!
	You treasured it, huh, Muku~?
Izumi	The corners of magazines fold easily, and there’s lots of people who throw them away after they’ve finished reading them.
Muku	That’s true. But I wanted to keep them…
	And I didn't want the corners to get folded—.
	So I keep each and every book inside a zipped plastic bag along with a desiccant.
Kazunari	As expected of Mukkun!
Yuki	You can see Muku’s personality, huh?
Kazunari	By the way, I forgot to ask during the shoot, but why’d you choose this~?
Muku	I started reading shoujo manga because of a manga about a vet that’s serialized in this magazine.
Tenma	Heh, so that’s why, huh?
Misumi	I wanna read that manga too!
Izumi	Yeah, me too!
Muku	Really!? Actually, I’ve also brought the comics of that manga to the dorm after I first moved in.
	It's full of really great stories, the animals are really cute, and the characters and pictures are very appealing, so please give it a read!
Kazunari	Hey, then why don’t we read them together right now!?
Kumon	Let's change this into a party where we can all read and talk about Muku's recommended manga together~!
Muku	Wahh, that sounds fun! I’m so happy!
Yuki	Well, that’s fine, isn’t it?
Izumi	That sounds lovely and fitting for Muku-kun’s birthday party.
Tenma	Yeah, Muku’s the main star today after all.
Misumi	Yep, yep!
	It’s a shoujo manga birthday party!
Kazunari	Let’s discuss together, y’all!
Muku	Ok!
	(In the end, I really love reading the same manga with everyone and talking about our impressions of them together like this.)
	(So that’s why I don't need to switch to e-books until our storage room is full, right?)

Anna