Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou by Ashinano Hitoshi
In a not so distant future, where mankind has scaled back considerably, where most cities have all but disappeared, where nature is slowly reconquering Earth, Alpha, an exceedingly human-like robot, is watching over a small coffee shop in the middle of nowhere.
What is her life like?
Melancholic would be the first word that comes to mind while reading this. Indeed, although the series isn't particularily drama-heavy, the setting of a relatively sparsely-populated world coupled with Alpha's life discrepancy compared to most of her friends, as well as her frequent longing for a better understanding and expansion of her universe, make for a rather wistful mood. That is not to say that it's a depressing read. On the contrary, it's actually competent at balancing all kinds of tones, and it can range from all kinds of sweet moments, to those of wonder, or even to ones of hilarity, and is pretty relaxing, almost soothing, to read overall.
Accompanying the mood is Ashinano Hitoshi's gorgeous art, which fits the various moods well, but it is especially competent at depicting backgrounds befitting a slowly decaying civilization, and often graces the manga with beautiful sceneries. It manages to be both fairly simple, yet pleasant to the eyes.
As generally expected from a slice of life series, story progression if fairly sparse, but that is not to say it doesn't exist, as time actually flows within the manga, and we sometimes get to witness the changes brought with it. Its strength however lies mainly within the exploration and discoveries of the changed world, as well as the occasional glimpses into the backstory of the setting, generally told through the characters' own findings, which add greatly to the sense of wonder and to the witsful mood of the series.
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou is in short possibly one of the most beautifully crafted and unique slice of life series I have ever come across. Be it for its gentle, wistful melody that makes up its tone, its gorgeous visuals, or its subtle story, read it.
