This tightly focused autobiographical book tells the story of Julia Cejas and her husband Marc’s time spent living in Japan though vignettes of usually one or two, or at most seven pages. The pieces mostly emphasize the awkwardness of the young Spaniards in the strange world of Japan, a world not just visited but lived in (if rather briefly). However, the book is given a bit more weight and cohesion by the vignettes that tell the narrative of Julia and Marc both trying to navigate transition points in their careers, transition points that culminate in the creation of the book itself.

The shades-of-purple-and-pink color scheme can be sometimes lovely and sometime srepetitive, and Julia Cejas’ touch with faces and figures is sometimes beautifully expressive, sometimes dissonantly caricaturish. The paneling and composition of the page stand out as universal lucid and capable of conveying comedic absurdity or heartfelt emotion with equal weight (compare the vignette on pages 72-73 with the final page of the vignette on pages 101-105 to see this range).

The book is lovely in several ways and tells an ordinary story quite compellingly. It might (very debatably) be described as having a good deal of debut work roughness, but if so, it promises great things to come from Cejas in the future.

Hanami follows a couple, Julia & Marc, from Spain who decide to move to Japan after Marc loses his job. Their time in Japan is told through vignettes, lovingly showing their time in Japan and their experiences as foreigners living in Japan. The art style is muted, using mostly blues and reds so the experience is quick and calm. This book is a love letter to Japan from a foreigner and while a bit disjointed, it’s heart is true. I think those who are interested in Japan would enjoy this; however this is a very light overview of Julia and Marc's experience there so if someone has an in depth knowledge of Japan they may be underwhelmed. An enjoyable and quick read.

I picked this comic purely based on its interesting cover and it didn't disappoint. This graphic novel shows us an engaging story of foreigners in Japan and their experience living in this country. It was funny, it was heartwarming, it was cute. The art style was super interesting and beautiful as well.

Es un libro bastante particular que no lo terminé de entender, parece manga pero a la vez no. Me gusto pero hasta ahí, no me voló la cabeza

My favorite part of Julia Cejas's "Hanami" is the art work. I enjoy the loose style as it makes it seem more personal to the author/artist and less driven by what is in the more established graphic novel/comic art style. I also like that "Hanami" is a memoir of a person living in Tokyo for school and it is not afraid to show the fun and the foibles that the main character encounters. Some of the awkwardness is self-inflicted and some is getting used to living in a city/country that is new and different from one's home country. I was also delighted that the main character is from Spain as it provided an added layer of interest for me as someone who is from neither Japan nor Spain or Europe for that matter. So it was a refreshing point of view in many respects.

There were some transitions that were a little abrupt, but it was easy to get back into the narrative flow. I liked the paneling in that it was kept fairly straightforward and dialogue bubbles were easy to follow.

Overall, a solid 4 stars. Very much enjoyed.

This graphic novel dictates a couples move to Japan and their economic struggles. I adored the colour palette, and although the artwork was not my particular taste, i found that it worked well for this story. I enjoyed reading about the different culture, but unfortunately this book failed to hold my attention.

i don’t love short one shots like this and i think i would’ve thought it was more interesting if i didn’t watch trash taste and knew a lot of this already. also the art wasn’t my favorite. buttt it didn’t offend me so.

This was pretty good! A bit difficult to read at times, both because of the font that was used and the small size of the text, but it was doable. Would recommend it to other people!

I really enjoyed this book. It was beautifully illustrated and a wonderful telling of the author and her partner's journey in Japan.

I loved learning g about a different culture and how they deal with urban left and how the expats are treated when they come to start new lives there. A beautiful and insightful read.

This was a good story but couldn't connect with the characters.
The art style was good but I got a little bored after the start.

I think it was an okay book, it was decent and I don't really have a specific complaint about it. It just didn't do anything for me and kinda bored me. It felt like something was missing or was lacking in the way the story was being told?

Great cover & charming artwork throughout.

I really loved this story of a young married couple from Spain who decide to move to Japan until the money runs out when the economy takes a downturn. She's an artist & he's an engineer who also composes music. They spend a year preparing & studying the language so they're not completely out of their depth when they arrive & this comic follows them as they navigate their way through their time in Japan.
The color palate reminded me of cherry blossoms & just added to the overall vibe of the story.
I would definitely recommend this to people who read manga & people interested in Japan & have already sent one to a friend who works at her local library & is my go-to on these two areas.


Thanks to netgalley & Humanoids for a review copy of this title.

An artist and musician decide to save up and travel to Japan to live for a few months. This is their travelogue of that adventure.

Interesting at start but I could not stay in the story the whole way through. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the free eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

I thought the premise of this sounded interesting, but perhaps it just wasn't what I was interested in at the time. I found it difficult to keep my attention, easy to put down, and a chore to pick back up. For people who are interested in travel journals, I think this would be more appealing. I just didn't find myself captured.

This book had a great premise, with a European couple dropping everything to embark on a once in a lifetime journey of living in Japan. It was fun to read at first, especially since I also had an interest in Japanese culture, but unfortunately it gradually became rather boring as I flip through the pages since the book didn't have a clear plot nor a climax (perhaps due to its slice-of-life nature). Those aside, I pretty much enjoyed the art style.

Hanami is a fun, easy read about a couple's stay in Japan after they realise they have nothing tying them down to their current life. The story is told in a free-flowing way, with a mix of single page snapshots and longer anecdotes. There were some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments (the first experience with a Japanese public toilet!) alongside more moving insights into the mundanity of daily life. There was a sense of appreciation for Japan on every page.

The artwork was stunning and the use of a limited colour palette added to the appeal. With a less rigid approach to line style, Julia Cejas was able to capture emotions in an effective way. I would recommend this graphic novel for anyone interested in travel or Japanese culture.

Thank you NetGalley and Humanoids Inc for providing this e-ARC for an honest review.

While I enjoyed the stories told in this graphic novel, of two young people taking a chance at their dream in another country. I found the fount of the text very irritating to read in a digital format and I did not end upp finishing it.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Humanoids Inc. for the e-ARC. I really enjoyed it!

This book is such a fun peek into life as a foreigner in Japan! Julia Cejas and her husband take us through their year long adventure with plenty of laughs, capturing all the cultural shock and language mix-ups we can all relate to. I loved the blue and red art style it’s super unique and makes each character pop that I can distinct who is who! While the cozy apartment scenes and their language struggles were great, I kind of wished there was a bit more about Japanese culture. It’s a cute, quirky graphic novel that’s perfect if you’re curious about Japan or just want a chill read.