
Member Reviews

Thanks NetGalley, Humanoids Inc, and Life Drawn for this arc!
5/5 stars
I would love to move to, or even just visit, Japan, so seeing Julia and Marc go through everything they did before and during their time living abroad was informative and light read. The chapters don't particularly flow with a singular storyline you must remember, so it was easy to pick up and put down. I really liked the art style and the colour scheme, I found they were both really effective! I really enjoyed this :)

3.5
"hanami" is an autobiographical graphic novel that shows the different one shot stories of the author while living in japan with their partner. 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, but it didn't offend me, so that's a plus.

Thank you to Netgalley and Humanoid Inc for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Hanami is an autobio comic about the author and her partner's experience living and travelling to Japan. The art style is one of the most interesting parts of this book with the colors and the way the artist draws expressions. At the end she notes different comics that she drew inspiration from for certain "chapters" and I def see the influences from those Japanese comics.
This book is def. a "I need something light and fun" read. Its not super serious and great to pick up between tasks or when you have a free moment. I wouldn't say there is necessarily a large theme to this book, mainly "be open to trying new things" I feel.
Overall I really enjoyed this comic and would def read another story by this author.

A super cute comic about the realities of moving to Japan!
Hanami is a slice of life comic about a couple who moves to Japan, documenting their everyday experiences. It was broken up into short installments highlighting specific situations which are relatable for anyone who has lived abroad and dealt with cultural differences. The art style was cute and the characters were relatable and had realistic interactions. It's a quick read, and definitely recommended for anyone who has experienced living in Japan, wants to move there, or who has dealt with moving abroad anywhere in the world.

Acknowledgements and a grateful thank you to NetGalley and Humanoids Inc publishing for the opportunity to read and review this e-ARC: 'Hanami by Julia Cejas'. All opinions are my own and are not a reflection of the publishers and/or author, of whom I have no association with.
Five stars out of five (5/5).
Publish Date Aug 06 2024.
"Is there a better place than Japan for a comic artist and a video game composer? Join Julia and Marc as their year in Japan unfolds in a series of short adventures, both heartfelt and hilarious." — NetGalley.
I am a huge fan of both graphic novels and biographies/memoirs so this graphic novel was almost made for me. I loved the playful art and the humorous situations Julia and Marc find themselves in when they move over to Japan. I have always dreamed about going to Japan, but it's too crowded and expensive for my liking.
I would recommend this to my readers simply for the fact that it made me laugh.
Laughter in this world is getting rare. I love when the simple things in life can make you re-evaluate everything. I would love to just drop everything and go to Japan.
I didn't find anything about this book that I didn't like.

A cool collection of short story comics about living in Japan. The experiences are definitely unique and feel more "real," in that they aren't the same idealistic view of Japan, but a journey of growth spurred on by living somewhere new.

This book was quite simple but very sweet. It's a quick read, nothing ground breaking but a nice little excursion into life in Japan. I especially enjoyed the colours that were used!

Thank you NetGalley and Humanoids Inc for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review!
Hanami is a heartfelt graphic novel filled to the brim with humor, personality, and real-life anecdotes. Julia Cejas recounts her and her partner's time living in Japan and all of the ups and downs that come from life abroad. From extremely complex waste management systems to language barrier confusion, Cejas weaves a memorable biography of her experiences that entertain and connect with the reader. I absolutely adored this comic and its humor. It's a great introduction to Japanese culture and lifestyles that had me wanting to book my own flight in the future! Hanami is a heartwarming read that I will definitely recommend to everyone in the future.

The cover of this graphic novel immediately caught my eye, as did its intriguing premise. It tells the story of a Spanish couple who take a leap of faith and move to Japan to live there for a while. The narrative unfolds in short episodes—sometimes just a single page—offering glimpses into their daily lives and experiences. These range from major cultural adjustments to small, charming moments, painting a vivid picture of both the challenges and joys of adapting to a new society.
The artwork is stunning and perfectly complements the storytelling. The color palette is thoughtfully chosen, enhancing the mood and atmosphere of each episode.
What makes this graphic novel special is its universal appeal. For those who have never been to Japan, it offers an insightful introduction to aspects of the culture that might surprise, like the country's meticulous waste sorting system. For those who have visited, it evokes a sense of familiarity, bringing back memories of experiences that might resonate.
Overall, this graphic novel was an absolute joy to read. It beautifully balances humor, insight, and emotion, making it a perfect pick for anyone curious about Japan or simply looking for a heartwarming story.

Hanami by Julia Cejas is a lovely graphic novel following a Spanish couple Marc and Julia as they embark on a leap of faith move from Spain to Japan. It details their acclimation and missteps of living in Japanese culture. Their adventures, foibles, and successes along the way. This was a lovel and quick read!

"Hanami" is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel, depicting a young couple experiencing life in Japan for the first time. It is (by the author's words at the end) 95% autobiographical.
I really enjoyed this one.
The illustration style changed a bit throughout the book, but that makes sense since the author paid homage to different artists who inspired her (and referenced them in the end).
The color palette is beautiful and works so well in this book.
The story itself immersed me and I read it in a heartbeat. It is a light and quick read, but what kept me intrigued was the human experience. I related to the simple everyday experiences that were described, especially the anxiety about talking to people in a different language.
I also learned a lot about Japan and Japanese culture. I believe it is important to learn about different customs and experiences because that broadens our horizons and understanding.
I would recommend this book to anyone who would like a beautifully illustrated light read about everyday life, and to those who would love to read more about Japan and its culture.
Thank you to NetGalley, Julia Cejas, and Humanoids for providing me with a free copy of the book, in exchange for an honest review.

This graphic novel biography of Julia and her husband Marc’s time studying Japanese in Japan was beautiful. It was a nice quick and easy read (it took me approximately 2 days or maybe 4 hours to read). The illustrations were gorgeous, simple but without sacrificing emotional impact. It was very heartfelt and touching. Their story is told through short stories, with many bonus illustrations in the beginning and the end. It felt very personal, like Julia’s own passion project, which I adored. There were fleeting parts where I felt myself a bit unengaged, but overall I wasn’t bored with it at all. This work was incredibly inspiring to me.

This is a lovely story about a young Spanish couple who move to Japan.
Julia and Marc decide to spend something like an adult gap year in Japan. Marc has lost his job and the economy is not great so off they go!
They grapple with the language and the culture, experiencing both the beauty and the complexity of a new country. The artwork is great and the story is engaging especially if you have ever wondered what it is like to live in a different country.

Wow! I feel a little more cultured reading this as I feel like I somewhat went on this journey with how detailed and welcoming the story was. Following these two characters as they choose to live abroad for financial reasons as adults is such a powerful show of how even as afults, we sometimes have no idea what we are doing. The bidet scene was masterful , and the paneling was so perfect at conveying the frantic situation! I loved the way they illustrate the stark difference between what we mean and what we actually say in a different language, and it was so relatable and hilarious to see it portrayed so clearly! There was obviously a lot of care that went into the storytelling and I very much enjoyed living the narrative whilst reading this. Thank you for sharing your story.
Thank you Julia Cejas, Humanoids Inc | Life Drawn, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you netgalley for the arc!
This graphic novel is a memoir of japan comic artist and her partner who was a video game composer. I enjoyed the story about their adventures in Japan. The illustration was very interesting and the story is hilarious. This book has many aspects of Japan cultural, I love all about Japan.

This was adorable. I loved the illustrations. I lived in Japan for a few years, so this was so nostalgic. Nothing beats Japanese snacks! This is a copy I want to own for sure.

Hanami was truly the book I needed to read. I had not read a slice of life graphic novel in a while and I really do enjoy reading those so much.
A young couple living together in Japan? Sounds so fun, right? Well, not really. Our tendency to romanticize life is so common that most often than not the real life experience definitely shakes you up. Reading about the author's life with their partner, squeezed up in a tiny apartment, and trying to work together in the same space was eye opening. Plus, the struggles to get around, learn a language, find food choices in a new country.
I definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy reading about life in general.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the story was really interesting, following the couple as they lived in Japan for half a year. It gave me a lot of info on life in Japan as well, which was fascinating. I wasn't a huge fan of the art style, but that didn't impede my enjoyment much.

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.