Containing two stories from mangaka Okaya Izumi, “Drunks” offers up a pair of romantic short stories. Opening up the collection, the titular “Drunks” follows a man who falls in love with a vampire who first leaves him with the impression of being an alcoholic. “Tik Tok”, about a romance decades in the making, matches up a woman frozen for years with the caretaker of her cryogenic chamber.
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The most recent digital release from Star Fruit Books continues to present independent voices in manga – working directly with creators to give greater creative and financial control of their work, an ideal trend which has lead to a few notable and intriguing releases to come out this year. Consequently, “Drunks” acts as a perfect addition to the publisher's catalogue while being more subdued than previous entries from the publisher.
Perhaps easiest to classify as ‘shoujo', there is maturity in the themes and approach of Izumi that lends to the work being better classified as an artistic expression instead of within the confines of genre. In addition, the mangaka touches on aspects of horror and sci-fi to imbue a sense of the fantastical into, otherwise, simple reflections budding relationships. Essentially, there is a certain familiarity with the work that will appease most readers but the greater draw lies in exploring Izumi as a storyteller and the way he subverts genre to craft unique narratives.
Out of the two entries “Drunks”, feels deserved of the limelight; an endearing tale of love born our of societal indifference (perhaps boredom) about a man who falls deeply in love with a vampire. While easy to make the work sensational or macabre, the story remains nuanced with minimal violence and greater focus on the sense of duty the protagonist feels towards his vampiric partner. The Second entry “Tik Tok” is closely aligned with common shoujo narratives. Idyllic with a poetic flow, the story stands on its own but lacks the charm of the previous entry -lacking in subtle humor and depth of character. Ultimately, the two do pair well together but “Drunks” is, undeniably, the stand-out of the release.
Izumi's aesthetic comes across as personable, stripped back characterizations that portray the every man/woman. Consequently, the art may not ‘wow' but is perfectly apt for the type of stories that the mangaka aims to craft. Overall, the most refreshing thing about the aesthetic is how it conveys the maturity of its subjects – adults focused on practicality over fashion or grand gestures to find a partner.
Star Fruit Books continues to show the care and compassion needed to make these short stories really pop and worthy of supporting the independent creators. Ultimately, the work of Okaya Izumi feels well presented within the English translation (reflective of working directly between creator and publisher).
Star Fruit Books has set the bar high in 2021 with releases such as Monthly Shoujo Sunday and the second volume of Pop Life proving the publishers' knack at finding deeply engaging quality content. Off high expectations, “Drunks” does fall slightly short in its simplistic approach. However, while lacking a sense of profundity, the book is a relaxing and inspired reading that masterfully conveys realistic romances within surreal situations. Ultimately, fans of the shoujo genre looking for content aimed at mature audiences should definitely give this release a shot.
