” ‘What does it mean to be loved by the muses?' Miyuu is attending night classes in the hopes of getting into Tokei University of the Arts. As she works on her painting assignments, however, she's forced to confront her persistent doubts and abysmal self-esteem. And when it comes to the people in her life, she's starting to discover an important lesson: Compassion and cruelty often go hand in hand.” (Yen Press)
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The inaugural volume of Aya Fumino's “The Essence of Being a Muse,” made it clear that the series would present a personal and emotional story of struggles with identity and finding validation through the arts. Moreover, its visual approach and intuitive way of exploring feelings of inadequacy through dialogue and art allowed it to touch on the level as other stand-out mangakas conjuring fascinating melancholy stories, such as Inio Asano and Shuzo Oshimi. Now that the series has concluded at three volumes, Aya Fumio has established herself as a profound talent, albeit one that is still developing.
The story's disjointed flow in “The Essence of Being a Muse” makes it difficult to follow at points, particularly when read with some time between each release. This is complicated by the number of characters that flow into Miyuu's life, holding vast significance to her, but not necessarily as remarkable to the reader. This causes any reflections on other characters' parts to fall short of the protagonist's plight and struggles. The conclusion, in particular, could have easily stopped one chapter earlier and left a much more resonating and poignant send-off to the reader's time with Miyuu.
However, the story's draw is Miyuu's raw emotional output. The final volume brings together everything for the troubled artist, tying all her previous lows into a deeply thoughtful meditation on what it means to create art. This is where Aya Fumino approaches the same brilliance of creators like Asano and Oshimi. Undeniably, there is that feeling of connectivity with the character's struggles that will resonate deeply with those who have experienced prolonged bouts of depression or similar mental health struggles.
The impression left by the work, this being the second project of Fumino, is of a creator who has yet to craft their masterpiece. “The Essence of Being a Muse” comes close to hitting the same beats with the sincere candor of other creators doing similar work, but it still needs that slight refinement in the story to resonate with readers fully. This should not dissuade readers from checking out the work, as the series will only offer more value as Fumino grows as a creator, both as a retrospective and a collector.
Visually, the art could also use some refinement, with static characters being the notable point at which Fumino's style falters slightly. Still, “The Essence of Being a Muse” is a visual wonder outside of moments with little movement, with the vulnerability of Miyuu wonderfully conveyed through a broad range of emotions. The panel work, in particular, is wonderfully realized in pushing dialogue and emotions. Whether it be her riding on a bus surrounded by her memories of the past that show in the windows or a whole page just committed to the line “The world is too filthy to live in without making art” written in a frantic manner. Fumino's approach to visuals gives readers plenty of moments to pause reflect/immerse themselves in the intense outbursts or melancholy of the protagonist.
“The Essence of Being a Muse” is not a perfect manga release, with its outpour of emotions somewhat stunting the story; it is a difficult balance to land. However, Fumino does make a strong statement with this release and her future place among other greats seems almost assured as she moves forwards and refines her vision. You will want to collect this work, as when Fumino releases that masterpiece, you will not only be in the know already but have insight into how a remarkable creator made it to that point.
