I love discovering new manga and there is a variety of series for all types of readers. When seeking out manga I decided to check out Volume One of My Wonderful World by Mizuho Aimoto. Here are my thoughts on this manga from Kodansha!
Synopsis: Shinobu Asakura has never been able to read or write—and not for lack of trying. It’s made getting and holding down jobs difficult, and he’s constantly berated by people who think he’s simply slacking off when he’s just trying to keep up. But a chance meeting with a café worker who introduces a new word to Shinobu’s vocabulary—dyslexia—may just change the course of Shinobu’s life forever.
Review:
In Volume One of My Wonderful World, readers are introduced to Shinobu who has struggled with reading and writing since childhood. Because of this, he has had trouble keeping jobs, learning in school, and navigating life. One day he meets a café worker, Haruka, who opens his eyes that he has been living with dyslexia, which gives him clarity as to why reading has been so difficult for him. Determined to have a new outlook on life and try new things, Shinobu takes the reins in his life.
I’m always trying to look for manga that is new to me and this series piqued my interest as I had never heard of a manga that discusses dyslexia. Dyslexia is a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words. Though I have read about dyslexia I did come away from this first installment of this series with a greater understanding of it. Aimoto does a solid job of detailing this disorder as well as showing how it can affect those that have it differently.
It was heartwarming to see Haruka (who has dyslexia) become a mentor to Shinobu as he tries to navigate the newfound relationships and day-to-day situations he deals with. The reader can really empathize with Shinobu and his frustrations not only from his upbringing but also his determination to learn more about it. I think though the first volume is fast-paced it felt somewhat realistic, but at times some of the situations felt a bit far-fetched.
I did enjoy the illustrations and the simplistic drawing style that fit the story’s slice-of-life genre. I appreciated that this series opens an awareness of dyslexia for a wider audience and how informative it was. The manga is mainly a story about prejudices and has a positive message about working towards a goal or pursuing your passion. Volume One ends on a cliffhanger, and I am curious to see how the story and characters will flesh out over the course of the series.
Final Verdict:
This slice-of-life manga gets a rating of 3 out of 5 stars for me! My Wonderful World is a nice start to a series but the second half of the volume felt a bit rushed and jumbled. I think it’s a very informative manga that discusses dyslexia. I can only empathize with the character or storyline, but as an able-bodied person, I’m not sure how accurate the representation is displayed in this story or if I missed subtle nuances in the story.
*I received this manga from Kodansha in exchange for a fair and honest review.
