Last month, voting opened for the annual "Next Manga Awards 2024" in Japan. Out of 8,212 entries, 100 titles have been nominated. It’s difficult to introduce all of them, so I thought I'd highlight a few, though I haven't gotten around to it until now.

In the Comic Division, I believe "Kagurabachi" is the frontrunner, but the Web Manga Division is much more unpredictable, making predictions more exciting. One manga I personally want to highlight is "Girl Meets Rock!" This manga, like the one I reviewed previously, is serialized on Jump+.

"Girl Meets Rock!" is known as "ふつうの軽音部" ("Futsū no Keion-bu") in Japanese, which directly translates to "Ordinary Light Music Club." The title is quite fitting, but I'm personally frustrated that it couldn't be kept as is in the English translation. The title is so profound that I could write an entire article just explaining it, but I’ll do my best to convey its nuances in a way that resonates with readers outside Japan.

First, let me give you a brief synopsis.

Girl Meets Rock! Synopsis

"Girl Meets Rock!" is a high school girls' band youth manga centered around Chihiro Hatono, a first-year high school student with a taste for somewhat niche Japanese rock. The story begins when she buys a guitar and joins the light music club.

The story kicks off with Chihiro fulfilling her childhood dream of playing the guitar by purchasing one as soon as she starts high school. Evaluating herself as being on the lower rungs of the school social ladder, Chihiro isn't influenced by the bright and shiny people around her. Instead, she joins the light music club and starts forming a band.

Since both playing the guitar and joining a band are new experiences for her, the light music club’s activities begin without much fanfare...

Girl Meets Rock! Review

The English title is "Girl Meets Rock!", but the Japanese title translates to "Ordinary Light Music Club." True to its title, there isn’t a bold or dramatic storyline; rather, the reader experiences the everyday scenes typical of a light music club in Japan.

If you’re familiar with works like "K-On!," you might already have an idea, but in many Japanese junior and senior high schools, students are strongly encouraged to join clubs that allow them to engage in sports or cultural activities outside of academics. Among these clubs is the light music club, which is the setting for "Girl Meets Rock!" like in "K-On!".

Light music clubs are a popular theme in manga and anime. Pairing music with the narrative often leads to commercial success. Particularly in works featuring all-girls bands, there are numerous examples, such as "K-On!" and "Bocchi the Rock."

Most works centered around light music clubs depict the characters as vibrant and full of life, showcasing the beautiful efforts, friendships, bonds, and growth of high school girls. However, "Girl Meets Rock!" takes a different approach. It portrays the realistic emotions and actions of ordinary high school students. The character designs aren’t derived from the "moe" trend that appeals to anime fans.

That said, it’s not a heavy-toned manga. It’s drawn with a bright and light atmosphere, closer to a slice-of-life work, but not so subdued that it lacks a proper depiction of youth.

What makes this work truly "ordinary" is its incorporation of the relatable "light music club common story." For those who have been in a light music club, this manga will make you think, "That happened to me too... It's almost embarrassing how much I can relate." The situations depicted in the manga are genuinely ordinary, capturing the real essence of a light music club!

And yet, this manga is far from ordinary. That’s the key to its charm. Let me give you a few examples: "flag termination" and "normalization of diversity."

In manga, there are often predictable "flags" that hint at upcoming developments, but "Girl Meets Rock!" quickly cuts off any unnecessary flags. Normally, a reader might think, "Is this setting up a romantic subplot with this handsome character?" but then it’s immediately explained that "nothing happened in three years," providing a sort of reassurance to the reader.

Moreover, the characters’ struggles, which might be difficult to openly discuss, aren’t overly dramatized or deeply explored. For example, Momo-chan, who doesn’t understand romantic feelings and ends up having a falling out with her friends, or Senpai Tamaki, who continues in the band due to her admiration for another girl—these are portrayed as normal emotions for readers to understand.

Finally, there's the protagonist, Chihiro Hatono. She's not an extroverted character; she tends to be more of an introvert. However, she’s mentally strong and knows how to navigate her way as an introvert. One of the highlights of this manga is Chihiro’s internal monologue as she battles with the popular kids at the top of the school clique.

Chihiro has a talent for viewing things objectively without becoming too narrow-minded. On the other hand, when she does something embarrassing, she’ll flail around in bed, embarrassed, which adds to her cuteness.

Watching her, you can’t help but root for her and her band.

One point I must apologize for is that there is one element that isn't "ordinary." That is the presence of Rin, a band member who is a master strategist. She anticipates the future of the light music club and its interpersonal dynamics, subtly manipulating the actions of the members to ensure Chihiro gets on stage. While her schemes aren’t sinister, readers will enjoy being at the mercy of her clever plans.

This manga is currently serialized on Jump+.

Author: Kuwahari, Tetsuo Ideuchi

Original Story: Kuwahari
Kuwahari, who originally published "Girl Meets Rock!" on Jump Rookie, is the author of the story. This work marks their debut in serial publication.

Art: Tetsuo Ideuchi
The artist, Tetsuo Ideuchi, previously drew a manga themed around ballpark food at baseball stadiums titled "Yakyujo de Itadakimasu" on KADOKAWA’s web manga site "Young Ace UP."