Itohen (γγ¨γΈγ) is a single tankoubon slice of life series by Unita Yumi. It was published in 2012.
Kuwabara Nanako is a bit of an air head and currently seeking employment following graduation from college. She stumbles upon a small alteration shop with a beautiful dress in the window. Wanting the dress above anything else she tells the shop owner she wants it. The owner, being skeptical, warns her that it will be expensive as its handmade and will require slight alterations to fit her properly. She doesn't care and comes back once the dress is altered. It fits like nothing has before, further deepening her love for it. The bad news is...she is unable to afford it. She strikes a bargain with the shop owner to work off the price.
The shops owner, Hirata Orihiko, has doubts about the girls abilities. Nanako presses him to let her continue working at the shop once she has paid off the dress. While she has little experience with a sewing machine she is able to convince him that she can do the job. Reluctantly he agrees to take her on as an apprentice and begins to show her the basics as well as expose her to the slowly shrinking world of artisan clothes making. Cheerfully she accepts his lessons and works hard to prove her abilities.
This was a cute and quick read, more slice of life than anything, it is simple and straightforward. The focus of the series is really about the world of tailoring and what it takes to make clothing for commercial sale. Each chapter goes through some steps to explain various aspects of tailoring, things that are above my head as I suck as hand sewing and have never desired to touch a machine. Either way, with the subject matter not exactly matching my personal experiences, Unita conveys an excellent and heart warming tale, with some cautionary aspects to it.
The artwork is fantastic, some of her best yet. Bold, simple character designs with an eye for detail when it comes to the characters outfits. Second nature to her given her previous life as a fashion design student. This is the first time she has really done a manga about that aspect of her life. Typically that only comes in through the character designs. In my mind Unita Yumi is one of the top shojo/josei artists out there and her work is steeping in the genre's style. Panels that focus more on the characters and their interactions than the environment. She has a way with natural dialog and interactions...always ready or more from her.
As with pretty much everything by her this series is not available commercially in North America...sadly so.
Kuwabara Nanako is a bit of an air head and currently seeking employment following graduation from college. She stumbles upon a small alteration shop with a beautiful dress in the window. Wanting the dress above anything else she tells the shop owner she wants it. The owner, being skeptical, warns her that it will be expensive as its handmade and will require slight alterations to fit her properly. She doesn't care and comes back once the dress is altered. It fits like nothing has before, further deepening her love for it. The bad news is...she is unable to afford it. She strikes a bargain with the shop owner to work off the price.
The shops owner, Hirata Orihiko, has doubts about the girls abilities. Nanako presses him to let her continue working at the shop once she has paid off the dress. While she has little experience with a sewing machine she is able to convince him that she can do the job. Reluctantly he agrees to take her on as an apprentice and begins to show her the basics as well as expose her to the slowly shrinking world of artisan clothes making. Cheerfully she accepts his lessons and works hard to prove her abilities.
This was a cute and quick read, more slice of life than anything, it is simple and straightforward. The focus of the series is really about the world of tailoring and what it takes to make clothing for commercial sale. Each chapter goes through some steps to explain various aspects of tailoring, things that are above my head as I suck as hand sewing and have never desired to touch a machine. Either way, with the subject matter not exactly matching my personal experiences, Unita conveys an excellent and heart warming tale, with some cautionary aspects to it.
The artwork is fantastic, some of her best yet. Bold, simple character designs with an eye for detail when it comes to the characters outfits. Second nature to her given her previous life as a fashion design student. This is the first time she has really done a manga about that aspect of her life. Typically that only comes in through the character designs. In my mind Unita Yumi is one of the top shojo/josei artists out there and her work is steeping in the genre's style. Panels that focus more on the characters and their interactions than the environment. She has a way with natural dialog and interactions...always ready or more from her.
As with pretty much everything by her this series is not available commercially in North America...sadly so.
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