Looking for a feel good slice-of-life series with a splash of drama? Then, give Me And My Gangster Neighbour a shot.
Created by Momose Wataru, Me And My Gangster Neighbour is a manga series about an elementary boy, named Yuuhi and his apartment complex neighbor, Mr. Aoi. Due to an unexcepted event, Yuuhi discovers Mr. Aoi’s secrets: one, that he’s a gangster and, two, he loves cute things. Yuuhi agrees to keep his secrets and a friendship is born.
One big theme of MAMGN (Me And My Gangster Neighbour) is acceptance. Yuuhi accepting Mr. Aoi for who his is as well as his Uncle are good examples of that. It’s not always easy living your life in contrast to what society says is normal. I love how the manga explores that without sounding preachy. People are who they are and that’s that. It’s simple but effective storytelling.
Found family is another big theme in the series. And not just between Yuuhi and Mr. Aoi, but with Yuuhi, his Uncle, and other members of the apartment complex. Mr. Aoi even has a gangster subordinate he cares for along with his sister, even if he doesn’t directly show it. Little by little, the audience is introduced to more members of the cast, including learning of any past sad moments in their life, but we also see how they are moving forward with the help of those around them. MAMGN shows that we aren’t defined by our unfortunate issues unless we choose to let them define us.
Loneliness. MAMGN explores that too, starting with Yuuhi and Mr. Aoi. Thanks to Mr. Aoi, Yuuhi now has someone to keep him company when his Uncle is busy with work. And, Mr. Aoi, in turn, has someone he can share his hobbies with. And not just them, we meet other characters dealing with issues related to loneliness such as school bullying or being a single parent. These people eventually become friends with Yuuhi and Mr. Aoi and are all better off because of it.
Yes, MAMGN can be serious at times, but overall it’s a feel good series with lots of fun moments. And, even when it’s dramatic, it doesn’t dwell on it in an exploitive way. This isn’t a manga that’s dramatic for drama’s sake. It uses a character’s bad experience as a way to better understand themselves and the people around them, resulting in them rising above their past in order to become, or continue to be, good people.
I highly recommend this series to anyone interested in an enjoyable down-to-earth character-driven story with a likeable cast. And, the art’s nice too. Plus, it’s free and legal, Y’all! You’ve got no excuse not to give it a try.
Mammoth Base Opera Castle 