Punk meets Gothic Lolita in the new slice of life manga – On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance. There are two sides to every working adult: one they show when they’re on the job, and one they show when they’re off the clock. For coworkers Sotaro Amata and Akira Hanku, this holds doubly true. Outside the office, these fashionistas don outfits that metamorphose them into completely different people! So what happens when they form a connection after hours… without recognizing who the other person is?
Shinnosuke Kanazawa’s manga has already developed a strong following worldwide. Originally serialised on Kanazawa’s Twitter account, the series went viral and became a bestseller in Japan upon its print release. Its subsequent release on Square Enix’s online manga service Manga UP! further raised its profile to the point where an English print release was inevitable. Slice of life has been on the rise again in recent years with titles showcasing unconventional romances like My Dress-Up Darling, Wotakoi and Smoking Behind The Supermarket With You becoming big hits. On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance is bound to appeal o fans of the genre with its fun approach to quirky romances.
In some ways, the series has many of the tropes you’d expect to encounter in an office romance – two people who seem to be radically different coming together over a shared interest. But what sets it apart is Kanazawa’s approach to the pair’s interests. Handsome and cool office worker Sotaro being a gothic Lolita fanboy in his spare time (and looking very feminine in the process) is played off against the cold and strict Akira who in her spare time embraces punk fashion (and goes for a more androgynous look) to great effect. The pair’s inability to recognise each other when they are in the workplace may seem implausible, but Kanazawa’s depiction of both their radical changes in appearance and mannerisms gives the conceit some believability.
On the subject of art, Kanazawa’s illustrations are one of the big plus points of the series. Both the Gothic Lolita and punk fashions come across as authentic and have clearly been researched carefully. Kanazawa clearly has a good eye for fashion and character design which gives On and Off a distinctive style which helps it stand out. And as previously mentioned – his facial expressions and body language work is incredibly strong which goes a long way in establishing how different the two leads are when they are out of the office.
On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance is a standout manga that infuses the best parts of office-based romances with a fun premise. This is a series slice of life fans will easily gravitate towards.
On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance 01 is out now from Square Enix Manga (9781646093670, p/b, £13.99)
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