My Category: Illustrator Working Slice of Life
Momoko, who dreams of becoming an illustrator, finds employment in an ultra fast-paced office that specializes in designing pachinko parlors!! With the office running a yazuka-like business and employing a designer, who has a habit of suddenly stripping in the middle of the night, Momoko believes that the company employees are a bit... no, definitely eccentric!! She continues pulling all-nighters, unable even to return home... And in the midst of cigarette-filled fumes, where women's authority takes a step back, she asks herself, "What am I doing here?"
(Source: Antebellum)
My thoughts: Really liked it, a nice mix of realism and imagination from the author. A balanced focus on both work and romance, with very clean and well drawn art. A fairly light read, has a mixture of light-heartedness and serious scenes. People related to the design and illustration industry can relate, I think. I reread this a couple of times.
Story: 7/10
As a slice of life manga, there isn't a very complex or drawn out plot, but the story progressed at a steady pace, and was well-planned. The story by itself is not particularly intriguing and like most slice of life manga it's the character interactions and growth that's the main focus of the manga, and this was well executed in my opinion. Simple enough, realistic enough to relate to and with imaginative aspects added in to make it more dramatic and fun. The ending may leave some unsatisfied as it is can be underwhelming, but I thought it was a suitably quirky end.
Characters: 8/10
The cast of 3AM Dangerous Zone were all quirky and likable, and is a central part of the manga's charms. Momoko is not a character that everyone can relate to but she's hardworking, childish and frank and basically lots of fun. She has her flaws and her painful moments that I find everyone can relate to. I found her love interest to be rather mysterious and vague, but he's pretty likable as well, and a wonderfully different sort of main lead, not stereotypical at all. The rest of the cast (basically everyone at the company) also really add to the manga and plot as a whole, and they each have a role in Momoko's working life. A shout out to Taki as the weirdest and the one who is actually given a back story ahaha.
Art: 9/10
I really enjoyed the art, it was stylistic and clean. The visual storytelling in this one is really on point, the choices made for each panel well thought out and executed to bring clear understanding and high impact and aptness. It's actually very clean and simple, but in such a way that everything is just right and you don't feel a big gaping space. I also love the perspectives used, they can be quite unique and fun.
Enjoyment: 10/10
I thoroughly enjoyed it enough to warrant a second and third read. Recommending reading for something relaxing but with content and not just some mindless entertainment. It was refreshing and unique to me, and I would describe in one word as quirky.
There are 2 related manga set in the same world, unfortunately they are not scanalated at the time of writing.
Overall, 8/10.
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