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After a while, the sunflower wilted and died without thinking of our feelings.

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō  (Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō, volume 10)

By Hitoshi Ashinano 

6 Jul, 2016

Translation

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You may have been concerned when I skipped a week but never fear! I do intend to finish reading all of Hitoshi AshinanoYokohama Kaidashi Kikō. Which brings us to volume ten. It is a very … Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō volume of Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō.



Before Winter

Ojisan visits Alpha’s new cafe, which she is still rebuilding from the ruins of the old cafe, with added found materials. 

Comments:

There were moments in this volume when the conversations didn’t seem to make sense. Is the translation the problem? or am I just missing something?

Ojisan counsels Alpha to take her time. Very considerate, as that may mean he will not live to see the project completed. 

During Winter

Alpha invites Takahiro to a local shrine for a very special experience. Since Alpha was not specific about what the experience will be, Takahiro is free to fantasize. 

Comments:

Although Alpha assured Matsuki years ago that nothing would come of the attraction between human and robot, there still seems to be something there between Alpha and Takahiro.


Winter’s End

Alpha wakes to find the world transformed.

Comments:

I guess Alpha was careful to stay out of mountainous regions during winter, which is why she had never seen snow.

Maruko Tea

Maruko decides on a whim to check out Alpha, whom Maruko regards as her rival for Kokone’s affections and Nai’s friendship. Alpha for her part has never met Maruko; she has no idea why the strange woman is so hostile

Comments:

Maruko is very, very unpleasant in this episode, which I guess is not surprising given that she seems to be forcing unwanted attentions on Kokone.

Flower of Humanity

Kokone meets with a friend to discuss the strange music given to Kokone by Sensei a volume or two ago. The music evokes emotion but does not confer knowledge.

Comment:

The music is a lot like YKK, which is great at mood and willfully oblique about what the heck is going on. More on that later. 

Echo

Room Monitor Alpha enjoys a quiet swim in the quite surprisingly large canal within the stratospheric aircraft Taapon (which is perhaps larger on the inside). This is followed by a conversation with a colleague, which struck me as melancholy, or ominous, or both. 

Comments:

Why is there a canal in Taapon? How is there a canal in Taapon? Who puts a canal in an aircraft? [Editor’s note: Dr. Who.]

Green

Alpha takes the day off to practice with her pistol.

Comments:

Her rounds produce green lightning. It seems to me I do remember a detail about taser rounds. Alpha just likes the pretty green sparks.

Sleeping People

While Matsuki endures the intolerable boredom of watching Takahiro repair an engine, the Misago takes pleasure in the simple joys of her life.

Blinding Yellow

Alpha’s gardening proves successful beyond her wildest dreams. 


Comments:

After a while, the sunflower wilted and died without thinking of our feelings. 

That’s sunflowers for you. Also possibly a foreshadowing of what the humans are doing to the robots.

Things That Fly

Finding Mitsuki on her own, temporarily abandoned by Takahiro, Ayase makes her a proposition that could alter her life.

Comments:

He’s not coming on to the (much, much younger) Mitsuki, although at first she thinks he is. Everyone in YKK seems to interpret all interaction as potentially romantic in nature. 

Ground Surface

Ayase drops by for a cup of tea at the cafe. During the conversation that follows, he reveals to Alpha that her neighborhood used to be haunted. Having ensured that there will be no sleep for Alpha that night, he wanders on his way.

Comments:

Robots are superstitious? How Simakian.

Ayase seems to accept as his due that people will give him a place to stay, as well as free food.

General comments:

I don’t know why, exactly — maybe it is the constant references to time passing — but I wonder if that was Ojisan’s final appearance? 

We see more wonders and still no explanation as to how this world became the way it is. Some genetic engineers certainly had fun.

As far as I know, this volume is not available outside of Japan.