Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan is unusual fanfare when it comes to manga yet it is absolutely worth reading. The first volume of the manga introduces 31 year old Omota Uramichi, host of a children’s television host known to many as Uramichi Oniisan. Sure he leads the exercise segments for the show but he also lets the the little ones how how soul sucking real life can be for adults further down the line with timely placed comments about drinking and being sucker punched by God.

This manga is a dark comedy that plays upon pun after pun with quick quips and commentary on the entertainment business, adulthood and expectations and personalities. As elaborated in the afterword, in Japan it is commonplace for children’s television programing to have hosts to be young adults and thus be referred to as Oniisan and Oneesan--older brother and older sister. For readers in the Western World, specifically American, think ‘Blue’s Clues’ versus ‘Mister Rogers’.

The skits and shenanigans that Uramichi and co-workers: Utano and Iketeru, the female and male counterparts who handle the singing portions of the show and two costumed mascots/sidekicks (bear and rabbit) make for hilarious reading and a great way to wave away second hand embarrassment. The characters are the heart of this book and with volume two already out as of February 2021, you have time to trip over the jokes through and cringe at some of the situations that these working adults find themselves in. From failed female idols who are stuck in relationship with comedian boyfriend who just are NOT funny to the eccentric one at work who can’t keep a straight face and will laugh when told pervy limericks and puns, this manga works best when you find yourself caught off guard with the bizarre and quirky--which this book has much of.

I’d suggest for fans for Skull Faced Honda and maybe, Gintama.

A review by divineblkpearl Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan 1 by Gaku Kuze

A review by divineblkpearl
Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan 1 by Gaku Kuze