This review contains spoilers. Yumis office lady by day and callgirl by night life is a whirlwind. She is a determined but unconcerned young woman who unlike her coworkers is determined to fulfill each and every one of her whims. Pink documents a fraction of this young womans days sharing with readers her feelings wishes and reasonings as she treads through life. 820https://i.ur.com/q2jCZxp.png source: sparks editionhttps://sparksedition.com/GRAPHICDESIGN/BOOKDESIGNPink ALL THATS RIGHT WITH PINK Kyoko Okazaki is able to communicate her generations concerns in a seemingly unconcerned manner which emphasizes these incomformities themselves: a feeling of void dug into ones soul by media overexposure and savage consumerism. Pink is about its lead Yumi as much as it is about Okazaki and her peers back in the 80s. But this does not mean her message has gone dated by any means as the strong statement that Okazaki directs to anyone and everyone continues to have utmost relevance amongst young and not so much people today. Personally I enjoy books that revolve around a single character quite a bit and Pink is definitely the perfect representative of this. Yumiko is such an iconic character she perfectly embodies the whole sentiment behind the story and is just so endearing to read about. I find it lovely Yumis way of being uninterested in everything besides what really matters to her that being Croc her pet crocodile. Furthermore Haruo serves as a perfect contrast a young man unimpressed and unexcited with life who succeedingly finds a new way to live his days learning from Yumi while complimenting her character. In Pinks afterword Okazaki mentioned Yumikos character being inspired by her sister a Tokyo office lady unmoved by external expectations and very much concerned about her manicure. This goes back to the idea of Okazaki using Pink to protray her own views and observations of modern society as what a better way is there to link the story to her personal experiences than to take direct inspiration from her life? The art is yet another aspect of this manga to congratulate Okazaki on. Her clean yet scratchy lines provide the characters with feeling and expression. It gives the manga a playful feel and complements its comedic aspect emphasizing Yumis irreverent and selfpleasing nature. Much like the story itself hidden behind a funny and bubbly story is a vital message to be passed on proving that lightearted does not equal insubstantial. With Pink Kyoko Okazaki does a great service to Josei contributing to its catalogue and further cementing it as a demographic to be taken seriously. And Tokyo Girls Bravo Rivers Edge and Helter Skelter were yet to come Pinks ending is absolutely fantastic. Yumikos evil stepmother turns her pet Croc into a suitcase in a disturbing turn of events. Yumi disgusted and mad goes to beat her up with a bat but leaves her alone as her little sister pleas for Yumi to pity her mother. The following chapter opens with the phenomenal line: Sorry but Im quick to recover. Thats cause Im dumb and cause I only think about whats right in front of me. The status quo is seemingly restored until Haruo dies offscene in an accident on the street right by a reporter. His death is immediately covered and broadcasted on television playing on the TV at the airport where Yumi waits for her boyfriend. However Yumiko dismisses the news saying: Who cares? Not my problem. in her usual unconcerned self. Firstly such a dramatic ending contrasts the fun and laidback story up until that point making it all the more satisfactory. The seemingly uneventful plot all of a sudden explodes much like one of Yumis whims popping into her mind at a random time. The death of both Croc and Haruo are shocking and Yumis reaction to these so much in character for her disturb the reader more the like. All of it has a horrific edge to it from the cruel way Yumis stepmother mailed her her pet in the form of a suitcaise to the fact that Haruos death is given less than a few pages of development not even being directly shown. This reminds of other Okazaki works notably Helter Skelter which incorporate thriller elements in some form or another something not extensively found in Josei manga. 520https://i.ur.com/yoloCo9.png These above are just some of the many enjoyable tidbits of wisdom Pink has to offer. Such an entertaining funny heavy personal read that is a must I recommend this to anyone and everyone regardless of their taste. Compiled in a single book is the allow me to call Pink ultimate hedonistic young woman Josei story. PD: Credits to the Sin Orden ni Conciertohttps://sinordeniconcierto.com/2016/05/28/decomokyokookazakidesterrolokawaiiyrecauchutoeljoseihelterskelter/ blog which has a terrific review of Helter Skelter that aided me in writing this.