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Yokohama Kaidashi KikouYokohama Kaidashi Kikou (ヨコハマ買い出し紀行) is a monthly Japanese manga series. The title translates to Yokohama Shopping Log but is known as Quiet Country Caf in its official English title; in Korea it is known as Caf Alpha. The manga is written and drawn by Hitoshi Ashinano (芦奈野ひとし) and is published in the Kodansha manga compilation Afternoon alongside many other famous manga such as Ah! Megami-sama (Oh My Goddess!) and Mugen no Jūnin (Blade of the Immortal). It was first published in June, 1994 and has been running ever since. There have also been two OAV anime series of two episodes each. Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou (YKK) is noted for its beautifully spare pen and ink drawing style, as well as its calm, meticulously paced stories and engaging characters. Unlike many other shonen manga series, there are no scenes of violence, no posturing heroes, and no display of superpowers, in marked contrast to the usual stylistic conventions of its genre. The story is set in a peaceful post-cataclysmic world where mankind is on the decline after an environmental disaster. What that disaster is, the reader is never told, but sea levels have risen significantly, inundating many coastal cities such as Yokohama. The reduced human population has reverted to a simpler life, and the reader is told that humans are witnessing the twilight of their age. Instead of raging against their fate, there instead seems to be a quiet acceptance. The main character of YKK is Alpha who runs an out of the way coffee shop on the lonely coastal Miura Peninsula of Japan. Alpha is a humanoid robot ("robot person") who has been entrusted with the shop by her "owner" who has left on a trip of indeterminate length. Alpha is open, cheerful, gregarious and somewhat naive. YKK is unusual in that it can be said to have almost no plot. Each chapter installment is more like a "slice-of-life" story depicting Alpha and her interactions with the world, as well as the characters she meets when she occasionally leaves her caf to shop for supplies (thus the "shopping log" reference in the title). The stories do have continuity though, and seemingly insignificant details in early chapters will suddenly arise again to pull a later chapter together. Overall, however, there is a distinct lack of a linear plot other than to follow Alpha (and occasionally some of the other characters) engaging in quotidian activities. YKK is noted for deep characterizations, meticulous attention to detail and pacing, and the seemingly infinite open-endedness of the story. There is very little that is explained explicitly by the author, so fans of puzzles, enigmas and speculation will find a deep, interesting world full of curiosities. The stories unfold in a meandering progression, and are by turns funny, touching and nostalgic. The one plot device that is evident in the series is how the naive robot Alpha learns to navigate the human world around her. Robots, we are told in the first chapter, are immortal, and it adds an interesting juxtaposition to the gentle decline of the human race. The origin of the robots, their purpose (if any), and their relationships with their so-called "owners" (who seem to act more like guardians) are unknown. By having Alpha explore the world around her, the author points out the small wonders of everyday life. Whole chapters are devoted to brewing coffee, taking pictures, or repairing tiny model airplane engines. As Alpha experiences these things, the author also makes us aware of their passing: the airplane engine runs out of gas; her motor scooter breaks down; the rising waters encroach on her coffee shop; the neighborhood children she loves grow up and move away. In evoking a nostalgia for this loss, Ashinano follows the Japanese tradition of mono no aware. Major Characters (In order of introduction) - Alpha Hatsuseno: A type A7M2 robot, one of only three production prototypes. She runs "Caf Alpha". Alpha has a surprising telepathic affinity with machines.
- Ojisan: (literally, "Uncle") A nameless grandfather figure to Alpha. He runs a gas station where Alpha fills up her scooter and is the actual grandfather of Takahiro. Has loved Sensei from afar since high school.
- Takahiro: The grandson of Ojisan. He meets Alpha at age nine, and Alpha quickly takes to him as if he was a younger brother. He grows up through the story and eventually moves away at approximately age fifteen.
- Misago: A mystery woman who lives in the inlets and bays near Alpha's caf. She is an ageless wild-woman who lives in the woods stark naked and eats fish she catches with her short fangs and impossibly fast movements. She will only show herself to young children, and shies away from contact with adults. She is regarded as somewhat of a mythical creature. Misago means osprey in Japanese.
- Sensei: (Literally "Doctor") An older classmate of Ojisan's generation. Her last name is Koumiishi, although she is always called by her title. She had a small part in the creation of the A7 series of robots, and hosted Director Alpha in her home (and thus was presumably Director Alpha's "owner").
- Kokone Takatsu: A type A7M3 regular production type robot. She is the first other robot that Alpha meets, and they become fast friends. Kokone became infatuated with Alpha when she delivered a package (containing a camera from Alpha's "owner") to Alpha during the course of her job as a courier. Kokone is sweet, unimposing, and somewhat demure, an interesting counterpart to Alpha.
- Ayase: A wanderer who travels endlessly, relying on his Kamas (a large predatory flying fish) to live off the land. He likes to see the curiosities of the land.
- Makki: A girl several years younger than Takahiro. She likes Takahiro and is initially jealous of Alpha. As she gets older, she becomes closer to Alpha. Her name is actually Matsuki, but everyone seems to call her Makki.
- Director Alpha: The A7M1 prototype of the A7 series, and thus the "older sister" to the other A7 robots. Both Director Alpha and Alpha, the main character, acquired their names because they were the initial models, or "alpha-types", of their robot series. She bears Sensei's last name "Koumiishi" and is a director on-board a stratospheric airplane/spacecraft called Taapon.
- Maruko Maruko: A type A7M3 robot with a rather prickly personality. She works as an artist and is unique in having changed her last name from her owner's to something she decided for herself. She likes Kokone and is jealous of Alpha.
- Nai: A (presumably A7M3) robot. He is unusual, as male robots rarely survived for unknown reasons. He flies an airplane and runs a delivery service.
Curiosities - The A7 series of robots is named after a line of superior Japanese WWII warplanes that never saw production.
- Ashinano seems to be influenced by Chinese culture and myths. The Gekkin guitar is of Chinese origin, and the Taapon airplane is reminiscent of the myth of the great bird Deng.
Publication As of December, 2004, there are 125 chapters which have been collected into 12 tankobon volumes by Kōdansha's Afternoon KC division. The series is in Japanese, and there are official Korean and Chinese editions. There are unofficial English and Russian fan translations. Names Some personal names seem to be inspired by geography surrounding the Yokohama area. There is a bus stop named Koumiishi in Hayama. Atsugi airfield is located in Ayase. There is a place called Maruko where Maruko's gallery is supposed to be. - Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou 1 (08/1995) ISBN 4063210502
- Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou 2 (02/1996) ISBN 4063210553
- Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou 3 (07/1996) ISBN 4063210618
- Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou 4 (03/1997) ISBN 4063210669
- Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou 5 (02/1998) ISBN 4063210812
- Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou 6 (02/1999) ISBN 4063310952
- Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou 7 (02/2000) ISBN 406321110X
- Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou 8 (02/2001) ISBN 4063211207
- Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou 9 (03/2002) ISBN 4063211347
- Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou 10 (03/2003) ISBN 4063211479
- Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou 11 (03/2004) ISBN 4063211592
- Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou 12 (11/2004) ISBN 4063211657
There have also been two OAV anime series of two episodes each. External Links
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