When I first picked up Kowloon Generic Romance, I expected a typical slice-of-life romance. What I found instead was something much deeper, something that lingers in your mind long after you turn the last page.
Jun Mayuzuki, best known for After the Rain, delivers a story that feels like walking through a dream, one filled with beauty, sadness, and quiet mystery.
Setting and Atmosphere
The story is set in a fictional version of the Kowloon Walled City, a real place in Hong Kong that was once one of the most densely populated areas in the world.
Here, Mayuzuki reimagines Kowloon not as a dark, dangerous maze, but as a nostalgic wonderland, almost frozen in time.
The city is alive in every panel, crowded alleyways, flickering neon signs, endless wires overhead. The details are so rich you can almost feel the humid air and hear the distant buzz of life.
The atmosphere is quite melancholy. Every street corner feels like a memory, and every sunset feels like it might be the last. It is one of the most vivid and unique settings I have ever seen in manga.
Characters and Story
The story centers on Reiko Kujirai and Hajime Kudou, two real estate agents who work together in Kowloon Housing.
At first, their interactions feel light and casual; they share cigarettes, eat ramen, and tease each other in small, charming ways. But as the story moves forward, something deeper starts to surface.
Reiko sometimes feels like a stranger in her own life. Kudou seems to know her too well, almost as if he is holding onto a past she cannot remember. Slowly, the manga hints that the city and its people might not be what they seem.
Their romance is not dramatic or loud. It grows through everyday moments, small conversations, quiet silences, and shared memories. It feels real, tender, and bittersweet.
Themes and Deeper Meaning
Kowloon Generic Romance is a story about nostalgia, memory, and identity.
It asks crucial questions: What if the things you remember are unreal? What if you are not who you think you are?
The word “Generic” in the title is not just for style. It hints at something unsettling beneath the surface — a world that might be artificial, a love built from longing rather than truth.
Yet, even with these heavy ideas, the manga never feels cold or clinical. It is warm, human, and deeply emotional.
Art and Visuals
Jun Mayuzuki’s artwork is stunning. She draws the city with incredible care, making it feel both crowded and intimate.
Her characters are expressive in subtle ways. A small glance, a soft smile, a slight slump of the shoulders, everything is told through body language as much as words.
Each page is filled with a soft, dreamy feeling, as if you are flipping through an old memory you are scared to forget.
Final Thoughts
Kowloon Generic Romance is not a fast-paced story. It demands patience. It asks you to sit with the characters, to breathe in their world, and to listen to the quiet sadness behind their smiles.
But if you give it your time, it rewards you with a reading experience that feels deeply personal and unforgettable.
This is a manga about more than just romance. It is about what it means to be human, remember, love, and hope.
I genuinely believe that Kowloon Generic Romance deserves even more attention. If it ever gets an anime adaptation, it could be extraordinary. Until then, I will wander its neon-lit streets, wondering what it means to love someone in a world built from memories.
About the Author
