Creative Staff
Story/Art: Kanato Oka
Translation/Adaptation: Ajani Oloye
What They Say
Kanade and Otoha score tickets to the Countdown Festival-a massive indoor event to ring in the new year! Surrounded by boisterous friends, good food, and their favorite tunes, the gang reflect on their past experiences and discover new dreams for the future. The festival season may be ending, but the part doesn’t stop in this final volume of Days on Fes!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
It has been way too long since I have been to a concert or a festival. The last two years have been a hell of a time and I mean that literally. I relive my memories vicariously through Days on Fes as I remember what it means to be at a festival. Being at a music festival is one of life’s greatest thrills as you get to experience the thrill of hearing your favorite musician or band. Days on Fes has always managed to capture that spirit wonderfully. There are a few caveats as it only shows the good pure-hearted moments and hides all the ugly aspects. Maybe that coming from an American standpoint so there could be some faults to that statement as this book is set in Japan. But that is all a person needs to remember sometimes. Forget about the ugly and just remembers the positive moments like hanging out with friends as Kanade and Otoha have this entire time.
It smells like teen spirit but the breeze puts a stop to it before it gets too stinky. “With the lights out, it’s less dangerous, here we are now, entertain us, I feel stupid and contagious, Here we are now, entertain us.” Its sure is stupid but it’s not contagious. It is ridiculous but for all the right reasons. The teenage spirit is inescapable but the book doesn’t dwell too long on it. One of their classmates and aspiring musicians, Fukagawa, spends most of his time trying to get the attention of his crush, Kanade. But she is just such an airhead, whose only thoughts are about music festivals, and those intentions just repeatedly get stamped on. There is no rest for the weary as Fukugawa is never disappointed and tries again only to get the same results. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and getting the same results. But it sure is hilarious to watch as he never learns his lesson.
The end just signifies that a beginning is beyond the horizon and this is something that this volume captures brilliantly. Kanade and Otoha’s time attending music festivals has come to an end but the spirit of that time never fades away. Several years later, Kanade is working as a music festival organizer to pass on that spirit that she felt when she was a teenager. She still retains that spirit that took over her during all her experiences and wants others to know the same. People grow up but that doesn’t mean they have to give up on their passions. The adventure continues differently as her passion becomes her job. Having a passion become isn’t the most ideal situation but for a character like Kanade, it’s the best outcome.
In Summary:
Music festivals are a haven for me and this series has captured that feeling majestically. Teenage memories are bittersweet but they are fun to go back to every once in a while. Dreams never die but they evolve in different forms than what people expected. Kanade transitions from being an attendee to an organizer. That transition makes all the experiences that Kanade had made become even stronger in the effect that it had on her life.
Content Grade: B
Art Grade: B
Packaging Grade: B
Text/Translation Grade: B
Age Rating: Teen
Released By: Yen Press
Release Date: April 26, 2022
MSRP: $13.00 CAN $17.00
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher and we appreciate their support of getting multiple views of a property out there.
