The later volumes of After the Rain Jun Mayuzuki's masterful sci-fi romance series cannot be reviewed without spoiling the earlier volumes, so if you haven't read the first few parts of Kowloon Generic Romance, do so. careful. Kowloon Generic Romance is a languorous, hypnotic book best read without prejudice by a patient reader willing to submit to its leisurely pace, willing to surrender to the delicious nostalgia and longing to experience the undercurrent of existential dread. It's unlike any other manga I've ever read, and I will continue to shout from the rooftops how great it is. With both anime and live-action adaptations promised for 2025, now is definitely the right time to explore your Absolute Self and read the original first.
The wait for each subsequent episode is excruciating, as Mayuzuki only reveals small breadcrumbs of the backstory, each new morsel deliciously tastier than the last. Episode seven in particular provides more development than usual, ultimately confirming that this version of Kowloon is not normal. Kujirai's best friend is Yaomay, who is not originally from Kowloon, having moved to the Walled City six months ago. On her first time leaving Kowloon, she tries to take Kujirai on a tour of Hong Kong, but Gwen, another outsider, stops her. He warns that Kujirai can only exist within the confines of Kowloon and could disappear if she leaves. Understandably, this completely freaks Kujirai out. Further confirming Kowloon's common mistake, a visiting pizza delivery man could not identify the city or Kujirai itself.
Yaomay visited Hong Kong alone, confirming that most residents believed Kowloon had been demolished. Her claims that it had somehow been rebuilt were considered to be nothing more than fanciful urban legends. Upon returning to Kowloon, she tries to discuss her current concerns with Kujirai, but while consuming Kowloon food and drink (the origins of which remain painfully obscure), she suddenly suddenly forgetting his worries and returning to his happy, sunny self. This aspect of Kowloon's nature is disturbing and echoes Miyuki's warning to Gwen not to eat or drink anything native to Kowloon. That's why Gwen survives on protein bars, vitamin supplements, and bottled water—those things keep him from losing his mind. I can't help but remember the ancient Greek legend of Persephone being kidnapped by Hades – when he took her to the underworld; she is tricked into eating the pomegranate seeds grown there, forever bound to the land of the dead, doomed to become the wife of Hades.
Although summer only came during those few months, Persephone was allowed to leave the underworld; In Kowloon, it's a long summer, with chirping cicadas and relentless sun. Yaomay only realized this when she left the city, because even the sky had changed. What is this strange, spooky place? Surely the continued presence of the polyhedral object Gene Terra in the sky above has something to do with it? Is Kowloon a type of projection? An AI-based game? What else? In any case, the terrifying snake-tongued Miyuki's Hebinuma Pharmaceutical corporation appears to be involved and likely also responsible for the death of the Original Kujirai. Her records read “death by suicide” and she was prescribed strong sleeping pills, suggesting possible self-poisoning, but I don't believe it. Original Kujirai's frequent flashbacks depict a woman who is confident, happy, full of life, and in love with her fiance. Many shadowy figures express interest in Kujirai and Kowloon, and the common thread is that some kind of secret (possibly drugs) is related to the Hebinuma Corporation. I expect whatever this happens will have important implications for Mayuzuki's endgame, as important narrative blocks are put in place, even though many mysteries remain unresolved.
While “Generic Kujirai” (as Miyuki now identifies her) and Kudou's relationship progresses to new heights, although Kudou continues to be unable to let go of the past, much of these two episodes instead focus on peripheral characters. We know that there are two versions of Xiaohei—one as a small girl dressed in “Gothic” style clothing, and another as a young, slim, fashion-savvy, and lamenting man. that he can't wear dresses anymore since he grew up. The girl Xiaohei is clearly a resident of Kowloon, and the boy Xiaohei comes from outside. Normally when the Originals enter Kowloon, their “copy” will disappear. This cannot happen to Kujirai because her original is dead, and boy Xiaohei openly wonders why girl Xiaohei is still here. I'm curious to discover what's going on here, especially as Xiaohei's dark story intertwines with Miyuki, his disturbing associate Yulong, and the shadowy head of the Hebinuma Corporation .
Xiaohei is not the only character who blurs gender lines. Miyuki Hebinuma is confirmed to be bisexual, having both male and female genitalia. Even though they appear male on the outside, on the inside, they don't identify as binary, and what attracts them to Gwen is that he's the first partner who doesn't stress about whether Miyuki is male or female. It's a shame that Miyuki feels they have to sacrifice their relationship with Gwen to somehow pursue revenge on their adoptive father. I think this has something to do with using Kowloon to produce “Zirconians”, possibly resurrected versions of the dead? I wonder if they plan to resurrect a clone of their father's deceased biological son? The strange thing is that they say that Kujirai is not a Zirconia. The transparent crystalline form of the mineral zircon is sometimes used as a cheaper, imperfect substitute for diamonds in jewelry, an allusion no doubt intentional on Mayuzuki's part.
Generic Kujirai herself is a charismatic protagonist who continues to forge her own path despite the ambiguity present in her life in her quest to become her “Absolute Self,” inspiring those around her to do the same. Others commented that she did not resemble the original Kujirai despite her identical appearance. Although her true identity and nature are the central mysteries of the series, in a way, she is solving them herself by becoming who she wants to be. Will the universe allow her to continue? Threats she knows nothing about are starting to converge…
The male protagonist, Kudou, also remains something of an enigma – he seems less affected by Kowloon's food and is completely aware of the city's ephemeral nature. He seems trapped by the past, by his love for his lost Kujirai, simultaneously rejecting Generic Kujirai but still pursuing the comfort of her arms. Every moment he spent with her reminded him of what he had lost, but she was still there, in front of him, and he couldn't help but cling to her. In a way, he is a tragic figure.
Mayuzuki's stunning art continues to elevate this complex, nuanced, and mysterious story. Her style has matured since After the Rain, with more detail on characters and settings – especially evident in some of her more impressive single and double page, graphic art equivalents. with a mic drop. This is a much more adult-focused story than her previous work, and episode 8 finally receives a “Sexual Content” warning for its depiction of female nudity in a sexual context. It's still pretty boring and I still don't understand why every other episode is sold out.
I find this to be a series that rewards repeated reading, which is fine, as I slowly lose a bit of my sanity waiting for each new volume to be published. October 2024 saw the publication of volume 10 in Japanese, but the chapter publishing pace of Mayuzuki's Kowloon Generic Romance has slowed, with only 11 chapters published in Weekly Young Jump in 2023 and only 10 chapters until 2024. While I'm desperate to find answers to so many questions, I almost don't want Kowloon Generic Romance to end. At least I'll always have nostalgia drawing me back to re-read the whole thing.
