Kowloon Generic Romance is a manga written and illustrated by Jun Mayuzuki. She is the same writer and illustrator for After the Rain. Shueisha’s Weekly Young Jump has serialized it since 2019.
Synopsis
This story takes place in the infamous Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong. The most densely populated place on the planet. Reiko Kujirai and her co-worker Hajime Kudou work at a real estate company. They have an unusual love for the city of Kowloon, and they bond about it.
However, there’s something strange happening inside the walls of Kowloon. Is it something nostalgic?
Kowloon Generic Romance Anime Announcement + Live-action TV Series
After five years of weekly manga chapters, an anime and live-action were announced through an announcement video. They set to air sometime in 2025, just like the Kaoru Hana anime.
Announcement Video
What I like About the Kowloon Generic Romance Manga
Unique Story
I actually picked up this manga because of the title and author. I wanted to read a normal and ‘vanilla’ romance manga. But it’s far from a generic romance.
Romance is in the title, but I think romance is secondary to the mystery genre of the story. Us the readers are learning the mystery of the story with Reiko Kujirai. She starts feeling different, and doesn’t know why. The mystery is connected to Kujirai’s co-worker, Hajime Kudou.
When reading the first volume I could feel something was ‘off’ about the setting and characters. The author gives hints here and there but never anything concrete. At times, entire panels reveal obvious clues.
There are currently 70 chapters, and I’m all caught up. However, we’ve only uncovered a bit of this mystery so far. Also, I don’t know where the author is going to take the story to be honest, it could go a lot of different ways.
Art Style
I read Jun Mayuzuki’s first hit manga After the Rain which I thought was just okay when discussing the story. I think it’s unlikable for western audiences because of the huge age gap.
But I love her art style. There’s something about her art style that is old school, like 80’s and 90’s anime style. That art style is my favorite of all time in anime.
Kowloon Generic Romance is no different. You see her signature art style in each of the characters.
Would I Recommend the Manga, the Upcoming Anime and Live-action TV Series of Kowloon Generic Romance?
I highly recommend watching the Kowloon Generic Romance anime and reading the manga. It’s a unique romance I haven’t seen in other stories. There are manga panels I can’t wait to see animated.
I’m not a fan of live-action adaptations of anime and manga. I’m still haunted by the live-action Attack on Titan. But if live-action stuff is your thing, then there’s something to look forward to.
