Indonesian Publication: Is It Worth to Buy?
Regarding the book price, The Memorandum Of Kyoko Okitegami Manga is sold for IDR 40,000 (about US$ 2.8) while regular manga publiahed in Indonesia are usually sold for around IDR 25,000 (about US$ 1.74). The price may vary depending on the bookstore’s policy and location, but it is clear that The Memorandum Of Kyoko Okitegami manga is more expensive than regular manga book that published in Indonesia.
Fortunately, the printing quality looks better than those regular manga. It looks like the paper used in the Indonesian publication of The Memorandum Of Kyoko Okitegami manga is much thicker than usual. It actually made the book looks much thicker and sturdier.
It is also worth mentioning that on the back cover, m&c! publisher classified the manga in “U-21+” age category, which means it is not recommended for readers under 21 years old. The age classification probably comes from the fact that the manga is a mystery that sometimes deals with themes like murder. However, the manga is not really that heavy. Just like another classic mystery story, it has a relatively neutral view on its subject and the murder only serves as a puzzle to be solved. It also doesn’t deal with morally grey area or sensitive religious imagery like Death Note. Even the bathing scene in the second volume is not much different from many other manga released in Indonesia. It’s a pity that this point may probably discourage potential readers’ interest to buy this manga.
The main selling point of this manga, however, is probably the Kyoko Okitegami herself. She is a gorgeous character with a unique personality. While she could be categorized as the usual “smart person with eccentric personality” character type, her eccentricity created conflicts that still related to her work. Compared to Sohei and Moe’s conflict in Subete ga F ni Naru: The Perfect Insider that comes from Sohei’s contrasting philosophical point of view with Moe’s. It could be a nice subplot that spices things up a bit but doesn’t necessarily relate to their cases.
So, is it worth to buy? While the manga is more expensive than usual, it is still recommended to fans of detective fiction who are looking for unique mystery stories with unique sleuth character. Kyoko Ojitegami herself is definitely a unique, yet gorgeous character who has mysterious past. It will be interesting to follow her journey to uncover the truth about her character. This manga is also still recommended for those who already watched the live-action version because there are some cases that are not included in the live-action version. Yakusuke’s hope to create a romantic relationship with Kyoko probably would be futile, though, thanks to her amnesia. But hey, at least it could be interesting to follow their relationship, right?
The Indonesian Anime Times | Review by Dany Muhammad
