PART 42 of 52 ONESHOTS in 52 WEEKS
殿ヶ谷美由紀×加藤航平の『空から女の子がっ！』 “Sora kara Onnanoko ga!” by TONOGAYA Miyuki & KATOU Kouhei
Sora kara Onnanoko ga! is a oneshot by authors Kouhei Katou and Miyuki Tonogaya, who tackle the plot and artwork respectively. Published on Shueisha’s Jump Plus manga platform in 2021, the 58 page story features two bullied youths who look toward skydiving to bolster their courage.
The manga opens on an unnamed male character nicknamed Roomba-kun by the class bullies, who force him to clean up after them. During lunch breaks, Roomba-kun quickly leaves the classroom to lie low on the school’s rooftop, where he convenes with Suzume, a girl from another class who is similarly tormented. Although the two barely converse, they enjoy a shared solitude on the edge of the building. Suzume harbours thoughts of one day jumping off, but refocuses that urge into skydiving, which promises her a “life-changing” experience.
The oneshot, whose title translates to A Girl from the Sky, focuses on the effects of bullying on the victims more so than the bullying itself, with a stark portrayal of the discouraging and confined mindset victims often find themselves in, which can twist and manifest itself in destructive ways. When Roomba-kun learns of Suzume’s allure of a “life-changing” skydiving experience, he tags along, not to encourage her, but in a selfish desire that she won’t find what she’s looking for, hoping that their reclusive days on the rooftop may continue evermore.
For Roomba-kun, the rooftop is the edge of the world, the very boundaries of school representing his furthest escape. For Suzume, it comes to represent her lack of agency and an inability to escape. Skydiving works not only as a test of courage for Suzume, where she’s finally able to leap beyond the confines of the rooftop, not towards death but to reclaim her spirit, but also metaphorically as a sense of perspective. The landscape scenery which artist Tonogaya illustrates during the dive is stunning. After, Suzume remarks: “Seeing the rooftop now, it seems really close to the ground.” Authors Katou and Tonogaya artfully work the persuasive power of physical perspective into their character psychology and storytelling.
Come the end, while the skydiving experience does not change their school tormentors, there’s a hopeful feeling that, with renewed agency and a budding friendship, the two characters can look toward a brighter future. Roomba-kun, who had initially looked upon Suzume as somebody worse off than himself, comes to realise the true depth of his despondency, and is able to find inspiration and courage through Suzume to challenge both his oppressors and his repression.
It’s a strong entry from both authors, which delights through its persuasiveness and presentation. The plot is well narrated, with characters who feel realised and whole, while Tonogaya’s keenly detailed artwork is brimming with energy and spirit. It evokes both the seriousness and the beauty of the story, with attentive illustrations which capture moments with realism and gravitas. The landscape spread mentioned earlier is truly a stand-out piece, with the artist skilfully utilising texture and shade to craft a brilliant sense of depth.
The artist will hit a milestone in July, with her series The Ice Guy and the Cool Girl reaching five years of publication. Writer Katou has also achieved success recently with his new oneshot Million Moja, which he also illustrated. The short was awarded first place in the Jump TOON AWARD last year, which focused on featuring original manga designed to be read vertically on smartphone devices.
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Morning, Roo 