Alternative [Self Liner Note] | Review

Alternative [Side Liner Note]

Story and art by Chiaki Yagura

Manga Mavericks, released 7/16/25

Age rating: Teen 13+

“My God died when he was 27. Me. I’m 28 with nothing to show for it.”

When you have a story that starts off with a line like that, there’s going to be some hard hitting things to face as the story progresses. And it doesn’t disappoint.. 

When Rio is immersed with her music, she finds herself wondering if she is living her life to the fullest. She wonders if there is more to life in the world. 

Created as a short story, Yagura illustrates life’s mysteries in a mesmerizing piece. For those wondering about the opening line mentioned above, it’s a reference to the 27 Club, a “club” whose members are musicians and other celebrities who passed away at the age of 27. The artist Rio references is Kurt Cobain. 

Already the nostalgia was there for me. 

As Rio meets with a friend, their discussion turns to music and the expectations life has for them. As Rio contemplates this, she wonders what she has done in her life and if there’s more left that she can do.

We all feel that. And what we get in Alternative [Self Liner Note] is a story that is short, sweet, and to the point. There’s no rush while reading it. It grips you and leaves you wondering, “Am I satisfied with the life I have lived?” Gets you right in the feels. When the art work is full of emotion, edge, and then when we get to the end, the satisfaction that Rio was searching for  throughout the story was executed perfectly. 

Beautifully done. Kudos to the crew of Manga Mavericks, and especially translator Mike Jokoh, for bringing this story to American soil. Alternative [Self Liner Note] is something you don’t want to miss out on, and definitely check out the song list Yagura lists at the end of the story. Absolute bangers that help set the mood of Rio’s journey through this thing called life.

Filed under: Graphic Novels, Manga, Reviews, Young Adult