I think I first encountered Shoulder-a-Coffin Kuro all the way back in the Borders days, when Yen Press first began publishing it, and before it went on its extended hiatus after volume 2. It was one of the first 4komas I've ever read, and completely sold me on the medium. And as also shown by Kiyuduki's GA (also excellent), Kiyuduki is a master storyteller, who not only uses the 4koma style to its full effect but also elevates it as a medium in and of itself.

Others have already delineated what makes this story so good: it's good at a whole host of things. It's clever, adorable, sweet, and extremely, extremely thoughtful. Its characters are full-fledged, and even though Kuro starts off as a bit of a cipher, she ends up having so much hidden depth, as well as growth. That's not even mentioning Nijuku and Sanju, who are adorable little beings (who actually act like children), and steadily become the heart and soul of the series along with Kuro.

I think the closest comparison with Shoulder-a-Coffin Kuro is Kino no Tabi. They actually have a lot in common -- they're a series of vignettes connected by a traveler (who's often mistaken for a boy) and their talking-whatever companion. (A bat for Kuro, a motorcycle for Kino). The difference, though, is where they end up. While Kino's backstory is just that -- a backstory -- Kuro's backstory is actually the backbone of her character, and as it slowly gets revealed, so does her inherent humanity, and the true meaning behind this entire journey. Unlike Kino, who remains untouched by everything she sees, Kuro is constantly being touched, and touching others, throughout her journey, even when she's reluctant to do so (for good reason). Even though we join Kuro late in her journey, we still see Kuro develop and grow and change as a person throughout. And all the characters she touches makes reappearances near the end, and as fun little side adventures we catch glimpses of in between Kuro's own journey.

And, ultimately, Shoulder-a-Coffin Kuro is a deeply hopeful manga. It's about believing in not only yourself but also the others who have journeyed with you. It's not about changing the world but about changing the little corner of the world that's yours, and changing yourself and others for the better through your actions. I actually almost couldn't stop the tears at the last volume because it was just so, so beautiful, and the perfect capstone on this long, long journey of Kuro's. As Kuro says, this story isn't a fairytale -- but that's what makes it so beautiful, because people can choose a different ending aside from "death" or a "happily ever after". In the end, as cheesy as it may sound, people can choose to accept the journey itself, and in doing so, accept themselves as well.

... Last updated on October 15th, 2020, 11:17pm

After finished reading vol 3, I fell in love again with this series.
The same heartwarming story, and sometime, heartwrenching. The mangaka sure is keeping her style.

(sadly, the latest volume in my country is vol 2, so I need to read some *cough*legal*cough* scanlation on internet)

The break between volumes 2 and 3 has been agonizingly long. This series is a perfect balance between cute and eerie, deep and lighthearted. The whimsical and fairy tail type storytelling really gives an atmosphere of a wandering and winding journey. It also happens to be by one of my favorite artists.

The two volumes that are finished of this series are absolutely charming. Cute art, cute characters and some good laughs along the way. Unfortunately, the series is on hiatus, so we're left with many questions left unanswered and Kuro's fate is left entirely unknown to us. Such a shame! I hope this series is one day finished, so we can all know how it ends.

...that I force it on everyone I know. It is mostly a yonkoma, but the feel of the way the story builds and ebbs and changes breaks through the limitations of the format.

Yen Press has published the two full-color volumes that are currently available. I only wish so, SO much that the mangaka would return to this series soon!

If you can't afford this series (or the monthly anthology Yen Plus for that matter--yay, Pig Bride & Nightschool & Black Butler & Soul Eater &tc.!), ask your library to get it. No, buy the series somehow and make the library get it, anyway.

The series is by turns sweet, slightly scary, poignant, funny, cute, and thought-provoking. And full-color printed on good paper! But it does make you want the MORE.