[Manga] Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan

This is my first manga review, so bear with me ^_^
Okay, let’s start with some general info:
‘Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan’ aka ‘Our Happy Time’
by Yumeka Sumomo (under the name ‘Sahara Mizu’), based on the novel of the same name by a South Korean novelist Gong Ji-Young.
Release date: 2007, 1 volume (8 chapters)
Genres: seinen, drama, romance
More info: MAL, BakaUpdates
First of all, I should say that I read this manga completely on a whim. I just had been looking for a good seinen manga to read, since I’m not very familiar with this demographic segment (I’m not its target audience, after all), so I just went with something short and high-rated. And I’m glad I did.
‘Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan’ tells the story of the two young people haunted by their past – Juri, a former pianist who hates her mother and has attempted suicide 3 times, and Yuu, a death row inmate who killed 3 people and has also tried to take his own life. They unexpectedly meet when Juri’s aunt, a nun, asks her to help at the prison. Juri and Yuu, who are initially cold, not to say hostile, to each other, gradually open up their hearts. The strange relationship they slowly build helps them find salvation and finally move on.
I’m not going to tell you how this story ends, but if you’re imagining something along the lines of a clichéd shoujo manga, you couldn’t be more wrong. This is definitely not a story to devour with popcorn on a lazy evening, so be prepared to be mentally and emotionally disturbed. Since it’s quite short, it is dynamic; nevertheless, the characters look credible, and you can really understand their feelings and thoughts. Being a seinen manga, it provides an adult outlook and is fortunately rid of any unnecessary sweetness and exaggeration that are often present in titles aimed at the younger audience.
I’ve found this little jewel fairly enjoyable, both in terms of storytelling consistency and the art quality. Speaking of art, if you’re familiar with any of Yumeka-sensei’s works (of any genre), you are likely to agree with my own opinion – her airy, almost fragile style suits this story the best. If you are not, let me tell you that the art is clear, not too detailed, pleasant for an eye and overall beautiful.
The only thing that, in my personal opinion, may be off-putting is the numerous religious, namely Christian, references since Christianity plays quite a significant role in the story. But yet again, it’s just my humble atheistic opinion.
9/10