Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou

The anime for this manga had been on my radar for some time. I knew very little about it, other than it was usually compared to Kino's Journey which I enjoyed. I think I watched the entire anime within a forty-eight-hour period of starting it, and I immediately knew I had to read the manga to find out more.

So, I had already read the manga a couple times in unofficial translations by this point, so this isn't exactly my first read. I've had plenty of time to process my feelings towards this story, and there was really an extraordinary amount to process.

The first thing most people I know who have either seen the anime or read the manga say is it's very depressing. I'll be honest, just looking at the basic plot makes it seem like a horrifically sad and hopeless tale. Yet, I never was hit by any pity for these two girls in this hopeless situation. If anything, I envied them.

They were born into a dying and nearly dead world, in a collapsed society built in the ruins of an older collapsed society. They seem to have been separately taken in by an older man after something conceivably happened to their separate sets of parents. That was the only family/parental figure they can remember. They lose him at a very young age and are forced into the world to fend for themselves.

They are almost entirely ignorant of humanity, history, morality, and basically anything that we humans take for granted from our social constructs. So, they experience the remnants of this long dead world from an entirely fresh perspective, and it's so well executed to make it breathtaking. I was in constant awe of how effortlessly thought provoking it was. Heavy concepts were given fresh perspective from the eyes of these two unbiased observers. War, death, life, the afterlife, art, music, literature, and that's only the first ones to come to mind.

They have one simple purpose, and that's to find their way to the highest level of the multilayered ruins, hoping there's something up there. Yet, the journey comes to mean more to them than the destination. All the experiences they share together on their trek make their lives worthwhile, as unfair as their lives seem. Despite having only each other for almost the entirety of the story, they always had each other. Both of them had one ever faithful and unshakable companion to help them navigate through life.

I guess that's why I'm envious of them. The simplicity of their existence, coupled with having a person they loved deeply to get through it with, sounds nice. I suppose that's odd to say about two young girls forced to scrounge for every bit of food and water they can find, but the author herself mentioned feeling envious of them in the afterword. I guess I'm not alone, and that's one of the feelings these manga volumes gave me. I felt that as long as this story existed, and there was an author out there who could invoke these kinds of emotions in me, I'd never be alone.

There are so many powerfully emotional scenes that it's hard to even begin going into the finer details of the plot, so I'm not going to do that. I just want to say that I'm not sure if a work of fiction has ever moved me like this. Even the artwork, which I don't have much of an eye for, constantly made me want to sit and appreciate it. Every time I read this, I'm filled with a sense that everything will be okay, in the end, and that life, for all its hardships, is very much worth living.

This review will contain spoilers.

"I didn't realize it before, but making a manga is actually pretty strenuous.
Despite the boundless anxiety eating away at me, occasionally I'm able to draw a good line something, and I get a little spark of joy. And when that happens, I sort of feel an overlap with the girls' journey."
Art: The quote above is the afterward from volume 1 of the manga. Tsukumizu's artstyle in Girls' Last Tour is really sketchy-looking, and it gives the the vibe of an artist who cares more about the overall image that something creates rather than each line that builds up to it. The backgrounds often lack detail, and the farther back you look, the more abstract shapes become until a skyline becomes a mess of rectangles. The only problem with this style is that sometimes perspectives seem off and certain panels come across as notably unplanned or poorly thought-out. The character designs are simple but nice, and the style allows for some of the comedic panels to have characters squished down, which seems to have become a Tsukimizu staple given how often they're used in Shimeji Simulation. Despite any minor problems I have with the art, it's unique and appealing enough that I enjoyed it a lot.

"Reading it over again, I think Ishii (and Kanazawa too) must have been terribly lonely... Do we humans start building airplanes and what not when we're lonely...? Perhaps they were envious of Chito and Yuuri, who have the luxury of living together. I get envious of these two girls I draw all the time too. 'Ah.living just for the sake of living... How great would that be?' I think as I pet my outdoor dog."
Character (1/3): The quote above is from volume 2. This section will specifically be about Kanazawa and Ishiii. I'll have sections later focusing on others and the main duo. Kanazawa is fairly unremarkable other than the fact that he gives the girls the camera which becomes important in volume 4. Other than that, his role is identical to Ishii's but I think Ishii captures the emotion presented better than Kanazawa does. This feeling is "relief in failure" or something along those lines. This emotion is key to Girls' Last Tour. One of the main ideas that the manga presents is that failure and success are identical in some aspects. In this world, failure and success both mean the same thing: and end to your journey. And Girls' Last Tour is all about the journey and the goal. No matter what the goal is, whether it's practical or not, whether it's meaningful or not, whether it's possible or not, a goal keeps you going on the journey when there's nothing else there.

"It seems like mankind still isn't able to define the concept of life that well, In contrast with Chito and Yuuri's instinctive perception of it, maybe life is really something that goes on eternally, uninterrupted. Maybe it has no end... Thinking of it that way makes me a little uneasy. An uneasiness that my 'self,' for which an end will certainly come one day, could end up being left stranded eternally... Or maybe it's loneliness? Life, civilization, the universe-I'd like all of these things to be over at some point. I think that having an end is a very comforting thing."
Character (2/3): By the way, I'm going to list all of the volume afterwards in order preceding each section. The quote above is the afterward from volume 3. Aside from Kanazawa and Ishii, my favorite side character in the manga is the robot from volume 3. There's not much too him, but the concept of a robot driven by empathy rather than any specific "laws of robotics" or something like that is appealing to me. The explanation of what empathy means to this robot is also so simultaneously simple and impactful. "It means that when you are happy, so am I." Anyway I don't have anything special to write about Nuko or the elevator AI so I'll cut this section short right here. In short: Nuko is great but the AI is fairly forgettable.

"Why are there always wars...? Why can't everybody have equal lives...?
I read a lot of books and think about this.
I'll make attempts to get to the bottom of it...or I'll dream about my ideals...
But I don't get it. I start to hate everything.
Thinking wears me out.
Maybe thinking too 'big picture' doesn't make people very happy The only feeling I want in life is the texture of the persimmons from the persimmon tree in my family's yard."
Story (1/2): Here I'll talk about the biggest flaw with Girls' Last Tour. The story is great and I'll write about why in the final section, but the largest flaw with the manga is the worldbuilding. The world isn't really the point of the manga so it's easy to discredit complaints about the worldbuilding as irrelevant or missing the point, but it still bothers me that the story of the world is so unexplored. Any consideration about the background of the world falls apart after any questions are asked. How did the fighting of the war reach so deep into the city as shown in chapter 27 when most of the city is still intact? Why are there residential areas so close to the giant mechas? Why was the city built in layers? What sort of apocalyptic event killed everybody on Earth but miraculously left four or five people not only alive, but completely unharmed? Why are there no corpses? What started the war in the first place? Some of these questions might have answers, but there's just so many questions to ask and not enough thought put into the world to address most of them. It's different from "we don't know all the answers" too, because it's clear that there are no reasonable answers to some of these questions. This is more of a character-focused manga rather than world-focused so it's fine that there was more thought put into the characters, but the review would be incomplete if I didn't write what I thought about the worldbuilding considering how large of a flaw it is relative to the rest of the manga.

"I like dreaming of the past.
Meeting people I'll never meet again, my childhood self talking to my mother or father..
Then when I wake up, I feel sad.
Does that sadness stem from having lost those things? Or is it because I've remembered that l'd forgotten even the
things l'd lost..?
Humans long for things to stay the same, for eternity, but on the other hand I think that the act of forgetting heals us."
Character (3/3): Time for the most important part. Chito and Yuuri are the heart of the manga. Most chapters for the first five volumes consist of these two talking, driving, and exploring. The characters simple enough that they're easy to understand from the start, but their interactions with each other and the world around them are still endearing. Yuuri's drive to eat fits perfectly into the situations where the girls have to look for food, and Chito's drive for knowledge is more interesting in a world where most knowledge has been destroyed and forgotten. There's not a single boring chapter because these two are always there to bring some light into the cold, dark, uncaring world. The more you read, the more you'll notice subtleties in their characterization. For example, you might notice that Yuuri is surprisingly more inquisitive than Chito is. Oftentimes their conversations will start by Yuuri asking Chito to explain something. The combination of simple characterization with subtle detail makes the situations relatable. Every experience that they had in the manga was something that I could feel for myself. Excitement when they find food, worry for each other, intrigue when they find a new person or area, and most of all the grief at the loss of the reliable Kettenkrad. The breakdown of the Kettenkrad marks the point in the manga where the journey will become a lot harder for Chito and Yuuri.

"This world is so massive and complicated that many things pass us by without us even knowing. But no matter what, Chito and Yuuri believed that the joy of living would never pass, and I want to believe that too... I think that's what I had in mind as I drew this...probably.
Thank you so much for reading my clumsy work all the way to this point."
Story (2/2): The concluding four chapters of Girl's Last Tour cemented it as one of my favorites of all time. There's not really a good way that I can describe the emotions brought up in these chapters, but it's a mixture of sadness, happiness, and maybe some other emotions too. But one of them is definitely relief. From the start, it was always about the journey before the goal. It doesn't matter that there's nothing on top of the city, what matters is that they made it there. As I wrote earlier, I think that "relief in failure" is one of the important emotions to the story, and the ending perfectly encapsulates it, or maybe the ending portrays "relief in success," or maybe it's the same thing. And in the very end, I don't really think that it's all that sad. After all, "Living was the best, wasn't it?"

Well thanks for reading my clumsy review all the way to this point. I didn't plan it at all and wrote it based on what I've thought about it over the course of about a year since I first read it. I mostly just wrote it for myself, but if anyone's made it this far and has any feedback about my review then I might write more in the future. If you want to hear more about Girls' Last Tour then "Hiding in Public" on YouTube has great videos about the series, and you might also like Tsukumizu's other manga Shimeji Simulation which is currently being published.

Girls Last Tour is a truly morbid depressing story that holds back nothing in it's attempt to portray an awful situation. It is sprinkled in with moments of joy, hope, happiness and learning but never strays from reminding you about the grim conclusion that is to come. I believe this story accurately shows how young girls may experience a world where survival is a constant struggle and where it must be faced alone.

The story feels episodic with the 2 main characters moving to a new setting and encountering problems and usually learning a lesson while overcoming them. The girls push towards a goal to reach the highest level of the city they inhabit while undergoing constant struggles and learning things about themselves and the world along the way. The story moves towards a satisfying and seemingly inevitable conclusion but every road bump they experience on the way feels meaningful. The story also explores many themes without ever preaching to the reader and is likely to invoke thought from the reader who may then struggle with the same issues as the characters. Every bit of dialogue feels necessary and thought provoking and each outstanding moment will make you wish the Girls' tour could have lasted just a little bit longer.

The art in this story is often just as bleak and harsh as the subject matter it explores. The cute cartoonish look of the characters is juxtaposed by the real collapsing world they live in and the rare beauty seen in the ruined city feels all the more satisfying. Although the settings look similar throughout the story this feels entirely appropriate and none of the beautifully drawn panels ever felt out of place.

The story follows 2 young girls who have been raised in a world where society has collapsed and all seems to be coming to an end. Yuu and Chiito were the best conduit for the reader to experience this world and adventure through. There childlike innocence, ignorance and curiosity makes the way they view the world all the more interesting. Every time they get to experience a moment of joy and respite feels like a relief from the constant struggle they live in. There relationship and dialogue was written very intelligently and seems to be written by someone who has spent time with children. It is hard not to empathize with these characters as they are written both likably and realistically. The mind of a younger person only enhances this mangas darker and more mature themes and makes the painful things they experience even more moving to the reader.

Girls' Last Tour is truly a unique story that takes on some of humanity's oldest struggles and is fearless in its portrayal of what the future could be. It is truly a unique story that takes on some of humanity's oldest struggles and is fearless in its portrayal of what the future could be. This story meant so much to me and invoked more thought and emotion than anything I have read in years. I enjoyed this manga thoroughly from start to finish and would recommend it as a must read to anybody.

I've started reading this more for the art than anything else. But as I read on, I became more engaged in the journey of the characters, and the thematic exploration. By the end, it left me both fulfilled and with a heart-ache for the characters.

This is by far the best work of manga that can be described as 'philosophical'.

Through the soft, round art it makes it easy for readers to engage with the overarching theme of journey and death. Through the perspectives of young girls' innocence, this provides a different perspective.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD




This is one of the rare works that I've read that actually has an ending rather than a dragged-on, wishy-washy, frayed ending. Of course, the ending is open to interpretation, but I chose to view it with a definitive, heart-breaking end.

This manga is an odd beast , at one point it's comforting at another it's daunting and at one point it's depressing. I'm pretty sure the overall message has a positive albeit nihilistic tone , you're meant to get along with the feeling of hopelessness , but that's not a bad thing , rather it's good you don't worry about things you can't control and enjoy your life with whomever you share it with. I was sad to finish it honestly. The story might hit you as simplistic as it is scenario after scenario of Chito and Yuuri just exploring the desolate world around them , however the payoff is honestly left to interpretation , I'm conflicted as I am both disappointed and satisfied with the end. The art has it's own style , nothing that'll make you oooh and aah but it fits the world Tsukumizu was trying to create. Overall I enjoyed my time reading and watching this piece of literature.

Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou is the melancholic tale of two girls lost in the barren, desolate world of the Layered City. Supposedly, being the last two human beings in the entire world, their only objective is to reach the top, hoping to find just any sign of life. However, the world revolves around them now, no one to command or guide them, so their journey is a very erratic one full of many experiences. They learn not just about their own lives, but of the ones long gone. An entire philosophical, almost harrowing and introspective look on the struggles of Chito and Yuuri as they prepare for anything with the ambition of meeting someone else or at least something to live for besides themselves.

Tsukumizu is a bizarre figure in the manga industry, not making much of an appearance aside from independent artwork and doujinshi. They seem to keep a keen interest on very surreal, and even completely ridiculous concepts that all somehow form in to a weird combination of dark comedy and the deep roots of many philosophers' ideals, which is especially in the case of Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou with it's seemingly hopeful but nihilistic outlook on life when there is truly no one left. Artistically, they're extremely unique and for once, that uniqueness of an artists' style really fits the atmosphere and tone of the entire series. It's genuinely fantastic and I've grown a really soft spot for Tsukumizu's artistic endeavors as a result.

Character development is minimal to say the least, but if anything, the story doesn't seem to drag at all despite this. In fact, this is by far the most satisfying thing I've sat through to read, and I've read it too many times to count at this point, so let's just say it was a lot. Chito and Yuuri are fairly stagnant characters; they have typical reactions to each other, with Chito being the brains and Yuuri being the... brawn, I guess. They're almost polar opposites of each other, except for one thing that drives this entire series' plot until the end, and that is curiosity. Beyond the existentialist and dreary themes throughout there is one hopeful and big thing that comes out of this; curiosity. A lot of minds think alike even if they aren't on the same wavelength. Both of our main characters in this series are very curious individuals. For what other reason than curiosity and hope would they even continue their journey here? Such a simple thing like curiosity is so charming and fulfilling to the plot of this manga that it keeps me hooked throughout the entire book multiple times over. I just can't get enough of it.

I haven't enjoyed a series like this in a while. When the anime was first announced, I went straight to the manga to get a sneak peek and I didn't regret it. There is not another story like Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou out there. There may be similar things out there, but none will put the nail in the coffin of my definition of "perfect" like this manga does. Every time Chito and Yuuri interact feels so real and beautiful and the way they react to the new things they find throughout the series is seriously one of the most charming developments I've ever read in all my time sifting through hundreds of books, Japanese or English or Spanish or any other parts of the world. It just does what I want, and I wish I could thank Tsukumizu personally for giving me and many other people this experience. It's pretentious to end reviews like this, but I only have one last thing to say about this.

Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou is a masterpiece.

10/10

“Sleep and wake and eat and move” - Yuu

Apocalyptic stories in anime come in many forms and serve a variety of purposes. Many times the setting allows for action scenes and having a hero come into their own, something like Attack on Titan or High School of the Dead. Others take the situation in slightly different ways, more contemplative ways, series like Casshern Sins or Neon Genesis Evangelion as examples. Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou takes an alternative route of using an apocalypse for object lessons on a variety of topics.

The story of Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou isn't so much about an overarching plot as the chapter to chapter encounters and experiences of the main leads, Yuu and Chii. The only connecting element of the series is the girls’ constant movement upward and need for supplies. Their stops along the way result in a wide variety of thought-provoking situations from odd encounters found throughout the crumbling city them are in.

Many of these situations take a look at modern society and norms from a future that has forgotten the reason for some inventions: the amazing marvel of technology that is the camera, why humans take pictures at all, and what happens when those pictures are either lost or outlive their subjects as a single example. Other stops focus on the nature of living and what one does when the world and time as we know it has ended. These ideas and their underlying themes make up the true appeal of the series and form the major reason for reading it at all. Each chapter works through a new idea, not offering an answer for the questions the series raises but instead gives that reader a chance to consider things they might take for granted or as a normal, and whether that mundanity is really something to appreciate

The art of this manga skillfully plays into the messages and themes of the story, drifting between believably run down and apocalyptic buildings to slightly fantastical or constructions out of science fictions story. The art, whether meant to be literal illustrations of the dilapidated world surrounding the girls or showing how they see their world as a mysterious,vaguely foreboding landscape pairs well with the readers lack of knowledge of the world, being shown only what the main characters see. Every location that Yuu and Chii visit contains broken constructs, hints about the activities and purpose of each area, and creates a wonderful atmosphere of a once mighty and thriving world now breathing its last.

Especially effective are the vaguely ominous and foreboding backgrounds, hinting at world that fell to ruin and only continues down the path of entropy. The final few chapters especially point to how little remains of the human world and how broken it is without upkeep and inhabitants. Watching Chii and Yuu traverse this vast and varied landscape is another major selling point for the series, as it is a masterful example of a story without words, giving information through interpretation and implication rather than outright explanation.

Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou is a masterfully crafted trek through a dying world, contemplating the very reason for living and being, seen through the eyes of two girls who make do with whatever they have. While perhaps a slow boil, Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou is a unique collection of ideas wrapped in a deceptively simple yet deeply intriguing world.

Girl's Last Tour is a difficult story to fully describe, as the value of it as a story is almost totally dependent on the reader.

Plot is present in the story, but in a different way than most. There is the overarching story of the two girls trying to reach the point that their father told them about, but it is definitely a story where the journey means more than the destination. We spend all of our time exploring the world alongside the two main characters, watching them go through day by day trying to find food to eat, discovering new things and meeting the occasional person or robot to talk to. A lot of the story is absent of any constructive dialogue. Just images of where in the world the girls find themselves in. It leaves room for immersion and for the reader to fill in the gaps.

The characters that appear usually represent different themes and ways of life, with dedication to what you love, or purpose, being a major repeating factor. In a sense, you could say that that is exactly what this story is about- finding your purpose and holding onto it for dear life. The map maker was willing to die for his creations, and the same goes with the airplane maker. The robot that loses its purpose begs for death and an end to the meaningless life it is now living. For the main characters themselves, their purpose is to just live with one another and to stay together. This is so clearly seen in the last scenes of the manga, which I won't spoil, but just know it adds a very poignant underscore to the theme.

The art is super funky in this, so if classic manga drawing is your style, you might not enjoy this, but it is always interesting to see something different.

Overall, what you get out of Girl's Last Tour is dependent on what you put in into thinking about it. For me personally, I didn't actually enjoy the story all that much, and I was left at the end thinking, "Well what was the point of that?" To some it may seem like a story trying to be 'fake deep', while others may pick up many, very real lessons. To me, I clearly see the theme of finding and holding on to what you love, but others may see it as more of a story about the importance of being content, a warning on the environmental state of the world, or about nothing at all, only two girls living life. Either way, it's a fast read that you could go wtihout, but gives an opportunity to think if you're willing to

Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryoukuo is a different show that has seen the light in a time that normally would not accept this kind of works.

The series takes place in a post-apocalyptic world in which the journey of Chito and Yuuri is followed, which travel aimlessly through this new destroyed world. This is when the story takes a turn when we see that the girls are discovering aspects of ancient society and seeing the natural way in which they unfold with these elements is something worth seeing.
Another important thing is the stellar, Yuuri and Chito reflect such an air of friendship and tenderness that they are easy to get attached and understand the situation they are going through and although their development is slow it is satisfying to see how the manga manages to capture these small changes; with the secondary the same thing happens, they are simple but they manage to reflect what they want to tell.
On the other hand, the stories and philosophical questions are with a simple but effective way without many taboos but that does not clash with the tone that the series establishes and even these simple answers later become more complex while the difficulty of the trip It goes up, although there are exceptions where the series manages to give a greater depth in the conclusions of different places.

Art is another point in favor because although it is simple in character, it is very expressive and the scenery is well taken care of.

I feel it is a manga that can reach more emotional moments of which it has arrived and I also think that with time we will see better mini-stories, but for the moment they have been good and that makes me happy. A pleasant surprise in this sea of ​​mediocrity.

Versión español:

Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryoukuo es un show distinto que ha visto la luz en una época que normalmente no aceptaría esta clase de obras.

La serie transcurre en un mundo post-apocalíptico en el cual se sigue la travesía de Chito y Yuuri, las cuales viajan sin rumbo por este nuevo mundo destruido. Aquí es cuando la historia da un giro cuando vemos que las nenas van descubriendo aspectos de la sociedad antigua y el ver la forma tan natural en la que se desenvuelven con estos elementos es algo digno de verse.
Otra cosa importante son las estelares, Yuuri y Chito reflejan tal aire de amistad y ternura que son fáciles de encariñarse y comprender la situación por la que pasan y aunque su desarrollo sea lento es satisfactorio ver como el manga logra plasmar estos pequeños cambios; con los secundarios pasa lo mismo, son simples pero logran reflejar lo que quieren contar.
Por otro lado, los relatos y preguntas de corte filosófico son con estado de forma simple pero efectiva sin muchos tapujos pero que no desentona con el tono que la serie establece e incluso estas respuestas simples más adelante se van haciendo más complejas mientras la dificultad del viaje sube, aunque hay excepciones donde la serie logra dar una mayor profundidad en las conclusiones de diferentes lugares.

El arte es otro punto a favor pues si bien es de carácter simple, es muy expresivo y la escenografía esta bien cuidada.

Siento que es un manga que puede llegar a momentos más emotivos de los cuales ha llegado y también pienso que con el tiempo veremos mejores mini-historias, pero por el momento han estado bien y eso me alegra. Una agradable sorpresa en este mar de mediocridad.

What do you do when you’re likely the last two human beings in a world that’s already ended? You keep moving, of course. This is a survival story where there are no final destination as they drive their Kettenkrad to scavenge for rations and supplies then talk about whatever comes to mind, from questioning their very existence or on why people go on war to whose turn is it to do the laundry.

The world of Girl's Last Tour is haunting yet serene, it's background art is beautiful and filled with detail, really bringing the desolate wasteland that is their home to life. There's so many small joys to be found despite the morbid situation being anything but joyful. Learning about all of the past technology, past culture, and the potential reasons for the world to exist as it does, it's all incredibly fascinating and paints a great picture for both of the world as it is, and as it once was. The art style, character designs, complementary characters, and the poignant philosophy hits all the right spots, especially if you're a reflective kind of person.

Chi and Yuu's dynamic as a pair is the greatest strength of this manga. Majority of the funny moments comes from them having to deal with one another. The two almost feels like they are sisters, they bicker then make up a moment later, ultimately their love for one another shines through. They have such wonderful chemistry and their philosophical banter never feels unnatural. The story thrives by treating the two as a combo, with them being an interesting survival duo where one makes up for the other’s weaknesses, they pull each other through bit by bit and it’s really heartwarming to see them continually bond together as survivors-in-arms.

All they had left in this world are each other's companionship and that human connection is more precious than anything. Their journey through life is a memorable one and they enjoyed it to the fullest extent without being weighed down by their regrets. All while having lost every worldly possession or the shred of hope for the future they might've had. The moral lesson they taught us here, is that the best things in life are experiences and connections and not the mere possession of materialistic things.

If we could all live the way Chi and Yuu live, then the eventual end of our lives, the humanity, the Earth, and the universe wouldn't matter. The world around them has ended, but Yuu and Chi’s lives certainly have not. It's tragic but beautiful.