(this review includes my first impression of the viz media paperback print of volume one)

After Hours is a Slice of life/yuri that follows Emi Ashiana as she learns the exciting world that is night clubs. The emphasis on music and night club lifestyle is more of a contextual element to give our characters a purpose of meeting each other. The first volume includes 5 chapters where we are introduced to our main cast and take a nice walk through Emi's eyes as she "learns to walk" before she can run into her new lifestyle as a VJ.

Story wise, this manga is fast paced enough for someone to pick up just the first volume and pretty much have an understanding of where this series is going to go, with that being said there are some generic portions within the more 1 on 1 moments with our main characters. Lack of drama (within the first volume) is really nice to have when setting up a story about discovery and self understanding. After Hours truly shines in their musical department including references to popular EDM songs, and giving us vocabulary to use in the world of Disc Jockeying and Video Jockeying.

Visually After Hours takes on a more modern approach to the shoujo genre with a style comparable to k-on! which is interesting considering both series include female protaganists learning from scratch (no pun intended) about their newly founded musical interest. Kawaii and Bubbly with a dash of glowing aura to some of the characters and scenery at times, the atmosphere of each place in different panels really feels like it could be a real place in shibuya tokyo.

Focusing on our 2 main characters Emi and Kei, it seems that despite the 6 year age difference both characters really want to be invested in each other and want to grow together; while they also help their friends to help place themselves within the music industry. Emi is a timid character who wears that timidiness in her clothes and hairstyle which is a really nice contrast to Kei who leads Emi into this new found world. Kei is a go getter and someone who is willing to make things happen. Kei's character really does a good job at explaining the world of Dj/VJ to the audiance and Emi herself while also providing the energy and pacing this manga need inorder for it to take off so sucessfully.

(within the first volume however we are only given context to Kei and just a few jabs at Emi's backstory and thats OK really gives the later chapters more of an anticipating feel considering the next volume will not be out for a while in america for those who purchase manga physically)

Overall, the series is nice print by Viz and enjoyable story/art by Yuhta Nishio and i am looking forward to the next volume in the series. For 10 USD this really was worth it. Chapterwise though 5 in 1 volume compared to 9 or 10 kinda sucks but it is a first volume so there are alot of introduction that needs to be told; the chapters however do not drag on. Pacing wise the story establishes Kei into the music industry telling us the story is about Emi and shes just as new to this as we are as readers so it feels like im not alone when discovering more about this series. As for it being paperback, the spine doesnt crease poorly and shows less sign of wear. The cover is beautiful and i personally enjoy seeing the vinyl in the name of the manga and on the spine.

(I would personally recommend this to anyone who is interested in picking up a fairly cheap manga that isn't so taboo to read in public and to anyone who enjoys the Indy feel for those times we're in Kei's record collection)


Anything is subject to change with more reading but my reviews are always focused on the physical releases and considering this series has only 1 other review i figured it would be necessary if anyone wanted to gift this manga to someone or even buy it for themselves without going into it blindly (however it wasnt a bad choice personally).

Thank you Viz its always a pleasure reading what you provide.