The power your parents has on one’s life cannot be understated. Your parents are there at the beginning, helping, guiding you, and most importantly, loving you.  They are also there at your worst, when times are hard, when you need someone to lean on and when life has disappointed you. So, it is no secret that these people have cared for you unconditionally, is the last people you do not want to ever let down.

As each parent, even if they do not communicate it verbally say it to their children, have their own expectations of what type of future they want for their seeds. The pressure seems even greater for children of immigrants, as the sacrifice made to leave the country, is never lost on the children. That is why when we find personal success in life, it still doesn’t seem like enough. These feelings are what I found in Fumio Obata’s Just So Happens, a searing tale that feels too close at home at times yet still touching.

We meet Yumiko, a young artist living in London, whose personal life is going well, and professional life has enjoyed similar accomplishment. Her life comes to a stop once her brother calls form home in Japan, notifying her that their father had died. Soon she must travel back to Japan, to bury her father, and being back home, not only reminds her that she was homesick, but she misses the faint kisses and whispers of her parents. By book’s end, Yumiko has a firmer grasp of who she is thanks to where she came from.

Overall, a heart-breaking tale of love in its many colors, and the love of family that will always be with you. The story by Obata will shatter your heart a thousand times and put it back together. The art by Obata is gorgeous. Altogether, a story that will give you the feels and will make you appreciate where you come from.

Story: Fumio Obata Art: Fumio Obata
Story: 9.4 Art: 9.4 Overall: 9.4 Recommendation: Buy