#Himawari House

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[journalenjoysbooks]

Language and Identity in Himawari House

Before I start, here are the specifics of my copy:

Becker, Harmony. Himawari House. First Second, 2021.

ISBN 978-1-250-23557-2

Okay, now let's get into this!

I picked up Himawari House by Harmony Becker on a Barnes and Noble trip, and started reading it in a cafe later that day. I don’t think the cover summary adequately prepared me for the amount of depth and heartbreak I would encounter. I read the whole thing in one sitting, and I almost started crying (again, in public at the cafe) because of how bittersweet the ending was. 

Now that I’m revisiting it as I write this review, I see how each of the three main characters interacts with the idea of diasporas. Each one is different, and yet easy to understand and relate to. 

Himawari House is about Nao and her experience returning to Japan after her family to the US when she was a child. She stays in a “sharehouse” with two other girls: Hyejung from Korea and Tina from Singapore, and two boys from Japan: Shinichi and Masaki, who are brothers. The book spans Nao’s yearlong stay in Japan, and we get to see the group grow closer as they celebrate events from each of their different cultures. Each of them deals with different struggles in Japan, ranging from fitting into confronting the high expectations and tension placed on them by their families. 

Before I get too far into this, I wanted to comment on the brief author’s note in the back of the book, titled “On The Use of Accents In This Book”. 

I will admit that I was confused over the inclusion of accents in the book, but once I got to the author’s note, I can firmly say that I feel the decision was justified. Becker is right in that not only is it proof of being able to speak multiple languages, but that accents should be accompanied by a sense of pride because a bit of home is in an individual’s speech. I think this idea connects really well to the rest of the novel, specifically Nao’s struggle to try and fit back into Japan. 

In general, I really enjoyed the way that language is handled in this book. When characters speak Japanese or Korean, the English translation will be below. I personally enjoyed analyzing the difference in languages, but when characters encountered a word they didn’t know, the translation was blurred out to show their confusion. I thought this was clever, as it forces the audience to employ some of the same strategies that the characters might need to use, like filling in the blank, asking for clarification, etc. 

For Nao, this confusion plays into her struggles with her identity. When she first returns to Japan, she is visually nervous and feels like she doesn’t belong anymore. She has trouble understanding what the people around her are asking, and doesn’t know some little social cues, like putting luggage up above her on the train. There’s a few times where we flash back to Nao’s youth, and while I normally don’t really care for flashbacks, I think these are well done and really drive home the disconnection she feels. Nao herself feels a lot of confusion about her own identity, and this is compounded by other’s responses to her. 

When a customer at the store asks her a question, Nao is unable to answer, and is called “gaijin”. When her coworker tries to comfort her about the situation, Nao asks her what she thinks. She responds by saying “Ah, well, you know…I can’t say your Japanese, but I can’t really say you’re gaijin, either. Well, you were born here, right? But you were raised in America and, uh, even though your Japanese isn’t fluent, you, uh…” (Becker 215). This answer only serves to compound Nao’s worry that she’s only an outsider to the place she was born and is trying to be a part of. 

On page 216, Nao imagines herself as a child, wearing clothing too big for her, and stuck outside of a temple. This is a great artistic decision on Becker’s part, as Nao feels a lot like a lost child trying to figure out her identity. Her expression in the first panel is one of sadness as she stares up at the closed doors. The closed doors here further cement her view of herself as an outsider, both in that she is literally stuck outside, and that presumably there is something inside she cannot attain. If we think of this as a temple, which would have a multitude of traditions and culture associated with it, we can tell that Nao feels foreign in a place that she wants to consider her home. For this reason, I felt that Nao had a really interesting relationship with diaspora. Even after returning home, it takes a lot of time for her to feel more like she belongs, and only after she gets some help from Masaki.

Speaking of Masaki, I thought it would be great to bring him up, as in a way he’s a great foil for Nao. When the Himawari house residents are all hanging out, they tend to speak mostly in English. Masaki comes off as pretty quiet and cold for a good chunk of the story, but we learn later that it’s because he isn’t very fluent in English, and is hesitant to join conversations because of it. He has been socially isolated from many of his housemates because of this, as they had thought he was simply very cold and aloof. Masaki is isolated on a smaller scale than Nao, as he does not really have a deep, identity related crisis, but he still misses out on social interactions.  

I think one of the reasons Masaki is interesting is because of the development he goes through. Masaki asks Nao to teach him English, and through this they grow closer. As his English improves, he is still hesitant to join conversations, even to a point where when everyone is speaking Japanese he remains silent, saying “I can’t change that fast. Everyone’s gonna be annoying and make a big deal.” (203) Once he does warm up more to Nao, he gives her some insight as to her identity. When Nao asks if he thinks she’s an outsider, he responds “That’s not something for others to decide, is it? You can decide that yourself. If you want to be here, isn’t that enough?” (226). By doing so, he greatly improves Nao’s outlook. 

I really don’t want to spoil a ton, because I think that there’s so many elements to Nao and the other character’s stories, but I should bring up Hyejung and Tina, because they’ve both got some interesting backstories.At first, they both seemed like pretty ordinary side characters, but as I kept reading I found myself wanting to know more of their stories. 

Part of the reason Hyejung left Korea was to get away from her parents. She had been feeling disillusioned, as she had been studying hard her whole life but never actually had a goal to reach for. 

For the earlier portion of the novel, Hyejung is extremely alienated from her family, but it’s very touching to see her friends try and fill this void by caring for her. I think that in Hyejung’s story specifically there was a big emphasis on food and its connection to home. When Hyejung is missing home, she tends to make more korean food, as that’s something that can tie her back, and is accomplishable from Japan. When her mom comes to see her after a year of no contact and a tearful reunion, the house is filled with food as her mother cooks. Hyejung’s story feels extremely satisfying, as while we don’t see it completely resolved of conflict, there has been some release of narrative tension (again, I don’t want to spoil how because I think the moment was really touching). Part of this release comes from her reconnecting with her family, and therefore part of her identity. 

I think Tina is the character that I really wanted more of. I felt that her story didn’t really resolve as much as I would have liked to see, but there definitely was an improvement. Tina works long shifts and deals with a lot of rude/creepy customers. There’s a pretty interesting plot point that involves her and Shinichi, but I would say that one of Tina’s big themes is loneliness. She idolizes a singer that she really enjoys, as his words bring her a lot of comfort. At first, I was really confused as to why the focus was on her and this musical artist so much, but I realize now that the point was to emphasize her loneliness, as this was one of the only ways she could find comfort in Japan. I think my favorite part of Tina’s story was when she called her mother after seeing Hyejung reunited with her own mother. The conversation started slowly, but when Nao comes home later, Tina and her mother are chatting away on the phone in Singlish, which I thought was a great inclusion. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I’ve reread it several times during the course of writing this review, and feel like I’m always taking in new details. Harmony Becker did an excellent job here, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for any other books she authors. 

[pluckywallflower]

To all my self doubt and anxiety, shoo shoo

[glowingplanet31]

[the--art--of--reading]

book review | Himawari House

Author: Harmony Becker

Cover Design: Sunny Lee

Genre: Graphic novel, YA Fiction

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When Nao returns to Tokyo to reconnect with her Japanese heritage, she books a yearlong stay at the Himawari sharehouse. There she meets Hyejung and Tina, two other girls who came to Japan to freely forge their own paths. The trio live together, share meals, and even attend the same Japanese-language school, which results in them becoming fast friends. But will they be able to hold one another up as life tests them with new loves, old heartbreaks, and the everyday challenges of being fish out of water?

This graphic novel was one of those stories that just feels perfect. For 384 pages readers are given an intimate look into the lives of the 5 residents of Himawari House - residents each with their own histories, ambitions, fears, and triumphs. I especially connected to Nao’s story of belonging to two different worlds. The artwork was amazing and hilarious at times. The only reservation I have is that there sometimes wasn’t a clear indication of the switching between the POVs of the three main characters, but I think that decision also reflected the fluidity of life and it’s small moments. The author, Harmony Becker, also illustrated They Called Us Enemy by George Takei ~ another read I recommend which is a moving graphic memoir about the internment of Japanese Americans. 

[canaryinacoolmine]

Himawari House, 2021

Harmony Becker

[mkecountyteenbookaward]

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The ballots have been counted and the Milwaukee County Teen Book Award committee is pleased to announce this year’s winner for best Young Adult book of 2022. 

Our winner, as well as winner of the teen vote, is All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir. 

Our three honor titles are We Hollow Fires by Samira Ahmed, Himawari House by Harmony Becker, and I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys.

[ehronlime]

My Favourite Comics I Read in 2022

Blue Flag

I binged this entire series in one night (well, early, early morning lol). It's a really sweet and earnest story about a guy who tries to help a timid girl change her image and ask out another guy who he's friends with, and whoops they end up liking each other, but also whoops turns out this guy actually also likes him and it gets complicated. It handles its queer themes really deftly, and ties them really strongly to the overarching themes of figuring out your own identity and navigating the expectations of others, which resonates through all the other characters too. While the relationships between the core 3-4 characters are really well done and obviously key to the story, I also really loved the supporting cast.

I love how the series tries its best to show all its characters as well-rounded, flawed, striving, changing people. I also loved how the ending emphasized that the series has been focusing on a short, intense period of youth for all these characters, but they'll continue to grow and change in the future too. Not all loves last forever, and not all answers are found immediately, and so it goes.

Goodbye, Eri

Tatsuki Fujimoto's work has always reflected a keen interest in cinema. Characters often end up connecting to each other over movies, and the ways stories are conveyed. There's a fascination with the act of movie-making as well: the artifice of acting and editing around things that seem to happen "in real life" to become something that happens "in the movies", and yet somehow feeling truer than real. It was hugely important in the middle sections of Fire Punch, which is tricky to recommend but is a work I still find incredibly compelling, when Togata is trying to build up the movie, the myth of The Flame-Covered Man.

Goodbye, Eri similarly takes a look at the artifice of movie-making and storytelling, and plays around with it. It feels to me like a spiritual successor of sorts to parts of Fire Punch, and refines the ideas there into something much sharper and funnier. It's pretty funny to make essentially a movie about making movies, in the form of a comic, and have it work so well because of the different affordances you have in the comic form. You can play with time more and make it more rubbery in between frames in ways that you could never do in film.

And so, a comic about a movie about making movies that's also about how we think of stories in larger ways. While Look Back might be the Fujimoto one-shot with more "heart", Goodbye, Eri is the one that reminds me why I'm so drawn to Fujimoto's particular brand of bullshit in the first place.

Himawari House

Himawari House is a comic about three women from different places who live in a share house in Japan for a while, and it hits on so many themes that I care about. I'm going to repeat my trick with Everything Everywhere All At Once and link you straight to my Tweets about Himawari House because that kinda covers it and I've still got the tabletop games section to finish up!

Honourable Mentions: Kaijumax finale, Ao Ashi, You And I Are Polar Opposites, Witch Watch, Astra: Lost in Space, Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree, Witch Hat Atelier

[ahb-writes]

Comics Review: ‘Himawari House’

Himawari House by Harmony Becker My rating: 5 of 5 stars South Korea. Hyejung fled the suffocating pressures of family expectations as well as a messy (and unresolved) personal relationship that never had a chance to succeed. She doesn't know who she is, much less what she wishes to do in life ("I couldn't go back to seeing things the way they had been [..] I hate myself when I'm at home."). Singapore. Tina sees purpose everywhere and in everyone, except within herself. She's a hard worker, a horrible student, and on the precipice of depression ("I can't take this anymore. I don't feel like myself."). America. Nao Daniels is a biracial woman taking a year off between high school and college. Bearing the familiar burden of being neither here nor there, neither welcomed nor unwished-for, Nao's racial and ethnic half-ness has pushed her to live and study in Japan. A year abroad? The goals are numerous, whether for Nao to discover herself, learn more about the culture and people her mother left behind, or to deepen her Japanese language skills. But the numbness that comes from being an "other," no matter where one resides, only intensifies the burden ("No matter how much I learn, I don't know if it is enough."). HIMAWARI HOUSE is painfully relatable and unrepentantly exposes the fragile presumptions so easily and readily assembled to salve the wounds native of one's disintegrating youth. This graphic novel is about place and placelessness, as well as the many different types of people who ramble and scramble their way toward some semblance of peace. Hyejung, Tina, and Nao board in a sharehouse for a year, along with a pair of brothers, Japanese. The three women stress about their studies, glow over their adoration of classic shoujo comics, make a sound argument for Japanese food, weep over their beloved K-dramas, and debate their comical incompatibility with being multilingual in a nation where none of them speak the local language fluently. HIMAWARI HOUSE tracks these three women's eager attempt to understand themselves, and one another, in a country where none of them fully know the culture. If Hyejung gets into a local university, will the stress she felt when her parents worked themselves to the bone utterly evaporate or will it intensify? If Tina opens herself up to loving someone other than the pop star whose magical lyrics tether her to the earth, will that further root or asymmetrically invalidate her state of constant emotional agitation? If Nao learns the Japanese language as well as assorted Japanese customs, will she ever surpass the dreaded gaijin diagnosis? Of being a facile foreigner? Or will she finally assimilate, which is, itself, an eternally dubious enterprise? HIMAWARI HOUSE is an interesting and slyly impressive accomplishment. The graphic novel is composed of multiple points of view, written effectively in at least three languages, and concedes a warm visual style that lends its characters the space and depth they need to act, speak, laugh, and cry, and all in ways that are wholly inimitable. The art is funny and beautiful and dramatic and occasionally referential. One finds it remarkable for a graphic novel to read so smoothly while also being so complex on account of being such a profoundly layered and dynamic narrative of young adulthood. It's the kind of book that deserves to be reread; it's difficult to appreciate, with only one read, some characters' linguistic somersaults, the artist's compositional changes in lighting for a late-night hot pot, a background character's dimples, the book's clever and idiosyncratic title pages, and so forth. For example, late in the book is a chapter on mothers (and mothering). Nao reminisces on how hurt and lonely her Japanese mother must have felt, uprooted, only for the woman's two children to push back whenever her Japanese cultural sensibilities crept into their American lives. The scene is an emotional fissure in need of closure, but it's equally hard for readers to imagine Nao ever moving forward without having acknowledged it in the first place. That's the kind of book HIMAWARI HOUSE is; it's an acknowledgment of the splintering cultural rites one takes for granted, and an observation of the structural presumptions one often assembles, erroneously, in their place.

Comics/Book Reviews || ahb writes on Good Reads

[showthisbooksomelove]

Himawari House ~ Harmony Becker

Himawari House ~ Harmony Becker

Rating: 5/5 This graphic novel is super adorable, the story of Nao, a Japanese American woman returning to Japan for a year to learn her parents’ language and uncover her heritage. She lives in Himawari House, a house where people can rent a room and live in a communal setting, and typically filled with foreigners. Nao has no trouble making friends with Hyejung and Tina, two girls from Korea and…

[graphicpolicy]

7th Annual Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics nominees announced

7th Annual Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics nominees announced #comics #comicbooks

The Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics has revealed the highly-anticipated finalists for the prestigious 7th annual prize. The Selection Committee included new judge, David F. Walker, co-creator (with Brian Michael Bendis) of DC Comics’ and The CW’s Naomi McDuffie, so named in honor of Mr. McDuffie. The NOMINEES for the 7th Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics are: Adora…

[sleep-nurse]

また会いましょう！

[fioriparty7]

New animation :D

[usuratongaychi]

Recent naruto sketches

jiratsuna bath house trip auggghjffj

shikasasu…i was on disc w/ my buddies making up headcanons and now i ship shikatemasasu..

shikatemasasu smoke sesh??

i hc ino buys expensive night gowns and sleep sets for the both of them, but sakura is so tired from work she just throws on a tshirt to sleep 😭😭😭

himawari doodles

kakashit

inosaku kiss!!

[x-emeraldsky-x]

~ Naruto Headcanons ~

Naruto Uzumaki

• Naruto makes all of the groupchats in his friendgroups and is the most active in all of them. "Super Seven Squad" has himself, Sakura, Sasuke, Sai, Yamato and Kakashi. "Naru-Squad" has Sakura, Kiba, Rock Lee and Shikamaru. Sasuke and Gaara were added but Sasuke left and Gaara can't figure out groupchats. "Next Gen Parents" has himself, Hinata, Sakura, Sasuke, Temari, Shikamaru, Rock Lee, Gaara, ect.

• After training with Jiraiya, he picks up writing as a hobby. He's good at writing narratives, but his handwriting takes a while to become legible.

• Considers Sakura his older sister, he acts on this quite a lot and calls her "Nee-San" sometimes

• If Just Dance were a thing in the ninja world, he'd be the master. Sakura would be his less enthusiastic partner

Sakura Haruno/Uchiha

• Sakura's love language is gift giving. Often she will spoil Sasuke with flowers, treats and very fancy, well thought out dates. This carries onto her friendships and family bonds as well.

• She takes note of things her "nieces and nephews" enjoy and makes sure to buy something for them every time she visits. Boruto and Shikadai often get Ninja Trading Cards, Metal and his sister get new ninja equipment, ect.

• Sakura goes all out for birthday celebrations, and Sarada has never had a boring birthday

• Naruto gave her a shirt that says "Honorary Uzumaki" some time after he came back from training with Jiraiya, she still wears it even when she's an Uchiha. Naruto got her multiple new ones when the first finally tore

• Sakura's a very sloppy sleeper. Snoring, drooling and always sprawled out. The only time she's not taking up the whole bed is when she's spooning Sasuke. She has drooled in his hair and she will again

Sasuke Uchiha

• He's the leanest and lightest out of Team 7. This works well in his favour because it helps with his agility, but it's impossible for him to get out from under Sakura or Naruto without the use of Ninjutsu

• He associates certain hobbies or items with the people he's near. Anything hospital related reminds him of his wife as well as pink flowers, ramen reminds him of Naruto, ink reminds him of Sai, ect.

• Sasuke is very touch-affectionate with Sakura, craving her hugs and kisses whenever they're apart. He gets embarrassed when he asks, however, so he's very subtle and indirect

• Always ends up on top of or hugging Sakura in his sleep. Over the years he too has become a sloppy sleeper, but as long as Sakura is holding him, he doesn't mind

Hinata Hyūga

• All of the Hyūga clan have very prominent veins, especially around their eyes. Each Hyūga member has a unique pattern or colour. Hinata's children inherit this trait, but it's harder to see

• Hinata's veins are mostly purple, and her veins form a heart shape on her left eyelid, but it's usually hidden by her multiple eyelid creases. Neji's veins were green and formed a look similar to lightning

• Hinata has very soft, pale skin. In the cold and heat, she's always the first to go red, so she always packs a hat and a jacket.

• She has indented knuckles and is quite plump. This used to be an insecurity for her, but her friends and partners helped her embrace it

Kiba Inuzuka

• Kiba loves to sing. He typically makes up random songs about what he's doing, like washing dishes or sweeping the floor, but he also likes to sing music from his playlists. He enjoys calmer music, but he'll sing almost anything

• Team 8, Mirai and Himawari are the only people who know Kiba sings. Kiba loves his hobby but he's too embarrassed to sing in public

• On bad days, Kiba will sit with Shino on their bed in the dark brushing his hair with his fingers, singing softly to him to help them both relax

• After finding out about Shino's sensitive eyes, he went and bought blackout curtains and dim lights for his house so Shino could walk through comfortably without his glasses

Shino Aburame

• Shino is a very jealous person, and he sucks at hiding it. Many people have had to hold him back to prevent him from saying nasty things

• During Shippuden, he formed a bond with Akamaru. Since then, people called him Akamaru's second owner or second dad. He embraced this fully when he and Kiba got together

• He loves working with the dogs that the Inuzuka clan raise, but he does get very attached emotionally. If he had his way, he and Kiba would have about 30 dogs running around the house

• His eyes are a very deep brown colour, in the light they would shimmer with a orange-gold like colour. Due to his sensitivity to light though, only Kiba and the odd doctor have seen this.

• He gets cold very easily, so he's constantly layering his clothes. He and Hinata both would huddle in next to Akamaru on missions in the winter

• He has small scars on his body where his bugs come out, but they go unnoticed by the human eye at a distance. Hinata and Kiba always panic when they see Shino bleeding from his bugs breaking through his skin

Shikamaru Nara

• Shikamaru loves puzzle books, like Sudoku. He often buys magazines to complete these puzzles, sometimes looking into the latest gossip

• Once he and Temari are in a relationship, he carries a small summoning scroll that holds a giant folding fan, just in case of emergencies

• Shikamaru loves the food from Sunagakure, the rich tastes and flavours are to die for, but he can't stand the heat of the desert. Fortunately, Temari often brings Suna ingredients home so they don't miss out when they're in Konoha

• He unironocally loves some One Direction songs, although he'd never openly admit it. It's a secret he'll take to the grave

• Sakura caught him singing What Makes You Beautiful once and she has never let him live it down

Rock Lee

• After Neji's death, Lee starts to grow his hair out in remembrance. It takes him a long time for him to grieve but he soon finds peace with the loss

• For a short time after the war, Lee joins the Anbu under Kakashi's guide. After the birth of his first child however, he quits and becomes a Chūnin exam proctor for Konoha

• He and Shikamaru form a bond due to their relationships within the Suna trio. They become each others biggest defender when it comes to Kankuro, who still doesn't want to share his siblings with them even as an adult

• In The Next Generation period, he doesn't talk with Gai that often, focusing more on his family, friends and career. He has little time for other things

• He lived in Suna for a couple of years when Aiko and Metal were born. When his duties were needed back at Konoha, he took Metal with him because of Gaara's busy schedule. They visit each other as much as the can during holidays

• Scared of Temari

Temari no Sabaku/Nara

• Temari has very rough and dry skin. Her lips are usually chapped and peeling, and her hair is very coarse. She doesn't know what skin and hair care is, and even if she did, she'd ignore it

• She has a scar on her back near her right shoulder from protecting Gaara from a Suna villager, no one knows about this scar except Shikamaru who saw it on accident

• Very protective and loving of her little brothers, she'll always throw herself between them and an enemy if it means they'll be safe. Kankuro and Gaara worry that they'll lose her because of this

• Surprisingly very affectionate, and she loves to spoil all of her loved ones to the point they need extra storage to keep their gifts

• Sakura was her first close friend from Konoha, they relate quite a lot with their love for their family (even though Sakura's is not by blood). In their later years, Sakura introduced Hinata to Temari, and after a bit of a rocky start, they have girls nights every couple of weeks. Just the three of them

• Has fought with Kankuro over getting a puppy many times. In their early life, they couldn't afford or take care of one, but as adults, Temari finally gave in. She bought Kankuro a puppy for his birthday before she left for Konoha

[ghosts-and-blue-sweaters]

reblog game!!!

last song i listened to: chronically cautious by braden bales! it’s so so catchy, and despite listening to it over and over and over again, i never seem to get tired of it <3 i also personally believe that the lyrics are Hekkin Nice! a well-written breath of fresh air compared to most songs on the radio.

currently watching: star wars the bad batch!!! the finale comes out on wednesday and it’s… bittersweet :’) i’ve been watching this show for three years now. it’s gonna be so strange when it ends. i also just started rewatching an old Dream SMP episode about Ghostbur & Phil :)

currently reading: a couple books!! himawari house by harmony becker, the how & the why by cynthia hand, wild and distant seas by tara karr roberts, and i’m planning to start a new book soon!

currently obsessed with: honestly it’s Bluey lol. i wouldn’t call it an obsession per se, but the 28 minute episode made me feel so many things & made me remember really sad memories & made me feel so hopefully happy & it also made me tear up three times, soooo… i’ve been thinking about it lately.

favorite color: blue, but robin’s answer made me remember how much i enjoy cherry-blossom-pink as well!! especially after… yesterday? a few days ago? when i discovered some fallen cherry blossoms outside and tucked them behind my ears :) it’s a color that Tastes good, if you know what i mean <—no one knows what i mean

tagged by: @brown-little-robin (okay technically you didn’t tag me BUT you said anyone could join so I took the invitation :)

no pressure tags: @sunflower-chai @thatfriendlyanon @skaterfc @saltedcaramelchaos @cats-inthe-cradle @thisistheendtimes @biathediamond @sylvies-kablooie @wilbug and Pinestripe, if you’d like to participate then you’re more than welcome :D as well as anyone else who sees this and wants to join! please tag me if you participate because reading these is a lot of fun :D