MANGA REVIEW | "Kanna's Daily Life" - Volume Seven
The universe of Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid is a vast one, but I was starting to get worried about its spinoff Kanna’s Daily Life. Its previous volume was, to be blunt, lackluster, as it was missing the charm and wit of Coolkyousinnjya’s original work. Fortunately, it appears that my fears of Kanna’s Daily Life succumbing to mediocrity were a false alarm, as evident by what its seventh volume has to offer.
A school project has Kanna aiming to draw the most important thing she has at home, but Miss Kobayashi’s work schedule makes it a challenge. Fafnir needs help with his cursed manga, with the smol dragon being more help than he could’ve imagined. The concept of anniversaries has Kanna wanting to create a new special day every day, but her plan hits a snag. Plus, summer has arrived, which means it’s time for the dragon to experience shaved ice, fireworks, bug catching, and even a little post-Spring cleaning.
There’s a warmth that comes from reading Kanna’s Daily Life, as readers experience the world through her eyes. It’s a sort of innocence that makes even the most mundane things seem joyful. One of these moments comes in the form of hand-me-downs, with the Lolita dragon excited to have Kobayashi’s old raincoat. To Saikawa, getting old clothes seems like a drag; to Kanna, it’s a rite of passage. This perception is not only cute to watch unfold, but it’s also pretty endearing.
It wouldn’t be a Dragon Maid series if there weren’t any big laughs, which occurs on a good amount of occasions. From Kanna and Kobayashi entering a water gun contest and learning about shaved ice to a human jealous of a dragon’s easy wardrobe change, the comedy in this volume of Kanna’s Daily Life goes more for the warmhearted punchline than a laugh-out-loud one. Nevertheless, there will be a few times where you’ll find yourself chuckling at some of Kanna’s antics.
Volume Seven of Kanna’s Daily Life makes up for the uninspired previous volume, giving way to some fun storylines and feel-good shenanigans. Author Mitsuhiro Kimura has seemed to pick herself up from her slump, delivering a lot of charm that blends well within the Dragon Maid realm. It may not beat the summer heat, but the latest volume of Kanna’s Daily Life will keep your head cool and your heart blossoming.
