Termina

If you've read my about me page, you would have noticed I said I like trams. During a particularly low point of my life, when I was failing my first degree and experiencing depression, I found solace in my countries biggest train/tram forum, specifically the tram section. I learned everything about the models, their nicknames, their official names, their production dates, where they were made, if they were domestic or imported, where they operated, what lines, where those lines were located. I would go on random tram rides through the city just to sit on a tram, I'd photograph my favourite lines, I lurked the forums so hard I knew all of the regulars, and I even knew which lines some of them operated on. In retrospect, this was a great way for someone that was as lonely as I was during that time to learn about the city where my dorm was. You could definitely say I was a big tram nerd. Still am, but not to that degree. A tram line is being built where I currently live, so I hope I'll get to see it. I actually went on a special viewing of one of the underground stations a couple months ago, and I got to see the tram in function. The reason why I never talked about this interest in detail with pictures attached was because it would fully dox me, but I digress. Because of this interest, this manga was really appealing to me. It combines two of my favourite things - learning about public rail transport, and travelling/getting lost in dream-like places that don't make much sense.

The manga is about a girl who just randomly became a catgirl one day (doesn't really add anything to the story), and she's really into trains. So in each chapter she goes on a new train line (all of them based on real operating lines), where something weird happens. The landscape is always weird and distorted, fellow passengers are often surreal and strange. The feelings I got from this manga are very similar to the ones I experienced when embarking on my lonely travels, where nobody knew me, and everyone seemed to know more than me. They knew the line and which stop to get off, but I was the inexperienced passenger being taken through their world. It also reminded me of panpanya's works which are a favourite of mine.

Each chapter ends with the history and summary of the real life version of the line explored in that chapter which I thoroughly enjoyed. It's no wonder Japan has so many train otaku, when their rail transport is so rich with interesting and well-documented stories.

There were a couple of weird sexual scenes which I didn't really get the point of, until I read the afterword of the first volume, so now I kind of get where the weirdness and the off-putting vibe comes from.

The manga is still publishing, although only 8 chapters have been translated and I have no idea how many are actually out ;_;. Still if you're interested in the topics I mentioned I recommend reading it since it's so short.