Hereditary Triangle
Writer and Artist: Fumiya Hayashi
Publisher: Yen Press (print & digital)
Translation: Alethea & Athena Nibley
Lettering: Phil Christie
Publication Date: Dec 17, 2024
Rating: Older Teen
Genre: Manga (JPN), Romance, Drama, Literary
Hereditary Triangle is Fumiya Hayashi‘s first work to be introduced to English-speaking fans by Yen Press. Originally a two-volume manga, readers will get to experience the series as a whole, both as digital and in hardcover. It’s important to note that despite hitting the shelves in December, Hereditary Triangle has made it into Publisher’s Weekly‘s 10 Must-Read Manga of 2024! Here’s a spoiler-free look into the manga.
Proximity brings Koutarou and Kajiwara together during their childhood, but despite their opposite dispositions, they remain close friends for years. Down the line, they meet Touko, a beautiful underclassman in Koutarou’s department. Koutarou catches a glimmer in his friend’s eyes, which he’s all too accustomed to. The sign of when Kajiwara sees something bewitchingly beautiful, and Koutarou knows his friend is in love, just like he is. Touko returns Koutarou’s feelings, although the three continue to spend time together just like always, expecting to remain the way they are forever.
Until one day, Kajiwara disappears without a word. At first, he and Koutarou exchange short letters sparingly from whichever country the free-spirited man is in at that time, but they eventually fall out. In the end, Koutarou hears the dreadful news that Kajiwara passed away in an accident. Even though this must be the truth, knowing Kajiwara, Koutarou has trouble accepting he’s gone. So is it his eyes or his guilt-stricken heart that’s playing tricks on Koutarou for him to see his long-gone friend standing in front of him?
Hereditary Triangle was one of the announcements I eagerly looked forward to reading this year. Another series Fumiya Hayashi started creating around the same time, Kemutai Hanashi, was licensed in Turkish by Uykulu Kahve and that’s how I came to hear about their work. I was immediately enamored by Kemutai Hanashi‘s contemplative approach to everyday life and intricate web of human connections accompanied by beautiful artwork. So it’s safe to say I went into Hereditary Triangle with high expectations, as well as enthusiasm.
I was overjoyed to find out that the same care, attention to detail, and talent in compellingly bringing the mundane to the page are in Hereditary Triangle as well. Hayashi explores a love triangle where romantic and platonic feelings are intertwined in a way that cannot be detangled easily.
Koutarou has always admired Kajiwara’s vitality and warmth, ever so energetic and easily lovable compared to his dull and introverted self. To him, it makes perfect sense for Touko to fall for Kajiwara, and even after years of their marriage, Koutarou doesn’t understand why Touko chose him. It’s been eating away at him that he was intimidated by the same aspects he loved about his friend. And a part of Koutarou sighed in relief, albeit shamefully, when Kajiwara was out of the picture. He feared a future where Touko had finally “seen the light” and was charmed by Kajiwara, the way Koutarou was captivated by his friend’s sincerity.
What I admire the most in Hereditary Triangle is the initial simplicity of the dynamic between the trio, yet how impossible it seems to find a solution to their predicament where everyone is happy and content. Depicting the complicated mundane over simplistic extremities is something I want to see more of in stories, especially the ones that contain romance.
When a creator introduces extreme circumstances, such as immense debt, life-or-death situations, or severely violent, cruel characters, it’s easy to sense where the creator wants you to stand and which character to support. What’s more, the solution to the predicament is often straightforward, and it’s just a matter of getting there. However, the dynamic Hayashi created is as grounded as it gets. Even though the resolution is one where there’s no clear winner or loser, as is always the case in relationships, I found the conclusion to this seemingly messy web of relationships to be satisfying and touching.
Another aspect I appreciated is how Touko isn’t portrayed as the “villain” who ruined the close friendship Koutarou and Kajiwara had. She’s lively, kind, opinionated and open, albeit a little air-headed. What remains unspoken or misunderstood is never who loved who or the who’ll end up with who. By avoiding the usual romantic love triangle course, Hayashi has space to explore memories of the past and just why the three drifted apart.
The simplistic and cute art style complements the series’ genuine and cordial air. The characters spend a lot of time in their hometown in the countryside, on the beach, or taking walks on the street and each time, the scenery quietly sets the tone and envelopes the characters softly. Kajiwara is infatuated with taking photographs of landscapes and nature, which ties to his side of the story and the kind of character he is. The constant presence of plants, in that sense, feels like a reminder that Kajiwara is always part of the everyday life of these characters.
My only gripe with Hereditary Triangle is that the artist already succeeds in drawing clear parallels between the past and the present in the order in which they put the flashbacks and current-day events. But even though they visually convey what they’re trying to communicate, there were still numerous pages where the “message” was spelled out by the characters. Not only does it create redundancy, but it also shifts the tone towards preachy, which contrasts with the rest of the story. If Hayashi were to trust their readers more, the series could have ended on a more subtle, meaningful note.
Hereditary Triangle benefits from Yen Press’ decision to publish it as a 2-in-1 volume, which allows the reader to not pause between volumes. The series reads comfortably thanks to Alethea and Athena Nibley’s smooth translation and Phil Christie’s competent lettering. I wholeheartedly recommend Hereditary Triangle to all manga fans, but especially the readers who are looking to dive into a series with adult characters, complicated feelings and an unresolved past. You will not regret meeting Fumiya Hayashi’s delicate pen!
Hereditary Triangle will be available digitally and in print on December 17, 2024, on Yen Press’ website and other retailers.
