Dementia 21 is a series of short stories about the day-to-day work of a home caregiver. Based on the description alone, it might sound boring and mundane, but Shintaro Kago’s creativity completely upends that expectation. Absurdity is perhaps the best word to describe this manga—each chapter brings a new surprise. Kago continually finds inventive ways to make each story ridiculously absurd yet undeniably funny. The series also tackles many social and eldercare issues in Japan, which not only lends the manga a sense of dark humour but also adds weight to the narrative, creating the feeling that some kind of reality persists even within itsabsurdist world. Despite its lack of a central plot or deep character development, this manga remains one of the best examples of how to blend creativity and humour.