This is a brilliant example of Hagio's modern style. I appreciated the mature themes of frustration with the rat race and undefined middle-aged longing. Her art has changed since the 70s, but there is still something unusual about it--it stands out from the cliched, indistinguishable mass of modern manga. Strange as it may sound, one of the things I appreciated most was all of the realistically fat people, that and the sense of poignancy without high drama.