Record Journey Vol 1 Review
Writer & Artist: Ryoichiro Kezuka
Editor: Louis Yamani
Designer: David Colderley
Translator: Jan Mitsuko Cash
Letterer: Skylar Rutan
Publisher: Titan Manga
Price: $12.99
Release Date: May 26, 2026
When her grandfather dies, Mayana Okaya sorts through his home. She's overwhelmed by the job ahead of her. Then help arrives. Koyomi Miyama from Miyama Records wants to survey the record collection. She's impressed by how meticulously Mayana's grandfather cared for his collection. Then they discover a record Koyomi cannot identify.
Just as Mayana wonders why her grandfather wrote her name on the sleeve of a 45, Koyomi puzzles over the music it plays. What kind of instruments are on the single? And how might the music reconnect Mayana with her late grandfather? Let's leap into Record Journey Vol 1 and see!
Story
Mayana remembers her grandfather as a quiet man who kept to himself. Yet he left his belongings and an album of ethnic music for her. Koyomi is a studious girl who wants to know everything about everything she sells. And unlike Mayana, she works alongside her grandfather, sharing their mutual love of music. So, while Mayana seeks a greater connection with her late grandfather, Koyomi regards learning about the mystery album as another part of her own musical journey.
While Mayana and Koyomi pursue answers, Ryoichiro Kezuka transports readers to other times and places. One chapter follows Lana, a waitress in a dining hall. She listens to radio broadcasts each night. But in a country where music and books from other countries are banned, listening is bad enough. Owning an album of music she enjoys could send her to prison.
At the heart of Record Journey Vol 1 is Nikki Lanbretta, a young woman who plays music for Radio Seagull. Each time she stops off in port with Wilko, they risk capture. And each time Nikki broadcasts from their ship, they must avoid patrol boats seeking to shut down the pirate radio station. Whenever they make landfall in whatever port accepts them, the DJs head toward record shops on their itinerary. Nikki and Wilko may enjoy a modicum of celebrity. Yet they're not above helping those in need in Record Journey Vol 1.
Art
When Koyomi arrives, she finds Mayana surrounded by piles of belongings. Koyomi shows Mayana what she values as she makes stacks on the floor. Time lapses of Koyomi's face surround Mayana as she finds the 45 with her name on it. When they travel to her shop, T-shirts, records, and three-dimensional emblems from famous groups hang over browser boxes filled with records.
In a country where owning foreign records is a crime, cabinets filled with music guard a turntable and music magazines. Posters promote foreign films and music groups. While Lana imagines circles emanating from the antenna of a pirate radio ship, the crew of Radio Seagull pushes through storms in their battered vessel, pursued by military vessels. Yet a mop-haired boy band, who can afford to stay in the best hotels, braves the dangers of a street market in Record Journey Vol 1. Their likenesses appear on a poster in Miyama Records and evoke the musicians in an iconic 1960s band.
Skylar Rutan fills dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters as music notes float through panels. The letters swell for raised voices and shrink for lowered voices. Character’s thoughts fill boxes, while emotions change balloon shapes. Sound effects heighten tense encounters, raging storms, and help readers hear musicians seeking adventure inside an enclosed motorcycle sidecar. Thanks to Titan Manga for providing a physical copy for review.
Final Thoughts
For some, music is a profession. Others risk their lives to pursue their passions. If they can't afford to purchase instruments, they assemble their own from disparate parts. And when they can't attract a record deal, they make demos to share with their friends. As people pursue their passion for music, share the songs they love, and teach others how to play, they embark on transformative journeys in Record Journey Vol 1.
Rating 10/10
To look inside see my preview of Record Journey Vol 1.
