Wallaby (manga)

Wallaby (わらびー) is a fantasy manga by Kiyohiko Azuma. It was published in Game-jin magazine from December 1998 until the summer 2000 issue, and collected in Kiyohiko Azuma Sakuhinshu: Azumanga 2. Unlike most manga, Wallaby was drawn in left-to-right format.

Wallaby was published intermittently at the same time Azuma was writing Azumanga Daioh and shares a similar drawing style. Unlike Azumanga Daioh's slice-of-life manner, Wallaby has a dramatic plot. Azuma himself described Wallaby as a heartful, slapstick romantic comedy. The story was stopped after 8 chapters without a conclusion, and the author seems to have no intention of continuing it.

Plot
After Akira Warabi's accidental death, his guardian angel, Rarirarurara, places his soul in a stuffed wallaby made by his classmate Kokoro Kokosa as a memorial tribute. Kokoro agrees to let Warabi live in her bedroom while he waits to be returned to a human body. Rarirarurara decides this will not happen quickly, as Warabi seems to be happy where he is.

Characters

 * Kokoro Kosaka (小坂こころ): A 16-year-old high school student, Kokoro deeply admired Warabi while he was still alive. She made the stuffed wallaby (Warabi's current body) as a tribute during his funeral. She is somewhat violent and her thinking is simplistic, characteristics shared by her niece Emi.


 * Kokoro makes a cameo appearance in Azumanga Daioh (both manga and anime). During the first year, she attends the school culture festival with Warabi in her pocket and is perplexed by the unrecognizable stuffed animals made by Osaka and Sakaki.


 * Akira Warabi (蕨明) / Wallaby: A classmate of Kokoro's who, before his death, was quite popular with girls at his school. After he and his family are killed in a car accident, his guardian angel transfers his soul to a stuffed wallaby made by Kokoro. Until he can be returned to human form, he is forced to remain in Kokoro's care. He is shy, humble, patient, and good at video games.


 * The pronunciation of his surname is very close to the Japanese pronunciation of "wallaby" (わらびー).


 * Rarirarurara (ラリラルララ) / Miss Rarira (ラリラさん): Warabi's guardian angel. She placed his soul in a stuffed toy wallaby to keep him from dying unhappily, because her promotion is dependent on his happiness. She starts investigating ways to restore Warabi to life, but then decides doing so unnecessary. She often she drops by Kosaka's room to visit Warabi.


 * Emi (えみ): Kosaka's younger niece. She lives a distant bicycle ride away. She comes to Kosaka's house to play (and be babysat by Kokoro's mother) and takes Warabi with her when she leaves.


 * Kokoro's Mother: Emi's babysitter. She helps Kokoro by telling her Emi took Warabi.