The Last Cruise (The last pleasure boat, 最後の遊覧船, Saigo no Yuuransen), 2020, Sugimura, Shinichi, Big Comic Superior

STORY: 6

Meet Youko Kojiri, a screenwriter on the run from the disaster that was her last broadcast show. As she rides a kitsch cruise boat, crossing the lake that leads back to her parents home, her encounter with a gorgeous captain starts the beginning of a lot of boat rides around the lake.
Add a few colorful characters, some over-the-top twists (terrorism, natural disasters..), over the welcome length of just two volumes, and you have an entertaining little manga!

ART: 6

Nothing breathtaking here, but there is a nice variety in styles depending on the mood of the characters. Sometimes, faces give off an unexpected Rei Mikamoto (the author of titles involving gore and school girls, such as “Bloody Delinquent Girl Chainsaw”) vibes, which adds some quirkiness to the story.

POLITICAL POTENTIAL: 6

This light story, within its short run, manages to address the toxicity of social media, with the internet-lynching mob threatening Kojiri. Interestingly, as a counterpoint to that anonymous, hostile mass in the background, many local characters found around the lake are simply nice, generous or supportive. This is a welcome addition since the majority of manga often depict strangers as hostile or selfish.

FEMINISM: 4

Meh. A major part of the plot is the rivalry between Youko and another girl as they both yearn for the hot captain of the boat. They brag and deceive each other, even using the “I’m pregnant from him” trick.
At least, there’s also Youko producer and friend: she is overweight but, amazingly, she appears through the manga as a producer and friend first. I am saying first because, too many times in manga, ‘fat’ characters are defined firstly by their appearance and stay limited to some stereotype of either the funny good-hearted (hi “Naruto”!), ridiculously glutton (hi “One Punch Man”!), bullied/shut-in/miserable (hi “Ressentiment”!) character. Let’s not get too carried away though, she is a producer first, but still a comical fat character next. Her treatment is just a bit less infuriating than usual.

CONCLUSION: 6/10

The last pleasure boat is a light story that can distract you for two volumes.