Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou
Girls' Last Tour

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Girls’ Last Tour – Spoiler Free – Recommended

TLDR
Story – 6,5/10 – 6,5 x 0.275 = 1,7875
Art – 8,5/10 – 8,5 x 0.2 = 1,7
Characters – 6/10 – 6 x 0.225 = 1,35
Enjoyment – 8/10 – 8 x 0.3 = 2,4
Total: 7,2375 -> 7

Story – 6,5/10
Girls’ Last Tour doesn't necessarily have a story, as it is a string of events that happen to the protagonists – Yuuri and Chito – almost in a post-apocalyptic slice-of-life episodic kind of way. It all connects through their pure innocence as they explore a world ravaged by war and their reflections and incomprehension of the grim world they inherited. ... It has no plot, no objective, no archnemesis: just reflections on a dead world. It is, by nature, quite bleak. It is, however, a “Cute Girls Doing Cute Things” manga, but it is able to stay afloat and be more than a simple CGDCT story.
Their innocence is what comes most to the fore, as they aren’t able to understand, at first, what a cemetery is, or why would humanity kill each other. They are just trying to survive in what remains of the world.
The ending is open-ended, leaving the reader to guess what happened next, as though there is a serious chance that things took a turn for the worse.
There is also a constant tension between the living world and the dead world, between what is and what was: in a sense, between those who want to survive and strive and want to understand the world surrounding them and those who merely want to keep their state of affairs.

Art – 8.5/10
Girls’ Last Tour art style is unique. Being a simple story, it would only make sense that the art style would also be relatively simple, and this is exactly what we have in this manga. The character design is similar to that of a “Cute Girls Doing Cute Things” manga, and the cadence of the panels and the page flow are very well done. Moreover, the landscapes have a perfect mixture of sketchish nature and details.

Characters – 6/10
Aside from some minor characters that Yuuri and Chito find on their trips, that are, in general, unimportant, there are only two characters worth mentioning: the main ones (Yuuri and Chito). What we mostly have access to is not to the inner workings of their psychology but instead their innocence. They are, in essence, very simple and straightforward characters, as it was necessary to fit the overall atmosphere of the manga.

Enjoyment – 8/10
Girls’ Last Tour is a slice-of-life in a post-apocalyptic setting that delves into the innocence of two children as they explore their old world. There's also the sense of calmness throughout the manga: there is no action, no adrenaline-fueled things, just the calmness of someone who has all the time they want to explore. This manga is also six volumes long, but it easily reads as much shorter as there isn’t that much dialogue to begin with. It is a quick read and a very pleasant one at that, and, both for the uniqueness of its concepts and execution, it deserves a recommendation.

Girls Last Tour is the rare work of art I would consider perfect. That isn't necessarily to say it's the best thing I've ever read-there are a few things I could think of that I found more enjoyable or impactful for instance-however, it sets out to do something and does exactly what it wants. That's all that really needs to be said, but continue reading for a little more information. This series is absolutely worth anyone's time.

Speaking of which, there is no wasted time in this manga: no padding, no filler. Everything exists in service of the ideas the author puts forward. It also manages ... to properly explore its ideas without overstaying its welcome. It's a brisk read that wouldn't benefit from expansion or reduction. Any more and it might've begun to grate, any less and it would've left you wanting more. And that's what I mean by saying it's a perfect work of art.

Girls Last Tour knows what it wants to be. It's precisely crafted to say what it wants to say and then end. And that ending is utterly fantastic. There isn't a panel spared for dawdling despite the fact that that's mostly what the characters do, and every moment adds to the series' themes and ideas. In the end, there is nothing the series could do to make itself better. For that, it's a 10 out of 10, it gets full marks for an interesting, bleak, yet somehow uplifting concept and impeccable execution.

p.s. There is one single criticism to levy at the series: This story needs sound, but that's a problem of medium and the anime largely remedies it. There is nothing to criticize within the series.

It has become somewhat of a tradition for me to start reviews by explaining how I came across this manga. A few months ago, I was buying some manga from an online store, and I came across this one. My brother also mentioned it, saying it’s probably nothing special, but it has good ratings and could be interesting since it’s short. So, we bought it, I started reading, and it turned out to be exactly what I expected — neither more nor less. It reminded me a bit of Horizon, but it was weaker in comparison.

The story follows two girls traveling through a post-apocalyptic world. ... They encounter new things and move to new locations, often having conversations with each other. These dialogues are simple at first glance, but they’re actually really thought-provoking. The dialogues, and the story in general, seem pretty simple at first — just a regular adventure story — but as you move toward the end, you realize it’s much deeper than it seemed at first. I don’t want to spoil too much, but the final chapters really made me think and left a strong impact on me. The ending, in my opinion, is the most memorable and significant part of the story.

Yes, the story is deep and thought-provoking, but that’s why I’m rating it like this. I often encounter the same issues when reading classic literature. Sometimes, a work might excel in one or two aspects, such as the depth of the story or atmosphere, but lack in everything else. (I get that this could be the intended style or approach, but I’m not a fan of it.) That’s why when I read classics, I pick works like Dostoevsky’s, which can dive deep into human nature, reveal characters' complexities, and still keep the story, characters, and atmosphere at a high level. I’ve probably drifted from the topic, but I hope you get what I mean. In this manga, there were indeed some thought-provoking moments, and it made me reflect even after finishing it, but aside from that, it didn’t draw me in. The story and characters were okay — I understand that they had to be like that for this kind of story, but couldn’t the story and characters have been different, while keeping the same message?

I’ve already touched on the cons in the previous paragraph and the pros in the first one, but there’s one more positive I want to highlight: the atmosphere. The world was beautifully and interestingly drawn, and it really reflected the essence of the story.

At first, I was torn between saying I had “mixed feelings” or “recommending” it, but after thinking it through, I’ve decided to give it a Mixed Feelings. The story is short and simple, but it carries a unique charm. It’s the type of manga that doesn’t demand too much from you but still offers something meaningful. It’s a story that lingers in your thoughts, and while it may not leave a huge impact, it’s still worth the read if you're in the mood for something reflective and pleasant.

So, considering the pros and cons, I think my rating is pretty fair.

My final score for this work is 6/10.