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Minami Fujii is a 27-year-old advertising agency employee who dedicates an immense amount of effort to her job, often at the expense of her romantic life. Due to a lack of communication and emotional connection, her boyfriend eventually leaves her. This breakup plunges Fujii into a deep depression, prompting her to reassess her priorities. In an attempt to escape reality, she immerses herself even more in her work. However, life rarely conforms to our desires. As Fujii starts spending evenings with her colleagues, she discovers that they, too, bear the scars of their personal struggles.
(Source: Shoujo Manga Maniac)
Suppli was published in English by Tokyopop in five volumes, from November 1, 2007, to October 14, 2008, with volumes 4 and 5 combined into a single volume. The series has also been released in French by Delcourt and in Polish by Hanami.
Minami Fuji is 27 years old and works at an advertising office. After ending her seven-year relationship, she realizes she has spent all her free time with her boyfriend and no one else, leaving her without friends. She focuses on working hard and starts spending her free time with her coworkers. Despite her lack of social skills, they welcome her into their group. One coworker shows romantic interest in her, but Fuji falls for a new colleague who has just been transferred.
I might like Suppli because I can relate to Fuji. She struggles with her social life and is far from being "cute." She's not girly or sexy: "I really do want to be kinder and happier and cuter, but something inside me gets in the way." Her appearance is practical, suited for work rather than attracting attention, and she finds it challenging to look more feminine.
The series seems to depict Japanese work life accurately, which makes me glad I don't work there as it appears very stressful. However, it is interesting to read and offers insights into a foreign culture and the workings of an advertising company. Each book of the Tokyopop US edition includes a page with explanations and cultural notes—a great idea and very helpful.
The drawings take some getting used to, in my opinion. The men especially look so similar that it's sometimes hard to tell them apart. Some double pages have a background connecting the panels, such as raindrops, leaves, or a starry sky, creating a beautiful and dense atmosphere.
Suppli isn't my absolute favorite josei manga, but it definitely ranks among the top. It's not one of those "Sex in the City" josei mangas, which are essentially shoujo with added sex and annoying, useless female lead characters. So if you like those, this one probably isn't for you. Suppli focuses heavily on the life of a working woman; there's romance and drama, but also setbacks at work to deal with.