Dai used to live in America. His mother is a piano player and often left him with friends as she went off to do her job in various clubs. As a result Dai never have a permanent home in his life nor friends, he never went to school until the day he was enrolled at St George. One day his mother does not return as she promised after leaving him with a friend (Ken). It turned out that she died from alcohol poisoning, since Dai has no other relatives in America he stays with Ken. Ken is the first person in Dai's life who he stayed more than a week with, he is also the first person who taught him how to read and later on program a computer. Dai possessed a photographic memory which enabled him to as he said "soak up information like a sponge". This period of time is perhaps the happiest moment in his life at the time, he loves learning and being able to read. As he said "it's nice to be able to read and know that you won't be cheated when people give you change, because you can't read numbers".

While with Ken he programmed a game called "Sabbath Cafe". It's a game based on mother goose's rhyme about children born on certain days of the week. "Monday's child is full of grace..." and so on. The aim is to find the Sabbath Child, by going through different doors. The game is essentially about Dai's wish, to be like the Sabbath child who is surrounded by constant love and attention. Ken recognising the quality of the software it sold it on Dai's behalf to a computer company for half a million dollar. The game is wildly successful all over the world and the money is placed in a trust for Dai after Ken died. (Ken is As part of his will Ken suggested that Dai spend some time in Japan, finding his roots and to attempt living a normal life. This is where the comic really starts, minus all the background detail I have added. The story unfolds with excruciating slowness, but not in a negative way.

The manga deals with Dai discovering himself in Japan, "living" for the first time. The first time he is actually surrounded by friends and people who cared for him. Dai became very close friends with Jerry, and their relationship is interesting because through their relationship you can see how much Dai had changed. In the beginning he was very much a loner, fiercely independent to the point of being aloof. He's emotionally repressed and the only real relationship he has is a simulation he programmed with a computer. Towards the end he recognised the fact that being alone can be lonely, and life isn't so bad after all. The ending is great, but I won't spoil it, since I've already spoiled most the rest of the story.

Verdict
It's a sad often poignant story about what could happen to a sensitive and bright person without a stable background. I loved the fact that Dai is so vulnerable at times, and so innocent at other things but very mature in others. An example is when on the suggestion of Jerry that if he wanted to know what love is "go out with a girl" Dai followed the advice a little too faithfully, dating three girls at the same time. The characters are exceptional and believable, not your average cardboard copy. The author takes great care in making sure that each character has distinct personalities ranging from Martin's sweetness to Jerry's cynicism. On a lighter note, one of my favourite sub theme is Jerry's phobia to having a hair cut. The barber snipped the top of his ear when he was 5, hated the sight of scissors ever since . The drawing reminded me of Miura Hiroko's, the characters looking more realistic than your average large, starry eyed manga characters.

Yonogi Dai
Your average 13 year old prodigy :), who's so darn cute it's not funny. Anyhow, Dai's currently living by himself in a European style house. He's acutely aware of his difference to his class mates, and tends to isolate himself.

Jerry Morton
Dai's closest friend, apart from Marty. He has a higly volatile temper, he would be the first to confrot Dai when Dai tries to retreat into his shell again. Despite his gruff mannerism, he's very sensitive to other people's moods. This picture is drawn later in the manga, Jerry's hair used to be longer.

Marty (Martin)
The youngest boy with two brothers, somehow he managed to miss the height in the family gene pool. He's very sweet, and often acts as a foil to Jerry's temper. Marty dreams of being a make up/puppet maker in the movie industry. Other than that his more immediate ambition is to date a girl in one of Dai's class, except he's always too embarassed to ask.

Omar Bradley
Star Quarter Back of the Football team, he's a dim, and rather sweet tempered giant. He tends to blurt secrets out which usually leads into dragging Dai in some type of problem. He oftens asks Dai for help, this can be from school work or his on again off again relationship with his girlfriend.

Sioux Morton
Jerry's younger sister, a rather spoiled brat who bossies Dai unmercilessly simply because she could. In some ways, Sioux helps to bring out Dai's care free self just by being around him. There are hints throughout the manga that she has a crush on him, but he only treats her like an indulgent older brother.