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Movie-Loving Office Lady Webcomic Takes on Star Wars Episode VII

With the onslaught of hype, speculation, rumor, and (now) actual information about the long-awaited Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, it can be hard for some fans to shut it out and just enjoy the experience when the premiere finally comes. Machiko Kine, the protagonist of Asai's web manga Kine-san no Hitori de Cinema ("Kine's One-Woman Cinema"; also known as "I Love Cinema, I Am Lonely"), is an office lady in her 30s with a secret fascination with movies, and her experience trying to insulate herself from Star Wars spoilers is something that many of us can probably relate to.

The story is set in July, just after the release of the Episode VII trailer. Kine leaps across her apartment room to turn off the TV to keep from seeing it.

Kine, like many other Star Wars fans, grew up watching the original trilogy and was ecstatic about the prequels when they were announced. Again like many other fans, she was disappointed by what she got.

She concludes that her anticipation had overwhelmed her, and therefore the best way to appreciate the new movie is to keep herself as ignorant as she was when she first watched the originals. But this is more difficult than it seems, given the ubiquity of Star Wars in ads, on her Twitter feed, and in train conversations.

Even in an office meeting, one of her coworkers has a Star Wars ringtone, and another spoils the return of a major character in the new film.

It only gets worse from there, as her coworkers start a Star Wars conversation, watch the trailer, and even start reading the subtitles out loud. She considers taking a long bathroom break, but doesn't want to make a bad impression considering that this is supposed to be a business meeting. Finally she distracts them by feigning ignorance of the franchise and asking what order to see the movies in... but that just sparks a heated debate which threatens to spiral into a fight.

"I'll tell you my answer! If we agree to it, can we get back to work?"

After quenching the fight by telling everyone to just wait for Episode VII, she goes home to find her roommate asking her what order to watch the movies in.

The manga is available to read (Japanese only) at Pinga until midnight on December 21 and at Nico Nico Seiga until 1 PM on December 21 (Japan time).

[Via Comic Natalie; Images from Pinga]