This romantic comedy manga series ran to 101 chapters (called Days) in total, collected in 14 volumes. It tells the story of Yanagiba Masahiko (Giba to his friends), a young college student who goes to live with his black-sheep relatives the Wakanaes when his parents die. He doesn't know much about them as they were shunned by the rest of the family for some reason. Well, he finds out why real quick...
Uncle Sora is a mangaka, a workaholic manga artist with a chaotic studio in his spacious house. Aunt Yukari is a busy housewife and Yanagiba's cousin Shion is a pretty sixteen-year old girl. Or is she? That question drives Giba to distraction throughout the entire series after he discovers his aunt and his uncle are both transvestites. In fact all the people who work for "Uncle" Sora are crossdressers. But is Shion?
Giba's life gets even more complicated when the cinema club at his college needs a leading lady in a hurry for their latest epic. Someone reckons that Giba could be perfect for the part and so the screen goddess Masami is born. Add in an amorous but misguided Yakuza gangster, a girlfriend who has misgivings about Giba's inability to stay out of trouble (and dresses), family feuds and growing pains and you've got Family Compo.
Sora's little sister Yoriko is getting engaged, an arranged marriage not uncommon in the rural area where she lives. But there's another femme fatale involved, a catty character called Shoko and she's not afraid to express her opinion of the others involved in the marriage negotiations. But will they listen to her? Released 03 December 2005 (17.0Mb)
While Kenji and Sora continue their "discussion" among the blood and broken bottles, Yukari is pinch-hitting for her husband at Yoriko's omiai (betrothal party). Things are going really well! That can easily be fixed, though -- another beer, anyone? And the cat comes back... Released 13 December 2005 (16.6Mb)
A little fishing trip ends up as a medical emergency and a discovery of hidden secrets, a treasure trove of letters. Perhaps some people's attitudes are not as fixed as they appear to be? Perhaps some people are not as different as they'd like to think? Perhaps... Released 10 January 2006 (15.5Mb)
At the beach, everyone has something to hide. Aunt Yukari especially has something to hide in that very tight and very revealing swimming costume. And Shion? Has she *got* anything to hide? More importantly, who's afraid of ghosts? Not Ejima, he's got bigger things to be scared of... Released 17 February 2006 (16.7Mb)
Giba just wants to hide under a rock as the cinema club hosts yet another showing of his debut film, but life is never that easy for Yanagiba Masahiko as both his love interests turn up at just the wrong moment. And suddenly Giba's being groomed for stardom! Or rather "Masami" is, whether Giba likes it or not. Oops. Released 05 March 2006 (15.8Mb)
Masahiko has been kidnapped! The chase is on, but when the would-be rescuers catch up to the villains they find... Masami? What is Mister Tatsumi up to THIS time? What are Yoko and Masami, sorry Giba doing in the ladies toilets? And that on-screen kiss comes back to haunt poor Ejima... Released 10 March 2006 (14.5Mb)
Congratulations Masahiko and happy birthday! Nineteen isn't a really special age, but the Wakanaes like to party and any excuse is a good excuse. There are presents galore for Giba but perhaps the best one is Sora's tale of the first ever Wakanae party, in a bare six-tatami apartment when it was just the young manga artist beginning his career and his devoted companion Yukari. Presents? Only in their imagination but they can be the best kind (as opposed to Shion's thoughtful and eminently practical gift to Giba...) Released 23 April 2006 (14.8Mb)
A girl's school can be a scary place, especially when predators are about. But when Ejima and Giba visit Shion's school festival, it's not the MALE predators they need to watch out for, but the third-year seniors! The highlight of the day 's festivities is the Crossdressing Competition -- and guess who's the star of the show! And is that Yoko in the audience? Oops. Released 16 July 2006 (14.8Mb)
Aunt Yukari's got a driving licence, but she's afraid to use it. After she gives Giba and Shion a ride, they're the ones who are afraid! Beep beep! Released 08 October 2006 (10.6Mb)
So what happens when Uncle Sora is taken ill one day in the studio? What hospital department does the examination, what ward does he get put into? Illness or no, there's a deadline to meet and Mori-dono isn't going to let Sora slack off just because he's in a hospital bed... Released 19 November 2006 (8.2Mb)
Christmas isn't Shion's favourite holiday, for some reason. With Aunt Yukari off to visit Sora in hospital over Xmas Eve and Giba out celebrating with Yoko, she's all alone in that big house. With all that booze. And all those memories... but she's not the only one with reason to hate Xmas. Released 07 December 2006 (8.0Mb)
There was this boy, you see... A first love is always the one you go back to when you're down or when you're drunk, and right now Shion is remembering the crush she had on Mitsuhiro big time. Of course love, true or not, never runs smoothly and in the Wakanae household it's bumpier than most. Speaking of bumps... Released 13 January 2007 (9.5Mb)
Yoko? Sweet demure Yoko is going after Giba? Ahem. Well, she does have the wrong idea about Shion and Giba, and he's got the wrong idea about Shion and her, and the assistants have got a whole load of booze, and... but Yoko? Huh?
What was Giba's mother like? On the anniversary of her death Giba and aunt Yukari remember her in their own ways, her legacy to both of them. Giba also remembers the little girl he saw many years ago at the cemetery, his own first love. Could it be he'll meet her again, after all this time? Would he recognise her? Would she recognise him? Would she untie him from that tree? Please?
It's Spring Break! But when Masahiko is caught in a compromising position by his girlfriend Yoko he starts making plans to move out of the family home. However plans and Giba don't really get on well with each other... Released 11 May 2005 (6.8Mb)
Giba has met up with an old acquaintance who can maybe get him a well-paying job, one step closer to being independent. Great! But what is the old acquaintance really up to? Released 19 May 2005 (6.6Mb)
There's dirty work afoot, jealous eyes are focussed on Giba and a debt has to be worked off. Awkward questions are being asked and private eye Shion is on Giba's trail. Can he keep his work a secret and can his friend and co-worker Ejima keep his big mouth shut? Well, what do you think? This is Family Compo after all... Released 29 May 2005 (8.6Mb)
The cat's out of the bag -- well, Aunt Yukari knows about Giba's plans to leave home. What Giba was doing at his "little job" is still a secret from them (for now). Everybody seems OK with his decision to leave. So why does he feel like a heel? And it's PARTY time at the Wakanaes again! Released 07 June 2005 (7.4Mb)
Sora's little sister Yoriko is getting married! The news brings back memories for Aunt Yukari, of when a penniless mangaka fell in love with a young student. It will be their wedding anniversary soon, and she's resigned to the usual night out with Sora who is somewhat unimaginative where such matters are concerned. Shion and Giba have other plans for them though... Released 24 August 2005 (17.5Mb)
The cinema club's membership is expanding and the new members are all desperate to meet screen goddess Yanagiba Masami. The guys, well, what do you expect? But what about this girl, Akane, who seems fascinated by the uncanny resemblance between Giba and Masami? Even their family names are the same! And just how do Masami and Akane end up in bed together in a love hotel? Released 02 October 2005 (19.4Mb)
An old family feud rears its head again as Uncle Sora's father turns up unexpectedly in Tokyo just a few days before Yoriko's wedding. He's up to something, and it's not just visiting with his grand-daughter Shion and her cousin Giba. Is the wedding on or off? What's the sly old fox planning? The plot thickens... Released 10 November 2005 (17.9Mb)
Well, Giba and co. know what Grandpa was planning, and it isn't nice. If Giba refuses to be adopted, Grandpa will force Yoriko to give up Kenji and cancel the wedding. Shion's already made her objections known but Grandpa's a stubborn cuss (you can see where Haruka Sora gets that particular trait from). Will Giba sacrifice his future for Yoriko's sake? Released 29 January 2008 (11.8Mb)
It's Yoriko's wedding day finally, and Papa Kikuchi looks to have triumphed. Giba has agreed to adoption into the Kikuchi family, and it's all over. Or is it? Shion has a plan... Run, Giba, run before it's too late! Oh, it's too late already? Poor Giba... Released 29 February 2008 (9.10Mb)
The 4share file store here contains all chapters of Family Compo done by Nojay currently scanlated in individual zipfiles.
My gmail account name is nojay1 if you want to email me. Cheers.