The day of February 7th has been repeating for Pieta for over 1,000 days now, and she’s no closer to figuring out how to reach tomorrow. However, her group of friends grows significantly following Chiaro’s joining the loop. Coffee Moon Vol. 2 Doesn’t gloss over emotional themes of depression, anger, and loneliness and leaves little hope for a happy ending. However, I can’t help but be buy mesmerized by this exceptionally dark and grim second volume.
As Pieta relives what she considers her happiest day, Danae and Chiaro aren’t as optimistic as her. The story focuses on Chiaro’s inclusion in the group as they learn more about Pieta’s power over the flow of time. In retrospect, Chiaro’s inclusion in the loop is a significant convenience for the plot as she is exceptionally talented at research. However, I found this needs to be looked past a little to enjoy that we are learning more about the time loop.
Pieta’s world is becoming brighter even though the same rainy day is repeating, and she’s even managed to use her power to stop a tragedy. Following this, the group of friends aims to see tomorrow, and that’s when they meet Leona and Nike. The friendship is brief, considering the next day will repeat and their time together will be forgotten, but Pieta falls into despair when she can’t help the people she cares about because she can’t figure out what is causing the loop.
Pieta is a tough protagonist to trust. She lacks the confidence to change and fails when she tries to fix anything. This is exhausting to witness across the pages; I felt terrible for her. This pity turned to annoyance when she cowards at the site of any discourse. It’s like she has the answer at the tip of her tongue but can’t say it aloud. She becomes impulsive and sloppy in these moments. Even though she’s trying her best to help her friends, her approach isn’t thoroughly thought through.
On the opposite end is Chiaro, who seems to be the most level-headed of the group. She’s confident and understands how to piece together small clues to reveal the bigger truth. She’s the opposite of Pieta, and you can’t help but side with her ideas as a reader. Lastly, there’s Danae; she doesn’t do anything for the plot in this volume except for adding her two cents occasionally.
The illustrations by mangaka Mochito Bota are grim and depressing. The usage of black highlights the dread that these characters are experiencing. It rains every day for them now, and they have limited resources on how to change their future. You feel helpless even during the fun moments because you know the day will repeat.
The pacing of the volume is excellent, as we see Pieta do her best to understand the situation she’s in. I will say that I wish Leona and Nike had another chapter to evolve their importance to the group, but I’m sure we’ll see more of them in the future.
Coffee Moon Vol. 2 is a brilliant showing of the anxiety a repeating day brings. Although Pieta has learned to make the best of it, she understands there might be a lot more to this phenomenon than she thought before. We’re left with a cliffhanger of doubt for her to persevere, but you can’t help but root for her, even though it may be easier to pity her. The use of blacks and rain throughout the illustrations also immerse the reader in this beautiful manga.
