"Mountains, Appetite, and Me" is a manga series that has been serialized on the webcomic site "Kurage Bunch" since 2015. It follows the protagonist, Hibino Ayumi, a self-proclaimed solo climber who hates being called a "mountain girl," as she climbs mountains and eats the meals she eats at the summit. It's an outdoor gourmet story that will make you want to climb mountains and get hungry while reading. The dishes are so authentic they've even had their own official recipe book released. Furthermore, since the author's own hobby is mountain climbing, the depictions of mountain climbing, drawing on her own experiences, have become a hot topic. Today, we'd like to introduce you to Hibino Ayumi (27 years old, office worker), the protagonist of "Mountains, Appetite, and Me."
① A huge mountain lover!
Source: Mountains, Appetite, and Me ©SHINCHOSHA
Mountain climbing is one of the themes of "Mountains, Appetite, and Me." The protagonist, Hibino Ayumi, truly conveys her love for the mountains. In the first episode, there's a scene where she describes the physical strain she feels while climbing as pleasurable. Perhaps it's precisely because Ayumi, the main character, loves mountains, that reading this work will make you want to climb a mountain.
③ She also loves to eat
Source: Mountains, Appetite, and Me ©SHINCHOSHA
Hibino Ayumi, the main character, loves mountains, but it seems she also loves food just as much. She is particular about the ingredients she cooks when hiking, and also seems to have an extensive repertoire of dishes. In episode 9, while descending a monotonous mountain trail, Ayumi loses concentration and falls. Although she isn't injured, she ends up covered in mud. Ayumi's mood is at its lowest, but as she starts thinking about what she'll eat once she gets down the mountain, her steps seem to lighten up. She seems to love both cooking and eating food, as well as eating prepared meals.
③ Shy but Kind
Source: Mountains, Appetite, and Me ©SHINCHOSHA
When her senior colleague at work, Komatsubara Koiko, asks her about mountain climbing, Hibino Ayumi displays her shyness and runs away. However, later, when she bumps into Koiko on a hiking trail, they end up climbing a mountain together. Another time, there's a time when Kaku Taishi, who works part-time at a mountain hut and delivers luggage to the hut on foot, falls while hiking. He drops the luggage he's carrying to the hut, and Hibino Ayumi, seeing this, heads over to the hut to return the apple he missed. Taishi and a man working there are at the hut, and Ayumi offers him the apple, saying, "You dropped it when you fell earlier," but Taishi insists he didn't fall. He then runs off somewhere. Seeing Taishi like that, Ayumi buys the apple, makes "caramelized apples," and brings them to him. Ayumi also calls herself a "solo climber" and usually hikes alone, but when she comes across a rare plant while hiking, she makes sure other hikers notices it.
④ She also innocently enjoys nature!
Source: Mountains, Appetite, and Me ©SHINCHOSHA
Hibino Ayumi is a solo mountaineer who loves hiking and food, but she also seems to love the natural beauty of the mountains. When hiking in the fall, she's seen collecting fallen leaves and throwing them around to play. Furthermore, when he discovered the colorful flower fields at Mt. Sengatake, he seemed to be enjoying the fields while daydreaming about "flying among the flowers." It seems he's not only interested in climbing mountains, but also in the natural beauty of the mountains.
⑤ A little strange?
Source: Mountains, Appetite, and Me ©SHINCHOSHA
When the shy Hibino Ayumi encounters her senior colleague Komatsubara Koiko on a hiking trail, she finds herself awkwardly posing in a strange way. Koiko even quips, "You're Ultraman!" This character is known for her sometimes mysterious behavior.
⑥ Knowledgeable and Well-informed
Source: Mountains, Appetite, and Me ©SHINCHOSHA
Hibino Ayumi never misses her strength training sessions when making copies at work or before lunch. Despite this, she's also incredibly knowledgeable. She has a vast knowledge of everything from plant names and cooking to the important things to know about mountain climbing and the essential body structure for mountain climbing. When Ayumi climbed a mountain with her senior colleague, Komatsubara Koiko, she brought jambalaya and even explained its origins. She also seems to enjoy reading, sometimes reading after reaching the summit. Her studious and knowledgeable nature make her a very appealing character.
⑦ Poet?
Source: Mountains, Appetite, and Me ©SHINCHOSHA
Hibino Ayumi enjoys nature innocently and has a mysterious side. She also sometimes becomes a poet. She's most likely to become a poet when she's alone, relaxing on a mountaintop or in a cafe. Her poetic switch seems to be easily activated. Sometimes I even write a haiku.
⑧Are you good at Old Maid?
Source: Mountains, Appetite, and Me ©SHINCHOSHA
Kamikochi, located in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture, is known as the "place where the gods descend." One day, I was staying at Karasawa Cirque, part of Kamikochi. With a bad stomach and a sprained ankle, Hibino Ayumi has given up on attempting Mount Okuhotaka and is left with nothing to do. Then a couple of male hikers show up. They ask if they want to play cards, and Ayumi joins in, winning 6 and losing 1. When playing Old Maid, his face looks different than usual, and it seems his personality changes when he plays.
⑨ Also, to discuss
Source: Mountains, Appetite, and Me ©SHINCHOSHA
Hibino Ayumi carries a notebook with her, filled with essays she writes while hiking. Her essays seem to cover grand themes such as what life is, what happiness is, what destiny is, and what the universe is. However, she seems too embarrassed to show it to others, so she seems to enjoy it alone.
⑩ Once she gets hooked, she's completely obsessed
Source: Mountains, Appetite, and Me ©SHINCHOSHA
One time, I was hooked on a foreign TV drama for a month. She reportedly binge-watched all 120 episodes, roughly 90 hours long, from seasons 1 to 6. During that time, she skipped her beloved mountain climbing and instead spent all her time watching DVDs while indulging in alcohol and sweets. Perhaps it's precisely because Hibino Ayumi's personality allows her to become completely absorbed in something once she's hooked, that she also has such extensive knowledge about mountain climbing and cooking.
Summary of Hibino Ayumi's charms in "Mountains, Appetite, and Me"!
Source: Mountains, Appetite, and Me ©SHINCHOSHA
What did you think? This time, we introduced Hibino Ayumi (27 years old, office worker), the protagonist of the outdoor and gourmet manga "Mountains, Appetite, and Me." Perhaps it's precisely because Ayumi, the protagonist, loves mountains and food and is knowledgeable about them, that reading this work will inspire you to go to the mountains or try similar dishes. Please pay attention to Hibino Ayumi and read on. Thank you for reading to the end.
