”Shuumatsu Touring” is a touring manga by Saitou Sakae, set in a quiet, somewhat poetic post-apocalyptic world. The setting is a future Japan where civilization has perished and no one remains. The story is simply about two girls named Yoko and Airi traveling across this uninhabited land on a single motorcycle, a “Serow”—that's all there is to the narrative. However, that “that's all” is deeply profound, beautiful, and sometimes resonates sadly in your heart. Their journey, taking photos at famous ruined spots and camping in towns swallowed by nature, is truly “freedom in the end of the world.” No traffic jams, no traffic lights, no being chased by time. “Nothingness” conversely makes everything free. As you read, you are suddenly made to feel as if you are riding on the back of that motorcycle yourself.

One of the attractions of this work is, without a doubt, the way real-life tourist spots are depicted as ruins. Cities where everyone has vanished and structures towering amidst silent nature are not just beautiful; they evoke a solemn sentiment by making you imagine the human activities that once took place there. It's packed with irresistible scenery for ruin enthusiasts or fans of post-apocalyptic works, making you contemplate the “future's past” just by reading it. You'll find yourself unable to stop turning the pages, as if flipping through a photo book.

The artwork is also a major attraction of this work. The depiction of mechanics, such as motorcycles and tanks, is incredibly realistic, with a power so vivid it seems to convey the weight of the machine and the feeling of riding. Especially in the scenes traveling on the Serow, there's an atmosphere that makes you feel the bike's vibrations and the sound of the wind, creating an immersive experience as if you were riding yourself. Furthermore, the battle and action scenes interspersed throughout are meticulously drawn, adding variation to the journey. The exquisite balance between battle and tranquility, motion and stillness, within the framework of the apocalyptic world is superb.

As I read the work, I suddenly start to think about this: What if, 100 or 1,000 years from now, civilization had ceased, people were living in underground shelters, and the surface had become ruins? A world where our current lives are completely forgotten and remain only as scenery might truly come...... Reading this manga while imagining such a future makes you feel a message that is not just fiction but carries a certain realism. The theme of the apocalypse is never solely about despair; the hope and freedom found within it are also part of this story's charm.