Poor Poor LIPS

Twenty-one-year-old Nako is struggling with severe financial hardship and desperately needs employment to survive. Her search leads her to apply for a position at a local jewelry store. However, when the shop owner, Ren, openly identifies herself as a lesbian, every other applicant immediately withdraws from consideration. With the competition gone, Nako becomes the sole remaining candidate. When Ren asks whether her sexual orientation might cause any issues in the workplace, Nako offers a practical response: since she has no romantic interest in women, she sees absolutely no reason why it would be a problem. Presented in a traditional four-panel comic strip format, Poor Poor LIPS explores the stark contrast between Nako's extreme poverty and Ren's affluent lifestyle. The humor frequently highlights Nako's dire financial situation—such as a memorable scene where she attempts to eat plain bread crusts for lunch and is mistaken by onlookers for someone feeding the birds—while also playfully touching upon Ren's wealth and sexual orientation. Despite these themes, the comedy remains lighthearted and never mean-spirited. Nako strikes an entertaining balance between being somewhat naive and surprisingly perceptive, resulting in a charming blend of absurd silliness and genuinely clever humor.