Jinbe

Adachi’s *Jinbe* is a subtle and gentle narrative, yet it explores a theme notably more contentious than most of the author’s other works. On the surface, the story follows seventeen-year-old Miku Takanashi, who lives alone with her stepfather, Jinpei Takanashi—affectionately nicknamed Jinbe, or "shark." Jinbei has cared for Miku ever since their marriage four years ago, and he regards her as a divine gift from his late wife, his high school sweetheart. Though Jinpei strives to be an overprotective and possessive father, Miku harbors feelings for him that far exceed the bounds of a proper daughter's affection. At its heart, the story examines how Miku’s intense, tender, and unreciprocated emotions test the limits of their stepfather-stepdaughter relationship, all without threatening the happiness she finds in simply being close to him as his child.