Got another "Pelen Purul" situation - While the blurb for this comic is simply "933 Dollars", technically the full title is "A Guy, A Girl, a Chameleon, and 933 Dollars to Rent". Who's gonna call it that? Not me, that's for sure.

Anyway, this is a really good slice-of-life. I actually love these sorts of settings, where it's just about trying to get by in a world indifferent to your existence, but so few of them are like this. In fact, I often find myself feeling angry after I finish reading, because a lot of the drama comes from characters who make terrible decisions and then bemoan their consequences as if they're shocked at the direction their life is taking.

Not here, though - I thoroughly enjoyed the character drama in this comic. Instead of petty squabbles, mindless hedonism, and self-inflicted misery like in Sakana or Octopus Pie, the friendships in 933 Dollars feel genuine. They stand up for each other, they get annoyed with each other, they banter, they laugh, they cry - they behave like human beings! That's what slice-of-life is all about to me, just people being themselves.

If this comic has a weakness, it's the alternate plotline about the chameleons, the mad scientist, and the rat king. I can't say I hated it, but it's not good, either. The sheer absurdity doesn't mesh well at all with the very grounded and believable situations that make up the rest of the story. It might be fine if it was the focus of a spinoff or dream sequence, but it feels out of place here.

The ending is also kind of abrupt. From the comments, it seems like the author had to end it early for reasons beyond her control, so I guess I should be happy we even get an ending, but I do wish it had a little more oomph to it.