Lucid NonsenseManga / 2005
Solanin
ソラニンSolanin
Inio Asano (story-and-art)
College graduates struggle to cope with the real world. Music offers refuge in this modern manga with an American attitude. Meiko Inoue is a recent college grad working as an office lady in a job she hates. Her boyfriend Naruo is permanently crashing at her apartment because his job as a freelance illustrator doesn't pay enough for rent. And her parents in the country keep sending her boxes of veggies that just rot in her fridge. Straddling the line between her years as a student and the rest of her life, Meiko struggles with the feeling that she's just not cut out to be a part of the real world. (Source: VIZ Media) Notes: - Nominated for the Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material - Japan and the Harvey Award for Best American Edition of Foreign Material. - Includes one extra chapter and one-shot "Haru yo Koi (Awaiting Spring)" first included in the October 2017 new Japanese edition.
- Release year
- 2005
- Released
- Dec 5, 2005
- Volumes available
- 2
- Country
- Japan
- Genres
- Drama · Music · Slice of Life
Review
Outstanding. Solanin some of the best fiction I've ever read about being an aimless twentysomething. The Japanese are uniquely well equipped to tell these stories between their lost generation (http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/stories/2007-05-17/japans-lost-generationbusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice) and regimented society. Unlike something like Welcome to the NHK (which is wonderful) Solanin is about very average people living their lives. This makes very relatable and easy to recommend. The story is told so effortlessly, you just drift through the days of their lives. Which is not to say the book lacks drama. There are a number of very powerful scenes. The art and the writing are of equal important. Some scenes are driven by one and some the other. If you've never read manga this is one the best starting points I can think of. Give is a go, it's great.
Consumption history1
- Unknown
Completed
External identifiers
- anilist
- 33731
- myanimelist
- 3731
- goodreads
- 3430763