Customer Reviews

Solanin

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I picked up this graphic novel on a whim at the local bookstore recently, as I was looking for something involving, but not multi-issue. Even by the end of the first ten pages, I absolutely could not put this book down. The artwork is unique, along with having very nice detail in almost every frame. There are even a few multi-page sections that are full color, which is cool. The story itself is something that many people my age can relate to. The main character is a girl who feels that she just isn't cut out for the adult world. The novel follows a part of this girl's life, along with having a few chapters from the perspective of her friends or boyfriend. I found the story completely captivating, and read the entire graphic novel in the span of a couple hours. I would (and have!) suggest this book to many of my friends, and nearly anyone who doesn't want to let go of the freedom of childhood just yet.

The art work in this manga is very impressive. It's actually like reading an anime. If that makes any sense. What i mean is that, the mangaka doesn't waste any frames. There isn't an excess of close-ups, or flower petals floating around in the background. The page layout therefore, is very simply, structure-wise, but all the magic happens in the boxes, because the angles and points of view are very interesting. There's lots of movement. I know this is not a shojo manga, but one of shojo manga's biggest faults is an inability to show the characters doing anything but standing around and looking serious/pretty. In her limited frames she shows you so much more, because she is all the more careful with what she depicts. Honestly, that's what makes her style so amazing.
They are like storyboards of a film. So i say, Like reading an anime.
Basically the plot is a couple of friends who have graduated college, and have jobs that they don't like, and they don't want to keep working them but they don't know how to do otherwise.
I can really relate to Meiko at her job, so intially i really liked it. But then she quits and she's bored not doing anything,and i got bored as well. But then i picked the manga back up again and continued to read it and the pace/plot started to pick back up again.
There's a lot of powerful emotions expressed in here. But nothing amazing ever really happens. And while the turn of events may be really realistic, they don't always make the most exciting thing to read about.
For what this manga does, it does well. It just sort of meanders, which is kind of like life.
however, make no mistake, this is a very well made manga and well worth your time.

Although the manga, Japanese comics, boom has settled down in recent years, in comparison to its height in 2001 or 2002, the number of manga in large bookstores has surpassed the number of available American and European graphic novels and, in some stores, surpasses the number of fantasy and science fiction novels available. However, while there are indeed a number of manga aimed at older readers, many of these books contain excessive violence and nudity which attempt to hide otherwise vacuous stories. Yet, there are some books, like Inio Asano's Solanin, that squeak through into translation and show that manga contains simple but effective slice-of-life stories that are on level with Alex Robinson (Box Office Poison) and Craig Thompson (Blankets).

Solanin centers on the life of Meiko Inoue, a petite, cute, but not overly pretty 24-year-old who lives in Tokyo and works at a second rate company as an office lady (basically a job which consists of preparing tea and making copies). Having loss her youthful vigor and enjoyment of big city life, Meiko often complains to her boyfriend Taneda about her life. One day, a half-asleep Taneda suggests to Meiko that she quit her job and she does just that. Yet, instead of opening herself to a world of free time and opportunities to embroil herself in pursuits that she would not normally have time for, she lazes around as her savings dwindle.

Desiring change, but not willing to buckle down and change herself, Meiko encourages Taneda, and his college friends, the rotund, sloppy Kato and the hirsute Rip, to revamp their band for them to attempt to regain their youthful vigor and to capture their fading ideals. However, is this goal really obtainable, or is it nothing more than a pipedream?

While not drawn in an overly realistic style, Asano's work does not feature the large eyes and small mouths that some might find irritating. The characters are of a relatively simple design, but are easily distinguishable from each other, and their overall features look Japanese which is often a rarity in the world of manga. Like many other manga artists, Asano's true talent shines in his renditions of buildings, motorcycles, and guitars. An interesting aspect of the artwork is that Asano inserts a number of photographs within the art. These can be a bit off putting at first, but eventually they blend into the overall composition.

Although Meiko is the main character of the graphic novel, Asano gives each major character his or her fair share of pages. This aspect of the graphic novel is done quite well, so the reader can easily understand the intricate relationships shared between the characters and come to understand reactions which at first might seem a bit puzzling. The characters personalities are quite diverse with Meiko's indecisiveness, Kato's slovenly nature, Rip's bizarre stoicism, and Taneda's coolness. However, these characters are not limited to these qualities and they knit a tight web with each other.

Asano drew Solanin at a time in which he was the same age as the characters, 24, which was a time in which he too was struggling to find himself. Solanin reflects the vacuity that a number of the younger residents of Tokyo feel, as well as young people across the globe, and the powerlessness they feel when faced with such emptiness. Yet, Solanin is not without hope, and it shows that true happiness can be found in the mundane

I had stopped reading manga for a few years because the only type I saw were marketed towards a much younger audience. I am VERY glad I took a chance with Solanin. It was not what I expected, the story twists and the characters are well thought out. The story was really touching without being sappy fluff. Excellent writing! READ IT!

I dunno how they did it, but Inio Asano truly captured what it felt like to be out of college and trying to make that transition between a student and an working class slave, I mean, adult. If only I read this book 5 years ago, I would have known I was not alone... This book is brilliant!

The manga Solanin is like a bundle of flowers that just keep on giving from the first page to the last.
I would recommend it to all people who like fragile, sweet, reality based and melancholy like feelings through their stories. I think it describes young adults feelings and struggle to find themselves in modern society marvelously!
One of the best manga in my eyes, so check it out!

Life is never easy. And that first year out of college and trying to find a career and getting a feel of whether the career you chose is what is right for you. Finding the right apartment, wondering if the person you are in love with will be there forever.

"solanin" by Inio Asano features a beautiful artwork that captures Tokyo, from it's buildings, the homes, the walkways and scenery and just drawn with quite a bit of detail of just Tokyo that I found quite enjoyable. But as the artwork is part of the enjoyability of the manga, the strength is also in its storytelling.

For me, I enjoy manga's that capture the young adult life. Many that are released as novels in Japan but to have it in manga format that deal with that important time in the lives of normal people but presenting a situation that people can relate to. Stories such as "Asunaro Hakusho" which go into college friends and their love triangles, "Tokyo Friends" which features a woman from a farming area who needs to make a life in Tokyo to pursue her dreams and joins a rock band as the main vocalist to "Wakamono no Subete" which goes into friends who went separate ways in adulthood and choosing different paths in life which are normal and some that lead to a life of crime.

These three examples are storylines featured in graphic novels that have translated well into live drama series in Japan. But "solanin", it was well-featured on paper, via ink and an awesome manga it turned out to be.

According to writer/artist of "solanin", "I drew solanin when I was about 24 years old. I had just graduated from college and I was feeling a bit insecure about my ability to succeed as a manga artist and whether I would be able to continue to draw manga that were true to myself. In my anxiety and impatience, I felt that all I could do in my manga was try to get a true depiction of the times as experienced by my generation."

And that is where "solanin" shines. It's true depiction of human life and things that people go through.

"solanin" is a refreshing storyline that focuses on the character of Meiko. Meiko is just tired of her life working a job as an OL (office lady). She's had enough and quits her job but she has a year or so of savings to help keep her on her feet but at the same time, her boyfriend Naruo crashes at her apartment and works as a part-time freelance illustrator but his dream is being in the band and for them to succeed with their music.

But like anywhere in life, some may pursue that life in music but others need to find that job to help pay the bills. The first arc of "solanin" focuses on the relationship between Meiko and Naruo. The second arc features Naruo going full force in making his dream for his music band happen. The third arc is the plan if what if the dreams of not making it into the music industry doesn't come into fruition. If you can't make it as a musician, what kind of job do you do next?

And the fourth arc which is just shocking and I definitely don't want to ruin it for anyone because it's so powerful.

Asano does a great job of making you care for these two characters but also showcases other characters (Naruo's bandmates) and Meiko's female friend and just how everyone is also trying to live life and focus on their passion with music but struggle of having a full-time job. A job that they may not even enjoy but do it because they need the money. Especially because they are in their mid-20's.

For Meiko, she just wants a carefree life away from the workforce and feels that she can enjoy life more by livng free and learning that sort of freedom comes with a price. For Naruo, there is just a bittersweet moment when he sees a band member (from a band he once idolized) now working for the corporate structure of the label and has changed. It became an eye opening situation of how not all bands last forever, nor do they become financially successful.

The storyline progresses as you see these individuals grow as people but having to assimilate into the working force and grow farther away from the things that they love and knowing it's time to grow up and say goodbye. The progression of the characters not only makes the reader start to enjoy these characters but slowly build them from young adults who enjoy their freedom to young adults knowing that they have to change their lives and then leading up to an unexpected situation that is just so shocking.

First, let me just say how pleased I am that Viz Media bundled everything into one Viz Signature graphic novel, you definitely get your money's worth with this thick manga graphic novel that features awesome artwork and a very cool, realistic storyline.

Second, this manga is for both men or women. You get to see the perspective of life through Meiko's eyes but also the eyes of Naruo and also both sides of the coin with the male and female friends. "solanin" is a manga storyline that doesn't focus on teenage love, this is a storyline of young adults and again, because of it's realistic storyline, I definitely enjoyed it because it's so different of what's out there. There is no supernatural powers, nothing feudal, nothing suspenseful, no guns, no fighting or action-scenes. It's a storyline that slowly progresses in human relationships, young adult angst and normal feelings that many people have and how one deals with those emotions.

My reason for enjoying this series is because it's so different from what's available in the US for manga releases. Granted, these type of realistic storylines can be found on Japanese dramas or film but to have it featured beautifully on a manga and Asano really focusing on character development but also the sign of the times, "solanin" is just a fantastic title for those looking for a different manga that they are accustomed to reading.

I honestly probably can't do this series the justice it deserves in my review, but I'd still like to try and talk about Solanin anyway. This is one of those manga series that I'm in this hobby for, a gem I accidentally stumbled across that made me look at manga in a different light. The series I end up cherishing the most are probably the ones I can relate to the most, and as a 24 year old that finished up college a few years ago, Solanin hits a home run in that department like no other. I like a lot of things about my life right now, but what I miss more than anything are lazy comfortable summers. I sometimes play with the idea of becoming a teacher so I can get summers off again. So when Meiko up and quit her job for the summer to fulfill exactly those goals of freedom, I was really excited for her. As much as I dream of having a summer off, I don't feel comfortable enough with my position to act on it, so to see a character take that leap felt gratifying.

In college I still thought of myself as a kid even though I was over 18, but now, even though I haven't changed much in the last few years I can't think of myself as a kid without cringing. Because lets face it I'm an adult now, even if my heart doesn't recognize it. All my life road choices have been greatly reduced, and now the path my life is going to take is far clearer to me than it was 4 years ago. Now I don't think that's a bad thing necessarily, but it does feel a little disturbing. This series represents that underlying worry really well, it was actually drawn at a time when the mangaka (Asano Inio) wasn't sure if he could actually make a living off of his dream. I've almost never felt so much of a mangaka's life represented in their work as I do with Solanin.

Although all the talk about worrying about life may seem too somber to be an entertaining read, the series really doesn't get bogged down by it. The characters are great, and do ridiculous things that fit right in with how real friends joke around. There is a lot of joy in the scenes where everyone is hanging out together. Asano can make the characters have hilarious expressions without having to resort to distorting their faces to get across the humor. Oftentimes in manga characters will make faces, and take on forms that are completely unrealistic, but these unnatural forms get across the humor of the moment better. I'm impressed that this mangaka can have me chuckling so often without having to resort to those tricks. I really like the art style, both the characters and their surroundings feel realistic in a way that's both comforting and startling.

I HIGHLY recommend Solanin, this series has a special place in my heart. Although keep in my mind that this series feels like it was made for people in my position in life. I can't tell if I would have liked this series as much if I were still in high school, I'm not sure I would be able to relate as well. At the very least if you're a fan of manga and you're in your 20's I really think you should give this series a try. But that isn't to say if you're not younger or older you won't enjoy this series, it probably depends on your mindset more-so than your age.

The art is amazing. Very detailed. The story is compelling.
If you only read Naruto you should broaden your manga range and read this.

Solanin

My brother got me this last friday, and wow; Mr. Asano Inio did not disappoint with this manga. I told my brother to get me this after I saw "What a Wonderful World!" another manga by Mr. Asano Inio at a barnes and noble. I was blown away with Solanin, it is indeed a great masterpiece. I can't wait till more of Mr. Asano Inio's manga get translated into english, why are you still reading this for? Go get Solanin now!!