Life is never ordinary. R to L (Japanese Style). What begins with a college dropout bored of her mediocre routine soon becomes a fantastic series of vignettes about the unexpected ways that lives intersect. Filled with magical realism in the face of the cold reality of modern life, at their core these stories are about discovering something precious in the chaos of existence. A dream recaptured. A life on a new track. The absurdity of death. Laughter in the face of reality. With this series of intersecting vignettes, Inio Asano explores the ways in which modern life can be ridiculous and sublime, terrible and precious, wasted and celebrated.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Asano's beautifully drawn anthology follows up his Harvey and Eisner–nominated Solanin with more short stories about sullen teenagers and 20-somethings. If anything, the short story format makes Asano's mopey protagonists far more sympathetic. Some of the characters are more likable than others; in two related shorts, appealing punk rocker Horita gives up his dreams of becoming a rock star to put on a suit and tie, only to recant later in the book. In A Town of Many Hills, a bullied teen believes a talking crow is a death god encouraging her to commit suicide. Like many of the book's protagonists, the girl overcomes her death wish, but hers is the most triumphant victory in the volume. Asano's artwork is very attractive, frequently interspersing all-black panels with the characters' inner thoughts in white text. His teens' navel-gazing thoughts are prone to platitudes, but much less so here than in Solanin. What a Wonderful World! is titled ironically, but its message to aimless and depressed young people is a positive one, told without preaching, and the artwork and strong storytelling make this another standout. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
An aimless young woman is forced to find focus. A bullied middle-school student changes her social status through a desperate act. A middle-aged manga artist tries to hold onto what family he has as his assistant lets love slip through his fingers. A high-school girl’s part-time job selling her body puts her in the path of an unusual thief. These stories and more make up the first volume of Asano’s two-part manga anthology. Each tale is loosely connected with the next, sometimes obviously, sometimes so subtly that the connection is only spotted in the images between chapters. Grades 10-12. --Snow Wildsmith
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
And I think to myself...,
By ChibiNeko "Sooo many books, so little time!" (Whereever I go, here I am.) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE)
This review is from: What a Wonderful World!, Vol. 1 (Paperback)
This manga only has one thing wrong with it- that it is in danger of getting passed over because it isn't as slick or flashy as the other stuff out there right now. While readers of Asano's other works such as 'Solanin' will be used to his understated yet powerful manga, those who haven't yet discovered his work might not notice it because it doesn't have a ninja or busty young woman on the cover.The stories in this first volume are varied, yet all interact in some format. The same picture might be seen by two different people in different places. A location frequented by one character may be visited by another. Very few of the characters actually meet one another but the stories are all entwined in their own special ways. The first story of the volume features a young tomboyish woman who wishes her life was a shojo manga as she aimlessly wanders through her life. Other stories include a schoolgirl who is bullied not only by her peers but also by a mysterious black bird & a tale about a trio of teen boys who each wonder if they'll ever get the chance to realize their dreams. I really enjoyed this manga, but then I knew I would. Asano's work is incredibly powerful. His artwork isn't the typical "big eyes, small mouth & panty shots" style that is so prevalent in today's manga, which is why most of his stories work so well. The art is pretty lifelike & as a result the characters are all more believable for it. I also liked how his characters interact with each other. There's no huge moral, no super character that saves the day & no happy go lucky girl who succeeds without really trying. People hurt & get hurt in these stories. Not every story has a gung-ho happy ending. But every story is satisfying, even when the stories may not end as you hoped that they would. If you like good quality manga, buy this series right now. Luckily for us, both volumes of this series have been released at the same time, so you can snap them both up right now- no waiting for the next volume to be released. This guy is the real deal- Asano is going to be one of the names that people will be touting years later as "one of the best".
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Less Solanin, More Grit,
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This review is from: What a Wonderful World!, Vol. 1 (Paperback)
while Inio Asano's Solanin carries a ray of hope for its heroine, What a Wonderful World is its darker, more brooding sliver of a broken mirror with its vignettes of Tokyo urbanites trying to make it. there is a lot of reality, grit and melancholy in this title and its brutal honesty really forces you to think about those little slips of a silver lining in a rather oily and dirty truth. the art style is somewhat simplistic but plays into what is beautiful in this modern day slice of life read. a must for manga collectors.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Slices of Life that Cut Open Wounds,
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This review is from: What a Wonderful World!, Vol. 1 (Paperback)
It's difficult to add anything to the other review, but this two volume series deserves to have another voice in its support.This manga follows the loosely interconnected moments of life experienced by a group of young adults in the harsh world of post-economic meltdown Japan. They had a severe downtown over a decade ago and, like "Solanin," Asano's other major work available in English, this one also explores the depression, despair, and fragile hopes of a generation caught between childhood and the adult world; one that is quickly losing hope, but struggling to stay afloat. Each year, as the situation remains the same, a new graduating class swells their ranks. Wonderful World is aimed directly at that late-teen to mid-twenty-something audience. Readers still in high school may not understand the particular angst these characters carry. Those old enough to have successfully integrated into their adult lives may have forgotten or even look back with wistful memories at high points of that period in their lives. However, for those caught in its throes, living it day by day, it's another story; one that Asano effectively captures. He adeptly reflects the worries and sense of being lost, while offering something to hold on to, without being preachy about it. This set of books is a worthwhile slice of life read that should not be ignored. When you finish it, go buy his "Solanin" for more, but with a longer story, deeper characters, and a bigger emotional punch.
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