What a Wonderful World!, Vol. 2 [Paperback]

Inio Asano (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 20, 2009 | Series: What a Wonderful World (Book 2)

Life is never ordinary. R to L (Japanese Style). The cruelty of childhood. The delusion of adulthood. The endurance of death. Laugh 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. 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.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Asano wraps up his two-volume manga anthology of interconnected stories that focus on people examining their life choices with a slight fantasy twist that offers hope, but leaves it tinged with worry. More serious in nature than the first volume—Asano’s almost-cute style gives way to a slightly grittier tone in the art—the stories aren’t as closely tied together here. Horita, a failed musician and businessman, is the main recurring character and the end of his story neatly sums up what Asano seems to be trying to say with this work: “It isn’t about what you do. It’s about living without regret.” Grades 10-12. --Snow Wildsmith

About the Author

Inio Asano, a bona fide earthling, was born in Ibaraki, Japan in 1980. In 2001 his short story Uchuu kara Konnichiwa (Hello from Outer Space) won the 1st Sunday GX rookie prize. Later GX published his series Subarashii Sekai (What a Wonderful World!). His other works include Hikari no Machi (City of Light), Nijigahara Holograph, solanin and Oyasumi Punpun.

Product Details

• Paperback: 210 pages
• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; Original edition (October 20, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1421532220
• ISBN-13: 978-1421532226
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #576,259 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars And I think to myself... what a wonderful... world..., November 8, 2009

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. 2 (Paperback)

Viz really did a smart thing in releasing both volumes of this series at the same time. I enjoyed being able to read both volumes at the same time & I liked being able to compare characters & scenes at the same time. I can safely say that this will be one of the manga that improves with each reading as I notice the small details in each chapter.

This second volume is much like the first- a collection of small vignettes from various characters. Some of the characters reappear for a second or third chapter, some are background characters who show up as a more major character in their own chapter. Each chapter has it's own poignancy, but the one that sticks out in my mind the most is one about a porn magazine worker (he's sort of like an editor/photographer/everything type of worker) who wonders if he's really doing right by his infant daughter & tries to do the best he can to avoid being like his supervisor.

There's much more to this series & I liked how at the end much of the series was tied together. The ending is a bit strange, I will warn you & a bit ambiguous. But then, that's one of the great things about this manga & much of Asano's work. He makes the manga a bit more interactive by letting you the reader come to your own conclusions about what just happened, what their motives were & what ultimately will be everyone's fate.

Like I said in the review for the other volume- the only flaw of this series is that it may be overlooked by manga fans looking for something slick & overproduced. If this manga isn't one of the best examples in it's genre(realistic drama), I really don't know what is.