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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
A parallel universe revolving around one college-aged boy as he chooses slightly different paths yet all ending up in similar predicaments. Too much time was spent showcasing the similarities of each version rather than more interesting plot differences. The idea and theme have been executed in more interesting and thoughtful ways before. I found the narrator a bit delusional and selfish, not sure if this was the point or due in part to cultural differences or translation issues.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well, that was a weird book.
Once in a while, in the corner of your eye, you'll catch sight of something familiar, and your brain will excitedly think, Hey, that's [insert thing], here of all places! Then you just as quickly realize there's no possible way that is [insert thing]--when you take a closer look, you realize what you saw is actually some other entirely different, mundane thing, with some weird small element that reminded you of [insert thing].
Except, while in the bookstore, I caught sight of The Tatami Galaxy's artwork in the corner of my eye ... and it was, in fact, The Tatami Galaxy. Whoa! Translated into English?! Never in a million years.
I rarely watch TV, but I picked up The Tatami Galaxy several years ago on account of the gorgeous artwork. The artwork depicted a stoic man and a quietly beautiful woman, and I imagined the show would be similarly quiet and subdued. Oh, no. That's not The Tatami Galaxy. It was a delightfully weird and zany show, with gorgeous art. I never finished the show, but I loved the concept. Aside from a friend who used to use the artwork as an MSN Messenger avatar (my introduction), I didn't know anyone else who had even heard of it.
Accordingly, I was super excited to read this book. It ended up being just okay? It was weird and strange, for sure, featuring various intertwining variations of the protagonist's college life if he had chosen to join one college club or another. If only he had not met his contemptible and corrupting friend Ozu, the unnamed protagonist always laments, perhaps he would have had a rose-colored college life. Each wildly different path the protagonist takes, however, involves the same set of unsavory characters, and similar minor events play out regardless. (And, of course, the protagonist is still an unmotivated loser in every version.) Life really doesn't change much! Until he's trapped in an endless maze of his four-and-a-half tatami rooms for months on end.
It was weird.
Interestingly, this book is actually the first book I've read that I thought was much better as a TV show/movie. Usually books are so much better than the video adaptation! I guess there's a first for everything. I do not know if I would have had the patience for this book if I was not able to simultaneously re-conjure the wacky, weird art from the show. Read alone, this book would have felt meandering and pointless. I do want to finish the show now, though. The ending was so weird that I regret finishing the book before the show. The ending would have been much so much more fun to experience in animated form.
So very weird.
Once in a while, in the corner of your eye, you'll catch sight of something familiar, and your brain will excitedly think, Hey, that's [insert thing], here of all places! Then you just as quickly realize there's no possible way that is [insert thing]--when you take a closer look, you realize what you saw is actually some other entirely different, mundane thing, with some weird small element that reminded you of [insert thing].
Except, while in the bookstore, I caught sight of The Tatami Galaxy's artwork in the corner of my eye ... and it was, in fact, The Tatami Galaxy. Whoa! Translated into English?! Never in a million years.
I rarely watch TV, but I picked up The Tatami Galaxy several years ago on account of the gorgeous artwork. The artwork depicted a stoic man and a quietly beautiful woman, and I imagined the show would be similarly quiet and subdued. Oh, no. That's not The Tatami Galaxy. It was a delightfully weird and zany show, with gorgeous art. I never finished the show, but I loved the concept. Aside from a friend who used to use the artwork as an MSN Messenger avatar (my introduction), I didn't know anyone else who had even heard of it.
Accordingly, I was super excited to read this book. It ended up being just okay? It was weird and strange, for sure, featuring various intertwining variations of the protagonist's college life if he had chosen to join one college club or another. If only he had not met his contemptible and corrupting friend Ozu, the unnamed protagonist always laments, perhaps he would have had a rose-colored college life. Each wildly different path the protagonist takes, however, involves the same set of unsavory characters, and similar minor events play out regardless. (And, of course, the protagonist is still an unmotivated loser in every version.) Life really doesn't change much! Until he's trapped in an endless maze of his four-and-a-half tatami rooms for months on end.
It was weird.
Interestingly, this book is actually the first book I've read that I thought was much better as a TV show/movie. Usually books are so much better than the video adaptation! I guess there's a first for everything. I do not know if I would have had the patience for this book if I was not able to simultaneously re-conjure the wacky, weird art from the show. Read alone, this book would have felt meandering and pointless. I do want to finish the show now, though. The ending was so weird that I regret finishing the book before the show. The ending would have been much so much more fun to experience in animated form.
So very weird.
adventurous
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
『夜は短し…』の設定の礎となった作品であるだけあって、森見登美彦に興味がある人にはまずこれを薦めたい。アニメとはまた異なるストーリーの進行となるので、アニメを既に観ていてもそれなりに別物として味わえる原作である。