A review by lightningmc_logyn
The Tatami Galaxy by Tomihiko Morimi

adventurous emotional lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I read the 2nd book—The Tatami Time Machine Blues—first and I enjoyed it more, I think it’s a better introduction to the series. 
I love the characters Morimi invented and seeing them in different situations is very entertaining. The unnamed MC and Ozu are wonderful parallels to eachother. 

My main criticism is as this book was written nearly 20 years earlier, it includes persistent sexism and sexualization of the female protagonists. Tw mention of SA:
There is a scene where the MC considers initiating sex with a drunk woman despite acknowledging its wrong but he gets interrupted before trying anything.  It was very uncomfortable to read.
It’s nice to see in the newer book, TTTMB, the characters Akashi and Hanuki are more 3 dimensional. The main character keeps his characteristics but loses his sexism. That makes the book far more enjoyable to read. 

I digress. This book was fun to read. The repetitive passages as a literary tool are very effective and added delightful layers of humor and irony. (Although I did end up skimming them as they got tiring after a bit). The final story really ties this whole narrative together and I really enjoyed the resolution of the plot. I didn’t expect to get a little inspiration with my entertainment and I’m happy for it. I like spending time in this universe where a silly fool of a man tries to get his rose-colored campus life amidst a cast of silly-yet-tender characters. 
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