I eat coming of age narratives set in urban environments like candy. Even so, solanin was a particularly great one, with well-drawn characters and immaculately designed settings. Gave me echoes of Box Office Poison. Definitely will be rereading this one. ( )

130000

Too character-driven for my taste but, objectively, this is cute, engaging and well-structured. ( )

This is the best slice of life I have ever read. It was so realistic in the way it presented the characters and life in general. All the characters reminded me of people I have met before and I have seen them go through similar situations.
The art is also great and distinctive. I liked it a lot. It looks simple but so detailed at the same time.

This is a must read for everyone in their early 20s. They will probably be able to relate with the characters and the situations and maybe find answers to the inumerous questions that pop up in our minds at this age. It is a story about finding your way in life and the best one I’ve read of the genre.

I couldn’t have read this manga at a better time in my life. I'm looking forward to read more works by Inio Asano. I think I might have found another favorite mangaka.

Edit: I am cursed to be like this main character and I feel like I will keep rereading this again and again when I need to figure out what to do with my life. There is no real answer. The answer will depend on the reader and the character they relate the most at different points in time I guess. ( )

This manga is about a young office assistant and her aspiring rock musician boyfriend. They struggle with their mundane lives in the bustling city of Tokyo. For the boy, music gives life meaning; for the girl, the boy's aspirations give her life meaning as she has no aspirations of her own.

The plot is a bit of a mess with its confusing flashbacks and iffy comic relief. In the end, though, it's a wise and emotional story about young people trying to find their way. The climax is a beautifully drawn concert of joy and pain both on the stage and in the audience.

After reading the book, I watched the live-action film adaptation for free on YouTube. While it has good music, it's as messy as the book and its direction lacks energy. ( )