Manga 4632 Oyasumi Punpun Reviews Filter Check 1

Oyasumi Punpun is the best example I have ever found of something which you should not judge by its literal cover. Looking at the picture on MAL, I initially thought the story was about some young girl and a weird penguin/bird thing and only really added it to my list because it’s ranked #15 on this site. It was not until after I read another manga by the author, Asano Inio, called Nijigahara Holograph, and looked more into what this manga was actually about, that I finally decided to read it. And I could not have been more wrong in my initial assumption. But enough ... about that intro which was just to help dispel any similar thoughts people looking at this manga might have, I’ll get into the real review now.

So many manga (and actually many things in about every single story-telling medium that humans have ever had) often try to create likeable characters, a plot that while it may have many sad parts manages to rebound and become upbeat at some points, and/or very unrealistic characters or settings. Oyasumi Punpun is basically the opposite of all of that.

Despite having comedy in the beginning (which is 99% black humor anyway), Oyasumi Punpun is possibly one of the most depressing and realistic things I have ever come across. It is the “coming of age” story of a boy named Punyama (later Onodera) Punpun, and follows him all the way from elementary school until around his early 20’s. What makes this manga so special is the heavy psychological aspects surrounding Punpun and everyone else throughout the story. One of the main psychological aspects of the story has to do with Punpun’s character design. He, as well as his family, start off looking like some kind of 2 dimensional birds with long legs. His design changes a lot later on to reflect how he is feeling on the inside, but the important thing to remember is that he looks just like a normal human being to everyone else in the manga and that he does not actually look like a “bird-thing” to them.

The story of Oyasumi Punpun begins with Punpun in elementary school. The girl he had a crush on has just transferred out of his school, but shortly afterward a new girl named Tanaka Aiko transfers into his school. It’s love at first sight for Punpun. He starts to slowly grow closer to Aiko while at the same time hanging out with friends and just being a normal boy who is entering puberty. Among his group of friends (I’ll just name the ones who are important at some point later on because I don’t really remember the others) there are Shuntarou Harumi, a nice boy who wears glasses; Seki Masumi, a delinquent boy with family problems; Shimizu Koh, a strange boy who can see the “god of poop” and who has been friends with Seki since childhood. The group of about 6 boys in total is just your average group of male friends who enjoy finding porn magazines, doing tests of courage, and spending their time just trying to enjoy themselves. I won’t talk any more about the story because going any farther in any way would spoil things. There’s just so many things that Asano Inio goes into amazing detail about in this dark and depressing story that explaining any more would ruin some part of it. The story covers a lot of time as I already mentioned and Punpun’s elementary school life is only a small, yet very crucial part of the entire plot.

As for the art, it’s simply amazing. The idea of making Punpun look different to the reader than to everyone else is a great way to show his true emotions in a way that showing him as he really looks could not. As for the other character designs, they are all very well drawn especially Punpun’s family who also resemble 2D birds with long legs. The people who look like normal humans are usually drawn normally, but they can look ugly at times or beautiful at times when the author wants to make them look similar to how they are feeling. Especially with Shimizu (who is usually seen with a runny nose) he can actually look very intelligent at times despite normally seeming to be the exact opposite.
Also, this manga is very mature and occasionally contains nudity, but it is never used as fanservice and is only used to increase the darkness of situations and to expand on the imperfections of the characters.

The backgrounds are even better than the character designs. The varying settings that take place in different locations throughout the manga never slack in a single frame and stay consistently good throughout the story. The art right from the beginning is great which is something I can’t say about all long manga that are published over many years. One feature of the art which Asano Inio often uses is that he will keep the same background for several panels but the images in the foreground (people, objects, etc.) will change. While I normally don’t like repetitive panels (or shots in anime), Inio uses this to increase the psychological aspects as well as the importance of these scenes. He makes the reader focus on what is happening and draws you in in a way where you suddenly realize five chapters later that you are not actually in Punpun’s world but are sitting in the real world. And this repeats many times (at least it did for me) over the course of the manga. The art is so realistic and perfectly depressing that it just fits this manga so excellently in every aspect and I really can’t find anything bad to say about it.

Now, the characters are possibly the most “interesting” part of the manga. As I mentioned in the very beginning, these characters are not meant to all be likable. In fact, none of them are my favorite characters despite this being one of my favorite manga. But that’s not really the point, since they are meant to be realistic. I would never consider myself or any of the people in my life one of my favorite characters if they were in an anime or manga. Real life people are much simpler than anime characters that each have bold hairstyles, unique weapons, perfect figures, etc. Real humans are not perfect, do not always have a happy ending in life, and are usually just some unnoticeable background character that you pass by once or twice during your life but leave no impact on you at all.

Punpun is your average Japanese person aside from the slightly inflated psychological issues at times (but still never something that real humans have not experienced). As a child, Punpun’s uncle taught him that if he said a certain phrase, God would appear to him and help him in his time of need. Inio depicts God like a bad imaginary friend who looks like a black guy with an afro and usually gives Punpun poor advice that is kind of like a “worst case scenario to do” rather than actual help. Punpun’s journey to becoming an adult is a difficult one filled with family issues, romantic problems, sex, alcohol, depression, different jobs, etc. Oyasumi Punpun is not a happy story at all, and Punpun never even goes one chapter without being sad, questioning himself, or making a bad decision at some point (aside from the chapters that he is not in). He has many flaws and as he grows up, he starts to notice more and more of them. Punpun is the kind of person (as is often stated) who is always looking back into the past and has a hard time looking towards the future. With his kind of depressing life, looking at his past is not the most enjoyable thing to do. He has many regrets and things he wishes he could do differently if given the chance. As the story progresses, he falls farther and farther away from how he used to be as a cheerful child who dreamed of becoming a scientist in space. Many characters talk about how he is too kind and often hurts people because of his kindness and how easily he apologizes for things.

Punpun is one of the only parts where I think the manga has a couple problems. While overall I actually like Punpun a lot, sometimes he just makes decisions that are a little too stupid even for him. In the later chapters, I feel like Punpun becomes mean and a little annoying at times, though this is mainly due to an overload of stress and is honestly not really anything too surprising given his difficult circumstances. It’s not enough to hurt the manga overall, but I thought I should mention it. Inio acknowledges that Punpun has changed a lot as well by drawing him in an extremely different way than he was ever depicted before. Punpun's main source of drama comes from remembering his middle school crush Aiko. Punpun seems to always be going back and thinking about Aiko, and much of the parts that I dislike a little about him involve her.

Seki and Shimizu follow kind of a side story for most of the manga. After middle school, they never really see Punpun at all, yet they are still very important characters in the story. They have been friends since preschool and Seki has always had to take care of Shimizu. Shimizu is just a strange boy who can see the “god of poop” in a way that is kind of similar to how Punpun can see God (minus the horrible advice that Punpun gets). As they grow up, they try to stick together but many problems threaten to tear their friendship apart. Seki has always been a delinquent and keeps getting into more and more trouble. Shimizu has always been gullible and somewhat childish but he tries to become more independent. I really enjoy their story and I think they're two of the better characters in this manga. Their relationship is just like a bond between two really good childhood friends and is very believable.

Throughout the manga, Punpun goes through different drama and relationships, problems and anxieties, and different designs. The characters he meets (especially the girls he is close to) change each time. The story often focuses on characters other than Punpun in order to piece together the entire story. I won’t talk about all them as it would take too long, but if you want to see all of the characters who are very important at some point, just go to the character list.

This is now one of my favorite manga and only the second that I have given a 10/10 rating to. It’s a masterpiece that shows how real life works and how all of the problems in real life are not easily solvable like they are in many stories. It may be one of the most depressing manga out there, but if you can handle that kind of story as well as many mature themes and some nudity, then I highly recommend Oyasumi Punpun. It’s not something you should go into lightly, but if you enjoy these kind of life-changing stories, then this is something you should not miss.

A wise man once told me - "son, you better study hard or I'm going to beat the fuck out of you right here right now". And he did. When I was in middle school a cute girl I really liked went out with the most athletic rugby player who then smugly told me that she moans like a siren in bed. Pshh, asshole. In my college years I consistently woke up to the sounds of my room mate screaming "harder harder!". Sigh. Finally, in my twenties I realised that all those people were gone from my life and despite all they've unwittingly done to ... my psyche I started to feel rather lonely. That's 'Oyasumi Punpun' in a tangential nutshell.

But enough of my sentimental autobiography, let's cut to the chase.

The story follows Onodera Punpun and focuses on the struggles his mind experiences to comprehend exactly how humanity operates as he grows up from being a kid. I like the fact that this manga portrays life in its crudest form. We all remember the shit we've done as we grew up and we all have a few skeletons in our closet. Well think of 'Oyasumi Punpun' as a massive skeleton party. Drinks all around!

The cast is full of... people. Alcoholics, violent maniacs, horny sluts, smug loners, idiots, nutcases. And they all interact with each other. Why, you could mistake this work for being the 'local news' section of your town's newspaper. Friendships are formed and broken, relationships consummated and older bearded men run around the streets with their cocks out. And all you do as reader, is watch that world through the eyes of someone who doesn't understand it but is desperately trying to.

The artwork here is absolutely magnificent. I marvelled at Asano's (mangaka) skill at being able to adapt his style to fit the mood every single time. And while on that topic, the style coupled with the story will mostly make you feel depressed and surely reminisce of your younger years. So yes, the artwork is top notch. Every character also feels alive and vibrant, not only because of detail but because the artwork so conspicuously presents their emotions.

You probably won't enjoy this manga; that doesn't mean it's bad. Who the fuck likes waking up in the morning? But apparently it's good for you. Same here. 'Oyasumi Punpun' is an unbiased whole picture of life. We have but a single mind so our views are naturally biased and rational in nature to keep us sane and optimistic. Asano gives you the mind and experiences of every character in this manga, so everything appears without bias... factual... cold... depressing. And then we begin to see that sometimes life can be a lot more cruel than we thought.

One hell of ride this has been. Went so far down the memory lane I forgot where my home was. But don't we all have those moments sometimes?

10 points. A masterpiece.

Oyasumi Punpun is one of the greatest coming of age stories told in any form of media. This story is a very relative tale of alienated youth riddled with heavy accuracy. The story is very well developed and is partially due to its long timeline spanning from Punpun's life in elementary school to his early 20's. It deals with many mature issues like sex and depression all told in a frank manner that is coated with a strange dark sense of humor and supreme melancholy. There is a lot going on including a couple of side stories involving people that are or were once in ... Punpun's life, like his uncle and his old classmates. There is also a side story about a strange cult that has been foreshadowed in the very first volumes and is slowing becoming bigger and more important to the story. Inio Asano's storytelling talent is probably best showcased in this series. He manages to keep the story strikingly relatable while throwing wacky surrealism in and weaving together one huge moving piece with many plots and characters.

The art is absolutely gorgeous. The speechless panels of messy rooms and hopeless youth crying in bed has never looked so glamorous. The obvious and most interesting aspect of the art in this manga is how the main character and his family are drawn. The idea of Punpun and his family being depicted as a poorly drawn cartoon birds is absolutely genius! You have to understand that these people aren't really cartoons walking around in an oblivious world but are physical manifestations of how Punpun feels about himself and his family. You really get a sense of how important that theme is in later volumes where his appearance starts to shift and understanding why that is.

The characters in this manga are really great. Asano is very good at creating solid characters, and again with the timeline, they have ample time to develop smoothly. The only thing negative I would say about the characters is that they are extreme and there is no effort in making them "likeable" because they are too busy proving how genuine they are with their actions and words. So you either you love them or hate them, It might irritate some people who don't like when characters are a little too pitiful or preachy, like people who don't like The Catcher in the Rye because Holden Caulfield "just whined the whole time."

This story can really throw you through a loop. It's very long and twisting and silly and serious at the same time so it's a not a "light read" by any means. the word enjoyment is a little off but I would definitely say this manga affected me. There are times where you will laugh and times you will feel really depressed. But all in all It's very smart, real, and stylish so if you can handle depressing stories it's well worth it.

Goodnight Punpun is a hard one to classify. Yes, it’s a comedy, but then again it wouldn’t be Inio Asano if it didn’t occasionally throw in surreal or even nightmarish elements. Whilst his previous works have always had a subtle, dark humour underlying the main story, here he brings the comedic elements to the fore, allowing him to play unfettered with the world – both real and imaginary – of small children.

The story revolves around said Punpun, who (along with his family) is depicted as a small, caricatured bird within an otherwise normal human world, and his interactions with his elementary school classmates and the ... world around him. The story weaves seamlessly between normal everyday life and out and out fantasy, starting with his heartbreak as his first unrequited love (who also appears to be the vicious school bully) transfers out, to be replaced by the new love of his life… a relationship that this time seems to be heading somewhere. The problem is that the “somewhere” would appear to be a pretty scary place.

As I mentioned, it wouldn’t be Asano if doses of painful reality weren’t occasionally driven into the story, ranging from domestic violence, to Punpun having to deal with the unintentional effects of seeing his first gravure, to a disturbing interlude when the boys get together to watch their first adult video. It’s the extreme depictions of his over-active imagination, matched at every step by a cast of bizarre characters, ranging from an odd homeroom teacher, to a special guest appearance by God… and I’m not even going to mention the Doodoo-head aliens. Oh, I just did…nuts.

Asano swings the story effortlessly between reality and fantasy, funny and nightmarish, but he never fails to keep our attention firmly glued to the page, as the story unfolds. He’s built a complex world, filled with endearing, if odd, characters and it’s watching Punpun negotiate this minefield of life that makes this a page-turner.

If you’re familiar with his work, then you’ll pleased to know the attention to detail within his artwork is as sharp as ever, as is his (by now) trademark character design. There are panels depicting ordinary scenery within this manga, that one can easily spend minutes studying, taking in all the fine details.

Goodnight Punpun is a worthy successor to Asano’s small, but impressive, body of work and possibly the one that will appeal to wider audience, than say “What a Wonderful World,” or “Solanin.” If anything, he’s raised the crossbar yet again and I’m certainly looking forward to more releases from him. If you’re looking to read something that will have you laughing out loud one moment, and cringing the next, read this. You won’t be disappointed.

(I, sadly, have to make this announcement - Gonensei is more psychologically rigorous than Oyasumi Punpun. Although, Punpun is still the better overall work of art in terms of combining techniques and storylines.)

Once upon a time I wrote a review about Oyasumi Punpun pretty far back. I think it was neither good nor bad. I threw out some stuff about a movement I had only a hazy knowledge of and linked it to a bunch of stuff that had nothing to do with the story and threw out some names definitely in order to appear smarter than I really was. I think it was probably ... stupid to try and categorize anything like Oyasumi Punpun like that.

I think a review should be more than just a momentary exchange of what is good or bad because, well, the old belief is that everybody derives something different from even the crappiest work of art. There’s the pragmatic side to it. You’re only gonna live here for a few decades. At most you’ll be here for a hundred years. I don’t think transhumanism is going to take off while you’re around. How are you going to spend it? Thankfully you have people who’ve treaded the same ground before you and they surely have a lot to say about life and about what to read and not to read. Since they’re kind enough to have an opinion you might as well just go and take it. What’s more the more streamlined it is the better because, hey, why read a review in the first place. I just need the verification that my choice is correct with a few brief words like ‘the art is good’ and ‘the story is amazing’ and I can be on my way, experiencing that work of art that is so much better and greater than that crappy review.

So of course the review, in this instance, becomes the platform for people to jump at a work of art. This is completely okay of course. Like I said we don’t live forever and we’ve got stuff to do like actually reading a work rather than reading about someone talk about a work. But you know in between that work of art and yourself is this human being, who, after being moved by said work of art so immensely, decides that he has to say something about it. And that person himself is a person with completely different circumstances from yourself and he’s also a creator in a sense because he’s thinking about how best to convey that feeling of ‘must-read-this’ to you. And yet this person isn’t just satisfied with placing his feelings on a scale because he thinks that its utterly insane to lump together all the feelings invoked into a rating or a set of lines about ‘characters being likeable’ or anything like that. In fact he’s also a greedy person because he craves attention and he wants to be able to convey the same nexus of feelings that the artist of the work he just read was able to convey to him. This greediness prevents him from ever being a mere spectator to this reader-Manga divide and he feels he has to get his dirty paws into this ‘transaction’ between the two parties. So his review becomes, not really a review, but kind of a half-essay partly-autobiographical partly-stupid thing that in the end becomes so completely obscure that it eliminates any ‘must-read-this’ that was conveyed in the first place.

It gets even trickier when you have a Great Work. Something in the 10s scale in your subjective rating system. Something that you feel you have to tell, no shout, to the world about from the rooftops just because it happens to be so good and you experienced not just great beauty but great empathy and everything that is good about living in the world. Something that sticks to you and you have to crown it in your little head with all the other Great Works out there as the thing that, because you read it, proves to you that human life is not completely worthless or useless or unkind or relentlessly stupid; and that the very existence of such Beauty is validation for the whole thing. It’s a work of art that cleans up the whole human slate, of all the pent up longing and worthless lingering that seems to go on in everyone’s life. A work that tells you that in the end great things to appear and you should go on hoping and desiring and keeping your ambitions inside you because maybe “you are here—that life exists” and that “you may contribute a verse”.

Because hey life didn’t deal you a bad card. You came far enough to be able to read Oyasumi Punpun in all it’s entirely and really understand it and get into it and for a few hours your brain was fried with the fuzzy despairing love for humanity that seems to emanate from the computer screen as you soak in the pages. And afterwards Punpun and Aiko and Seki and Harumi and Sachi and Midori and Yuuichi are all real live breathing moving figments that live and breathe in your head because of how all their troubles and worries and actions seems to just absolutely strike this indefinable deep chord within you. You’ve gotten this far. You haven’t been killed in a freak accident before 12 and you haven’t become so completely hopelessly broke that you can’t even afford to read Oyasumi Punpun in the first place. You may not be an artist who can absolutely capture everything great about life in 147 chapters but hey you still made it far enough to say that you tried or you’re going to do it one day no matter what because that’s the only thing to live for now.

And when you read this Great Work you just can’t write anything normal anymore and your heart is pounding and you can’t think of anything but convey convey convey the complete experience to someone else, even a sliver of it, something that can be shared, that can be burning on inside their hearts, even if it’s just a flicker, for the years to come. You want to be able to do that magic that he did over so many pages and you want to want to want to have that level of observation and imagination and experience that he had but you’re so hopelessly young or inexperienced and you’re so hopelessly deluded most of the time and you have to ornate your words with the speech of dead kings in order to hide this small insignificance as an artist growing within you.

And this anxiety is making you sick to the stomach but it’s also making your brain churn and you just have to get something down onto writing because that’s the way you react to something so utterly and stupendously beautiful, and reading it twice makes it stronger and your brain is now absolutely overflowing with that raw painful ambition which is so so far away from your current state of affairs.

And you can’t stop thinking and living and your senses fall into hyperactivity and your brain latches on to memories of the most insignificant small bits of conversation going on with your co-workers that day, or the way your parents probably think you’re too detached from being cooped up inside all the time seeking Great heart-shaking Works and how it’s close to impossible being able to convey anything at all even to your own family, unless you had even an ounce of the virtuoso skill and throbbing empathy that Inio Asano had while making his magnum opus. You think about how many years left you have to live, and what you’re going to do in the meantime, and how you should be kinder and be on the look-out for the small powerful things in life and you should have a greater sense of self-esteem and keep watch of all your dreams and seek always to be empathetic to other human beings because, as Inio Asano so eloquently proved, they are all dissonant chords breaking off one another, but there’s a reason and a music flowing behind the scenes. That you may never understand even your closest friends and that the momentary complete connection between two people may be so transient and illusory and yet so awe-inspiringly shattering that some people spend their whole life looking for it. That many people are enclosed and solipsistic but that in some ways this can also make them strong at certain times. That it’s easily to fall into a cycle of misguided self-despair and ruin yourself, but it’s also never too late to be saved and to extract yourself from the pit, no matter how far you’ve fallen. That whether you’ve been dealt a good or bad hand, you’re still beautiful anyway so you should live on in as great and honest a way as possible. All these musical notes and scales falling behind the scenes where we can’t see them and even if you become mad trying to grasp the music you should still try anyway because what else is there left to live for but to connect with other humans? And that even if they aren’t mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, at least they’re still mad enough to be here and to pass them, for a moment, in this endless stream of life, is just about the greatest thing in the world.

But really who gives a shit? Because in the end you’re still alive and life hasn’t dealt you a bad enough hand and you’re either going to or have already read Oyasumi Punpun, so maybe you should be happy about that.

(I had written a review for this previously, but I feel that I did not do this series justice. This is my second attempt).

Oyasumi Punpun is, without a doubt, one of the most compelling manga I have ever read, and one of only a handful I would say are seminal masterpieces in the medium. I initially read it based on a recommendation from a friend. The unique design of the main character and initial parts of the series led me to believe that this series was just a fun slice-of-life story about a quirky japanese boy...which is technically accurate, but to reduce it to that ... would be underselling this manga a great deal.

While the story of Punpun's life is, indeed, initially rather comical and full of child-like wonder, you realize in retrospect that this is merely the natural result of it accurately portraying what it is like to be a child. As the story goes on and we see more of the people surrounding Punpun you begin to see the chilling darkness that surrounds most of the cast, who are troubled by a slew of mental problems common to most people who are just trying to get by. As the story goes on this cynicism grows more and more prominent, like a dark abyss beckoning you further and further in as you watch Punpun become increasingly damaged and lose much of the innocence he had as a child.

The story's characters are, indeed, perhaps the strongest part of Punpun. As far as manga go they are highly unusual. Most of them cannot really be called "good people", as they frequently display acts of pettiness, depravity and self-destruction. This is however, contrasted by their moments of selflessness, compassion, and love. The result is actually uncannily lifelike, as most people are extremely complex and do not easily fall into arbitrary categories of "good" or "bad". Through its characters, the story represents the darkest parts of humanity, the side of us that nobody wants to acknowledge.

Asano's compelling narrative is heavily aided by his impressive artistic skills. The choice to represent Punpun's family as crudely drawn cartoon birds was a stylistic decision, not borne or any lack of artistic skill. The designs are actually quite flexible, and frequently alter to show more realistic features during key moments, such as bulging eyes or twitching hands. The result is incredibly powerful and highly unnerving, showing an imagination and skill that is rarely seen in most comics.

Almost every single other character has a unique, distinctive design that immediately tells them apart from everyone else. Asano is not afraid to make his characters ugly, and in fact does so quite frequently. The attractive characters stand out all the more as a result of this, and it adds to the series' introspective, realistic tone.

The backgrounds are actually CGI, derived from actual photos. This is something Asano has been criticized for, but to me it does not really make a difference. Tools are just tools, and the result is incredibly stunning and adds to the series' mesh of realism and surrealism, so I have no complaints on that front.

In the end, what makes Punpun such a powerful, emotionally gripping story is that it is bursting with life from every pore. None of it feels trite or derivative, none of the characters fall into predictable molds or character archetypes, the story's events are hard to predict, and the themes of depression, isolation, despair, and nihilism are handled in a very mature, relatable fashion.

While the ambiguous moral standing of the characters and the series' emotionally oppressive tone means that it is not a work that can be enjoyed by everyone, it is still an extremely well-crafted manga that is worth a look. As someone who has struggled with clinical depression for years, I have never read something that portrayed the suffering of the human condition quite like Punpun does.

Please read this Manga.
Honestly there's not one thing i'd ask to be changed, it's perfectly polished in all aspects.

Relatively spoiler free.

STORY:
Perfect. There's a raw honest realism to this story, even with some of the crazy things that happen that seem surreal. Nothing is sugarcoated. Even with many of the dark turns that happen in this story there are many things that are relatable to the average person. Which kind of takes this story to a new level.

ART:
Perfect. The way the main character and his direct family is portrayed is wonderfully unique, it gives him an innocence that couldn't be depicted in ... any other way. (at least in my mind). There are still images from this manga that are permanently ingrained into my mind. The way they keep Punpuns face hidden through out the manga gives it a anonymous feeling where he could be anyone, it's easy to find yourself getting lost in/as this character.


CHARACTER:
Perfect. Everyone is so thoroughly fleshed out, absolutely everyone is interesting and has a story. There was never a moment that I felt like the story was dragging on or that a certain character had too much 'screen time'. For many characters there was a emotional trek, where at some points you'd hate them but in the end for most if not all you could understand them. Even though many things weren't 'just' in our mind, everything had a reason of why it came to be.

ENJOYMENT:
This is my favourite Manga of all time. I can't even see this being put to justice if it were to be adapted into an anime. Theres something about this manga, that made me feel like my eyes were opened or something had changed. I highly recommend this.

OVERALL:
Please read this.

Almost everyone has felt at one point during their lifespan that their lives have hit rock bottom, that the world is conspiring against them, that nobody out there has a worse life than they do. For the most part, of course, this is untrue, save for the one unlucky fellow on the bottom rung of the ladder, and their lives do begin to slowly climb upward again.
Oyasumi Punpun (eng. translation Goodnight Punpun) is a psychological drama/coming-of-age story by realist mangaka Inio Asano (author of another one of my favorite works, Solanin) about that one unlucky fellow who can never seem to catch a break ... in life. Bleak and depressing, Oyasumi Punpun is proof that the literary significance of manga can rival that of classic novels and serves as a testament against all that believe manga to be deficient in literary value. While certainly not an accessible, easy-to-read manga, and definitely not a recommendation for someone in an unsavory mood, There are a multitude of reasons why I consider Oyasumi Punpun to not only be one of the best manga, but one of the best coming-of-age stories I have ever read.

Story: 10/10
Oyasumi Punpun tells the tale of eponymous character Punpun, who, after witnessing the divorce of his parents at an early age, begins to struggle on the path towards adulthood, as challenge after challenge threatens his daily life and sanity. There is no dream to achieve, no quest for redemption- you simply follow Punpun in his interactions with the human world as he grows from a child into a young adult. However, the execution of the story is superbly unique and flawless. Inio Asano’s realism reaches a shocking new level as each interaction not only manages to surprise you at what the world is capable of but also serves as a reminder of just WHAT the world is capable of. Layer on some masterfully dark humor and a touch of symbolism here and there, and you get a wonderful coming-of-age story, compelling and chock-full of very powerful yet realistic emotions.

Art: 10/10
Inio Asano's realistic artstyle is powerful in that it is conveys his the realism in his story and characters perfectly and passionately. The quality and detail put into his backgrounds is astounding and a feast for the eyes. From bustling city landscapes to the night sky, Inio Asano is able to create a realistic and immersive backdrop. Coming across a background spread during a chapter is always a delight. One small gripe I do have with the backgrounds, however, is that sometimes they are TOO immersive. In a panel where many, many characters are drawn, I often find it quite difficult to find the locations of the main characters, leading to slight confusion.
The character designs are also sufficient for a story of this caliber- realistic, with highly readable expressions (yet not too exaggerated) in order to accurately portray the psychology of the characters. Punpun’s character design is interesting in this respect. At the beginning, he is shown to be a crudely-drawn ambiguous bird-like figure. However, as the story goes on, the mangaka modifies his overall character design in a number of ways that demonstrate his current psyche, making him one of the most expressive and open characters.
In conclusion, realistically drawn, expressive characters and an impressive attention to detail in backgrounds provide a storytelling medium fitting for a story like Oyasumi Punpun.

Characters: 10/10
The characters in Oyasumi Punpun are the best part of the manga and drive the story well. Inio Asano creates his characters by putting normal, mundane people and putting them at the brink of despair and hopelessness. This idea is nothing new- it’s commonplace in science fiction dystopias such as Neon Genesis Evangelion and Bokurano and in survival games like Battle Royale. However, what makes Oyasumi Punpun so unique is that this kind of character development rarely happens in a normal, lifelike setting such as this one. Amidst perfectly realistic situations and encounters, these highly complex characters reveal their ugliest, nastiest parts, their insecurities, their misgivings, and their fears.
The titular character, Punpun, undergoes some of the most remarkable character growth I have ever seen in manga. We are introduced to him as an elementary schooler, a bland character with an innocent mind and lacking highly distinctive traits. However, this personality is well-suited for him, as the series of events that will come to change him as he grows into adulthood will cause some extremely realistic development without letting any predetermined personalities get in the way. The way he changes and the decisions he makes, while frequently ugly and unpleasant, are highly identifiable and you cannot help but wish the best for him.
The deuteragonist and Punpun’s love interest, Aiko, is remarkably similar to Punpun in character. Selfish yet kind-hearted, Aiko has her own set of circumstances that over the course of the manga slowly change her perception of her own life and humanity itself. What is most interesting is their relationship to one another. While most love interests act as a source of inspiration and strength for the protagonists, Aiko will become one of the major sources of angst in Punpun’s life, and the decisions she makes will have the greatest effect on Punpun’s development out of all the characters in the cast. Their relationship, strained and twisted by their personalities as well as their lives, retains a single, unbreakable bond of purity and hope that compels you to encourage them to fight on.
A large and diverse set of side characters, all uniquely complex and haunted by their own inner demons, completes a cast perfect for the story of Punpun. These characters, free of any conventional traits or personalities, are driven to fully develop throughout the run of the series into some of the most refined, human characters I have ever seen.

Enjoyment: 10/10
To say that I traditionally “enjoyed” Oyasumi Punpun might be a stretch- from the beginning, this manga had intended to make you think and reflect, not read quickly and finish with a satisfied feeling in your chest. In fact, reading Oyasumi Punpun made me feel absolutely depressed. Is it a manga I’d re-read? Probably not, unless I was feeling brave enough to give it another go. But do I regret reading it? Absolutely not. Oyasumi Punpun is a manga I’m glad I read, with a story that captivated me from the beginning and characters that intrigued me from the beginning until the end. If that’s not enjoyment, I don’t know what is.

Overall: 10/10
Conventional manga tropes not cut it for you anymore? Looking for a genuinely compelling and insightful psychological drama? Feel up for the challenge of taking on a rich and profound story? Then give Oyasumi Punpun a try. It might not be the manga for you, but it’ll be a manga you’ll surely never forget.

NO SPOILER REVIEW

Oyasumi Punpun is such another type of beautiful; catching the essence of our day to day life and the thoughts that we cannot put into words. Punpun is a human portrayed as bird along with his problematic family. He struggles to understand himself and the world. He faces many fights between himself and his hormones. Overall, he is just your average teenager who doesn't know what to do; but the way it is portrayed is just so relatable.

Punpun aside, there are a few side stories that discuss troubles and conflict; some of which is sex. I'm not big on 18+ material but again, ... the way it is portrayed is just so... realistic. Lots of lust yes, but in a way that is believable and makes you think.

The artwork is FANTASTIC. The messiness of the rooms, the scenery. It's all breathtaking.

While reading, I really felt like I could relate to the characters. They go through the same day to day problems like many of us. Even though we may break down, we still keep moving forward and that's just how the characters are.

I absolutely enjoyed Oyasumi Punpun. It is my favorite series of all time by far and it left me questioning my ideals.

Having recently caught up on this... I'll say this, I bloody love this manga.

The story centres around the main character Punpun, who, along with his family, is depicted as a sort of 2d bird… That is most definetely not to say the Mangaka, Inio Asano was lazy in his approach to the art of the manga, on the contrary, Oyasumi Punpun has some gorgeous art, in both the scenery and in his drawings of the other characters, bringing out such glorious emotion in each and every one of his characters.

It starts out as a kind of black comedy, slice of life type manga, looking at ... the life of a 10 year old Punpun, and his obsession with his new classmate, Aiko. However, it gradually develops into a coming of age manga, as we see Punpun grow older, and see him and those around him make terrible, thoughtless…. and yet utterly human decisions that make them question existence… You will feel for Punpun and the rest of the cast, Inio Asano’s excellent,surreal storytelling will see to that… And trust me, there will be many such moments.

It can be fairly graphic at times, and it does seem downright depressing at times with a fairly bleak view on people as a whole. This is a tragic manga in places, but also an incredible one, it’s surreal, funny at times, nihilistic and devastating….. One of the best, if not the best, manga I have read. Read it.

one word describes this manga REAL, Asano Inio has always made manga that had realistic emotion and stories of hardship BUT this manga is far beyond that, with great art style and characters one cant help but keep reading. At first glance it looks like some kid manga right? WRONG this manga is one of the most emotionally intense/depressing manga I've ever read. And this why i use the word REAL the story is not sugar coated there are no happy endings just like REAL life thats what this manga accomplishes the feeling of being able to relate to that characters on such a high ... level almost like you are in the story yourself. I don't think i need to say this is no kid manga this is some gritty stuff in most manga nudity is nothing new but this isn't for fan service and in my opinion the explicit loveless sex scenes make this manga in particular all the more messed up.
Asano Inio you out did yourself on this one :)

A beautiful and heartbreaking masterpiece. If you like sappy storylines and happy endings, you probably won't like this manga; Punpun is painfully cynical. But what this manga lacks in optimism it makes up for with amazing writing and beautiful art work.

Story: 9/10

The story of Oyasumi Punpun is pretty plain and straight forward. You follow the titular character, Punpun, depicted as a crudely drawn bird, as he grows up. Nothing too revolutionary.Though the story begins as a happy go lucky comedy, it descends into a much darker drama as it progresses. The use of this transition brilliantly represents PunPun's change from a carefree child into a ... deeply troubled adult.

Art: 10/10

The art in Punpun is simply gorgeous and unlike any other manga I've read before. Each one of the character have distinctly different features. Punpun and his family are drawn to appear as birds; while this may put some people off, it creates a beautiful contrast between Punpun and many of the dark backgrounds which surround him. Supporting characters are drawn with intricate detail, and no one person looks the same.

Characters: 10/10

What makes the characters in this manga great is not that they are likable; its that they're realistically written. No character is perfect, and rarely will you come across someone who is purely evil. The main character, Punpun, is someone you start off rooting for completely. An underdog of sorts, coming from a broken home and having painfully low self esteem. However, as you read on, you find Punpun making choices that make you question how you could've liked him in the first place. Without going into much detail, this is pretty much the case for a vast majority of the cast. Characters you started out loving will disgust you, and you'll sympathize with characters you originally could not stand. No one is flat or one noted, and each of the characters is developed thoroughly.

Enjoyment: 10/10

There's not much I can say other than I absolutely loved this manga from start to finish (even though it left me dead inside). I laughed, I cried, I repeated that cycle multiple times, and I loved every minute of it. It's charm is totally irresistible

Overall 10/10

I cannot recommend this manga enough.Though it may not be a gripping action or thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, it is, nonetheless complete masterpiece. This manga will change your outlook on life.

Inio Asano's masterpiece made me think about my whole life during a whole year. This probably happened because I saw a lot of my actions and thoughts in the manga characters, so I kinda attached to them, mainly to Punpun.

It's interesting how this manga makes you reflect on every specific point of your trajectory, from your childhood to your present moment. All this attached to the depressing story of the main character Onodera Punpun, which resembles the lives of many real people.

Certainly, one of the most interesting parts for me in the work is the construction of the destructive love between Punpun and Aiko, ... since when they were children. Seriously, it may seem silly, but Aiko reminds me of a certain (real) girl I know, from that, I don't even need to give too many explanations, right?

So, for all the lovers of Slice of Life and Bad Vibes stories, read Oyasumi Punpun. Sorry, I couldn't express very well in words what this manga made me feel, so it's better, you on your own, find out how it will tweak you inside.

~~~ My first review / No spoilers ~~~

      Oyasumi Punpun, soon after finishing, leveraged its masterpiece status in the world of manga. Considered one of the most depressing stories derived from Japan, in a way, there is controversy in my thoughts about the same classification. After all, Punpun see how one of the most sublime trajectories of Japanese art. And, in a way, I can not see sorrow [depression].

        With a protagonist who can not like the same, can ... also love it, and undoubtedly self-identify; Punpun is one of the most human characters - even if in a way, he's not human (it has no name and face!) - But that does not change anything. A brilliant point of Asano. That reminds me of Dostoevsky's work "Notes From the Underground". A character not rated, and that shows emotions about the world around them. What delights me, no doubt. Also, Aiko, the other protagonist, that makes any heart break purely. And Sachi, probably one of the most beloved characters. And other characters with stories even better than the Punpun - at certain points. Surrealism in this work is the key point is the large difference in a story, open spaces for interpretation on certain moments, thus creating a complex work, and showy contrast.

Most worthy of their current status [as one of the most worshiped works], Oyasumi Punpun, only increases in members [readers] ending the manga. Certainly will make hearts get thrilled.

~Good reading for those who have not read~

After completing this manga, I almost don't know what to say. There are not many stories with so much emotion and darkness thrown into it. The progression of Punpun comes on gradually but yet, almost feels like it hits you like a truck. Inio Asano gives a great deal of depth to the main character, something of which is not common to be seen. You get to see the lives of innocent children progressing onward to the often complicated and quite depressing trials of adulthood.

I will say all the negative things I can about it now, which isn't much. This manga is no walk ... in the park, is not casual by any means and if you're not looking for something that will probably make you a bit depressed you might not want to continue. I could say that at some parts int feels a bit drawn out, but then again, it feels as if this was the author's intention, almost as if he was trying to give as much light to the characters surrounding Punpun as possible. In the end it will be your interpretation of all this that really determines your enjoyment of this manga.

The art style is a perfect fit for the story: a mix of despair, reality, cartoonish humor, and strange love. The main characters emotion is somehow perfectly portrayed through a comedic bird. Aiko's personality and equivalent beauty will likely leave you with a strong attachment.

The characters are just some of the best I have ever seen. All of them have an interesting story to tell. Most of the characters drift away after knowing each other in school, something which is fairly akin to the real world, and move on to something new, yet hold on to their experiences with each other and grow into very different people. Oyasumi Punpun really makes you think of how life can just go about in so many different ways, and that in the end, life just happens; sometimes in a big mess, sometimes in a big bang, and goes on. It might just make you remember: One day mankind will collapse.

Oyasumi Punpun is an all-time favorite of mine. It has everything I love in a manga: gorgeous art, a good sense of humor, and a sense subtlety that leaves it up to a bit of interpretation. It's definitely worth a read, and I would recommend it to just about everyone.
Story: 8.5/10
The story is conventional on the surface: a coming-of-age story about a kid that never quite fits in. However, it's quite a bit more complex than that. It follows the lives of many different characters, from Punpun to his friends to his family members. All the interlocking stories are engrossing and thought-provoking.
However, it does ... lag a bit at times. Maybe this is because I marathoned it, but I felt that there were some dry periods jammed into the normally intense narrative. Despite this, the pacing is good overall.
Another thing I must commend the manga on is its effortless transition in tone. Because it follows Punpun's life from his grade school days into adulthood, the tone naturally goes from almost off-puttingly innocent to something darker and more cerebral. The change is well-paced and scarcely noticeable while you're in it.
Art: 10/10
Fantastic, obviously. It's beautifully detailed with an innovative style. The art is one of the main things that attracted me to the manga.
Characters: 10/10
All the characters are well-rounded and developed. Even ones that seem bland and unlikable at first are given dimension and charm (Punpun's mother comes to mind). None of the characters are "typical"; they all have their finer points and their flaws, their good intentions and their ulterior motives. It definitely stands out from other stories -- manga or otherwise -- in this regard.
Enjoyment: 10/10
I busted through twelve volumes in two days, if that gives you any idea of how much I enjoyed it.
My only caveat is that the story is heavy, especially in later chapters; I wouldn't recommend reading it if you've had a rough week, as it will bring you down further.
Overall: 10/10

As I have dropped this series when completing chater 65, I don't think it I will be able to write a decent review as of now. The reason for the drop is the deep emotional impact and scars it has left me with.
However let me remind you that this one of the most unique mangas out there. This is a must read for everyone and anyone.

Oyasumi Punpun (Goodnight Punpun) can be described as a best selling book when comparing it to Harry potter, however it is in a form of a manga and targets a specific audience. This manga describes REALITY by introducing the main ... character called punpun. We are following the story by his view of reality. Although there some chapters in the story that will describe the life of the other characters. The author try's to deal with all day issues concerning individual human beings such as Redemption, Jealousy, Sex, Anger. The author really try's to keep the story to the point of realism that it increases the depth of our view of the world while moving the plot by raising the bar very very very high.

Another subject this manga tackles perfectly is the art. I am always left speechless as I turn each page. The amount of detail is incredible and incomparable to any manga I have read. If you start reading this manga you will see the segnifigence this mangaka try's to potray by the way each scene is drawn and perfectly executed. The characters such as his family ie The father and mother seems to us to be drawn by a 10 year old and the reason is due to the PunPun's attachment to them. It tells us he doens't care about those types of people who he engages with daily. However this adds weight to the overall story and gives significant effect to later development in the story.

The characters are another great peice that adds flavour to the overall effect this manga is trying to produce. The rate of development of these characters are consirded in great depth that keeps drawing the reader ever closer to PunPun's world. However as a reader I would say I have very different opinions about each and every character introduced in the manga. This is due to their extreme difference in behaviour and personalitys. You will like some or you will hate some but your views will change as the story progresses further.

Overal this is a must read story but beware of the effects it will leave you with in every single chapter. The amount of emotional unbalance that this has provided me with gave me pain and sorrow and maybe this due to me having a weak heart. However if you have the guts please be my guest to go on a roller coaster of life changing experiences. If I say to my self that I have enjoyed the manga up till now? The answer I would say be DEFNETILY YES.

I am deeply sorry that I could not write a serious review as I just cant complete this masterpeice of manga. I hope you enjoyed this short and thoughtfull review.
Thank You

Literally perfect in every way possible. It's gonna fuck you up like nothing has never fucked you up before. You'll connect with it in the strangest emotional way. The events may have never happened to you but for whatever reason you will relate to them so heavily.
Honestly, this is a must read for literally anyone.

Punpun can probably be regarded as the magnum opus of troubled genius Asano Inio and, for anyone who has read previous works by Asano, it offers everything and more that readers have come to like about his works.

Punpun tells the coming-of-age story of a young man who grows up in a world in which things don't play out as most of young people would hope, whether it's in school, at home with the family or at work. Interestingly, "PunPun" isn't a simple, comfortable story of how you only have to overcome one big crisis before the eventual happy end. No. "Punpun" offers hard-hitting (and occasionally ... depressing) social and psychological realism in the life of a young person who is constantly caught between the youthful dreams of love, success, stability and the everyday struggles in trying to achieve this.

What is particularly brilliant about this series is that the characters are clearly the product of their surroundings and not just some generic character stereotypes. You will quickly realise that a character who has been affected by certain childhood experiences or other personal issues will not simply be able to make the same autonomous or wise decisions that other, more fortunate people will make. Instead, the story shows how personal experiences clearly provide a certain psychological baggage that people carry around with them and which will affect their feelings, decisions, behaviour and outcomes in both their private and professional relationships. The characters often find it difficult to escape their past and quite often the past will be repeated over generations, unless a person manages to reflect and break the cycle.

What makes "PunPun" worth reading?

a) It is incredibly refreshing to read a story that is different than your average Hollywood coming-of-age story, where all you have to do is "follow your dream" and "you just have to believe in yourself" and "everything going to be fine". "PunPun" tells the story of those who struggle to fulfill the "standard plan" for happiness that is so commonly advertised in modern media. It tells the story of those with a broken past and hidden wounds who nonetheless live their lives among everybody else, just trying to get by and trying to get better.
In doing so, the story can be depressing when we realise that, in reality, life is not just sunshine, lollipos and rainbows and that for many, their struggles don't always guarantee success or happiness. All the tragic personal stories and existences you hear in the media or see on the street? Well, they also had a childhood and went to school in the past, but somewhere along the way they ended up where they are now. And they certainly didn't want to be there.
By painting such a realistic and sometimes depressing picture of personal struggle,however, "PunPun" also provides the basis for developing a great amount of compassion. For the characters in the book, for similar people in real life...and possibly for ourselves. Yes, life isn't always nice, but by accepting that, we also realize the possibility that this is somewhat normal. It isn't just "us". It isn't just a matter of personal failure. And it certainly isn't the end. Because no matter how bad things get, "Punpun" also shows that, in the end, people still have the power to make their own decisions. No matter how strong the influences of our past and our current environment are, we still make our own decision. And so, there is a silver lining in all of this. A realization that, even though life may play out very differently than we would have hoped or expected, there is always a chance to build a life with whatever is available right now!

b) "Punpun" offers the reader the possibility to put themselves in the shoes of the title character. The young man is portrayed as a cartoon bird whenever he is in full view, but in other sequences we clearly know that the character is not really supposed to be a bird. Instead, we often see the real human body whenever the protagonist's face is out of frame. Hence, the "bird" character can be regarded as a placeholder. Instead of showing us a human character who looks a certain way, the author gives us a creature that is so simply drawn and featureless that we are free to imagine ourselves in his place or any other person. Quite an ingenious idea, I'd say.

c) As always with Asano, the art is just breathtaking. The cityscapes are my personal favourite, especially since he manages to create so much atmosphere in every scene. Reading his books always feels like watching a arthouse movie. Just incredible.

So, long story short, read it! But choose a time where you can afford to sink in to the story and its depth. This isn't something you read casually with your morning coffee. This deserves more attention.

English/USA:
Oyasumi Punpun is the purest portrait of how our subconscious is so powerful within us, making it necessary to struggle daily to escape the intrusive thoughts and sensations that destroy the concept of morals and ethics that society has built. And even in the face of all this, he shows us how trapped we are and how giving ourselves the freedom to be ourselves too late can lead to consequences and after-effects on our journey through life.

Furthermore, its way of showing the true face of human beings through narcissistic and selfish characters, gives us the sensation of a cruel, completely bizarre and non-standard world, when ... in fact, we experience it in a disguised way. I had moments of chills at certain moments in the manga, and I say with total conviction that the work affected me in a way that made me see the world with different eyes and better reflect on my choices and thoughts.

It is a very interesting journey, but a path of no return for those who are psychologically weak or who can be easily shaken.


Portuguese/BR:
Oyasumi Punpun é o mais puro retrato de como nosso subconsciente é tão poderoso dentro de nós, fazendo com que seja necessário uma luta diária para fugir dos pensamentos e sensações intrusivas que destroem o conceito de moral e ética que a sociedade construiu. E mesmo diante de tudo isso, ele nos mostra o quão preso estamos e como nos dar a liberdade de sermos nós mesmos tarde demais, pode acarretar em consequências e sequelas em nossa jornada da vida.

Além disso, sua forma de mostrar a verdadeira face do ser humano por meio de personagens narcisistas e egoístas, nos da a sensação de um mundo cruel, completamente bizarro e fora do padrão, quando na verdade, vivenciamos isso de maneira maquiada. Tive momentos de calafrios em determinados momentos do manga, e digo com total convicção de que a obra me afetou de maneira a enxergar o mundo com outros olhos e refletir melhor sobre minhas escolhas e pensamentos.

É uma jornada muito interessante, porém um caminho sem volta para aqueles que possuem o psicológico fraco ou que podem se abalar facilmente.