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| Ladies and gentlemen, please, contain your orgasms. |
| That was a really satisfying ending. I expected the ending to be very tragic since it felt like it was heading down that road since the incident that resulted in Aiko's mother's death. It was still bittersweet. I liked that Harumi was brought back into the story since I've been waiting so long for his reappearance. I thought we weren't going to see him again. I don't have much to say right now...but wow. What a ride. I want to read the rest of Asano's work now. |
neopsychFeb 2, 2014 6:54 AM
| In this genre, Asano is really one above the rest. |
| Bittersweet. 10/10. RIP Aiko. :'( |
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Ducat_Revel said: "To know the events between Aiko+Punpun meeting that kids and him being in Tokyo would be nice." ^ yeah, I don't understand what you mean by this. There's a time gap in between the countryside where Aiko dies and when Punpun appears in Tokyo? He'd just walk there? They said a week passed by, he was just taking the knife wound with him in stride the whole time? |
| And I figure I'll ask this here since I don't remember what chapter it was. Sachi got pregnant, did they ever confirm who the dad was? I know they implied it was her ex-fiance but it's she and Punpun were having sex as well. Was just curious. Edit: Went back and looked at previous chapter discussion. Looks like it happened in the 100-110 range. Everyone assumes it's the ex, but I guess I didn't assume because how vague the story is told. |
outlawauronFeb 5, 2014 2:12 PM
| With all that shit, Asano Inio still managed to pull a well-done ending. Most likely I'll reread this again along with Nijigahara Holograph. 9/10 |
| Just one chapter from the final volume was enough to feel the sadness. Oh man. Great manga has just ended. |
| Signature removed. Please follow the signature rules, as defined in the Site & Forum Guidelines. |
| Man, this manga was one hell of an experience. At times I would just stare at the page for a while just to try and fully comprehend what had happened. I didn't expect Aiko's suicide at all... I thought it was a possibility that she'd die, but I was speechless when Punpun woke up to find her how she was. A perfect ending to a perfect manga. I was expecting something more tragic for Punpun, but I couldn't think of a better ending. Good... MORNING, Punpun! Good luck with the rest of your life. |
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| I was expecting a much more depressing ending as well, but this works fine too. Truly one of the best manga of all time. 10/10 |
| I dunno about you guys but I feel the ending very depressing. |
minoru09 said: I dunno about you guys but I feel the ending very depressing. Me too. I have no clue why people are saying it's a happy ending at all. |
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spikeeey said: inzaratha said: minoru09 said: I dunno about you guys but I feel the ending very depressing. Me too. I have no clue why people are saying it's a happy ending at all. same here, to be honest i would say that if punpun took his life would be a happier ending than this... srsly what is the message of that ? it doesn´t matter what happens you have to continue life through forgetting the past and forgetting the people you once loved ?? what punpun did with aiko is just sad..... the end is the climax of depression at least in my eyes Because Punpun treated Aiko as more of a cage for himself then anything. He didn't really respect her properly was the main problem. Don't get me wrong, he certainly loved her but not in a way he or she would be satisfied with. What he did at the end was basically the most respect that he personally could give her. Heck the reason she killed herself was because he would essentially ruin his life for her. Which is something she did not want. Remember, Aiko deep down, does want whats best for Punpun. Ironically it contradicts with her last wish, which is of course, very bitter sweet. But yeah regardless of the hardships you face in life, you gotta keep moving forward. That's why it's not a super depressing ending. |
hyperknees91Feb 19, 2014 6:03 PM
hyperknees91 said: spikeeey said: inzaratha said: minoru09 said: I dunno about you guys but I feel the ending very depressing. Me too. I have no clue why people are saying it's a happy ending at all. same here, to be honest i would say that if punpun took his life would be a happier ending than this... srsly what is the message of that ? it doesn´t matter what happens you have to continue life through forgetting the past and forgetting the people you once loved ?? what punpun did with aiko is just sad..... the end is the climax of depression at least in my eyes Because Punpun treated Aiko as more of a cage for himself then anything. He didn't really respect her properly was the main problem. Don't get me wrong, he certainly loved her but not in a way he or she would be satisfied with. What he did at the end was basically the most respect that he personally could give her. Heck the reason she killed herself was because he would essentially ruin his life for her. Which is something she did not want. Remember, Aiko deep down, does want whats best for Punpun. Ironically it contradicts with her last wish, which is of course, very bitter sweet. But yeah regardless of the hardships you face in life, you gotta keep moving forward. That's why it's not a super depressing ending. Uh, that's not the way I see it at all. Look at before and after meeting Punpun pictures of Aiko and think about who ruined who's life. Do you really think she would be anywhere near as likely to kill herself if she didn't reunite with Punpun. She took the blame on herself for killing her mother which is what he did and that is probably why she killed herself. She was thinking she was pulling him down but he was pulling her down even more. To me the ending was not about moving forward at all - but about the way life keeps repeating cycles of abuse and the futility of life. Abused kids become abusive people. People bringing that abuse along with them. The boy in the class staring at the new girl the exact way that Punpun stared at Aiko when he met her. The past repeating itself over and over. People killing themselves and no one caring about it. Sure Punpun moves on because he is self serving and doesn't care about anyone but Punpun. His outer aspect may look like himself again since his black spot was removed but that doesn't mean it's a happy ending. He put his sins on another person and let her sacrifice herself for him, but it's still a freaking tragedy. Super depressing and I don't see how you all are seeing it through these rose colored glasses. The author is painting a picture of life in it's stark reality and people reading it are saying happy. I felt numb when I read it, not smiling, it's got an impact that happy little comments are minimizing. And frankly comments saying it's a happy ending are insulting to the mangaka for what he was showing. He wasn't showing that. I don't think a lot of you are getting it. Get real. I'm not knocking it - it's great literature - the Grapes of Wrath and Tale of Two Cities are good literature too but not happy. |
inzarathaFeb 19, 2014 6:51 PM
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Uh, that's not the way I see it at all. Look at before and after meeting Punpun pictures of Aiko and think about who ruined who's life. Do you really think she would be anywhere near as likely to kill herself if she didn't reunite with Punpun. She took the blame on herself for killing her mother which is what he did and that is probably why she killed herself. She was thinking she was pulling him down but he was pulling her down even more. To me the ending was not about moving forward at all - but about the way life keeps repeating cycles of abuse and the futility of life. Abused kids become abusive people. People bringing that abuse along with them. The boy in the class staring at the new girl the exact way that Punpun stared at Aiko when he met her. The past repeating itself over and over. People killing themselves and no one caring about it. Sure Punpun moves on because he is self serving and doesn't care about anyone but Punpun. His outer aspect may look like himself again since his black spot was removed but that doesn't mean it's a happy ending. He put his sins on another person and let her sacrifice herself for him, but it's still a freaking tragedy. Super depressing and I don't see how you all are seeing it through these rose colored glasses. The author is painting a picture of life in it's stark reality and people reading it are saying happy. I felt numb when I read it, not smiling, it's got an impact that happy little comments are minimizing. And frankly comments saying it's a happy ending are insulting to the mangaka for what he was showing. He wasn't showing that. I don't think a lot of you are getting it. Get real. I'm not knocking it - it's great literature - the Grapes of Wrath and Tale of Two Cities are good literature too but not happy. First of all, no need to be pretentious or preachy, that kind of attitude is never good for discussion. The great thing about literature is that its open to interpretation. Aiko's life was horrible, it was the absolute worst life. She basically was screwed from the get go. And that's a royal shame but the end result she chose probably would have come sooner or later with or without punpun. Exactly. Punpuns kindness wasn't something she wanted to abuse and thus she chose to end it as he's pretty much the only person whose ever really loved her. Unfortunately the consequences ended up being what they were at the end. And like said before, with Aiko's mother the way she was and the kind of life she was living. She was basically a gonner regardless. It was just nice she got some happiness before her death. Yes things repeat, the past repeats. But does that mean all the characters have to be miserable and submit to it? That's not what it seemed like to me at all. His dad's life is much better, punpun is much happier, and his uncle is much happier. Yes they all have regrets, but that doesn't mean they should just give up and be miserable. Punpun is only human, we've already been shown what being crushed by guilt can do to a person in this manga. Is he a little selfish for forgetting Aiko? Probably, but like I said before. Aiko was always treated as kind of a cage for Punpun. She basically stopped him from moving forward and kept him always lingering in the past. The most respect he can do for himself and her is to leave her behind. And considering he seems much healthier and happier now, it's hard to blame him. Hence why it's a bittersweet ending. It's not the most ideal thing imaginable, but it's not like the characters are left in misery and are given hope (with his uncles child and all). From what I gathered the ending and the entire manga basically said is that people screw up...a lot in life. Sometimes they really really screw up. However that doesn't mean they should never have a chance to be happy. Even with Aiko this was the case. |
hyperknees91Feb 20, 2014 6:55 AM
| Just wanted to throw my hat into the ring for a sec! Relative to the events of the last few volumes, perhaps it is a bittersweet ending with some light at the end of the tunnel, because the prior chapters were pretty much hell. Yes, it could have ended a lot worse. Yes, the ones who made it out, made it out peaceful. However, this brings in an interesting point on whether this work really is the "realistic" perspective on life. I say yes and no: this is a realistic perspective on life, not the realistic perspective on life. According to the author's perspective, such a peaceful ending is okay, because that's what living life is like: day-by-day, enduring what there is to endure, not having much spectacle or joy, but just...existing. In the words of Punpun: "Perhaps a life of a ghost; carefree and without worry; I naturally let the wind take me forwards when it blows. Exactly where I’m headed to is of no real concern to me. But eventually, when it’s my time to leave, I’d like to vanish like an insignificant bubble, and fade away from everyone’s memories as well. " However, I actually think that the feeling of resignation that the ending portrays through "peace" is depressing, because I take into heart a perspective on life that greatly contrasts what this author put out. In short, Carpe Diem - Seize the day. One of my college professors actually gave a lecture on such a view, and here is a short paraphrase: "Life is about taking all the opportunities you can in your life, and slowly bridging the gap between your ideal self, and your current self, step by step. It doesn’t matter if you slip-up or fail, because you will never know how it will turn out until you work for it; in contrast, if you lie around doing nothing all day, your life will amount to nothing. Guaranteed. Live to better yourself, and live to help others. There is no greater joy in life than to make a positive impact on the lives of others, no matter how small the deed. You must have lived your life in such a way that if you were to die any day, you can look back without too many regrets. That you can be proud of what you have done. That others will remember you for what you have contributed to their lives. Stop thinking “I am a nice person, and I would be willing to help out handicapped children in a hospital”, and actually do it! Seize the day. Carpe diem." As you can see, this perspective in life is much more active than the perspective portrayed in Oyasumi Punpun; frankly speaking, in this perspective, the way of living like "a ghost" is depressing, as it basically resigns to the daily status quo and achieves nothing. Stagnancy is depressing. Not having hopes and dreams is depressing. The ending of Oyasumi Punpun...is depressing. TLDR: In my humble opinion, it is not the events of the story that make Oyasumi Punpun a depressing work [though they do contribute!] It is the concluding perspective of life that Punpun takes on that is truly depressing. |
ZeroHumorFeb 20, 2014 10:43 AM
| Though you have to realize, punpun is not really someone who perscribes to the carpe diem way of life. Sachi does, and that's why she couldn't understand punpun (and heck, even with that lifestyle she wasn't necessarily happy). Punpun kind of always has wanted this inner peace for a long time (heck all the characters have, even sachi). For punpun, living by a certain standard has just tortured him endlessly throughout the manga. So he needed to find a way that he could be satisfied with. Living with Sachi and helping her towards her dream wasn't going to do it, and living with Aiko wasn't going to do it either. At the end, he can be his real self and live the way he wants to live. It seems pretty empty and meaningless of course, but that seems to suit him just fine. Now you might think of punpun as a depressing person though, and rightfully so as he's pretty strange. Though I can't say the end result is too unsatisfying considering he seems pretty content with himself. But like said, still bittersweet there is both depressing and happy things about the ending. At least to me. |
hyperknees91 said: Though you have to realize, punpun is not really someone who perscribes to the carpe diem way of life. Sachi does, and that's why she couldn't understand punpun (and heck, even with that lifestyle she wasn't necessarily happy). Punpun kind of always has wanted this inner peace for a long time (heck all the characters have, even sachi). For punpun, living by a certain standard has just tortured him endlessly throughout the manga. So he needed to find a way that he could be satisfied with. Living with Sachi and helping her towards her dream wasn't going to do it, and living with Aiko wasn't going to do it either. At the end, he can be his real self and live the way he wants to live. It seems pretty empty and meaningless of course, but that seems to suit him just fine. Now you might think of punpun as a depressing person though, and rightfully so as he's pretty strange. Though I can't say the end result is too unsatisfying considering he seems pretty content with himself. But like said, still bittersweet there is both depressing and happy things about the ending. At least to me. Good point. In the end, I just see Punpun as a sad character, even though he may be "happy" for himself; if Oyasumi Punpun is Punpun's life story, then I think that his life is pretty depressing. Of course, that's just me imposing my own life perspective on others, so I don't necessarily disagree with what the author has put out, nor do I think it is wrong to think of Oyasumi Punpun as a bittersweet, or even enlightening work. Unfortunately, Punpun is not a character that I can relate to very well, and that's okay; I think of Oyasumi Punpun more as a work of exposure [to different things] than a work of persuasion or preaching. To people who actually think that life described in Oyasumi Punpun is the real life they have: my condolences. ;) |
| Like you said, it is just a perspective, not the perspective. Quite honestly I do wish he could have a more positive view on himself too and I think it's also sort of depressing how he ended up. Plus I have mixed feelings on how to interpret the story, I just gave you one view. For example I say Aiko might just be a cage for Punpun, but it could honestly be his one true dream. I mean he definitely felt more alive whenever Aiko was involved, so it's possible that with Aiko's death, he himself kind of died in a way. So yeah I'm not saying you guys are wrong for viewing the ending as depressing. Just saying why others might not feel its so depressing. I'm kind of mixed on the matter and maybe I should reread it from the beginning before I give an answer. Even then, it probably won't be a sure thing. |
| I cannot relate to Punpun himself either nor to the lives of these characters although I know plenty of people who are like them. It also depends on whether you see it that he was writing about a guy named Punpun or whether you see it that he was writing social commentary and that Punpun does not stand for an individual person which is how I see. I think that is the reason Punpun does not have a face. I think Punpun stands for a part of society not as a particular person. I don't think it's just to put yourself into Punpun although I think it works that way too. I see him the anti-hero / antagonist. He is not a good guy. That's probably the main difference in our viewpoints - if you think Punpun is a nice guy you wouldn't find it depressing but if you see him as a smuck like I do then it's much more depressing too. Since I see it as a smuck going through bad things and still going on, with all the people around him as just so collateral damage so why would I want things to go good for the smuck instead of the nicer people? Plus the last volume did see many many characters in the manga commit suicide and no one is even figuring that into how they see it. They are just talking about how things turned out for Punpun himself not for everybody else. After all that, I can't see them as people apart from their bigger symbolic meanings and read it as an allegory. So I guess that really alters my perspective of it compared to some of you and I see a lot of it completely polar opposite, so much so that it seems we read a completely different manga. I don't see it as completely depressing in all ways, but still a very bleak view of life and society overall. It's absurdist , expressionist and it's very existential and a satire so I find it that is dark and depressing. Seeing it through Punpun's eyes and not as social commentary I get that you would not see it that way. I Wish that I could separate the two - but once I saw it as an allegory - all of it was an allegory to me. And what it says about society in general is pretty depressing. That's where I'm coming from. Also I found Aiko a much more sympathetic character than Punpun and don't see her or their relationship that way. If I could just see it as being a manga about a guy named Punpun and the events happening in his own life, and his friends lives then I would not find it so numbing and dark. I would not recommend any of you try to see it from my viewpoint though unless you enjoy being depressed. |
inzarathaFeb 20, 2014 7:42 PM
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| Punpun is really...not what I would call a nice guy. He is certainly very human, and he can be nice but I don't know how to pin him quite honestly. Throughout the series I would just call him a tortured individual. I guess I would compare him to Kuwagata from swan song (though I'm sure no one's read that). He very much could have easily been a villain, or easily been a nicer person based on how life went for him. And I agree, Punpun is suppose to represent a lot of people, not just one person. Especially iwith him just trying to go with the flow in many parts of the manga and never really being his true self. Yeah depending on your viewpoint it can be a pretty dark way of looking at things as it seems everything is a futile struggle or repetition that we are all bound by. I'm not quite sure how I feel about it myself but yeah, definitely not what I would call a super happy ending, just not the darkest ending possible (or maybe in some ways it is). I can definitely see how both you and zerohumor see it as depressing though, and I might be leaning towards that myself. |
hyperknees91 said: Punpun is really...not what I would call a nice guy. He is certainly very human, and he can be nice but I don't know how to pin him quite honestly. Throughout the series I would just call him a tortured individual. I guess I would compare him to Kuwagata from swan song (though I'm sure no one's read that). He very much could have easily been a villain, or easily been a nicer person based on how life went for him. And I agree, Punpun is suppose to represent a lot of people, not just one person. Especially iwith him just trying to go with the flow in many parts of the manga and never really being his true self. Yes, I agree with that. Him never being real or his true self and just trying to act like he is going along with people makes him appear normal to others but inside he is pretty creepy. Especially as his head gets more distorted he becomes less authentic until he snaps for a while there. This may sound wierd but if he was an actual villian he would be less creepy to me. The way we can enjoy reading or watching a real villian or someone very twisted like the Joker or Light. But Punpun is stuck in this sort of weird wishy washy personality. Maybe it's showing that most people are in between with that or something, I dunno. So, I don't know if it would have been darker if he went more villian though, probably yes in some ways but not in some ways, because people can vicariously enjoy that. Like if he was a villian it would shift to a different type of genre or something. I know what you mean though. |
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rickylrico said: Do you guys get the feeling that Punpun might actually be the father of Sachi's daughter? As much as my own selfish desire for that to be true is telling me to agree with you, I must say that I, unfortunately, do not get that feeling. After realizing that their manga failed, Punpun and Sachi got into a passive-aggressive argument. They didn't really see each other for quite some time, during which, Sachi stated that she wanted "to have sex". I think that after having been together with Punpun for so long, the loneliness that she felt from living her daily independent lifestyle became somewhat amplified and led her to do the things she did. It wasn't until Punpun went missing that Sachi truly realized how important he was to her and how grave of a mistake she actually made by sleeping with her ex-husband. Just my personal opinion, sorry if I rambled a bit~ |
| it's interesting how so many great works of art seem to end with some explication of the idea that time is a circle |
| also, my personal opinion - aiko was doomed from birth. i don't think that punpun's arrival made her worse. perhaps it was the catalyst for her fate, but she was redolent of a type of doomed, manic woman familiar in the work of authors similar to inio, from murakami to bukowski to shakespeare. a 'beautiful mess' in modern parlance i guess. punpun loved what she represented, not her (hence her constant reminders to him that she wasn't what he thought she was) and in order to free him from his emotional imprisonment in fantasies of the idealised past she represented to him, which he erroneously believed he could escape into, she killed herself. |
| It's sort of speculation but not blind speculation at all. Her mother was part of his father's cult for a long time and her mom was married to another man but he left. Given the amount of cult leaders who have a harem of affairs in the real world it's a very high probability. Look at the leader of the Jonestown group that killed themselves with Koolaid or the FLDS cult here in Arizona led by Warren Jeffs and you will see that the leaders often have numerous children with their female cult members. Her and Pegasus also killed themselves on the same day. Whether they are biological half siblings or not is debatable but they are both definitely ideological children of the cult. |
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| Man there is way too much going through my head and I really can't put into words what I think about this manga (mainly because I don't even know what to think of it). It felt a bit dragged in the middle where I lost interest a bit and couldn't read more than 2 or 3 chapters in a row (Pegasus' incoherent babbling was really getting on m y nerves). But the final two volumes where absolutely incredible and I marathoned them today. Anyway, there is one thing I didn't quite understand: what's the deal with Wada? I really didn't understand his motivation for killing off all the cult members and then just continuing his life. I expected him to orchestrate a disaster to make Pegasus' "prediction" come true because he told Seki he wanted to make Pegasus into a god (or at least wanted people to regard him as a legit prophet). So how exactly did "burn the shit out of him" achieve that goal? I guess I just completely misunderstood him? On the topic of happy vs. depressing ending, I'm on the "more happy" side. I felt like Punpun had come to terms with his previous mistakes and was content with his life and living with people that genuinely care for him. At least that's how I prefer to see it, because I can relate to a pretty boring and shitty life (not THAT bad though) and just wasting every day. So the thought of still being able to become happy by finding a person that actually loves you (and this is how I see Sachi) and leading a (still maybe normal and slightly boring) life surrounded by family is something I like. The final pages basically say "life goes on" but that doesn't mean it has to go on as an endless circle of a SHITTY life. The little boy in the end might as well become happy and not have to lead a life as harsh as Punpun's. |
| It's indeed a masterpiece,and hoping for a truly happy ending was asking for too much. I found it wasn't too sad until I hit ch 139,when I was nearly too tired,due to pulling an all nighter to read it.I literally sat there shocked saying "no....no way" and felt sad,angry and almost like the end would be too sad to see through. I felt wide awake and burned through it hoping somehow Pegasus was right (It's Pun Pun and I was not thinking straight lol). I guess I hoped for an end where Aiko and him picked up the pieces of their relationship after he went to jail and actually had a decent life from there on. Either way,I finished it and the Manga finishes on a happy note but can't quite say it's a happy ending. 10/10 |
| Why do you suck at life? Because you let life suck at you. Words to live by courtesy of Ask a Ninja. |
| Well, when I started the manga I was realy wondering how it was so well graded, almost whole childhood arc was done pretty dull to be honest, it did open up the way for main plot in the end, but that's not realy a reason for it to be so bad. When side stories of punpun uncle and his school friends began I actually started to get entangled by the manga and thought to myself - maybe the manga was good because of side characters? Oh just how wrong I was when story went back to 18+ years punpun.. It started getting better and better the whole way through till the end. I realy loved the mix of realism and symbolism in the manga as a whole and my opinion of the manga sure raised as far as chapters went. Yet as good as it is, it certainly had big flaws, for instance the whole pegasus story was actually promising and all.. but it seems it was realy rushed to end. I was realy expecting much more of it, but in the end it seemed as if it realy just got dumped halfway. Just as if someone were to throw a 100$ banknote into rubbish bin just to pick a 1$ coin from the same bin. That's just how disappointing it felt that a promising part of story ended in a way and didn't get substituted by anything worth it afterwards.. Oh well, not counting that, morale of the story was done pretty well in the end, although it could be a little extended or shortened. Ending revealed too much for this to be an 'open ending' and too low for it to shimmer the light of conclusion. |
Hentaicheg said: Well, when I started the manga I was realy wondering how it was so well graded, almost whole childhood arc was done pretty dull to be honest, it did open up the way for main plot in the end, but that's not realy a reason for it to be so bad. When side stories of punpun uncle and his school friends began I actually started to get entangled by the manga and thought to myself - maybe the manga was good because of side characters? Oh just how wrong I was when story went back to 18+ years punpun.. It started getting better and better the whole way through till the end. I realy loved the mix of realism and symbolism in the manga as a whole and my opinion of the manga sure raised as far as chapters went. Yet as good as it is, it certainly had big flaws, for instance the whole pegasus story was actually promising and all.. but it seems it was realy rushed to end. I was realy expecting much more of it, but in the end it seemed as if it realy just got dumped halfway. Just as if someone were to throw a 100$ banknote into rubbish bin just to pick a 1$ coin from the same bin. That's just how disappointing it felt that a promising part of story ended in a way and didn't get substituted by anything worth it afterwards.. Oh well, not counting that, morale of the story was done pretty well in the end, although it could be a little extended or shortened. Ending revealed too much for this to be an 'open ending' and too low for it to shimmer the light of conclusion. Yeah I agree The Pegasus story was pretty meaningless And his speeches were a chore to read Still it was a very nice manga 8.75/10 |
| Fuck this manga for real, it's just too good. 10/10 for me. But I wanted to see punpun face, and I still don't get what they mean with "his name", why no one can recall it, and what would have he said at the hospital? Aw, this was great, really great |
| Incredible manga. A brutal modern realist tale of teenage alienation and mental isolation. The chapters with Aiko and Punpun's escape are some of the most harrowing stuff I've ever read. I didn't like how the story ended with the focus on his childhood friend, but I suppose it's a circular back to the beginning kind of deal. I also thought the Cult story was too distracting at times. But that does not detract from a fantastic piece of fiction. |
| "Perhaps there is a universal, absolute truth. Perhaps it justifies every question. But that's beyond the reach of these small hands." Mamoru Oshii There is a cult of ignorance (...) nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.” Isaac Asimov |
| I hate this empty feeling you have after completing an incredibly good stuff. It was a well though ending. Life goes on normally, for everyone. Punpun's just a mere person again. Bringing back Harumin was a nice idea, I was glad we got to see him again. Regarding Punpun's face, I think we already got to see enough of it: in the hospital, Sachi's drawing... It gives us an idea, and yet a part of mystery remains. This is the best thing the author could do. Nevertheless I feel dissatisfied about Shimizu's ending. As I understood, he got insane after the fire, so his real inner self is dead (this is why we saw him in the UFO with Pegasus and so on), and the actual Shimizu is amnesiac. Either he didn't came to the party because he was too mentally-sick for that, or Seki and him parted, thing that Seki has trouble to admit. Anyway I feel even sadder for this character than for Punpun. Also, are we sure Pegasus is Aiko's brother? On the whole, I felt this last chapter was a sad ending, and not a happy one as everyone says. Living such a plain life was the worst thing that could have happened to our main protagonist. But he understood that he had no choice but to make do with this. Also, he's grateful to Sachi. |
| I literally don't know what to think. Can someone please sumarize what happened to each important character, I read the whole thing but it is so confusing I forgot who is who for most characters. This is so goddamm amazing yet so hard to understand. 10/10. |
SlashBriar said: Am I right in believing Reality vs. Fantasy became a major theme in the story. We have Aiko and Shimizu representing fantasy and Sachi and Seki representing reality. Punpun at first chose to escape with Aiko to the island but in the end it didn't work out and ''fantasy'' died, leaving Punpun to settle to a normal life with Sachi. You can see this somewhat in Aiko's childhood ramblings in the beginning and Seki being offered the button-pushing job. You have a very good point there, I can see that. |
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| This manga was one hell of a ride. Surprised to see it have a happy ending. The second half of this manga was one of the most depressing I've seen in any anime/manga. I was hoping we would get to see how Punpun's real face looked like by the end, but I guess not. Overall it was a great manga, definitely a 9/10. |
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| Just finished rereading it again. Made me appreciate the story more. Probably would reread it again in the future and if the manga is available in our place I'll definitely buy it. P.S - Chapter 145 is probably my favorite chapter in this manga |
BlueKiteJul 12, 2014 6:12 PM
| Read 100 chapters non stop and I have to say this, this manga was one of the most depressing work I've ever read. I appreciate how it depicted Punpun's development in the most realistic way. I feel bad about Aiko and her life after what she went through, it's sad that Punpun and Aiko could not be together in the end. Anyways, I'm rating this 10/10. Definitely a masterpiece! |
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| A special, special manga with a special ending. The feeling after finishing this piece of art is unreal. Take a bow Asano. You deserve it. |
Kagami_Hiiragi said: Idc if you think its weird, I have a life and friends and an income of money. |
| I think I fell into depression as I was reading, had to force myself to stop somewhere in the middle and finish another happy go lucky manga before continuing. It was really painful to see Punpun and Aiko's mental breakdown due to guilt and regrets on their journey. And when they finally thought they could settle (Aiko finding a job), someone discovers the corpse resulting in Aiko's suicide the day after which was quite shocking to say the least. I knew that Punpun and Aiko would not have ended up happily together after the mother's death but it was still a shame to see how it ended for them. I was actually expecting them to turn themselves in like Punpun had said and meeting after one of they were released, but this did not come to fruition and instead became very despairing. |
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