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Oyasumi Punpun
Goodnight Punpun
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Alternative Titles

Japanese: おやすみプンプン

Information

Type: Manga

Volumes: 13

Chapters: 147

Status: Finished

Published: Mar 15, 2007 to Nov 2, 2013

Genres: Drama, Slice of Life

Theme: Psychological

Demographic: Seinen

Serialization: Big Comic Spirits

Authors: Asano, Inio (Story & Art)

Statistics

Score: 9.01¹ (scored by 185,357 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #12²

² based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #8

Members: 448,325

Favorites: 52,904

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Reviews

Filtered Results: 252 / 278

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Previous - More Reviews

Dec 21, 2015

catullus_d_rus

Recommended

Have you ever loved? Been loved? Hated? Been hated?

Oyasumi Punpun (English: Goodnight Punpun) delves into the reservoir that is humanity. It's a deep reservoir, and it dives all the way in, down, down. Every character has a dream and many flaws, everyone wants to be something and found out, too late to turn back, that they were not strong enough to be what they wanted to be.

There were various people coming into and out of the limelight of the manga: a mother, a father, aspiring artists, would-be lovers, dimwits, geniuses, manics, musicians. All were thrown into the torrential current of a day-to-day life and made ...

Aug 31, 2022

WiiDii3D

Mixed Feelings

TW: Sexual abuse, gore, general unpleasantries

Oyasumi Punpun is a disgusting, gut wrenching, ugly piece of media -and yet so beautiful all at once. whereas most slice of life manga tend to focus on the positive aspects of life and the joys of youth, Punpun seeks to show the many uncomfortable and borderline horrific realities of life. Some may say that Punpun isn't good because its JUST gross in its depiction of the things it portrays, or that nobody could ever truly resonate with the main character -and you're right, but you're also missing the point. Reading it is like Chemotherapy; ... you're going to feel like shit when you're on it, but as time goes by, it starts to get better.

Upon my initial encounter with the series, I was at a low point in my life. As to not to bore anybody with the details, I won't go into specifics. I was scrolling through social media, passing some time before going to bed, when I stumbled upon an audio of "My Time" -by Bo En -accompanied by clips from the manga. I'm not typically one to read in my spare time, however something about the cutesy yet graphic art style beckoned me, and I knew then and there I HAD to read this. After figuring out the name of the manga from the always good and never awful comments section, I downloaded the first volume on my phone. So there I laid on the bedroll in the living room of an unfamiliar home, in an unfamiliar country (I was at the time staying with my aunt in Japan), reading a manga that I -in hindsight -should not have been reading at that particular time. I could tell from the beginning that this manga was great because the author was clearly proficient in balancing heavy topics with humour. I knew it was amazing when I had burned through 3 entire volumes without even realising it -But the 4th volume was when I knew I found something truly special to me.

I would like to preface this statement by stating that I'm not usually one to feel much from media. While it could make me laugh, feel happy or occasionally even sad, not a lot of things truly resonated within me and make me think about it for extensive periods of time. With that out of the way, the 4th volume of Punpun broke me. No one piece of media had ever made such a large impact on my mental state, but this did it a quarter of the way in. It taught me things about people I hadn't yet fully grasped such as narcissism, trauma responses, the effects of abuse, and toxic relationships.

Oyasumi Punpun is not for the average manga reader. It's not for the unstable/volatile members of this community, and suffice it to say, it isn't for a younger audience. What it is, is bitter medicine for broken people; to be used as a lens to view their own life from an outsider's perspective and to better ones self in the long run.

Music to pair: goes perfectly with a melancholy instrumental playlist

Mar 10, 2021

vikix

Mixed Feelings

If you are thinking of reading Oyasumi Punpun then please be aware that there are many triggering scenes. I'm going to put some TW here that might include minor spoilers.

TW: abuse, rape, suicide

By the way, there is going to be mention of rape in my review.
Okay! Let's start.

My feelings are all over the place right now, I'm not quite sure how I feel about Oyasumi Punpun.

The first volumes of Oyasumi Punpun were truly great, the story was moving in a nice pace that suited the wholesome kids romance atmosphere and the very melancholy scenes of the reality. The characters were ... all very relatable and made me want to reflect on myself, I hated how much I related to Punpun, his mother and his uncle. I hated how I could relate to all of their bad characteristics such as Punpun's intrusive thoughts. The first, I don't know 3 or 4 volumes? Have made me feel very empty and afraid to face myself and the reality I live in. I would say that reading these few volumes was weirdly enjoyable

Anyhow, I was kind of disappointed to see where the story lead to, the story of the last few volumes seemed a bit rashed as if the author tried to make it really dramatic thinking the readers would be more thrilled to read on. I also disliked Punpun's change, even though I knew that Punpun was going to get worse since his thoughts got scarier, I didn't expect him to get so out of character. The last few volumes were not what I expected, I didn't enjoy them as much as the first volumes.

I don't really know how to describe the ending, I personally think that the ending could have been a lot more better than it was. It's not like I dislike it but I can't really say that I like either.

One of the things I really hated was the huge amount of misogyny. I'm well aware that this manga is suppose to be dark and grudge but the amount of misogynistic comments ( especially made by grown-up Punpun) doesn't sit right with me, I also hated how the author "normalised" rape. Punpun casually walking down the street thinking "this girl is wearing a short shirt so she wants to be raped" was just disgusting, when he then went out to find her because he wanted to rape her left me dumbfounded, I felt like dropping the manga.
Before you think " the manga is suppose to be unpleasant blah, blah", I already know that, it made me quite sad that the things in that manga were all very real in the world we live in.

In conclusion, Oyasumi Punpun and I have love-hate relationship. Since I don't what to criticise it much, I must say that the art style is beautiful and I love that the protagonist is a bird.

Mar 4, 2017

The-Third-Kira

Recommended

This will be my first review on MAL, so I figured what better way to start reviewing than with my favorite manga series of all time?

I will first stress that Oyasumi Punpun (Goodnight Punpun westernized) is not a manga for everyone, and I don't expect it to speak to all audiences; however, if you've struggled with dark human emotion, immature love and a loss of that love, romantic obsession, abuse, childhood trauma, or if you've ever been intrigued by these themes, this manga will deeply affect you.

Inio Asano often grapples with themes not often explored in manga format, and the mangaka does so ... in a unique manner. Punpun, the pivotal character in this work, is drawn as a simple cartoon bird and alters his shape (eventually developing a human body and horns to represent his corruption) as the story progresses. This is not a lazy move by Asano, and that is made obvious by the copious amount of detail he puts into drawing the other characters and backgrounds. This artists' art is phenomenal. The depiction of Punpun is meant to illustrate the simplicity of childhood innocence and how that innocence is gradually corrupted by the nature of Punpun's actions and the realization that he eventually comes to--that life is by no means a walk in the park.

This coming-of-age story is different from anything that I've ever read. No novel, graphic novel, manga, or film has ever come close to accurately depicting youth, love, and growing up the way that Goodnight Punpun does. When we first meet Punpun, we see that his family structure is crumbling. His father is abusive, and neither of his parents seem to care much for him. He is later taken in by his uncle, who becomes an important character to the story. While his uncle does genuinely care for Punpun, he is not the best role model, and we observe unhealthy patterns in his own relationships that are later inadvertently picked up by Punpun.

Immediately we are introduced to our other main character--a foil character, if you will--in the form of a young girl named Aiko with whom Punpun quickly falls in love. Throughout the course of the story, we see Punpun's innocent youthful love turn dangerous. He develops an obsession with Aiko that, while being told from Punpun's perspective, does not really feel dangerous on the surface. As the story progresses, we begin to learn that Punpun's love is misplaced. Aiko, to him, is a symbol of perfection. She is everything that he wishes to be and obtain in his own life. In actuality, Punpun knows nothing about Aiko or her own struggles, and we see their relationship develop and unfold to reach a boiling conclusion at the manga's end.

Punpun and Aiko are the main drive of this manga, but every other character and storyline is just as interesting. Asano has a knack for making his characters believable human beings. No one in this manga is perfect, and everyone has a corrupt nature.

I can't suggest this manga enough. It is beautiful, insightful, wildly intelligent and witty--a complete emotional roller-coaster. If you can stomach the harsh truths of abuse, trauma, sex, rape, and murder and still somehow find the beauty in the world, this is the manga for you.

Jun 16, 2015

Alnime

Recommended

why is it that you see words like "dark" "gritty" "horrific" describing this manga when it is a superbly articulate description of a teenager's life and emotions? The first word that describes this aptly should be "real." And the fact that our intuition spits out words like "dark" I think reflects on how much romanticized versions of fantasy we're shown every day.

One thing I can't call this manga is completely original. It reminded me very much of welcome to the NHK and Arigatou in its early stories of dysfunctional family, cult, commentary on Japanese culture/society. The character introductions in punpun was almost cliche disappointingly with ... the divorced family and moody protagonist. However, the author shine light into more fresh ventures of the human psyche through other characters and also does a great job overtime showing the thoughts of the MC: by far the strongest aspect of oyasumi punpun is the detailed way he develops and explains punpun's psyche. It is a challenging task to be articulate enough to portray a person's thought to the readers without making it seem pointless and boring but he succeeds. For example, there is a chapter dedicated to punpun describing a mundane day that really hits home. It is truly a depressing manga in that it begins to unravel in your head and show you that, there are indeed lots of reasons to want to be isolated and depressed in this world. And that's the beauty of this manga: it doesn't just put "depression" on a pedestal and throw out sad pictures and demand readers to feel stuff. It focuses first on being relatable, which then makes a powerful connection with the reader. Not to be egotistical, but I think a more perceptive mind can relate on a visceral level of how punpun thinks, and there are so many quotables in punpun's inner dialogue you can't help but be impressed.

I do have some issues. First, I didn't care for the subplot that gets introduced. Its introduction was intriguing but it stays relatively stagnant in its development and ultimately comes to a conclusion which I felt was un-earned. Also, the latter of the story gets a little bit hyper-realistic in a NHK-ish way or the first half of arigatou-way that I was somewhat thrown off by, especially because the author does such a great job mostly in keeping the story grounded. To me, I wouldn't call it a cheap shot, but it felt like more convenient ways to raise drama and resolve the plot which I wasn't a fan of. With that said, I'll admit I probably will never be able to fully appreciate everything the mangaka tried to do here.

But ultimately, in terms of the entertainment, it's there. And the art? mesmerizing. In my head, the style is like a mix between Ito Junji and Sui Ishida. It's one of those manga that shows you that drawing really is a strategic technique. Where you place the dialogue bubbles, what scenes you choose to draw, what aspects of the character you choose to mess with--it's all important to create manga as an art and to be able to show that to novices is quite admirable. Personally, I also liked the style because it resembles (especially background art) normal Japanese people and setting which helps in grounding the story.There is a glaring gimmick in this manga but the mangaka does justify it for they still emote powerfully and uses it to demonstrate meaningful states of mind especially towards the latter.

I am glad I read this. It's a manga that doesn't PRETEND to be deep and serious with BUZZ WORDS and situations like alienation, depressions, loneliness, love, hate. It actually IS and goes into the surface in most of the time. There are definietly some food-for-though quotables here and one of the very very few manga that I visit again to really think about what the author meant. Like I said, if anything, I think the psychological journey of the protagonist is great.

Aug 25, 2023

Siaksx

Recommended

"Oyasumi Punpun" is not your typical manga. It's a raw, unfiltered dive into the darkest corners of human experience, and it leaves an indelible mark on the soul of its readers. Awarding it a 10/10 isn't about applauding its beauty, but rather recognizing its unmatched ability to reflect the gritty reality of life, in all its pain and complexity.

Asano Inio, with his characteristic brilliance, does not shy away from unveiling the harrowing truths of human existence. Through his intricate storytelling, he exposes the stark realities of rape, murder, abuse, and harassment. These topics, while difficult to digest, are addressed with a depth and honesty that ...

Feb 10, 2020

flylex

Recommended

English version(sorry, my english it´s not so good, so i let the portuguese version to):
Writing a review for the first time is not an easy task, especially considering that the material to be analyzed is precisely that which has become the best thing I have ever read within the manga media, which is very irregular in terms of quality, with most of the works produced in it extremely mediocre and clumsy.

Oyasumi punpun is a manga that aims to articulate an extremely mature and sophisticated narrative about life, the social relationships we establish, our desires, depressions and anguishes; it is a tremendous ode to subjectivity, sensitivity, ...

Apr 11, 2021

r3vboss

Not Recommended

No, this is not a troll review, yes the score is real, and yes it will make no sense as you start to read this, but bear with me. Punpun is by no means the worst story I've read. It's not the worst manga I've read either, and it probably isn't worse than any manga I've read with possibly one exception, so let me explain.
Story:
I gave the story a 10 but this feels weird. Punpun isn't really a story chockful of foreshadowing that sets up for an epic climax and has a conclusive and satisfying ending that neatly circles back to the beginning (which ... often times is NOT a happy ending, there is a difference). Even when endings are open ended, if they are decent, they are supposed to be satisfactory to an extent. Punpun just sort of goes. For a lot of it, the author actually subverts expectations, but even though the story might be phenomenally written, it doesn't share any of the traits of any of the stories in this medium that I would give a 10/10.
Characters:
TBH, i think people who unironically give things above a 10 are ridiculous. Exaggerating your love for a story is one thing, but actually rating things by scores that go above the denominator are stupid. But, that being said I wish i could give this an 100, (although I'll refrain). Anime characters might have realistic and empathizable motivations, but EVERYONE in this story feels real. Their decisions feel flawed and human and that's the point of the story. Decent but flawed people making singular bad decisions leads to the events of the story and then the negative emotions that come out of that feed on themselves. It's kind of why I feel weird about giving the story a 10 but yeah. Even though I might hate a lot of the characters, and i mean a LOT OF THEM, including mc dickhead bird pee ono d PunP, I still scream at the panels on my monitor as I see life slowly get shittier and shittier for all of them, and for this the author whose name I don't trust myself to spell is both an asshole and a genius.
Art:
Not much to say here and writing this as I should be working so it's a 9.5. No real reason that's just kind of how it felt. I could just as easily give it a ten, and maybe its because its unsettling which would be unfair but this whole thing is subjective anyway.
Enjoyment:
see I said above a 10, not below a zero. This motherfucker gets, and I shit you not, a -10000. It's werid, because I still love this story. I also hate it. It's the worst thing ever written, and it's also the best. This story continually made me more and more physically sick as I moved on to the next page. the writer baits you with promises of wholesomeness to proceed to take the story down the worse possible path. Thank god the ending didn't just pull a berserk eclipse otherwise I don't think I would've left my room for a week (granted its still not wholesome). That being said if you think berserk is dark and soul crushing and ESPECIALLY if you happen to be a guy who saw AOT and thought it was dark and deep and see my review and think "I've read isayama this will be light work" you just might die reading this. You'll hate the world and the story and the characters more and more with each passing moment even after you finish the fucking thing. Lastly, while I would probably never recommend this to anyone, I think that it is powerful and important to the point where everyone SHOULD read it, but also don't. Do what you want

Oct 10, 2021

Zer0XStrike

Recommended

Goodnight Punpun is probably the most "9/10" thing I have read or will ever read. I am fresh off reading the final chapter so this review may be half-baked after submission. Read this manga during your free time as I did because this does deserve undivided attention for the people who need it, who need to find themselves, and who need to be found.

Spoiler-free mostly unless stated otherwise.

I started on October 3, 2021 because I thought hey why not, it's the weekend and my school break comes to an end the following week after. I divided my time my reading 1 volume per ... night, dividing the rest between Friday and Saturday, then finally volume 13 on Sunday.

The art is a 10/10 at least for me. The mangaka deserves praise for portrayals of despair, angst, disgust, and without trying to make it sound edgy, a descent into madness. Asano Inio-san illustrates these emotions and so much more into his panels which struck a chord in me each time. Asano-san said that he made Punpun Onodera to take the form of a bird like person to lure in people under the guise that this manga would be simple, which I was fooled by as well. It's amazing how you feel so connected to a main character who is portrayed as not human. You would think that the same effect could be achieved if he had just drawn everyone as a human and conveyed emotions differently but to that I say that would take away from what not only the mangaka has to say but also Punpun's words as well. To have him as a human and morph into different shapes and characters each time would take me out of the experience completely. My experience on each chapter was amplified because I had read each time in the dark with playlists on spotify entitled "goodnight punpun", so the atmosphere was very much set for me but some people may not be comfortable with that type of atmosphere and to each their own, as long as the message is transmitted the way the author intended. The double panels are as great as the internet had painted them out to be, the beautiful night sky with all the friends pointing at it being the most popular example. Overall the art alone can warrant it's reading but the thing is that there are more things than just that going for it

The characters are also a 10/10 at least for me. Good characters can be attributed to superheroes who grow cynical after the day to day life of saving people, a society plunging a man into darkness to only be shocked when that man pulls a gun on the world, this is 2021 already and there is an abundance of characters who break free from their norms so you would think that reading this today would feel somewhat monotonous after seeing this level of character development on tv or reading it somewhere else. But that isn't the case at all. I don't know how other people read not only this manga but any form of fictional storytelling but I do talk out loud in the moments of things happening. This may or may not be a spoiler but punpun is cringe, the furthest person from being based. But it is that very cringe that I connect to on a deep level. I question the things he says and does and I pause to remember that how crazy it is that so many similar things have happened in my life. I am reminded of my childhood and high school years which have only felt like they happened last week. The girls I have talked to and the anxiety of approaching them as I got older, how I ruined a relationship of mine with a girl in the past, how friends can split apart from each other and I get stuck with what seems to be a good-for-nothing person. But through punpun I am also grateful these inconveniences and misfortunes have happened, because wishing they had never happened would basically be tantamount to suicide by killing my current self for an idealized version of myself that may or may not even come true. Forgive me if you are a psychology major reading because I am still about to take the course in college but if I may, no one is perfect in this story which is something that we see lately in every story nowadays but yet this manga still felt very different. Every character suffered from disassociation and self-indulgence with the fact that they had assumed different lives to please other people or themselves. Many actions of these characters made me question whether or not there was a good person that existed that did things for others not for the sake of doing so but rather the satisfaction received from doing so. By process of elimination I would say that Midori (an aunt of Punpun) or Harumi (childhood friend) is the least morally-questionable person even after the things Midori has done, which you'll find out why so. But the main focus of this part goes now to the actual characterization. I love how almost the whole group's characterization is almost balanced and still not be very much drawn out. While I did feel at times that some panels were out of place or had taken me out of the immersion overall I'm glad they're there and made me appreciate everyone more. You can't help but cry, yell, or be plainly disappointed when characters do or say things because it feels as if I am almost in the world with them. Maybe only I consume media like this but it is this very reason I rate it a 10/10

The story is a 9/10 for me. I'd be lying if I said this story didn't make me ugly cry in most of its volumes. I can only explain so much without minor spoilers or things that can put people somewhat off because I do want everyone going into this blindly. I recommend, if comfortable with it, to read the chapters during the night, and there are several playlists on spotify that are somewhat tailored to the reading experience (any playlist is fine, I picked the one with the most likes.) . As I said earlier, I did feel a deep connection with the main character and was thrown back into my earlier years. Although while the things punpun experienced can be generally associated to a lot of peoples lives I felt as if it was me in that story and the author did a good job on that part. Reading this did change my perspective for the better and made me get up and hug my mother and my sisters lol. To describe the plot of what happens in this story would be actually very simple and would span only about 1 volume probably, but the reason that isn't the case is because this isn't about the plot, this is a character-focused plot, where even simple conversations can last an entire chapter. Emulating real life somewhat where you feel that time completely freezes and takes forever when talking to your crush. This really is a coming-of-age story with how surreal it had felt to me and was a bittersweet epilogue by the end of it all.

I give it a 9/10 as a whole because it may not truly change your life if certain circumstances do not happen to you, and even if so many similar things happened between me and punpun and many chords were struck, it just didn't feel as if it were a 10/10 masterpiece that a lot of people are saying it is. This is a manga however that while is a life-changer for some, me included, I would never recommend to anyone personally. To find this during ones own time and to read this on their own accord is what I feel is the best way. And with this I would just like to add that it is a 9/10 because maybe I don't need the message it conveys right now, maybe in a few years time I might fall down and a reread may get me back up. I was told in videos and reviews that people who have read this were either still on an ongoing battle with themselves or had been in a lesser fortunate situation during the time of reading which I was not. Overall a great read regardless and I am glad I spent my week doing this. It isn't a message that changes my life path but rather something to keep in mind when I am walking down my life path. I'll revisit this manga hopefully in 10 years or so and maybe my opinion will change.

Minor spoilers now:
The only part of this manga making it a 9/10 was its story because while I felt I was beside punpun or was in the first person perspective all throughout the story, it was the final arc in the last 3 volumes that took me back and made me see punpun from a third person perspective instead. The entire last portion of the story felt like a fever dream to me and I still can't wrap my head around it. And that was the intent of the author and that's completely fine, it is still a 9/10 and by no means a bad manga. MAL does not have a rating system with decimals but if so I would give it a 9.9/10, it is there but not quite. I also love how he also made a meta argument poking fun at the story through Nanjou being questioned by a manga industry, saying readers don't want to read things like what I just read which is completely true. Even now I still feel an emptiness inside, not because the story made me sad beyond repair but because of the fact that it's over just like that. While I consider the story to not be on par with its art work and characterization I also understand that is where it had to go and to end the story much earlier would warrant a lower rating and be a disservice to the message of the story. I understand what punpun does also on volume 12 and while I no longer feel as if I am part of the story and rather am reading a story I also see that even I may go down the same path as him if things went differently.

Jan 26, 2014

damnitkids

Recommended

Although Punpun is viewed as a simplistic cartoon bird, everyone sees him just fine. and he is just fine, Punpun said that himself.

Us viewers see Punpun as a bird (as well as his whole family). we can only ever tell they're like us (people) by their feelings, emotions, and actions. essentially we only get to see how they are rather than what they are. in a way it's helpful for keeping your focused solely on Punpun's story that you somehow feel familiarity with. even though you're not as familiar with the timeline.

Punpun was, like all child have been at one point, innocent. He was an ...

Oct 10, 2023

Trolde

Recommended

This manga is special. Sometimes the content will feel a bit weird and out of place, but slowly you will realize that's just how life is, its just slightly more exaggerated in the manga.

While reading the manga I felt like its carving a big empty hole in me, the level of emptiness and dread it managed to inflict on me is unmatched with anything I've read. There are many times where tears just flows out of my eyes so naturally without me realizing, and there are parts that made me feel like I cannot breathe. There are not a lot of manga that I can ...

Apr 19, 2015

Gloomy_Dog

Recommended

I'm not a regular manga reader and suddenly read this as my 4th manga I ever read.this manga was truly a work of art and passion, I don't deny that I didn't like some part of story and couldn't stand on them but It was...it was same as true life and exactly for this reason it wasn't something usual.

The story includes a elementary school boy named Punpun . just some honest,normal,sensetive,and with more than normal family problem. at the beginning this lonely child set his eyes on a new student named Aiko. and punpun fell in love with Aiko.times pass and punpun struggle with life ...

Apr 10, 2015

nullism

Recommended

Short & Simple Review

~Goodnight Punpun~ 9.4/10

Story- 7/10. The story at first seems kinda unappealing.

Plot- 9/10. Punpun's plot is almost flawless, and it does the justice for a truly captivating plot.

Characters- 10/10. The characters are very likeable, and well developed. I found myself having a hard time disliking any of the characters in this story.

...

Jun 11, 2014

Higaroth

Recommended

I'll be honest, I'm not usually into stories with psychological and slice of life themes (I tend to stick with the shounens and the comedies etc.) but you really don't need to be into any of those themes to be able to enjoy this. Well, 'enjoy' isn't really the right word to use, but you'll know what I mean if you've read it. It's incredibly creative, sweet at times yet shockingly dark or depressive in others- all I can say is that both during and after I finished this I felt like I had a completely new outlook on things; it was most probably the ...

May 14, 2015

HakaseMachine

Recommended

Oyasumi Punpun, the manga in which I had little desire to read because the character protagonist of the design was kind of on the back foot thinking that the issue would be addressed would be somewhat cliché or so children but decided to give a chance to this manga surprised me with the history and the development of both the story and the characters, the author was able to connect so many stories spots and around them to a point where only binds the whole story, I was amazed at this story that was one of the best I have ever I got to read ...

Feb 28, 2020

drivedonniedrive

Recommended

i still love the fuck out of this manga, even if chapters 100-147 were basically torture to read with how sad it was.

this is hands down my favorite manga. i didn’t think anything could top tokyo ghoul, but this certainly did.

i’m glad i found out about this manga from a friend of mine of animelist, i probably would’ve never read it if it wasn’t for him.

i’ve spent so many late nights reading this (like i am rn) and i’m glad i did so. thank you so much Inio Asano for making this. i’ve never been able to relate to something so much before in ...

Aug 3, 2020

KusoJack

Mixed Feelings

I just finished reading a couple hours ago, I feel that those who don't especially enjoy this manga had a familiar view as I did. I did find this manga entertaining, as well as the dark mood reflected upon the dialogue and art, however the impact didn't hit me as hard as most people because to me, this story is simply a reflection of "society" and we're all equal in terms of misfortune. The series of events are just a bit dull, and most of the time I can almost predict the plot points. Although I must say that the visuals do help communicate better, ...

Aug 18, 2020

BassDrumjay

Recommended

The one type of manga that I hate the most is the one that makes readers uncomfortable with the use of gore, domestic abuse, rape, and the boatload of heinous deeds and crimes. I tend to stray away from these sort of manga due to their over reliance on said crime to constantly make the reader uncomfortable. At that point, the manga loses its point of existence; it's a creation made solely to make people uncomfortable, and nothing else.

Oyasumi Punpun was uncomfortable. In fact, it was quite possibly the most uncomfortable manga I have ever read in my life. Yet, I gave it a ... 10.

The sort of ugly beauty about Oyasumi Punpun is that it never purposely uses gore, domestic abuse, or rape to make the readers uncomfortable. There were instances of domestic abuse and rape, but these instances (or at least the action of these instances) were either played off as a joke or lightly touched on. Oyasumi Punpun isn't uncomfortable due to an overuse of a cheap tactic. It's uncomfortable because it perfectly encapsulates the pain of living.

I've related to manga before, but Oyasumi Punpun goes past that. Oyasumi Punpun was so relatable to me that it made me uncomfortable, and I'm sure many readers feel this way. Never have I read or watched any sort of media that portrays the pain of living to this extent. The mere theory of this manga, the theory that someone might be able to replicate something so complex and express it in drawings, is uncomfortable enough, yet Asano manages to orchestrate this feat in near perfection.

The other beauty of this manga is that, for the most part, I am not like the main character at all. I was not born in Japan, nor have I ever lived or even visited Japan. I've never had a friend like Aiko, who shares the same sort of brokenness that I had and wants to run away from it all. Yet, the main character seems so relatable to me.

There are many readers who dislike Punpun, the main character. I don't blame them for disliking Punpun. In fact, I truly believe that Punpun's character was made to be hated. That's because Punpun, in all aspects, is like us. He isn't some perfect protagonist who always manages to luck out in the worst situation, nor is he a harem master who has 9 different girls who like him. Punpun is human, and humans are ugly. I read somewhere that Asano decided to make Punpun a bird (and in later stages, a triangle and eventually a monster) to make him more relatable. Asano didn't want to put a face on the protagonist so that more readers would relate to Punpun. Asano succeeded in this aspect.

Near the end of this manga, I felt the pain of living through Punpun. It had been a while since I had fought these depressed thoughts, yet they were all coming back to me as this manga slowly spiraled downwards to existential oblivion. At one point, I had to stop and ask myself, "Why am I getting so emotional because of this manga?" I didn't know why I asked myself this when I already knew the answer: because this manga was the one in a billion manga that truly succeeds in portraying life. Life isn't fun or exciting, with new adventures waiting in every corner. Life was painful.

I don't want to spoil any more than I already have, so I'll end this review with a warning: I would not recommend this manga to everyone. If you are currently in a state of depression or at an existential crisis, I would highly recommend not reading this manga. I was in a fairly happy state going into this manga, yet during the manga I felt dread. This manga is not for everyone, and it's in some people's better interest to not read this.

10/10

Apr 18, 2021

Cabbage_Bro

Recommended

I'm not one for the Psychological Seinen genre, I've always concerned myself more with romcoms and slice of life's when it came to manga and anime I would consume.

Oyasumi Punpun is a manga that I have always seen described as "The greatest manga that you should never read". After hearing this constantly I have always been apprehensive when thinking about going to read Oyasumi Punpun, but I finally took the leap and I am so glad that I did.

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

This manga is by no means my favorite manga I have ever read, but it is by far the best written. Quite literally the best ...

Apr 21, 2021

GIGADRANE

Recommended

INTRODUCTION:

Okay. Let me start off by saying, one word, and one word only.

DEPRESSION

There will be no spoilers, in this review.
Nothing but the true emotion Oyasumi Punpun, gave off, whilst reading this piece of art.

Oyasumi punpun was recommended to me by a friend and truth be told I had absolutely NO idea as to what i was getting into. Not even the synopsis.
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