Solanin is a manga by Inio Asano, who is widely known for his work in Oyasumi Punpun, so if you have already read that one you can have an idea of what to expect. Solanin is not a happy story, yet is not entirely depressing. I cried, yes, but I laughed as well. Just as life. On its basis, it tells a story about a young couple. They love each other, yet they feel heavily the pressure of what they are going to do with their lives. The manga revolves around them, their dramas, their friends and their families.
The story is as good as it gets. It’s not a complex story, you won’t have any trouble keeping up with all the events. This doesn’t mean it’s not well written, rather that the story is told with enough elegance to keep it deep yet concise. As I already said, the story follows a young couple trying to survive. While it begins with their daily lives, the story starts quickly unfolding about what the future stores for them. The universe is believable and fleshed out, giving the story a nice realistic and relatable feel. Whether is laughing or crying, the storytelling won’t let you go. The manga is only 28 chapters long, so you can easily read it in a day.
The characters are perfectly fleshed out, each one with their own personality and unique characteristics. In general, the cast is really charismatic so you won’t have trouble feeling attached to them, even when some of their decisions can get to the point of being irritating. This helps to the general feeling of the manga and creates lovable yet flawed characters. I can’t elaborate that much because a big part of the enjoyment is getting to know these people at your own pace, but trust me about the quality of the writing here.
Asano uses here his trademark style, a semi-realistic style that mixes well with the story. It’s a pleasure to see, especially the stunning backgrounds. The drawings are also incredibly clean, the panels are never too overcrowded or overcharged. The structure is also really neat, allowing a with-the-flow reading experience. The expressions also stood out to me, which play a big role in transmitting the emotions in the more sentimental scenes. Whether is a carefree smile during a meeting with your friends or a sharp cry of grief in the light of the moon, the expressions do an excellent job in telling you exactly what everyone is feeling. I swear to god that in one of the sadder scenes the expressions alone were enough to make me sweep.
In general, the story is really enjoyable. Sad, yes, but in a good way. The comedy is well played and the pacing is enough to keep you interested but never too heavy. There’s never a dull moment or an overcharged one, the first chapter settles a tone and a rhythm and it sticks with it. It might even steal some tears from you, but my point here is that the manga is never a torture. It gets extremely emotional but never depressing, which is my favorite thing about the whole work.
In overall, it’s hard for me not to give it a 10. The art, story, characters and general feel of the manga are just flawless. These aspects are not game changers that break from the barriers of the medium because the manga knows itself and strives for perfection in a simple way. There’s nothing that is not properly executed and so one earning a 10. Is a definitively recommended read. Just in case, I must clarify that the +18 etiquette is important. There’s nothing heavy about it, maybe a few swears and nudity like, one time. But the themes are designed to resonate with someone who’s of that age or more. The anxiety of a new life as an adult is masterfully presented and you’re probably not going to like the manga as much if you have never felt that.
