Oyasumi Punpun

Oyasumi Punpun is the most complete work of Inio Asano.
We know he is simply a genius. All of his works are symbolic and deep and of course way too beautiful. Sometimes you just sit with some panels just to absorb the beauty of it.

Oyasumi Punpun is Inio Asano's personal struggles with existentialism, depression and suicidal tendencies and many other dark topics. He breaks down his personality into different characters. Punpun is a part of him that cannot let go of the past, Sachi is someone who saves hm, she represents how being a mangaka is what is keeping him alive. Aiko is the past that haunts him, the. one he just cannot let go. Many other characters represents many parts of himself. We can see him commenting and reflecting his past works like Solanin. Even the fears he had while publishing something like Oyasumi Punpun. He feared that people might not like this because they do not care about what he thinks and many other things (we see Sachi in a conversation with her editor which I feel is Inio Asano's personal monologue).

Oyasumi Punpun is one of those manga that makes you want to stop running away from your struggles and face them head on. This manga is not "depressing", it is just too real. Inio Asano never wanted this manga to be viewed as "utsumanga" or "depressing manga", he wanted his readers to grow with him, he wanted us to stop running away and face our existentialism, our dark side. I don't want to spoil the manga but let us just say that PunPun is not "healed", his past still haunts him, but he has learnt to 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 with it.

Oyasumi Punpun has genuinely made me scared. I have read it and quivered at night. Every time I go back to it, I feel scared. How Aiko changes towards the end of the manga makes me really concerned about my future self.
I myself am not well, so it is even more terrifying. Aiko tries to break free from something but ends up going deeper and deeper into the darkness. It almost makes me want to cry even looking at Aiko towards the final volumes. How broken she becomes is something I can see myself as and I really don't want to. But at the same time reading this manga just reminds you how running away is futile, and this is why I keep going back to it. Instead of thinking "I don't know how much longer I can hold on", I am forced to face myself. It doesn't fix things, or makes me better, it's just gives me hope. Sometimes that is all we want to continue living here.

Inio Asano captures the darkness in all of us so beautifully and precisely. One of the best works out there, not just best manga, I mean work.

Also, I am not going to rate "enjoyment", for I don't know if this how "enjoyment" is supposed to be.
Give it a go if you're in a "good" headspace.

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 optimistic child who rids himself off the confusing bad things in his mind by talking to god (who, by the way, appears after he says "God, God, twinkle, twinkle, hoi!"). but as you know, when we grow up we start to see things realistically and people starts calling you cynical, then you realize your dreams might not even come true after all because of "x" and "y" and it starts to crumble from there. yeah, pretty shitty. some turn their life upside down for the better, others for the worse. punpun's life situations is the same. though it has the potential to up himself but it just drags him down lower, despite his struggle to be better than his empty self.

this coming-of-age story is probably one of the most dramatic after your own and may or may not be as depressing. the characters could be the somebodies in your life, or not at all. you just know that somewhere, someone is exactly like Punpun, or his burdened uncle, or his parents, or his old friends or Aiko. these characters and you liking them might not even happen.

I have a very deep appreciation of Asano's art. it's sophisticated with the details and by no means mediocre. genuine and is full of emotions. also, the title "Oyasumi Punpun" sounds light and calm; it's really not.

Oh good lord, this was something...
Oyasumi Punpun is one of those manga that catch the interest of everyone, i recommend you to read the manga NOW. I belive that you'll get interested on the first few pages

Story: The story is a coming-of-age about a lot of people, but focusing on Punpun, tho i really loved the way they did his character and others. There's a subplot that i didn't like as much as the rest (the whole Pegasus thing)

Art: The art is simply beautiful, that's it. The way they expressed what Punpun felt by how he was drawn is a genius move, they used every aspect of what they could do with a manga

Character: Like i said, "Oyasumi Punpun" is a coming-of-age character-driven story, so it has heavy focus on the characters, and it does it perfectly. All the characters are "good to awesome" and well-developed

Enjoyment: Some people will have problems with the "style" of how the author tells de story, i had in the beggining, but i got used to it, so it didn't become a problem.

Overall: Punpun is a great character and Oyasumi Punpun is an amazing coming-of-age story. It gives you the feels and is great to you try it out

Story - 9.5/10
Art - 11/10
Character - 11/10
Enjoyment - 10/10
Overall - 10/10

TL;DR REVIEW: MASTERPIECE, TRIGGER WARNING, READER DISCRETION ADVISED!

FULL REVIEW:
Although Asano Inio his work has always been scraping the edge between humor/comedy and painfull experiences, this piece of work, Oyasumi PUNPUN, has defenitaly reached a different level. Not only is the art beyond amazing, the story is so well written that it is almost based on a real event in my opinion. But those who are familiar with his work do know what they can expect, while those who don't are in for a rollercoaster of triggers. Yes you read it correct. Oyasumi PUNPUN contains more trigger moments than all of Asano Inio his other works together!
So for those who are just starting out with Oyasumi PUNPUN without knowing of Asano Inio his other works, DON'T IF YOU ARE TRIGGER SENSITIVE! Please get yourself familiar with his works and the way how he presents the positive and negative experiences of the protagonist and those aroubd the protagonist, otherwise PROCEED WITH CAUSTION when starting with Oyasumi PUNPUN!
Oyasumi PUNPUN is psychologically one hell of a heavy manga to read due to the triggers that you may encounter. But that does not take away the fact that it is a very well done piece of work, I personally enjoyed the manga a whole lot and a planning to reread it when I have the time.

There are two ways of viewing PunPun. One would be as a normal manga and the other one as a biographie, a telling of his life.

Viewing PunPun as a normal manga won't do it justice. It doesn't have amazing character development, a crazy relatable protagonist, epic fights, a blooming romance or even a story at all. You won't find it enjoyable and you will be dissappionted. However this is not how you should view pun pun.

Viewing it as a biographie is the right way. Here's a quick summary of Punpun. You watch a entusiastic kid grow up, mess up and go down a dark path, but was saved in the end by the people he found along his way, and this is the beauty of Pun Pun. You'll see a human story play out in front of you. You can see his ambitions as a kid, the awkard middle phase of high school, the depressing realisation of life in your early adulthood and your meaning of life in your adulthood. This is the strenght of this manga.

Peole dissappear to never be seen again cuz this is how life is. Obsessing over something/someone just to realise that the thing you obsessed over is completely different as you imagened it, this is life. Seeing how depression can play out and how out of nowhere your life can end, is life. You can see the struggles of a everyday man, living a bland life and trying to find his purpose, that's how life is.

Now to PunPun himself. He may be the most relatable protagonist I've ever seen. He doesn't have super powers, he doesn't have the power to change things, he's just a normal human. Seeing him being depressed, shutting himself inside his room, trying to understand himself and the world and acting out of his emotions and instinct alone is what makes him so relatable and in the progress of this, he does some very despicable things. I can see myself more in PunPun than I would like. I too had dreams as a kid, just to get them crushed, I too am wondering what my purose in life is, I too suffer from depression and anxiety and have to cope with it, I too did some things I regret and I do think I have a bland life, however I too learned to be happy with what you've been given in life and cherish those small bond with the people you like.

Pun Pun showed me again how to life and how to be better in life, through someone who failed life. PunPun is nowhere near in my top 5 favorite anime/manga cuz it shouldn't be you wouldn't put your life as your favorite movie too. However I can easily see this being someones favorite and I wouldn't knock it down one inch.

It's an experience everyone should have at some part of his/her life, but DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU'RE IN A BAD SPOT MENTALLY!!!! THIS COULD BREAK YOU APART!!! It too broke me reading this and at many points I had to take a deep breath, proccess things in my head and continue some minutes later, but it didn't break me like it broke other persons, also you need to be at least 18 to read this. Not because it's gorey or rapey, but because it only hits you hard if you already had your teens and childhood behind you and start adulthood. So you need to be a certain age to fully enjoy it.

Overall I give it a 9/10 as manga overall, but a 10/10 in relatability and characters. This doesn't mean Pun Pun or co are my favorite characters in manga, quite the opossite, i don't think they're even in my top 30, but because i can relate to them and really view them as humans with human struggles.
The art is amazing, but theres better looking things out there, which is the point. Life doesn't look good. 9/10
The story doesn't exist. It's life. Life doesn't have a story, but I be fair and rate it like a normal manga. 5/10
I enjoyed it good and it hits hard, but I can't relate to the things Pun Pun and Aiko did later on so it's only a 9/10.

That's my rating for the way I view Pun Pun. If you want to rate it as a normal manga, I would give it a 8/10 overall.

PunPun is in my top 10 animes/mangas of all time but in the lower end of the spectrum, and most likely won't be in there, when I finish some other animes/mangas, but I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. Do yourself a favor and read it. It'll help you grow as a human being and helps you cherish the things you have in life.

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.

This is the most beautiful thing I've ever read while somehow simultaneously being one the most disgusting. Oyasumi Punpun presents extremely well crafted questions about life. Each panel seems so well thought out that I very often found myself audibly expressing while reading. I feel like there is definitely at least something in this story that everyone can relate to, which is not necessarily a good thing. Punpun is a garbage human being most of the story yet I often felt my self relating to him. I think that is why this manga is so emotional and depressing. I'm in my early 20's when I read this and I really feel like I genuinely have a different outlook on life now. I found myself questioning how I got to where I currently am in life and whether I am truly happy. I don't think I've ever run across a piece of media that has done that to me.

In short, I can definitely see how people would not enjoy this story but I think its undeniable how well crafted, beautiful, and influential it is. Inio Asano is a master of story telling and I'm excited to read more of his work.

As a writer myself, I'm well-acquainted with the narrative concept of Chekhov's Gun; that is to say, an element deliberately introduced into the story's ecosystem should also be deliberately resolved. Oyasumi Punpun stands as a monumental testament to narrative illiteracy precisely because it fails to realize this fundamental principle -- and this is a terrible shame because it had a genuinely fascinating start. Right from the beginning, the reader's mind will be filled with questions about where this mysterious bird creature has come from, and what role it will play in human society. Is it an alien? A monster? A spirit?

The answer to these questions is 'who knows', because there's never even an *attempt* to explore Punpun's origins. In fact, the story marches on entirely irreverent to the fact that Punpun is a mysterious bird-creature of evidently inhuman origin. No interaction or story-beat is remotely influenced by his nature or circumstances; imagine E.T. except everybody treats the alien like it's simply the new kid on the block.

This is a tale entirely without a connecting thread - a useless, vapid, unambitious trudge that will leave the reader bereft of meaningful emotions or experiences. I sincerely cannot recommend this to anybody except those who have lost their will to live.

Punpun is not a bird, he appears as a bird to the viewer, as does his family, but they're not birds and that's not how the people around them see them. Aka, they're people, but they're just presented as caricatures. In a way, it makes the domestic violence and problems appear simple at first, until you realize what a mindfuck this series is and how depressing it truly is.

Warning: this is one of the darkest series I've read, and needs more trigger warnings than you might realize at first.

I discovered Oyasumi PunPun thanks to Deviantart, back when it was used (is it still used??) and wondered why there was a cute girl with a bird. Might say, lured by the cute, fucked by the dark. Props to Inio Asano for that!

Punpun is a deeply depressing, touchy series that might look like it's only a gag or funny manga, but slowly goes down to the depths of hell to the end, progressively getting worse.

I'm not going to spoil this, but let me assure you to not expect a happy ending for this. This is not a cute, bubbly story. This touches upon rape, abuse, domestic violence, dreams and death, suicide, and so many more I'd just need to do a skull warning label for the series.

But...and maybe this is the masochist in me, I couldn't look away and I had to know what happens and how it ends. Even if it's miserable and it'll make me wish I never did, PunPun is extremely well drawn, paced and extremely luring.

This is not a fantasy, Sci-Fi, or shounen, but a slice of life seinen that doesn't pull punches, and throws in your face what you thought you were expecting from a story featuring a cute bird. I'm sure you weren't expecting to get your feelings fucked with, or to have to experience the dirt-bags that clung to this series like snot to a nose.

I'm not sure I can explain why I loved it, and why I rated it so highly, but it didn't disappoint me. Even with not delivering in some things I hoped to see, it was still so raw and real, I couldn't help be blown away by it.

I won't say to go read it. Perhaps check MAL, check around, think carefully, look at the tags and if you do read it, may you safely cross over this river!

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.

Oyasumi Punpun is undoubtedly my favorite piece of art to be crafted by human hands. Big praise, I know. If I were to completely describe not only why I like Oyasumi Punpun, but also why I think it should be considered the best manga of all time, this review would be untastefully too long. Instead, I'll just stick to the basics.

Story: The story itself is something that isn't too complicated for the average manga/anime consumer to follow, yet it is still packed with detail and beautiful depictions of esoteric concepts. These concepts include the workings of human minds, the potential impact of relationships, and the pain of living. Asano's methods of storytelling come off as relatable and realistic. Unlike many other works that tackle such profound ideas, such as Neon Genisis Evangelion, which a typical viewer may struggle to grasp. Despite the story feeling so life-like, there are plenty of absurd elements. For example, the main protagonist is often visited by a figure known as "Afro God" who provides him with unsettling life advice. These absurdities are all abstractions of real things. Afro God being a form of Punpun's subconscious.

Art: From the beautiful scenery of Japan to surreal images of objects floating in space, the art in Oyasumi PunPun is incredibly detailed and pleasant to the eye. As for the art of the characters, Asano has a very unusual style of drawing humans compared to most manga artists, with smaller eyes and realistic looking hair. This style definitely pairs well with the detailed landscapes. The design of Punpun himself constantly changes with his mental state. Asano tells readers so much about Punpun through symbols that they would probably have a weaker connection with the character if he was drawn as a normal human.

Characters: The characters act more like real humans than they do like manga characters. The relationships between characters feel incredibly convincing and natural. There are obviously no manga/anime stereotypes present among any of them. Even if you don't relate to the struggles of the main character, I'm sure you will with one of the others, as they are all quite diverse. Each character feels like their own individual who you eventually get to understand on a personal level as you watch them grow into adults.

Enjoyment: I think I have made it clear that I love the book.

While Oyasumi Punpun is a great story, it is certainly not for everyone, as it does cover some truthfully triggering topics such as self-harm, suicide, domestic abuse, depression, the harmful effect of cults, broken homes, and mental disorders. The only person I know who dropped Oyasumi Punpun did it because it made them too depressed. It has forced me to shed some tears, but it also helped me stay strong through hard moments in my life. I spread out reading Punpun throughout my high school career, and I feel like I grew with the character. I'm a senior now and finishing the book is seriously painful, but the fact that it is a meer book and it makes me feel such powerful emotions is exactly why I love it. I hope you consider reading Oyasumi Punpun and enjoy it. Thanks for reading my review.

Oyasumi Punpun (Goodnight Punpun) is a manga about a boy’s transformation into an adult. As a boy, he falls in love with Aiko. But things happen. Then nothing happens. Then he decides to find Aiko again. The story spans roughly a decade.

The plotline of Oyasumi Punpun is magnificent, it explores the lives of ordinary people: dysfunctional families, pubescent children finding out about sex, unemployed twenty-somethings. Ordinary yet unique. These characters are new, purely original- yet we can all relate to them. As children, haven’t we all ‘ooh’ed over sex? Fantasized about suicide? Sunk into nihilism? Okay, maybe not the last one. The series explores everyday philosophy, and without referencing philosophers (okay, maybe one person there or here)! The ideas sprout from the characters, and naturally collide with eachother. The characters test out the philosophical hypotheses. It’s a journey of sadness, ennui and happiness, but ultimately discovery.

Oyasumi Punpun and his family are shown as little birds. Some people might think it’s silly. But I think it’s masterful. It’s cartoonish, almost a joke- when his parents argue, they’re birds. How less serious! Other characters are drawn in a more realistic and comic carcituresque style, although most of the supporting characters appear closer to normal manga characters. The art style is marvellous, Inio Asano’s ability to render something completely ordinary into a surrealist masterpiece is simply genius!

Let me elaborate on the plot a bit more. A popular but violent girl who is loved by Punpun leaves his school. She is replaced by Aiko. Punpun immediately falls in love with Aiko. He tries to impress her. He is constantly battered by his negative thoughts about himself and others, especially thanks to a mystical figure he calls ‘God’. His family falls apart: his father is arrested for beating up his mother. His 30-something freeter uncle moves in. His friends find a murderer’s message on a porn tape. They and Punpun go to a derelict factory to find the murderer. Like any plot, it heightens and drops into a doldrum at times, but it is certainly exciting and beautiful.

With its amazing artwork, unique characters and plot, I give Oyaumi Punpun 10 stars. No regrets. Favourite manga.

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 a manga as "Slice of Life" we can say, I must say we had moments in the "feels" that the author managed to convey through the actions of the characters is very difficult I like a manga this theme but this time me change is to have a space in tier god, real history is very well prepared, and hold you at all times, as all kinds of history had its crucial moment where you do not want such a thing to happen but a great story with a final otimo definitely worth it have read it, is there hint if you're looking for something to read!

Oyasumi Punpun is something I won't ever get tired of, no matter how many times I read it. I don't know if it's due to the perfectly drawn backgrounds, the sometimes calming but yet depressing atmosphere, the highly realistic characters, the fact that it goes through many stages of life including its pros and cons or maybe something else. But it doesn't matter, as long as I can enjoy it as much as I do.

The story sounds actually quite simple and follows the life of a "bird" from his days in school to his adulthood. But it's not as simple as it sounds, there's much more into it but before I start to spoil something; just go and read it, it's totally worth it, especially if you're looking for a great coming-of-age story with somewhat a form of "social critism".

Oyasumi Punpun's artstyle is the best I've seen so far, as expected from Inio Asano. The backgrounds harmonize beautifully with the mood. The character design is also pretty unique and you won't see something alike in any other manga. Punpun changes quite a bit during the story and so does his look. Inio Asano changes his look symbolically. I'll use Punpun's triangle form for example: when Asano drew him this way, Punpun was in a stage of his life where he didn't know where to go, or better said: he couldn't (let) go. We all know the reason: Aiko. Yet he had another girl: Sachi. Punpun had to make a decision wheter he takes Sachi or Aiko (who was nowhere to be found at that point). If he could just forget Aiko he would be able to break free of that triangle he's in that brings him back at the point he was before. After he spent some time with Sachi he finally made it: he changed his life to a point where he no longer needs Aiko and suddenly he's falling out of his isolated triangle form. Well, that was my interpretation and doesn't mean it has to be right, everyone's got another one. The reason Asano drew the MC as a bird can have different interpretations as well.

Enough talk about the character design, let's move on to the characters. As I've already mentioned before, they were written to be as realistic as possible. Many writers fail to accomplish that, but Asano did a fantastic job there. The characterization for each character was well-done and their development was natural, not some "I change due to stupid reasons because the author wants it" kind of bullshit. You could really feel to be a part of the world thanks to the great storytelling and worldbuilding, which made the development even more natural.

The saddest part with Oyasumi Punpun isn't the ending, it's the fact that you'll never read something similar.

"You reap what you sow" - 9-10/10

I can't remember the last thing that moved this much and still left me thinking about it after finishing it. I feel moodier, more emotional, I feel like somebody I know died or I broke up with my girlfriend, I'm left feeling depressed.

I feel like my perspective has changed, my opinions have changed, my life has changed because of this manga. Isn't that the best thing you can say about a piece of art? That it genuinely moved you so much that your feel your life has changed because of it?

I don't know if it will do that for everyone, it ticked all the right boxes for me. Probably because I identify with Punpun so much. I've pined for my own version of Aiko, I've been left confused and unsure of what to with my life once I reached adulthood, and like Punpun, at times I've felt smaller and dumber than those around me.

This manga explores so many themes its hard to list all of them, but what I mostly got from it is isolation and depression. This ties into what I meant by being smaller than everyone else, not physically, rather metaphorically, like Punpun is. Punpun's size and birdlike figure might be a gimmick to draw readers in, but it is such a wonderful representation of how it feels to be different, isolated, lesser.

The themes are plentiful, and so are the great characters. Everyone is fleshed out and feels human. There is an arc in particular, "the mother arc" that is truly beautiful and devastating at the same time.

The art is fantastic, I found myself slowing down so I can suck in the artistry.

I'm going to be re-reading this one again and again.

When I first started this manga, I didn't know what to expect. I went into it nothing about it except that the main character is portrayed as a weird bird-looking thing. And I believe that that is the best way to read it. I read all 147 chapters in two days, and I can say that it is nothing less than a 9/10. The only reason it's not a 10/10 for me is that I didn't enjoy it at much as I wish I could. But if you are going to read this manga, don't expect to enjoy it, as there are multiple scenes that are emotionally destructive. But none the less, the plot is phenomenal, and the art is nothing to scoff at. But the best part about this manga are the characters. Punpun is quite possibly the best developing MC I have ever read, next to Kaneki and Araragi. His relationship with Aiko is nothing like I have ever seen before and his interactions with his family and the people around him. All throughout this story, Punpun questions anything and everything that makes him feel emotions. This leads him down a path in life that I never would have expected when I first started reading this. Watching him become what could only be described as a monster in human form is one of the most unbearably sad things I have ever witnessed And quite honestly, its terrifying to see how wrong Punpun's life goes. The scariest part is how what happened to Punpun could happen to anyone.
This manga is definitely not for anyone, especially those who have gone through depression, suicide, murder, rape, etc. But if you feel like you are ok to read this, and are looking for a dark story that focuses on mental issues, then I 100% recommend this.

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.

10 years ago, I was a freshman in high school. Looking back at that point in my life as an adult is quite surreal to say the least. My own memories of the time have become hazier with each passing day and yet looking back at old social media accounts that almost completely archived that entire experience brings back so many memories that are both vividly clear and horribly fractured. What's worse is that my memories of college, a time that was so recent in my life, is starting to become fractured and hazy too as I become more wrapped up in the humdrum of my own life. The ideals, the dreams, the goals that I once held so near and dear to my heart have long since been tossed aside for reasons I still try to justify to myself in the present day and present time.

When I was 19, I read Goodnight Punpun for the first time and I was completely taken aback by the sheer intensity of the work. As such, it still holds a huge place in my heart to this day. Reading it for the first time as an adult in his mid 20s however gave me a much deeper perspective of the manga that I'm not sure I ever wanted to have. The manga became much more intense because it cut much closer to home than I ever anticipated. By the time I finished reading it, I genuinely didn't know how to feel about it. Programmes like BoJack Horseman that I've watched since reading this manga for the first time have made me come to terms with the parts of myself that I never wanted to acknowledge. However, the show itself no matter how dark and brutal it got still had this hopeful (though indeed quite melancholy) undertone that still made it palatable to watch even in the thick of some of the show's most intense moments. Goodnight Punpun on the other hand was thoroughly bleak and unrelenting in its portrayal of the human mind's worst attributes. Though you wouldn't be able to tell that if you read its first volume.

The manga at its beginning starts off as a surreal and macabre slice-of-life comedy telling the story of a boy named Punpun Punyama along with some of his friends that we'll be following for the duration of the manga's runtime. At this point in his life, Punpun is still a child but he's old enough to process and internalise the trauma that he's been through at that point in time. Nevertheless, there's this oddly optimistic tone that this volume carries where Punpun is thinking about all the things he could become when he's an adult. A new student transfers to his class, a girl named Aiko Tanaka who has a similar disposition to Punpun: old enough to internalise trauma, but still hopeful for the future. In fact, there's one key difference between the two that fuels their dynamic - Punpun is passive but Aiko is assertive and unapologetic. It's this memory of Aiko that brands itself into the deepest parts of Punpun's mind for the rest of his life.

This point in the manga also highlights another struggle that Punpun faces for the rest of the story: cowardice. Many points in the manga show Punpun fall prey to circumstances that to an outside party, would seem to be out of his control. To Punpun however, he views himself as a coward for not speaking up or not defying the odds to make his dreams come true. When his mother was hospitalised on the day he tried to run away with Aiko to Kagoshima, he viewed himself as a coward for not being able to sneak away and be with the girl of his dreams. When he and Aiko reunite briefly in middle school during a badminton tournament and she tells him what she really wants in a boyfriend, he viewed himself as a coward for not being able to forsake everything in order to be with this girl who he loved for so long. When Sachi, the woman he had this on again/off again relationship with wanted a kiss before having sex, Punpun viewed himself as a coward for breaking down at that moment when he had a flashback to his first kiss with Aiko.

This recurring theme of cowardice haunts Punpun throughout middle school and high school and continues following him as he's an adult in his 20s. At this point in time, he's a bitter and self-loathing adult whose memories of someone he hasn't seen since childhood caused him to move to another city altogether in some vain hope of trying to find this manic pixie dream girl. If he couldn't find her, he'd just kill himself and let his memory fade away from the minds of others. Fortunately for him, he did have another chance encounter with Aiko as an adult. There's just one small problem though: this woman, who looks like Aiko, sounds like her, and feels like her does NOT match up with the Aiko Tanaka he knew personally all those years ago. She isn't Aiko, she's just another stupid, vapid slut who bears her resemblance.

Then it all comes to a head: Punpun has this clash of ideals where he realises just how far he fell from the goals and aspirations he set for himself when he was younger. Talking about shit he doesn't care about, going to trendy cafes that he has no interest in, laughing at jokes that aren't funny... this isn't Punpun nor is this Aiko. It doesn't take long for the walls to finally break as they both confide in each other about the miserable lives they've both been living up to that point. Taking comfort in each other's company and Punpun feeling the grasp of his cowardice slowly loosen, they resolve to finally run away to Kagoshima. There's just one final obstacle to overcome: Aiko's mother.

Then enters Chapter 113. MAL will most likely take this review down if I spoil what happens, but let's just say that it isn't pretty. With nothing left to lose, Punpun and Aiko finally set off with one another but now there's a new problem: this isn't the future he ever imagined having with her.

To paraphrase what Hiding in Public said in his review of the manga - if Punpun hated himself when he was a coward, he now absolutely despised himself when he was finally brave. That passivity that he engendered all throughout his childhood and adolescence was the barrier that kept him from truly facing the awful depths of his psyche along with what he was truly capable of and now he has to live with the consequences of his own actions. With Aiko by his side, they're now on the run like Matty Healy and Chelsea Schuchman in the music video for Robbers by The 1975. This fantasy of running away to Kagoshima is now a road movie, and their relationship further devolves.

Punpun finally had Aiko all to himself. He had finally forsaken everything to be with the woman that he loved so dearly, and still that wasn't enough to satisfy him. He became Aiko's personal daruma doll, sacrificing his own eye as a pledge of loyalty to her but that still wasn't enough. She was the only person that Punpun had left as he had always wanted, and despite wanting this fate from the very beginning, he felt selfish when he wanted more. Eventually, Punpun comes to the grave realisation that he may never truly see the stars as brightly as he once did with Aiko in his childhood during that Tanabata night so long ago. No matter how close he and Aiko can get physically and no matter how isolated they are from the rest of the world, he'll never be able to fully understand her from the top of her head to the tips of her toes with no miscommunication in between. Their minds and bodies decaying from the stress of their circumstances together would never allow that. The childhood fantasy turned road movie is ultimately shattered and Punpun is left devastated and more alone than he ever was before.

Musing on what life would've been like if the circumstances hadn't been what they turned out like, Punpun resolves to commit one final act of bravery that inevitably gets interrupted by Sachi - the woman he abandoned for Aiko. As punishment for his transgressions, Punpun now faces a fate much worse than death but one much more fulfilling: the chance of a new life - one where his sins are forgiven, but not forgotten. A peaceful life where he's of help and use to the people around him, but a it's a life where he won't ever fade away from the memories of his peers despite his wishes to the contrary. Sachi won't ever let him be a coward, but that doesn't mean she'll let him be brave either. The manga ends where it began: with another transfer student introducing herself to the class and another boy taken in by this newcomer. The cycle continues, but maybe this time, the outcome will be different.

There genuinely is so much more that I could talk about as far as the manga is concerned, but I couldn't possibly fit all of the minutiae I wanted to touch upon. To be absolutely clear: there's WAY more this manga has to offer than Punpun and Aiko's fucked up relationship, but that relationship itself is the centrepiece for Punpun's entire character arc. I can't lie when I say that I saw myself a bit too closely in Punpun, especially when it came down to Punpun and Aiko's dynamic. I'm not gonna pretend like my life was a 1:1 copy of Punpun's because that's obviously false, but still - self-loathing because of perceived cowardice, obsessing over past relationships and ultimately becoming disillusioned with the reality of the situations at hand, it's pretty hard to ignore.

This entire manga told from the perspective of a boy, following his life's journey through adolescence and early adulthood was ultimately one of the most harrowing coming-of-age stories ever written. At some points in the manga's run, it felt more like torture porn than anything else but make no mistake, ceaseless angst and pessimsim aren't the only thing this manga has to offer. Even in its most depraved, cynical, and bleakest moments, there are still little glimmers of light that shine through. Uncle Yuichi even says it himself - happiness is ephemeral, so you better enjoy it while it lasts.

When I first read this manga five years ago, it left me shocked and ultimately hopeless. This time around, I still feel the same way but finishing BoJack Horseman before rereading Punpun didn't leave me anywhere near as hopeless as I felt back then. With all of that said, I leave you with BoJack and Diane's final words: life's a bitch and then you die, but sometimes life's a bitch and you keep on living.

Anyway, that's all for now. Feedback's always welcome and with that, I'm out. Peace.

***

Before I go, I wanna give a shoutout to Hiding in Public. Your videos on Goodnight Punpun really did give me the impetus to reread it and actually get my thoughts out on pen and paper. If you haven't watched his videos, I'll link em below. Be warned, for there are spoilers abound:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewfEOUxUd0g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ2M8sQElXM

Also check out Under the Scope's video as well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV32-MlqF0Q

Also, go watch BoJack Horseman if you haven't already! Some standout clips come to mind
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1_EBSlnDlU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36uJtc1CV0k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDdmBKP2uvk

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 have never been raped, and 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

The manga equivalent to Catcher in the Rye, but where Catcher is about teen angst where nothing happens, something eventful actually happens in this manga.

The psychological aspect of never really seeing what PunPun or his relatives actually look like, but rather a metaphoric ever-changing depiction instead was my favourite part.

A slice of life that gets dark and highly philosophical. Should be taught in high schools; it teaches an important lesson that teenagers must find themselves and knowing one's identity takes time and that is okay.

The reason it is not a perfect 10/10 for me is that it is repetitive - especially in the middle - and it takes a while to get invested in the manga. The repetitiveness is probably intentional to denote PunPun's depression. I really enjoyed the characters; they were well established and had three-dimensional personalities.

Overall 6/10. I am in the minority here and I am glad that the community has given it higher praise because it deserves all its acclamations. Personally, not my favourite, but very well done and I would recommend it to anyone in highschool because it will help a lot with mental health because the characters are relatable about sensitive issues.