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A Distant Neighborhood / 遥かな町へ #1
Barrio lejano - Tomo 1
Estoy soñando... ¿o qué?
¿Quién no ha soñado con regresar a la infancia? Es lo que le pasa a este hombre maduro que, a la vuelta de un viaje de negocios, da un rodeo involuntario por su ciudad natal. Al recogerse ante la tumba de su madre, se ve proyectado al pasado, donde vuelve a vivir una etapa de su infancia, sin por ello perder su manera de ser ni su experiencia de adulto. Por primera vez estará en disposición de comprender a sus padres.
Jiro Taniguchi nació el 12 de agosto de 1947 en Tottori. Se inició en el cómic en 1970 con “Un verano marchito”. De 1976 a 1979, publica, con el
guionista Natsuo Sekigawa, “Ciudad sin defensa”, “El viento del oeste es blanco” y “Lindo 3”. Luego se vuelca en los tres volúmenes que comprende “La época de Botchan”. A partir de 1991, firma sus álbumes en solitario, entre los que figuran “El Caminante”, “El perro blanco” y la trilogía “El almanaque de mi padre”. Jiro Taniguchi ha sido distinguido con varios galardones en su país. Su última obra publicada en Francia, “Barrio Lejano”, ha obtenido el premio al mejor guión del año en el Festival de Angulema de 2003.
¿Quién no ha soñado con regresar a la infancia? Es lo que le pasa a este hombre maduro que, a la vuelta de un viaje de negocios, da un rodeo involuntario por su ciudad natal. Al recogerse ante la tumba de su madre, se ve proyectado al pasado, donde vuelve a vivir una etapa de su infancia, sin por ello perder su manera de ser ni su experiencia de adulto. Por primera vez estará en disposición de comprender a sus padres.
Jiro Taniguchi nació el 12 de agosto de 1947 en Tottori. Se inició en el cómic en 1970 con “Un verano marchito”. De 1976 a 1979, publica, con el
guionista Natsuo Sekigawa, “Ciudad sin defensa”, “El viento del oeste es blanco” y “Lindo 3”. Luego se vuelca en los tres volúmenes que comprende “La época de Botchan”. A partir de 1991, firma sus álbumes en solitario, entre los que figuran “El Caminante”, “El perro blanco” y la trilogía “El almanaque de mi padre”. Jiro Taniguchi ha sido distinguido con varios galardones en su país. Su última obra publicada en Francia, “Barrio Lejano”, ha obtenido el premio al mejor guión del año en el Festival de Angulema de 2003.
200 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
16 people are currently reading
1353 people want to read
About the author
Jirō Taniguchi
205 books614 followersName (in native language): 谷口 ジロー
Zodiac: Leo
He began to work as assistant of the late mangaka Kyota Ishikawa.
He made his manga debut in 1970 with Kareta Heya (A Desiccated Summer), published in the magazine Young Comic.
From 1976 to 1979, he created several hard-boiled comics with the scenarist Natsuo Sekigawa, such as City Without Defense, The Wind of the West is White and Lindo 3.
From 1984 to 1991, Tanigushi and Natsuo Sekigawa produced the trilogy Bocchan No Jidai.
In the 1990s, he came up with several albums, among which Aruku Hito (歩くひと), Chichi no koyomi (The Almanac of My Father), and Keyaki no ki.
In 2001, he created the Icare (Icaro) series on texts by Mœbius.
Jirô Taniguchi gained several prizes for his work. Among others, the Osamu Tezuka Culture Award (1998) for the trilogy Bocchan No Jidai, the Shogakukan prize with Inu wo Kau, and in 2003, the Alph'Art of the best scenario at the Angoulême International Comics Festival (France) for Harukana Machi-E.
His work has been translated in many languages.
Far from the violent storylines often associated with the manga, Taniguchi has developed a very personal style, more adult. Along with other writers, like Tsukasa Hōjō, his comics focus more on the Japanese society and culture, with a subtle analysis of its customs and habits.
Zodiac: Leo
He began to work as assistant of the late mangaka Kyota Ishikawa.
He made his manga debut in 1970 with Kareta Heya (A Desiccated Summer), published in the magazine Young Comic.
From 1976 to 1979, he created several hard-boiled comics with the scenarist Natsuo Sekigawa, such as City Without Defense, The Wind of the West is White and Lindo 3.
From 1984 to 1991, Tanigushi and Natsuo Sekigawa produced the trilogy Bocchan No Jidai.
In the 1990s, he came up with several albums, among which Aruku Hito (歩くひと), Chichi no koyomi (The Almanac of My Father), and Keyaki no ki.
In 2001, he created the Icare (Icaro) series on texts by Mœbius.
Jirô Taniguchi gained several prizes for his work. Among others, the Osamu Tezuka Culture Award (1998) for the trilogy Bocchan No Jidai, the Shogakukan prize with Inu wo Kau, and in 2003, the Alph'Art of the best scenario at the Angoulême International Comics Festival (France) for Harukana Machi-E.
His work has been translated in many languages.
Far from the violent storylines often associated with the manga, Taniguchi has developed a very personal style, more adult. Along with other writers, like Tsukasa Hōjō, his comics focus more on the Japanese society and culture, with a subtle analysis of its customs and habits.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
April 29, 2015
It seems to me graphic novels became quite popular in the last few months. Or maybe they always were, maybe it's just me who noticed it only recently.
However, taking that as my encouragement I went to my local library with an aim to find myself some graphic novel to read.
Of all those that were there (and for your information there were not much of them) this one looked interesting to me.
Here, in Croatia, we have a bind up of all 2 volumes in one book so you get complete novel in one edition. I realy appreciate that.
I was never a comic lover so I didn't have high expectations for a graphic novel eather.
This book took me by surprise. I discovered one new format that could deliver a good story.
I was always sceptical when it comes to graphic novels because the power of words is what I love about books.
What I found is that graphic novel not only contains some really good art when it comes to pictures, but it has the power of words in itself as well.
I really, really enjoyed this story. I think it has a great message, some really good sentences and it also has some funny parts too.
I would recommend this story to all generations although I think it would be more suitable for older audience. Not becouse of explicit content because there is not one, but because I think people in their thirties and fourties could connect with the main character and the story in a higher level then those who are in their teens and twenties.
But no metter what age you are in, if you have a chance, give this book a try. Trust me, it is good!
Now, when I gave this book format a try, I can't wait to read more graphic novels. I think of all those popular ones and plan which one I'll read sooner. The only bummer is I think there are not one of them translated in Croatian, which means I'll have to buy all those I want to read... :(
However, taking that as my encouragement I went to my local library with an aim to find myself some graphic novel to read.
Of all those that were there (and for your information there were not much of them) this one looked interesting to me.
Here, in Croatia, we have a bind up of all 2 volumes in one book so you get complete novel in one edition. I realy appreciate that.
I was never a comic lover so I didn't have high expectations for a graphic novel eather.
This book took me by surprise. I discovered one new format that could deliver a good story.
I was always sceptical when it comes to graphic novels because the power of words is what I love about books.
What I found is that graphic novel not only contains some really good art when it comes to pictures, but it has the power of words in itself as well.
I really, really enjoyed this story. I think it has a great message, some really good sentences and it also has some funny parts too.
I would recommend this story to all generations although I think it would be more suitable for older audience. Not becouse of explicit content because there is not one, but because I think people in their thirties and fourties could connect with the main character and the story in a higher level then those who are in their teens and twenties.
But no metter what age you are in, if you have a chance, give this book a try. Trust me, it is good!
Now, when I gave this book format a try, I can't wait to read more graphic novels. I think of all those popular ones and plan which one I'll read sooner. The only bummer is I think there are not one of them translated in Croatian, which means I'll have to buy all those I want to read... :(
December 16, 2016
One day in 1998, the Japanese businessman Hiroshi Nakahara gets on the wrong train, and ends up in his hometown, which he hasn't visited in a long time. After a fainting spell, he wakes up in his own past - he is 14 years old again, but with the memories and life experience of a 48 year old. He has travelled 34 years back in time, to 1963.
When he finds his way back to his childhood home, the family is gathered for dinner, waiting for him. His mother and grandmother is still alive, and he gets to see his father again. Hiroshi gets the chance to relive (literally) a chunk of his childhood.
Once the initial shock is over, Hiroshi starts to enjoy life as a 14 year old, even though it has its challenges. To be expected to obey the authority of grownups again takes some getting used to, of course. And how is he supposed to handle his schoolwork, which he, with his now excellent knowledge of math and English, masters much better than he should? It's interesting to see how the grown-up Hiroshi sees things differently now than the first time around, and notice things he didn't see before, like tensions between family members.
Behind all the everyday challenges, we start to glimpse a bigger event in Hiroshi's life - something unresolved, that happened precisely when he was 14. When Hiroshi several times experiences that things are happening a little bit differently this time around - because he's prepared this time, or simply because he is a different person now, he wonders if he might be able to change the outcome of this bigger event in his life too.
The time travel itself is never explained. The supernatural element is simply not the focus, it is besides the point. This is a nostalgic and personal journey, a book about memories, childhood and the past. But instead of Hiroshi thinking back on his childhood, he is placed directly into it.
This book is quietly floating along at a slow pace, full of meaningful everyday descriptions. The characters are quite well fleshed out. The dramatic tension is, except for a few scenes towards the end, kept in the background, as an almost invisible, but always present, undercurrent. I really liked that. It worked really well, and the story, characters and illustrations fitted together very well and gave the book a relaxing atmosphere, at the same time as it was both funny and serious.
When he finds his way back to his childhood home, the family is gathered for dinner, waiting for him. His mother and grandmother is still alive, and he gets to see his father again. Hiroshi gets the chance to relive (literally) a chunk of his childhood.
Once the initial shock is over, Hiroshi starts to enjoy life as a 14 year old, even though it has its challenges. To be expected to obey the authority of grownups again takes some getting used to, of course. And how is he supposed to handle his schoolwork, which he, with his now excellent knowledge of math and English, masters much better than he should? It's interesting to see how the grown-up Hiroshi sees things differently now than the first time around, and notice things he didn't see before, like tensions between family members.
Behind all the everyday challenges, we start to glimpse a bigger event in Hiroshi's life - something unresolved, that happened precisely when he was 14. When Hiroshi several times experiences that things are happening a little bit differently this time around - because he's prepared this time, or simply because he is a different person now, he wonders if he might be able to change the outcome of this bigger event in his life too.
The time travel itself is never explained. The supernatural element is simply not the focus, it is besides the point. This is a nostalgic and personal journey, a book about memories, childhood and the past. But instead of Hiroshi thinking back on his childhood, he is placed directly into it.
This book is quietly floating along at a slow pace, full of meaningful everyday descriptions. The characters are quite well fleshed out. The dramatic tension is, except for a few scenes towards the end, kept in the background, as an almost invisible, but always present, undercurrent. I really liked that. It worked really well, and the story, characters and illustrations fitted together very well and gave the book a relaxing atmosphere, at the same time as it was both funny and serious.
April 25, 2018
Seriously good time-travel-y science fiction graphic novel! Nakahara Hiroshi, in his 40s, wakes up to find himself on the wrong train. Instead of heading home to his wife and daughters, he's on his way to the neighborhood where he grew up, and where his mother is buried. Something happens in the cemetery as he's visiting her grave. When he regains consciousness, he's in the past, in his 14 year old body, but with all of his adult memories intact.
He has no idea how it happened or how to return to his current life. All he can do is try to live in his own past. Then he realizes exactly when he is, and the heartbreaking event that will soon follow. Hiroshi is increasingly frantic as he realizes what's coming for his family. Can he change it? I was unprepared for the emotional wallop of this story. Hiroshi's desperation, the family dynamics, the possibility of being trapped in the past forever... yikes! Seriously good, both the writing and the art.
He has no idea how it happened or how to return to his current life. All he can do is try to live in his own past. Then he realizes exactly when he is, and the heartbreaking event that will soon follow. Hiroshi is increasingly frantic as he realizes what's coming for his family. Can he change it? I was unprepared for the emotional wallop of this story. Hiroshi's desperation, the family dynamics, the possibility of being trapped in the past forever... yikes! Seriously good, both the writing and the art.
June 1, 2018
This was really, really good, but volume 1 ends abruptly and my library doesn't have volume 2.
Sob.
Sob.
January 17, 2023
I believe that this manga's brevity would draw the most obvious criticism. There was plenty of room for more. There definitely seems to be something missing, which I hope they address in the second volume.
August 27, 2023
Esta pequeña joya que Ponent Món nos presenta en dos tomos debería haberla leído en japonés, como los haikus del Maestro o las novelas de Osamu Dazai. Sólo así sería posible captar tanta delicadeza, tanta emoción, tanta poesía y sentimiento. Y por eso, para mí, Taniguchi es el mejor dibujante japonés de esa corriente de realismo mágico que él llevó a cotas insuperables. Yo, como no sé japonés, lo he leído en español, y ahora tengo muchas ganas de volverlo a leer en catalán (mi lengua materna) para poder captar toda esa emotividad que Taniguchi plasma tan bien en sus creaciones y que aquí alcanza su cénit.
La historia atrapa por sí sola: un hombre vuelve a casa de un viaje de trabajo, se equivoca de tren y por azares del destino viaja a su pueblo de la infancia volviendo a tener catorce años de nuevo, pero obligado a repetir esos días sabiendo lo que va a pasar, con la experiencia de su yo adulto. Y ahí radica el acierto de Taniguchi, en embutir en cerebro de un adulto de unos 50 años en el cuerpo de un adolescente, pero no para reírse de él al estilo de ¡Qué día tan bestia! y similares, si no para rendir cuentas con el pasado, y lo hace con una brillantez insuperable que por momentos me recuerda al intimismo de Bastien Vivès., pero que veo mucho más emparentada con Tezuka o Kazuo Kamimura. Taniguchi no olvida que en realidad ésta es una historia de temática adolescente, una novela de crecimiento y aprendizaje emocional contada desde la madurez de la vida. Dan ganas, des de luego, de leer el segundo tomo enseguida, cosa que he podido hacer porque vi los dos volúmenes en la biblioteca del barrio.
Muy recomendable.
La historia atrapa por sí sola: un hombre vuelve a casa de un viaje de trabajo, se equivoca de tren y por azares del destino viaja a su pueblo de la infancia volviendo a tener catorce años de nuevo, pero obligado a repetir esos días sabiendo lo que va a pasar, con la experiencia de su yo adulto. Y ahí radica el acierto de Taniguchi, en embutir en cerebro de un adulto de unos 50 años en el cuerpo de un adolescente, pero no para reírse de él al estilo de ¡Qué día tan bestia! y similares, si no para rendir cuentas con el pasado, y lo hace con una brillantez insuperable que por momentos me recuerda al intimismo de Bastien Vivès., pero que veo mucho más emparentada con Tezuka o Kazuo Kamimura. Taniguchi no olvida que en realidad ésta es una historia de temática adolescente, una novela de crecimiento y aprendizaje emocional contada desde la madurez de la vida. Dan ganas, des de luego, de leer el segundo tomo enseguida, cosa que he podido hacer porque vi los dos volúmenes en la biblioteca del barrio.
Muy recomendable.
June 15, 2013
Like Peggy Sue Got Married and Back to the Future, as another reviewer pointed out, and others, time travel in order to understand the past as a way of shaping the present and future. Beautifully drawn manga, thoughtful and moving. The art and the basic story concept make this impressive.
November 1, 2018
A poignant voyage from the pen of an award-winning mangaka, Taniguchi Jiro.
A Distant Neighborhood soundly echoing our past, heartbreaks and the things we wish we could have done differently if given a second chance.
The characters are realistic, sympathetic, and well developed.
Bravo!
A Distant Neighborhood soundly echoing our past, heartbreaks and the things we wish we could have done differently if given a second chance.
The characters are realistic, sympathetic, and well developed.
Bravo!
September 16, 2021
Interesting reveal about the father. Now, I wonder if his disappearance is indeed time-travel related or not...
August 13, 2022
a well-crafted story, with interesting characters and things to ponder over.
May 11, 2023
Notes à moi-même : vraiment super chouette, fait réfléchir, très prenant !
March 27, 2024
Un banger
September 15, 2015
I am in love with this book!
Its an ongoing story by Jiro Taniguchi, a well-respected manga creator with a long career behind him. Personally the only other book by the author that I have read was The Walking Man, which I enjoyed for its sense of quiet contemplation and fantastically detailed artwork, but this is a leap beyond that.
The story is about a man in his late 40s who gets on the wrong train after a night out drinking with work collegues - instead of going home to his wife and family he finds himself on the road to the town where he grew up. He decides to spend the wait for the next train by going to visit his mother's grave - while knelt in contemplation at the grave, a strange wind blows and lots of time seems to pass...and when he gets up he finds that the town has changed - he has travelled back to the past and is 14 years old again.
Personally, I'm a sucker for time travel as a storytelling mechanic, and I have also wondered what it might be like to experience my teenage years again, but with all the experiences and knowledge I have now (I tend to conclude that'd it's still be awlful compared to my life now), so this comic's premise was very much up my alley. Luckily, the writing and pacing are spot-on: the time travel is not just a gimmick, this is a fantastic exploration of a character in his mid-40s trying to come to terms with being 14 again. As he is a different person to his 14 year old self, events start to turn out differently, so he begins to wonder how this will effect the rest of his life, his wife and family. And there is the mystery of his father, who disappeared without a trace when the main character was 14...
The artwork surpasses The Walking Man by making fantastic use of tone to compliment Taniguchi's technical and detailed linework.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who needs their time travel stories to involve a ton of action, scorching romance and high technology. This is more of a relatively quiet character study, mixed with some very compelling mystery elements. For what it is though, its spot on.
Its an ongoing story by Jiro Taniguchi, a well-respected manga creator with a long career behind him. Personally the only other book by the author that I have read was The Walking Man, which I enjoyed for its sense of quiet contemplation and fantastically detailed artwork, but this is a leap beyond that.
The story is about a man in his late 40s who gets on the wrong train after a night out drinking with work collegues - instead of going home to his wife and family he finds himself on the road to the town where he grew up. He decides to spend the wait for the next train by going to visit his mother's grave - while knelt in contemplation at the grave, a strange wind blows and lots of time seems to pass...and when he gets up he finds that the town has changed - he has travelled back to the past and is 14 years old again.
Personally, I'm a sucker for time travel as a storytelling mechanic, and I have also wondered what it might be like to experience my teenage years again, but with all the experiences and knowledge I have now (I tend to conclude that'd it's still be awlful compared to my life now), so this comic's premise was very much up my alley. Luckily, the writing and pacing are spot-on: the time travel is not just a gimmick, this is a fantastic exploration of a character in his mid-40s trying to come to terms with being 14 again. As he is a different person to his 14 year old self, events start to turn out differently, so he begins to wonder how this will effect the rest of his life, his wife and family. And there is the mystery of his father, who disappeared without a trace when the main character was 14...
The artwork surpasses The Walking Man by making fantastic use of tone to compliment Taniguchi's technical and detailed linework.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who needs their time travel stories to involve a ton of action, scorching romance and high technology. This is more of a relatively quiet character study, mixed with some very compelling mystery elements. For what it is though, its spot on.
Read
April 25, 2012I loved this so much I read it 2 more times after I finished it. The story's been done before: time travel offering a way for a man to relive his youth. But there's something so agonizing in Taniguchi's approach. The lush backgrounds seem to overwhelm the characters, like they are ultimately overwhelmed (for better or worse) by the circumstances of their lives. (My favorite particularly heartbreaking part of the book is when the now-14-year-old protagonist watches his elementary-school-aged sister sleep, remarking that eventually she will get married at age 20, and "achieves her happiness" as a 45-year-old housewife with three children.) Later in the book the main character lies on a bench, remarking that "deep in [everyone's] heart, their child-self remains." Very Hermann Hesse, true, but still.
Unfortunately since NYPL doesn't have the second volume, I'll have to order it...owch. (Nice production values--but not D&Q excessive!--with this small and obscure publisher, too. I like French flaps!)
Unfortunately since NYPL doesn't have the second volume, I'll have to order it...owch. (Nice production values--but not D&Q excessive!--with this small and obscure publisher, too. I like French flaps!)
February 11, 2022
3.5
Ese fue un libro curioso. Me gusta la idea de combinar ciencia ficción con slice of life, lo extraordinario y lo ordinario. El viaje en el tiempo se convierte en un modo único de explorar la adolescencia del personaje principal y la forma en que lidia con el luto y la desaparición de su padre. Además, el arte es muy bonito y el ambiente me hace sentir como un niño. Sin embargo, yo creo que los sentimientos del personaje principal podrían explorarse mejor, y el final fue demasiado abrupto.
Ese fue un libro curioso. Me gusta la idea de combinar ciencia ficción con slice of life, lo extraordinario y lo ordinario. El viaje en el tiempo se convierte en un modo único de explorar la adolescencia del personaje principal y la forma en que lidia con el luto y la desaparición de su padre. Además, el arte es muy bonito y el ambiente me hace sentir como un niño. Sin embargo, yo creo que los sentimientos del personaje principal podrían explorarse mejor, y el final fue demasiado abrupto.
July 30, 2019
A great concept (of reliving one's childhood) and great execution in the storytelling. Good characters and story development. Nostalgic and self inducing to imagine how I might perhaps live my life again as a teenager with my adult insights. I was really impressed with the ending and the cleverness of it.
January 9, 2022
C'est la première fois que je lis Jirō Taniguchi... et pas la dernière! J'ai été tout de suite transporté⋅e au côté du personnage principal, de ses réflexions et angoisses. Quel voyage nous faisons avec Hiroshi lors de ces deux tomes, que j'ai dévoré en une soirée.
Taniguchi philosophe au courant de ces pages sur l'impact de revivre le passé en connaissant le futur, et la fin de cette aventure m'a transformé⋅e.
J'en ressors avec une volonté ferme de vivre l'instant présent encore plus pleinement qu'avant.
Taniguchi philosophe au courant de ces pages sur l'impact de revivre le passé en connaissant le futur, et la fin de cette aventure m'a transformé⋅e.
J'en ressors avec une volonté ferme de vivre l'instant présent encore plus pleinement qu'avant.
July 16, 2023
Imagina volver por azar a tu pueblo de infancia, visitar a tu madre en su tumba y de pronto tener 14 años nuevamente, enfrentarse a que sabes lo que sucederá, dicen que parte de crecer es darse cuenta que hay seres queridos que nos van dejando, que no vemos o que ya se fueron de este mundo. A ratos es un niño por fuera que piensa como adulto, en otros la edad guía sus decisiones, muy cercano como suele ser Jiro
February 11, 2018
"¿Te has fijado? En Lawrence de Arabia no sale ni una sola mujer"
Preciosa obra costumbrista de Taniguchi con viaje en el tiempo incluido. Realismo mágico japonés directo al corazón. Estoy deseando hincar el diente al segundo.
Preciosa obra costumbrista de Taniguchi con viaje en el tiempo incluido. Realismo mágico japonés directo al corazón. Estoy deseando hincar el diente al segundo.
December 15, 2020
So since college is still sucking the life out of me with assignments and exams to do, I managed to finish this gem! Honestly, this is a pretty decent read man, this is the type of proper Old skool Isekai people should definitely try to check out!
March 2, 2021
A really sweet story of travelling back to your younger days and having another chance to try again. Definitely made me feel nostalgic to my youth.
March 12, 2022
Ok c’est grave bien foutu ?
J’aime trop le fait qu’il se dépasse et veux grave faire de son passé quelque chose de mieux
Hâte de lire la suite
J’aime trop le fait qu’il se dépasse et veux grave faire de son passé quelque chose de mieux
Hâte de lire la suite
December 7, 2024
Pourquoi cette édition a imprimé ce manga dans le sens européen de la lecture ? Changer le sens de lecture alors que c'est un manga dénature un peu le travail de l'auteur.
March 13, 2022
"Is the life that you are having the life that you want to live? If no, then what is? And how to make your life a life that you want to live" These are some questions that came accross my mind after reading this manga.
I do not want to spoil, but basically, it is about a middle-aged man (41 if I remember correctly) who returned to his past in his hometown when he was thirteen. There, he discovered the reason why his father left his home at that same year.
The manga is about the pressure put on shoulders of modern men, and also about the inner desire of man to live a life that he truly desire. Hishiro, in his 40s, had a small family with his wife and two young daughters. However, it seems that his life was very stressful as he had to work and go on business trip a lot. His daughters, who he did not spend a lot of time with, did not listen and respect him quite well and only shared their thoughts with their mother. And Hishiro, who seems to not know how to make connections with them was a little bit strict and serious (also from work) that they became more and more distant. And with a life like that, he suddenly came back to his hometown by mistake and went back to the past by some supernatural incidents.
Hishiro's father, when Hishiro was 13, was a respectable father and hardworker. He was the breadwinner, but he did not make any advantages of that on his wife, children, and mother-in-law. He was a little strict, but he was also loving and caring. His wife was beautiful, his tailor business was quite a success, and he had two adorable children at his age. Seriously, who would not want a happy life like that? But, surprsingly, he left them at the end of the summer that year, an unexplainable tragedy to the young Hishiro.
Again, the manga is about the pressure on men, typically middle-aged ones in the modern world who had the roles of a husband, a father, and a worker. Their work is not so enjoyable, and they are losing respect within their family as they do not know how to form bonds. And the inability to keep the balance of work and life exacerbates the problem even more. Who could be calm and loving enough to their "inappropriate" children after such a long period of work? As a result, a vicious cycle is formed, while all the people involved find it harder to start everything again.
Spoiler ahead: Hishiro, returning to his teenage year, knew in advance that his father would leave. He came to the place to stop his father and listened to his story. But surprsingly, while holding his father, his hands got loose and let his father go. This happens because, Hishiro understood that the happy life that his father was having was not of his true desire. He wanted to go to another place, to pursure something that he did not even clearly know. But it was what he want, to go to the unknown, and start a life that he had always wanted to. And that came one of my favourite line in which Hishiro realized that his 14-year-old would have never let his father go, only his 40-year-old would.
After understanding the truth, he returned to his family. Then, he became more emphathetic to his family. He listened to them more and was more relaxed. Maybe he finally found his happiness which lied in his family, and his answer was a different one to his father. Honestly, he chose a different path from his father maybe because the happiness from his family was what he really wanted. He just had neglected it and his responsibility for too long. And maybe a little part of him did not want his children to exprience what he had (this is a speculation of mine). But anyway, the ending was really good, and everyone can feel the happiness from the family.
The artist used a technique that was not so special: time travelling. But the context of a normal family in a slice of life and the questions of happiness and of the "truth" make it very relaxing and natural. The author also left a lot of space for self-thought of the characters, and the atmosphere of the past was simply cute and nostalgic. The comparison between Hishiro and his father made the author's ideas more clear. It was just like reading a slice-of-life novel in graphics rather than some entertaining and fighting/adventurous manga.
In short, the manga was an excellent read for someone wanting to read a seinen, slice-of-life manga with a context of happiness and family. The manga makes me admire Japanese manga artist even more, as there are always successful authors whatever genre is considered. And manga is really broad, not only to entertain young people with shounen content.
I do not want to spoil, but basically, it is about a middle-aged man (41 if I remember correctly) who returned to his past in his hometown when he was thirteen. There, he discovered the reason why his father left his home at that same year.
The manga is about the pressure put on shoulders of modern men, and also about the inner desire of man to live a life that he truly desire. Hishiro, in his 40s, had a small family with his wife and two young daughters. However, it seems that his life was very stressful as he had to work and go on business trip a lot. His daughters, who he did not spend a lot of time with, did not listen and respect him quite well and only shared their thoughts with their mother. And Hishiro, who seems to not know how to make connections with them was a little bit strict and serious (also from work) that they became more and more distant. And with a life like that, he suddenly came back to his hometown by mistake and went back to the past by some supernatural incidents.
Hishiro's father, when Hishiro was 13, was a respectable father and hardworker. He was the breadwinner, but he did not make any advantages of that on his wife, children, and mother-in-law. He was a little strict, but he was also loving and caring. His wife was beautiful, his tailor business was quite a success, and he had two adorable children at his age. Seriously, who would not want a happy life like that? But, surprsingly, he left them at the end of the summer that year, an unexplainable tragedy to the young Hishiro.
Again, the manga is about the pressure on men, typically middle-aged ones in the modern world who had the roles of a husband, a father, and a worker. Their work is not so enjoyable, and they are losing respect within their family as they do not know how to form bonds. And the inability to keep the balance of work and life exacerbates the problem even more. Who could be calm and loving enough to their "inappropriate" children after such a long period of work? As a result, a vicious cycle is formed, while all the people involved find it harder to start everything again.
Spoiler ahead: Hishiro, returning to his teenage year, knew in advance that his father would leave. He came to the place to stop his father and listened to his story. But surprsingly, while holding his father, his hands got loose and let his father go. This happens because, Hishiro understood that the happy life that his father was having was not of his true desire. He wanted to go to another place, to pursure something that he did not even clearly know. But it was what he want, to go to the unknown, and start a life that he had always wanted to. And that came one of my favourite line in which Hishiro realized that his 14-year-old would have never let his father go, only his 40-year-old would.
After understanding the truth, he returned to his family. Then, he became more emphathetic to his family. He listened to them more and was more relaxed. Maybe he finally found his happiness which lied in his family, and his answer was a different one to his father. Honestly, he chose a different path from his father maybe because the happiness from his family was what he really wanted. He just had neglected it and his responsibility for too long. And maybe a little part of him did not want his children to exprience what he had (this is a speculation of mine). But anyway, the ending was really good, and everyone can feel the happiness from the family.
The artist used a technique that was not so special: time travelling. But the context of a normal family in a slice of life and the questions of happiness and of the "truth" make it very relaxing and natural. The author also left a lot of space for self-thought of the characters, and the atmosphere of the past was simply cute and nostalgic. The comparison between Hishiro and his father made the author's ideas more clear. It was just like reading a slice-of-life novel in graphics rather than some entertaining and fighting/adventurous manga.
In short, the manga was an excellent read for someone wanting to read a seinen, slice-of-life manga with a context of happiness and family. The manga makes me admire Japanese manga artist even more, as there are always successful authors whatever genre is considered. And manga is really broad, not only to entertain young people with shounen content.
April 15, 2013
(Pursuing my goal of reading a bit of every type of manga.) A Distant Neighborhood (Haruka na Machi e) is a manga about the tragedies that hit Japanese families in the aftermath of the war---here, the tragedy of loss due to war, of destiny interrupted by obligations to the family, and of scarcity that prevents any other course of life than work. The character remembers after-war life through an innovative construct, which involves time traveling. (Type of manga: slice-of-life, family life, coming of age, time travel.) Overall, great artwork, an interesting story, and reasonably well-constructed characters.
Artwork: the artwork is reminiscent of The Walking Man by the same author, but is much more mature. Among others, the perspective glitches from The Walking Man have been mostly corrected, there is clever use of shadow, and much more detail per panel.
Characters: The main character is a middle-ages salary man, who finds himself suddenly transported into the body of himself at the age of adolescence. The character background matches well the story, with the adult character following in the footsteps of a drunkard father and a stroke-prone mother. The mother is more of a puppet-character, but the father is well constructed as a drunkard by situation, strong-character by nature. The other characters are not much developed, but we find in the cast the intelligent friend, the summertime love, the witty waitress, the friendly neighbors, the oppressive teachers.
Plot: One day, the main character, who is a middle-aged salary man, travels back in time to the period when he was an adolescent, just before the decisive departure from home of his father. After the initial surprise, the kid---who is left with his adult memories and knowledge intact---is caught in a chase against the clock to prevent his father's departure and, simultaneously, in the daily school chores and the circle of friends of a kid aged 14. The slice of life is well depicted and realistic. I liked the tension regarding the father and the contrasting school life (with so much knowledge, the main character becomes a school super-star).
The family life ... not so much plot quality. What I did not like about this part of the plot was the explanation for the departure of the fatherly figure---restarting his life seems at odds with his attitude of over 15 years. The mother acts more than artificially to this twist of fate, more as if she is relieved. Furthermore, I disliked the loose ends---the character who is supposed to die---, the lack of strength of the other characters, the disappointing love story.
Artwork: the artwork is reminiscent of The Walking Man by the same author, but is much more mature. Among others, the perspective glitches from The Walking Man have been mostly corrected, there is clever use of shadow, and much more detail per panel.
Characters: The main character is a middle-ages salary man, who finds himself suddenly transported into the body of himself at the age of adolescence. The character background matches well the story, with the adult character following in the footsteps of a drunkard father and a stroke-prone mother. The mother is more of a puppet-character, but the father is well constructed as a drunkard by situation, strong-character by nature. The other characters are not much developed, but we find in the cast the intelligent friend, the summertime love, the witty waitress, the friendly neighbors, the oppressive teachers.
Plot: One day, the main character, who is a middle-aged salary man, travels back in time to the period when he was an adolescent, just before the decisive departure from home of his father. After the initial surprise, the kid---who is left with his adult memories and knowledge intact---is caught in a chase against the clock to prevent his father's departure and, simultaneously, in the daily school chores and the circle of friends of a kid aged 14. The slice of life is well depicted and realistic. I liked the tension regarding the father and the contrasting school life (with so much knowledge, the main character becomes a school super-star).
The family life ... not so much plot quality. What I did not like about this part of the plot was the explanation for the departure of the fatherly figure---restarting his life seems at odds with his attitude of over 15 years. The mother acts more than artificially to this twist of fate, more as if she is relieved. Furthermore, I disliked the loose ends---the character who is supposed to die---, the lack of strength of the other characters, the disappointing love story.
May 29, 2025
Très belle histoire, émouvante, touchante. Belle écriture et beaux dessins également
January 11, 2010
I saw a review of this book in the Comics Journal. I didn't remember any of the review, but when I saw this in the library and opened it up, I remembered one part. The illustrations by Jiro Taniguchi have very lush and detailed backgrounds.
As I read through the book, I was amazed by the backgrounds and how full and realistic they were. The illustrations of characters were also very wonderful.
The story premise is a well worn one, a 48 year old man is suddenly catapulted back in time to when he was 14 years old. No explanation, it just happens after he took a strange journey and ended up visiting his mother's grave. What is refreshing about this "if I could do it again" story is that the character doesn't remember much of his past when he was fourteen. As he begins to remember, he remembers a lot of the negative things that happened and the angst he felt at the time.
He doesn't exploit his situation, but you can see a shift in his past as he cannot help but do things differently with the wisdom of a 48 year old man. The one thing he tries to prevent is the disappearance of his father, which occurred when he was 14 years old.
So, far the story is an interesting one, with fabulous drawings. I hope the library has volume 2.
As I read through the book, I was amazed by the backgrounds and how full and realistic they were. The illustrations of characters were also very wonderful.
The story premise is a well worn one, a 48 year old man is suddenly catapulted back in time to when he was 14 years old. No explanation, it just happens after he took a strange journey and ended up visiting his mother's grave. What is refreshing about this "if I could do it again" story is that the character doesn't remember much of his past when he was fourteen. As he begins to remember, he remembers a lot of the negative things that happened and the angst he felt at the time.
He doesn't exploit his situation, but you can see a shift in his past as he cannot help but do things differently with the wisdom of a 48 year old man. The one thing he tries to prevent is the disappearance of his father, which occurred when he was 14 years old.
So, far the story is an interesting one, with fabulous drawings. I hope the library has volume 2.
March 1, 2013
[This review for both volumes]
A gripping and haunting tale about a middle-aged man coming to terms with his childhood and with his relationship to his family (past and present).
The mechanism of the story is rather classical and will remind one of Back to the Future or Coppola's film Peggy Sue Got Married (there may even be a reference to the latter in the book dedication in the end), but Jiro gives a fresh take on the genre by focusing on the possibility of personal change.
The character's hope that he might be able to change the course of past family history is both addictive (the empathy is almost immediate) and exhilarating: Jiro's skills are at their finest when showing how a teenager, now gifted with a life's experience, copes with school, family, friends and girls.
The storytelling is rather fast-paced (I do not know anybody who was able to put the book down after getting into the story) yet filled with nostalgia and to some extent poetry, and beautifully illustrated -- though I disliked the mechanical inking using patterns to create darker or lighter zones.
A gripping and haunting tale about a middle-aged man coming to terms with his childhood and with his relationship to his family (past and present).
The mechanism of the story is rather classical and will remind one of Back to the Future or Coppola's film Peggy Sue Got Married (there may even be a reference to the latter in the book dedication in the end), but Jiro gives a fresh take on the genre by focusing on the possibility of personal change.
The character's hope that he might be able to change the course of past family history is both addictive (the empathy is almost immediate) and exhilarating: Jiro's skills are at their finest when showing how a teenager, now gifted with a life's experience, copes with school, family, friends and girls.
The storytelling is rather fast-paced (I do not know anybody who was able to put the book down after getting into the story) yet filled with nostalgia and to some extent poetry, and beautifully illustrated -- though I disliked the mechanical inking using patterns to create darker or lighter zones.
February 18, 2013
Really enjoyed this, but it's only volume 1 of 2, and so it feels premature to judge it. I liked the more narrative drive to this story, over Taniguchi's other work like The Walking Man (which was great - perhaps better in many ways - but you have to be in the mood for that, whereas this is easier to get into).
The story is about a 48-year old career man who finds himself back at school as a 14-year old. He revels in his new-found youth, in a way that frankly disturbs his classmates. Of course, there are some of the clashes from a changed generational perspective. But the main plot starts to develop as he starts to realise that he is potentially changing history. It's nicely done. Kinda slow-paced, but well-judged in my opinion.
I really like most of the art, although I'm not a fan of Taniguchi's facial expressions. Ah well.
I just wanted to keep on reading straight into volume 2.
The story is about a 48-year old career man who finds himself back at school as a 14-year old. He revels in his new-found youth, in a way that frankly disturbs his classmates. Of course, there are some of the clashes from a changed generational perspective. But the main plot starts to develop as he starts to realise that he is potentially changing history. It's nicely done. Kinda slow-paced, but well-judged in my opinion.
I really like most of the art, although I'm not a fan of Taniguchi's facial expressions. Ah well.
I just wanted to keep on reading straight into volume 2.
November 6, 2015
This is a review for both volumes.
A beautiful, moving seinen. A 40 and something year old man travels in time and relives his days as a young boy. I was moved by the first time he sees his mother again -who is dead in the present day-, I wanted to relive my student years too when Hiroshi gets all answers correctly; it was sad that he knew what was going to happen to all his friends (some die, some have successful lives). I wasn't too convinced with the art at the beginning, but then I appreciated it more. Hiroshi as a younger boy has such a melancholic face, he is so mature. The mangaka made a great job there.
What could you do if you can go back in time? Enjoy it or change the story to make it better? I liked this manga very much; it has 2 volumes only, so it does not drag on at all.
Beautiful song I was listening to, which is also as melancholic: Rondo Veneziano - Magico Incontro
A beautiful, moving seinen. A 40 and something year old man travels in time and relives his days as a young boy. I was moved by the first time he sees his mother again -who is dead in the present day-, I wanted to relive my student years too when Hiroshi gets all answers correctly; it was sad that he knew what was going to happen to all his friends (some die, some have successful lives). I wasn't too convinced with the art at the beginning, but then I appreciated it more. Hiroshi as a younger boy has such a melancholic face, he is so mature. The mangaka made a great job there.
What could you do if you can go back in time? Enjoy it or change the story to make it better? I liked this manga very much; it has 2 volumes only, so it does not drag on at all.
Beautiful song I was listening to, which is also as melancholic: Rondo Veneziano - Magico Incontro
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