Sleeping on the Paper Ship, Vol. 2

紙の舟で眠る [Kami no Fune de Nemuru] #2

by Teki Yatsuda, Alice Settembrini (Translator)

Il rapporto di stima fra Kei e Yoichi si trasforma, giorno dopo giorno, in qualcosa di sempre più potente... e fatale. Un ultimo volume dove passione, oscurità e mistero si rincorrono fino a lasciarvi senza respiro!

Genres: Manga, Yaoi, LGBT, Queer, Historical Fiction, Comics, Boys Love

224 pages, Paperback

First published December 27, 2023

About the author

Teki Yatsuda (八田てき) is a Japanese manga artist.

Reviews

[Alessia · Rating 5 out of 5]

“In this rubbish heap of gaudy falsehoods and the chaos of our times… where people’s pleasures and desires jumble together… Somehow, at that moment, it seemed to me as though that same shinigami had once again appeared before me.”

“All at once, the words that have been trapped inside me, swirling around with no place to go… rise up from the embers of death to become once more the breath of life.”

“I want to be preserved by your lens.”

“…It hasn’t changed a bit. Except that… the choking warmth of those days we passed together is gone from here. All those moments we lived will be cast away by a new age. It’s as though the days I spent in this inn… have become a coffin to bear me on my final journey.”

“Within that dream you created for me, I could finally draw breath. Yet despite that, I tried to make you kill me. I made you wish to die with me. When we agreed to follow the same dream that night, that’s not the dream it was supposed to be…”

“You see, the camera’s shutter is like a heartbeat, carving intervals of living stillness into the ceaseless blood-red flow of time.”

“I wonder, where do words go once they’ve served their purpose…? Surely they drop anchor in someone’s heart… expressing affection, or wounding to kill… Reaffirming, forgiving.
The words that have disappeared flow away and converge someplace, like an eddying canal — They twine around my swirling fingers, and when I pull them towards me, these words, about to be forgotten in the muddy waters, speak to me from my hand as they die…”

——————

One of the most beautifully written manga (series) I’ve ever read… Yatsuda Teki is not joking around when it comes to telling the most poetic and tragic story of two depressed homosexuals 😭
I can’t explain it but there’s just something about the way he writes his characters that it comes across as real people on paper. The actions & the expressions of the characters suit the story so well and the story line flows so easily that it’s digestible (even though the manga deals with difficult topics)
He has this skill of bringing deeply rooted and suppressed feelings into words and for that he quickly became one of my favourite mangakas…

A Home Far Away was one of my favourite mangas of 2024 and I think it’s safe to say that Sleeping On Paper Boats will be one of my top mangas of this year..

[sunflowervol6 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank fucking god it had a a happy ending 💀

[respiroletterario · Rating 3 out of 5]

Questo secondo volume di "Sleeping on the Paper Ship" mi è piaciuto più del primo, anche se ho continuato a trovare la lettura un po' difficile. L'atmosfera resta cupa e malinconica, ma è anche una delle cose che rendono il manga interessante. I disegni sono belli, delicati e trasmettono bene le emozioni anche senza tante parole. È un manga particolare, che va letto con calma.

Ci sono stati due elementi che mi hanno colpita. Il colpo di scena, inaspettato e ben inserito, che dà una scossa alla narrazione e cambia il modo in cui si guarda tutto il resto. E il finale semplice ma toccante. Anche se ho apprezzato queste cose, non sono riuscita a sentirmi del tutto coinvolta durante la lettura.

La copertina, anche questa volta, è bellissima.

Il mio voto è il seguente: 3 stelline su 5.

[Capuchas · Rating 5 out of 5]

No me creo que esto haya acabado bien y el plot de que el director mandaba matar a los tios de los que cogía inspiración el prota que cojones es

[Giyongchy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"นิทราบนนาวากระดาษ" ภาคปลาย อ่านแล้วหม่น เศร้า นึกว่าจะจบไม่สวยซะแล้ว
พล๊อตค่อนข้างดีเลยค่ะ อ่านแล้วหม่นจริง ตัวละครมีปมหนักมาก

[Cassiereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

Am I crazy because I kinda wanted a tragic ending? Maybe its just what I expected from this mangaka. Regardless, it wrapped up beautifully and I enjoyed it emmensly! It was such a philosophical read with so much depth. Im pretty sure I'll read anything by this mangaka at this point. Beautiful!

[Sara Emme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oook. Non me l’aspettavo proprio!
Colpi di scena su colpi di scena!
E un finale felice 😭❤️
Bellissimo

[katarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

i will never get over how gorgeous the art is

[Delaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

not the doomed ending I wanted, but the happy ending I needed.

[Heather’s Reading Bubble · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry but actually no I’m not sorry. I know this is a very loved BL but I thought this was a chore to get through. It was boring, which to me is the worst thing a book can be, and also some parts made no sense. Maybe I’m just stupid and don’t get this story and what the mangakas vision is but It was awful for me and I will be either donating or selling it.

[OmniscientReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was a roller coaster of emotions, but it was so beautiful and beautifully written that I enjoyed every moment spent reading it, even when it was sad or depressing. It gave me inspiration, made me feel the need to pursue my passion for creating art—because what if someone, one day, falls in love with my art the way they fell in love with each other’s? The story was beautiful, and I especially loved the short scene/flashback of the main couple dancing together to the music of that man’s repeated song on the piano.

10/10, would definitely read again.

I wish this could get an anime adaptation as a movie.

[Nikoleta Kademidou · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so beautiful, I teared up. I loved the atmosphere, the art style, the plot is intriguing and the characters are captivating. While reading it, it was as if I was getting drifted by a current of waves, the story flow without me noticing. I'm sure it changed me in a way and showed me a new perspective. It has a special place in my heart now. I would totally recommend reading it!

[Stefania · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5/5

(continuo quello che avevo iniziato a scrivere sullo scorso volume)
il problema del quale l'autrice si è ficcata è principalmente la parte spirituale dell'opera: essendo ambientata nel nostro mondo e non in un setting fantasy, c'era il problema della risoluzione della "Possessione della morte". Da come viene descritta nel primo volume sembra davvero che ci sia una sorta di possessione, succedono cose che escono dalla mente e dalla percezione singola del protagonista e quindi hanno conseguenze sugli altri personaggi, eppure ad un certo punto sembra che tutti i problemi siano stati causati da una terza persona che voleva solo sfruttare il talento del protagonista.
Nulla di male in questa scelta, ma con come era stata strutturata la possessione... mi ha fatto storcere il naso.

Il resto invece procede liscio come l'olio: il fatto che "il demone" sia una manifestazione di ricordi soppressi e l'intera storyline del padre mi è piaciuta tantissimo.
Non vedo l'ora di leggere altro di suo.

[Adele Lostinaclassicworld · Rating 4 out of 5]

siamo nel 1949 in Giappone. Qui Kei, un famoso sceneggiatore, crede che sia colpa sua se le persone da cui ha preso ispirazione per le sue opere muoiono, così ha smesso di scrivere. Una sera incontra Yoichi, un aspirante fotografo, e la voglia di scrivere torna prepotentemente in lui. I due uomini poi scoprono di essere legati da un evento doloroso che molti anni fa li ha segnati.
La storia tra Kei e Yoichi è un viaggio verso la consapevolezza di sé stessi e del proprio passato.
Questi due volumi sono cupi, sono un lungo percorso verso la luce. A tratti li ho trovati anche leggermente inquietanti, con il sogno che si mescola alla realtà: non si capisce dove finisce l'uno e inizia l'altro. Ma ho apprezzato ogni pagina, perché sono entrata completamente nella storia.
Credo che sia uno dei manga più originali che abbia mai letto, bellissimo!

[MunWolfieSNM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me alegra que todo tuviera una explicación lógica pero... ¿por qué cojones se marcha Yoichi?

O no me explican qué le lleva a literalmente abandonar a Kei cuando ya estaba todo aclarado o yo no lo he entendido, pero mal de ambas formas. Me alegra que se encuentren y que terminen juntos pero qué frustrante no entender por qué se va.

Hay cosas que me han gustado y cosas que no he pillado, o frases tan poéticas que no sabía que me estaban diciendo, así que me he quedado un poco meh al final, no sé si con el tiempo y pensando un poco en ello querré quedármelos o no, veremos.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devo dire che il secondo volume mi è piaciuto molto più del primo. La narrazione si fa più concisa, i vaghi riferimenti del primo volume finalmente trovano corpo. Anche la "maledizione" di Kei si fa più chiara ed ha molto più impatto quando diventa tangibile, rispetto a quando sembrava una sua paura quasi immotivata. Mi è piaciuto molto lo sguardo nel passato di Kei e qui finalmente il disegno di Yatsuda si abbina perfettamente alla carica emotiva della scrittura. Se anche il primo volume fosse stato così, forse sarei arrivata a 5 stelle.

[Florilegium · Rating 5 out of 5]

⚠️spoilers alert

An interesting story following the topos of the damned poet.
In this bl, we have two guys sharing the trauma of an accident which left on them evident signs.
But the main part of the plot is related to one of the two protagonists. One of them, in fact, seems to be followed by a sort of curse– everyone he writes about dies. It's interesting how the author used this theme to talk about the exploitation of artists coming from the entertainment world and about the way you can let a trauma eat up your life.

[Star · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bawled reading this, "lets dream the same dream" like oh my god ive never cried this hard over a book kei finding out the truth and yoichis exhibition and the photo of kei's scar oh my fucking got this made me so so sand and when they met again i was crying so hard and the movie he made of them oh my fucking god i need this series in my room i want to hold the book oh my fucking god this was genuinely the best thing ive ever read im heartbroken and so fucking happy when they saw eachother again, and moving to paris together??? How happy yoichi was like oh my god im still crying.

[˳ ℘ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ⸝⸝ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Angel ◞ · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GOD A HAPPY ENDING?? When I die someone spread my ashes inside this book.

I’m actually sobbing and giggling so hard right now this is one of my favourite mangas ever their absolutely adorable and the art style/atmosphere took my breath away and how the words are portrayed and said and the plot/story was so absolutely well made and and and and no one talk to me I’ll just be thinking about this for the rest of my life

[Ester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obra maestra. No podía ser menos de Teki Yatsuda, quién nos presenta una obra psicológica en el Japón de la postguerra, con dos personajes increíblemente bien construidos y mezclando misterio y salud mental de forma magistral con un romance bellísimo.
Hacía mucho que no leía una obra tan compleja y de esas que se hacen para que se le hagan dos y tres lecturas. Me ha flipado.

[ฟอยอ · Rating 5 out of 5]

ทุกฉาก ทุกหน้าสวยงามตามคำร่ำลือที่เคยเห็นผ่านๆมาก่อน บางหน้าหยุดสายตาไว้นานมาก อ.วาดตัวละครได้ออกมางดงาม รับรู้ถึงความเจ็บปวด ความเหงา ความฝัน และความอยากหลุดพ้นของตัวละคร

บรรยากาศในเรื่องให้ความรู้สึกเหมือนกำลังนั่งดูภาพยนต์ในเวอร์ชั่นมังงะ

ถ้าบอกเป็นรสชาติ ก็คงหวานปนขม แต่ความขมคือรสชาติของชีวิต อดีตและประสบการณ์ที่ทั้งคู่เคยผ่านกันมา และก็ก้าวผ่านมันมาได้ โดยการยอมรับและให้อภัย

[Soobie has fog in her brain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tutta la parte "soprannaturale" che c'era nel primo volume sparisce. Non ci si deve più chiedere se il tipo sta sognando oppure no. E questo l'ho apprezzato. Anche la storia è un po' più corposa e non sono solo paranoie dei due protagonisti, che non mancano. E quindi questo secondo volume mi è piaciuto molto di più del primo.

Potrei dare ancora una possibilità all'autrice.

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maravillosa resolución, llena de frases hermosas que hacen pensar y con un desarrollo de personajes y trama muy adulto y a la vez dulce y esperanzador.

La edición de Milky Way es tan especial como la historia.

Hermosura.

[ℂ ✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Relectura feta en castellà aprofitant que la tinc a la cole. Una història molt complexa amb uns personatges ben memorables ♥️ no val la pena explicar gaire l'argument per no fer espòilers, és millor anar-hi a cegues i deixar-te emportar. Final feliç que s'agraeix moltíssim!!!

[anaeliteratura · Rating 4 out of 5]

someone PLEASE adapt this jbl, i am begging. their chemistry and journey is so sweet and good :') i can't get enough of this artist's art - the pannels of france? wow.

‘this time... i will turn my curse into a weapon.’

[mily · Rating 5 out of 5]

sangat poetic

[Mari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cw death, suicide, injury, blood

[Eva Lira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Depressed gay bitches

[ᯓ emma🐻ིྀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

ho pianto tutte le lacrime che mi rimanevano

[Jayjay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ending 4/5