Josee, the Tiger and the Fish

by Seiko Tanabe

Unable to get around without a wheelchair, a young woman named Josee leads a solitary, housebound existence. Her key to the outside world is her friend Tsuneo, a recent college graduate and her so-called “caretaker.” The titular story, “Josee, the Tiger and the Fish,” depicts the precarious, at times sensual relationship that blossoms between these two young people still learning what it means to be happy. This anthology also includes eight short tales centering on working women and their myriad loves and partings sure to stir the heart and soul.

Genres: Manga, Light Novel, Fiction, Short Stories, Romance

180 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 22, 2022

About the author

Seiko TANABE (田辺 聖子) was a Japanese writer and translator.

Reviews

[Craig Schorling · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was not a fan of this at all. Josee, the Tiger, and the Fish was one of my favorite anime of 2021. This light novel was a collection of short stories that seemed incomplete and many focused on love involving affairs, aunt and nephew, or with a sisters fiance. That alone is not reasons for strong dislike but they all felt the same and ended before they could really get off the ground. The title story was the best part but even that couldn't bring me around on this book.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you treat this anthology book stories separately from the anime movie of the same name (which are great!), and read it as an exploration of woman's and man's inner thoughts and behaviour in romance, you'll find it as an enjoyable experience. Don't expect them to be the same as the anime. Mind you, the book stands alone as a very good book.

[Kulwinder Singh · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Rated: 2.4 stars

I Can't Drink This Hot Tea (2*)
I Always Had A Feeling (1*)
Love's Coffin (3*)
That Was All It Would Ever Be (3*)
Already Finished Packing (2*)
Taken Prisoner (3*)
Josee, the Tiger and the Fish (4*)
Men Hate Muffins (2*)
Until It Snows (2*)

[♥︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

the art was really beautiful and the story was very sweet. i didn't exactly like the fact that josie is seen as helpless because she disabled though...

[Ayacchi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was planning to watch the adaptation with a friend, but postponed it since I wasn't in the mood to watch anything, though I heard good things about the animation. When I found this book, or rather this light novel, I thought it'd boost my interest to watch the adaptation later. But seems like my strategy has failed. Here's why: it's actually a collection of short stories, and... I don't really grasp what the author wants to express in her stories. Thus, I needed some time to finish this short book.

The book consists of nine stories, some are good, some are not my comfort reading. The stories revolved around women, most of them independent, and the journey of their love life. I have no favorite among them, but the ones I like best (in a bad way since the characters are irritating me) are I Can't Drink This Hot Tea where an ex approaching the MC for help; I Always Had a Feeling where the MC dwells in her imagination; Already Finished Packing with its overthinking MC and her worries about her husband's other family; and Take Prisoner where an indecisive cheater husband has to leave his ex-wife.

I had to read the commentary written by Amy Yamada to understand more what is beneath these simple writing. All I got it by myself is how thick the Japanese culture in it. Like in That Was All It Would Ever Be, the wife never questioned her busy husband about his work, or even if he wasn't home on Sundays. I don't know about the present days, but back then, what is considered a good wife is someone obedient, who'd never ask her husband about his work life or accuse him for having an affair or entertain himself outside. She truly believed that her husband is just a workaholic who loves his job so much.

Reading the commentary, I have to agree that there are things we can't convey eventhough we know how it feels. This book gives me that feeling. Some of the characters here knew how exactly they felt and knew that's not something they were supposed to feel, and it made them self-conscious. And each of them have the ability to love life, thus, enjoy their life.

[Aurora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una serie di racconti di storie di amore e separazione. strascichi di vite di donne e uomini che si avvicinano e allontanano. Josee la tigre e i pesci da cui prende il libro è sicuramente la storia più carina, tuttavia mi aspettavo una storia più intensa con una prosa più elaborata, più da romanzo che da light novel così semplicistica. Scrittura quasi da copione cinematografico, a volte si deve riprendere più volte il filo perché la lettura è fin troppo povera da perdersi subito qualche passaggio non rimane impresso nella memoria. Persino "Your name" che nasce come film di animazione aveva una prosa più coinvolgente, poi probabilmente non ho colto alcuni intrinsechi significati dei racconti verso l'epilogo, probabilmente nella cultura giapponese c'è questo non detto auspicabile e chiaro nella morale finale dei racconti, che io personalmente non ho compreso, a parte "Josee la tigre e i pesci" e "la bara dell' amore" a parer mio i racconti più riusciti, il resto dei racconti dimenticabile e anche un po' noioso.

[Riri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not something I'd usually enjoy, but it's quite an interesting read. This is a collection of short stories involving women and the varying kind of relationships they happen to be in, including affairs, incest, marriage, or even divorce. Each story is told in a realistic and introspective way, so we get to see more inner thoughts than action. Some stories are nicely told while others start and end abruptly, so overall I'm rather neutral towards this anthology.

Weirdly enough, Josee's story might be my least favorite.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

So glad I was exposed to Tanabe’s writing. I wanted to read the story of Josee before I read the manga. The Josee story was actually weakest story in the collection. The story was good, but it lacked a lot of the character depth and emotions present in the other stories but after reading the manga adaptation I found the short story was more sincere and to the point than the manga, which was based on the screenplay, I am assuming since the screenplay writer was credited. Which of course means they turned it into a teen drama with all the J-Drama cliches you know and love.

[Mindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I didn't know this was an anthology. I thought it was the light novel that the anime film was based on or vice versa. The movie was in fact an adaptation of one of the stories from the light novel. It actually was the best one from the anthology, so I'm glad that was the one that got adapted. The rest of the stories ended either abruptly or ended being unsatisfying. I also didn't morally agree with the decisions made by many of the protagonists. I think I would've been better off just watching the movie.

[Hilel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easily, “Josee, the Tiger and the Fish” was the best story in this collection. It made me feel deeply and I became a tad empty when I had finished it. There were two other short stories in the collection that were enjoyable. The rest were alright at best. I had the idea that this whole book was just “Josee, the Tiger and the Fish” but it wasn’t… though the short stories were entertaining to read.

[Benedict · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off, this book isn't what you think it is on the cover. The cover front shows an image from the 'Josee, the Tiger and the Fish' anime, and the back cover blurb gives the outline of that particular story. So you open it up expecting the book to be a retelling of that story, only to find that it's actually a series of 8 short stories, only one of which is the titular one. So as a fan of the anime and manga, this was really disappointing. It feels like it's a bait-and-switch. I don't want to judge the other short stories for not being the one on the cover, but the book as a whole is not what's expected.

The stories are short, roughly 20 pages each, giving you a glimpse into the lives of different women in love, or heartbroken, or having an affair. Some of it is sentimental, while other characters are a bit shrewd and overly sexual. Nothing wrong with that, though if you've come from Josee, the Tiger and the Fish manga it's a bit of a sharp turn from a gentle young adult romance into a sexually-explicit set of stories. The titular story also takes a sexual turn which I didn't like. Again, nothing wrong with that on principle but it adds a level of discomfort in the bait-and-switch nature of this book.

Can't exactly recommend. If you like short stories, it's fine, but it's not what it says on the tin.

[Elettra Petricola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Questa raccolta di storie brevi mi è stata regalata per compleanno da una mia carissima amica, non è che l'ho trovata brutta però le storie dentro di essa non mi hanno ispirato la lettura. La storia di Joseè di cui avevo già letto il manga mi è piaciuta.

[Namaca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think you should really see the cultural difference. And time setting this book came out.

Some stories feel great others a bit abrupt.

These are short stories. And center about woman dealing with their family, husbands and single life.

Josee is the best one

[Nyx · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did expect a turn on the story from the movie…
The book was an anthology consisting of few short stories (the main Josee… amongst them). I liked the Josee one, the others ended right when the action was getting started. It felt like there was no ending to any of them.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

"'Hmm… Guess I am getting old' , Kozue thought. 'I’m twenty-eight now' .
That made her ponder things more seriously. But whenever she tried to get serious, her mind ended up high in the clouds, gently floating skyward like a balloon whose string had been cut."

[BryAnn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hated the light novel but loved the anime movie.

[Beth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really weird. The anime was great and they changed a lot from the original story, which was a good thing…

[Annabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Me ha decepcionado mucho. No quiero entrar en detalles, pero si has visto la película de Josee, the tiger and the fish y buscas conocer algo más de la historia, este libro no tiene nada que ver.

[Nehemiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't believe the setting is 1980s, Josee SS is outshine others, but some are sick. Lots of sex.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

everything about this is amazing. the art? amazing. the story? amazing. the characters? amazing. i cant even explain it. it just means everything to me

[Myra Sengupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best short stories book I have ever read.

[Khawla Alsharaby · Rating 3 out of 5]

❤️

[Chia-Chi Michelle Wu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very average anthology of short stories that didn’t have closure.