A Distant Neighborhood

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Artist/Writer: Jiro Taniguchi

Published in: 1998 (Japan), 2009 (America)

American Publisher: Ponent Mon

Genres: Slice-of-life, drama

Premise: A middle-agd salaryman suddenly finds himself in his 14-year-old self, with all his current knowledge and memories, re-living his past. More disturbingly, his life is now progressing differently than he remembers.

Volumes: 2

Availability: Easily available on sites like Amazon and RightStuf.

Manga Review (Volume 1)
What are the themes? Choices. Action versus passivity. Childhood versus adulthood.

How's the art? Very classic feel. Backgrounds are often intricate to the point of overwhelm.

One neat thing: backgrounds are usually made up of gray masses, while characters contain a lot of big black patches and white patches, making them stand out.

Does the art vary from chapter to chapter? Nope.

How complex are the characters? The protagonist is the most dimensional, and Tadano manages an impressive feat. This is a story about a character's internal life, which is expressed visually and externally. While there is a fair amount of monologue inside her head, Tadano follows the "show, don't tell" maxim closely.

How's the plot? Pretty evenly balanced between action and quiet drama. The second volume, particularly, is much more about the protagonist's past.

Can I show it to my Mom? Yep, and this should appeal to adults. It's about teenagers, but it's about universal themes.

Can I show it to my kid brother? Sure. He'd probably get a kick out of the action, though the relatively slow, slice-of-life elements might bore him.

Can I show it to a non-manga fan? Absolutely. This is a perfect title to get them into manga, though it doesn't have the rock-em-sock-em pace of, say, mainstream American comics.

Does it have any memorable moments? Yes.