I am a hardcore Haruki Murakami fan since I was 11 or 12.
Maybe this is because the first book I’d ever read from cover to cover was his ‘Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World’. This cult literature was a bit too nihilistic to a primary school kid like me, and it literally haunted me for years- definitely not recommended to first-time Murakami readers along with ‘The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle’.
I recently read the manga adaptations of Haruki Murakami’s short stories. I’d always thought it’d be nearly impossible to capture the essence of the Murakami world in pictures, but I reckon this one just did that!
Some characters reminded me of Issey Ogata (en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki…), one of my favourite actors. I wonder the author actually used him as a motif! They really look alike.
A light-read with deep themes 🙂
English Rakugo NZ 
This looks so good! I actually saw this in a book shop in the Haneda airport recently and tossed up whether or not to get it you have totally convinced me. At the time l I got this instead a collection of funny ghost stories which was also mind blowing. I highly recommend this one too, review coming up sometime in next few months. The stories are based on rakugo tales as well! https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/674405/where-the-wild-ladies-are-by-aoko-matsuda/
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think the book would be good for purchase if you are a manga fan or someone who appreciates visual storytelling, but if you normally prefer texts, borrowing from a library would be sufficient 🙂
I read ‘Where the Wild Ladies Are’ a while ago! One of the stories was based on Sanyutei Encho’s rakugo story, which probably was my favourite. It is such a novel idea to modernise old stories in the contemporary context. I love the way those ‘old stories’ are still so relevant today. Humans haven’t changed very much regardless of all the ‘progress’ 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I normally prefer texts and imagining scenes so might not get it then. I have gotten some anime in the past though and appreciate the artform and the huge imagination that must go into producing it. I’m so glad you know of this book ‘Where the Wild Ladies Are’ .
You are so right that humans haven’t changed much in terms of our behavior and emotions.. I guess this is what makes these rakugo stories of yours so timeless and enjoyable to all ages.
I loved the subversive feminist themes in Where the Wild Ladies Are… looking for more books by Japanese female authors now. Any recommendations would be good.
By the way we loved Osaka a lot had great nights out there also and we went to the Kobe Herbal garden at the top of the mountain there it was incredible!
LikeLike