No Longer Human (Japanese: 人間失格, Hepburn: Ningen Shikkaku) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Junji Ito; it is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Osamu Dazai. It was serialized in Big Comic Original from May 2017 to April 2018 and published in three volumes. Overview[edit]No Longer Human is told in the form of notebooks left by one Ōba Yōzō (大庭葉蔵), a troubled man incapable of revealing his true self to others, and who, instead, maintains a facade of hollow jocularity. The work is made up of three chapters, or "memoranda", which chronicle the life of Ōba from his early childhood to his late twenties. In this version, Yōzō meets Osamu Dazai himself during an asylum recovery, thus giving him permission to tell his story in his next book. The manga includes a retelling of Dazai's suicide from Ōba's perspective. Publication[edit]Written and illustrated by Junji Ito, the series began serialization in Big Comic Original on May 2, 2017.[2] The series completed its serialization on April 20, 2018.[3] Shogakukan collected the series' individual chapters into three tankōbon volumes.[4] In February 2019, Viz Media announced they licensed the series for English publication.[5] They released the entire series in one hardcover book.[6] Volume list[edit]
Reception[edit]Nick Smith from ICv2 praised the work, stating the story was unpleasant but riveting, with great artwork.[9] Leroy Douresseaux from Comic Book Bin also praised the series as tragic and delicate, while being grotesque and cruel at the same time. Doresseaux also praised the artwork.[1] Brandon Danial from The Fandom Post felt Ito's work was a solid adaptation of the original novel, while also praising the changes Ito made to the story.[10] Nancy Powell from Comics Beat also praised the story, stating that while it is not easy to digest, Ito does a good job telling the story.[11] Adi Tantimedh from Bleeding Cool praised the artwork's portrayal of the main protagonist. Tantimedh also praised the story.[12] Derik Badman from The Comics Journal was more critical of the book, stating Ito's art was alright but can feel stiff and simple in later parts. Badman also felt the series had too many objectionable themes and changed too much of the original novel.[13] In December 2019, the English volume ranked tenth on The NPD Group's bestseller list Monthly BookScan.[14] References[edit]
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When was No Longer Human written?No Longer Human (人間失格, Ningen Shikkaku) is a 1948 Japanese novel by Osamu Dazai. It is considered Dazai's masterpiece and ranks as the second-best selling novel ever in Japan, behind Natsume Sōseki's Kokoro.
Is No Longer Human based on Dazai's life?Fiction by Osamu Dazai
Semi-autobiographical, No Longer Human is the final completed work of one of Japan's most important writers, Osamu Dazai (1909-1948). The novel has come to “echo the sentiments of youth” (Hiroshi Ando, The Mainichi Daily News) from post-war Japan to the postmodern society of technology.
What is the message behind No Longer Human?No Longer Human explores what it's like to feel completely detached and alienated from society. Yozo, the novel's protagonist, feels fundamentally at odds with everyone around him, finding everything about humanity unnatural and impossible to comprehend.
What is the book No Longer Human about?Oba Yozo's attempts to reconcile himself to the world around him begin in early childhood, continue through high school, where he becomes a "clown" to mask his alienation, and eventually lead to a failed suicide attempt as an adult.
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When was No Longer Human published
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