No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai (+ Junji Ito)

TW: Depression, Suicide, Sexual Stuff, Book Spoilers (ish)


Finally finished reading both the original book by Osamu Dazai and Junji Ito's manga adaptation! I don't exactly write "reviews" (or rather I'm just terribly bad at them), but here are some of the thoughts I have after finishing them:

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No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai:

The novel was beautifully written (and translated, as I read the English version) and captured the main protagonist's struggles, thoughts, and mindset extremely well. It's a painful and depressing story, and even though I wasn't and didn't going through the same thing as Yozo Oba (the protagonist), I could feel what he experiences through-out the whole journey. The book felt like some sort of tool that allowed me to peer into Yozo's soul and memories as if I had been transported into his own body. The book was an uneasy and uncomfortable read, but in a strangely good and masterful way (?)

However, this book is not for everyone, as there is little to no uplifting moments or "glimmers of hope". Almost everything is turned into ugly thoughts or nightmares that doesn't translate well for those struggling with their mental health. Those who are looking for a happy ending or reassurance that things get better might not enjoy this read. The story is also said to be a semi-autobiography, as Dazai also struggled with his mental health and committed suicide by drowning, which was also a scene in the story.

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No Longer Human by Junji Ito (Manga Adaptation)

The manga was actually quite different, though not wildly different, from the original novel. The original did not exactly go into much detail in the sexual instances such as the affairs, compared to the manga that often presented it. But apart from the adaption being more sexually explicit, it nicely captured what Yozo was going through with captivating illustrations that matched each mood, emotion, thought, and nightmare, turning them into some sort of "macabre" reality.

The manga felt ever so slightly more "surreal" (not sure if that's the right word) with representing what was going through Yozo's mind, showing imagery such as "puking up" heads, falling down a sandy slope, flying spirits, etc. I don't recall reading some of the scenes in the original novel either, but overall, the adaptation was its own masterpiece. It is equally as painful and depressing as the original and visualizes what it means to be no longer human.

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What I Would Recommend to Read First:

This might not be a popular take, but I would actually recommend reading Junji Ito's version first before Osamu Dazai's, the original. The reason for this being that the manga shows you a bigger overview of the story and situations, while the novel gives more detail and reason. 

I enjoyed reading the manga first, but I also had different thoughts. My first thought was that Yozo had turned out the way he did due to his childhood (perhaps the S.A parts or how his father reacts). But after reading the novel, I came to find that Yozo was sort of just born that way. He had already felt out of touch from the moment he was born. (Maybe? Let me know your thoughts!)

His relationship with others like Horiki was also more fleshed out in the novel, where I could see more of his thoughts and "reasonings" behind his actions. A picture can say a thousand words, but sometimes we can only assume, whereas the words that were spelled out itself have a different sort of impact or way of understanding.

I also recommend the manga first before the novel as we tend to have expectations for adaptations. Like film or show adaptations, the manga shows a visual overview of the novel and can leave out some things that readers might be bothered by. I feel if I had read the novel first, I would be nitpicking at all the differences and be much more critical. 

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Overall, I enjoyed both books and want to read more from both authors! These are definitely one of my favorites and I'm glad to have been able to read them.