We often read manga as a means to satisfy our unbounded fantasies; a means of temporary escapism from the real world. However, it can be painful to read stories that portray the very reality which we try to escape from, particularly if they are an abstract reflection of ourselves, and more so, if they are about loneliness and everyday life. These kinds of realist stories are where Inio Asano’s prowess lies in, and it is very evident in his works, including Before Dawn and the End of the World. Although it is not as psychologically depressing, absurd, or fantastical as some of Asano’s other works, this manga still paints a bleak portrayal of the lives of common people in society.

Before Dawn and the End of the World is a slice of life manga by Inio Asano, composing of individual stories that are not literally about the end of the world, but about the problems that common people face in their mundane lives. These problems include identity crisis, insecurities, a lack of purpose in life, and more.

The manga starts off with Untitled, a brief colored chapter that is only shown visually with no text, and it establishes two themes. One of the themes it establishes is that the lives of people are intertwined, and it does this by having the characters happen upon one another by coincidence. Although it does establish the recurring theme of coincidence, the second theme is more important, acting as a kind of reminder to us readers. That second theme is that no matter how different people are, everyone has a story to tell, and the chapter does this by showing three different sets of people; adults, adolescents, and kids. The second chapter, Before Dawn continues to establish the same two themes but does things more interestingly by including the aspect of time, establishing the important role it plays in both the manga and in people’s lives.

From chapter three onwards is where the real meat is - it is where the real set of short stories begin. Melancholic in its tone, each story is a reflection on life, exploring the pressing concerns of each main character or the indifference that some of them feel, as they come to a realization or try to find a sense of purpose in their lives. Chapter four does this brilliantly because, in it, we get to see the contrast in the struggles between the father who is an adult, a young adult, and the student who is an adolescent. Through this, we not only get to see that age is something that segregates society, but also the fact that regardless of age, everyone has their own struggles.

The noteworthy chapters that follow afterwards are the ones that deal with the stagnation of life, accompanied by the idea of what we expect life to be like vs. what it actually turns out to be like. The first of the bunch is chapter five, wherein we get a shop clerk who dreams of a happier and romantic life, then falls in love at first sight, only to later be disappointed by her expectations. Next, there is chapter six, How to Spend a Day Off. In it, we get a character who does not really have a sense of purpose in life, choosing to go with the flow of life instead of having and pursuing dreams because she believes that they would just do her more harm than good. The chapter invokes a sense of regret - that although not said, but implied, the character should have spent her life doing better things instead of just going with the flow of life. It is a nice chapter reminding us to not always conform to and accept mundanity - that if we really want to do something, or are passionate about something, then we should pursue it instead of idling away with time. The following chapter, What a Wonderful World, is more nostalgic in nature. It has the main character reading a letter she wrote to herself five years ago, reflecting on the belief that she has become “a boring adult” and that the world she had imagined “is nothing, but a vague mirage”. The last highlight of the short stories is chapter nine, Tokyo. It shows a mangaka who is getting nowhere in his career. It is similar to chapter six in the sense that it also invokes a sense of regret and is accompanied by the theme of loneliness.

There are no jolly or happy conclusions to the stories that are presented, but neither do they end on a depressing note. They all have realistic conclusions that end on a hopeful note. Most of the characters long for something grander than what they had either imagined or are currently facing. They long for a reality that only exists in their dreams; a kind of life that is better than the mundanity and stagnation of their current one. At the end of these stories, the characters continue on with their lives just like real humans. They have to come to terms with themselves and face their realities, but their hope for a better life in the bleakness of their stagnant lives and incessantness of time lingers. If Dawn is a representation of their hope, then the journeys that we are presented with in this manga are a representation of Before Dawn.

Should you read it?
Yes. Its target is not geared towards a specific audience as it delves into the issues of both young and old, female and male. Many of us, like the characters in the story, long for a life that is better than our current one. And many of us are even, perhaps, facing the problems that are presented in the manga. Although not everyone will be able to directly relate to all of the stories, there is something in it for everyone because each story takes a realistic approach to the characters’ problems. Through this manga, Inio Asano challenges us to reflect on our lives and face our own realities, no matter how harsh or mundane.