Goodbye, Eri
a review by Puinfa
a review by Puinfa
##I'll give a brief summary of my opinion (spoiler-free) for those who haven't read and don't want spoilers or for a quick read of the review.
###To complement the quick read, I recommend reading the conclusion.
##Bold sentences indicate where I speak negatively about the manga.
##'Sayonara Eri' offers a emotionally profound and captivating experience that will certainly stand as one of the most memorable I've ever read. From the beginning, it's evident that this is not just an ordinary tale, delving deep into the complexities of life, loss, and how we relate to memory. I have no reservations in recommending the reading of this one-shot to anyone; it's direct, impactful, and I have no doubt that, at the very least, it will make you reflect on some subjects.
##Now, I'll report my thoughts from the beginning to the end of the work and conclude my overall thoughts on the work.
##As I began reading 'Sayonara Eri', we encounter a panel where Yuta's parents pose for a photograph while he expresses his joy at the birthday gift. This scene, so simple and filled with happiness, prompts me to deep reflection, plunging me into a state of contemplation and melancholy as I perceive the contrast with my own life experience. And it's precisely this ability to portray everyday life so vividly and authentically that makes 'Sayonara Eri' such a captivating and emotional work. The author's skill in deconstructing our perceptions, showing us characters who reveal themselves far beyond their initial appearances, is truly exceptional. From the father who cries in secret, revealing his true desires and anxieties, to the mother who oscillates between sweetness and cruelty, and Eri, whose support for the protagonist is permeated by a sad premonition, resulting in a work where all the characters are captivating and complex. Continuing, we encounter this scene:
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##This and several other scenes address what I experienced in similar situations to the protagonist. Where, like him, I struggled to understand my own feelings. I believe that this identification with the protagonist is one of the main reasons why I appreciate the work so much.
##Next, we see Yuta observing the death of an insect. A scene that I believe is intended to show that he is now thinking more about death. But what's more interesting is what comes next. With his father mentioning his mother's rather disturbing desire. Understandably, this causes the protagonist to freak out upon receiving such strong news so suddenly, even if it means he can't see his mother's final moment.
##Quoting something I saw in another review on the site, which I hadn't noticed, it's interesting how the visual effects may intentionally be of low quality to show the amateurism of the protagonist's film.
##The students' reception made me furious not only because of the scene itself, which shows how society can be cruel without even realizing it, but also because it reminded me of my school days, where I witnessed similar situations happening. I think a lot about this topic, I've seen works with the theme and it's something that bothers me a lot in our society, this tendency we have to follow something that we don't necessarily agree with, but we follow because we don't think about our actions or because we're afraid of being judged for being different.
##It's interesting how various perspectives on the controversial ending of the film were revealed. Initially, I was also bothered, but after reflecting on the character's journey, I interpreted that: His mother's death, not seeing his mother in her final moment, and not fulfilling her last wish generate a profound pain and led to the outburst, as well as his escape from the hospital, as a desperate attempt to escape this pain.
##The video as a suicide note intrigued me a lot, I wasn't expecting something like that, and it was very touching to imagine how the protagonist would feel in the scene. And never forget: memento mori, memento vivere.
##How did Yuta easily climb onto the hospital roof, which is clearly meant only for staff? Where I live, at least, it's not easy to achieve at all.
##It's very convenient that at the same place and time where he is going to kill himself is the >only< girl in the entire story who liked his movie. And again, how did she easily climb up there? Is it so easy that not only one, but two people can climb up?
---##However, overlooking these plot conveniences, we begin the best part of the manga, where it stands out and shows its originality.
## I imagine that the author put alot of effort o create facial expressions that convey so much emotion must have been significant. Looking at the faces drawn on every page, I can feel the characters' emotions and feel immense empathy for them, almost as if they were real people. It's very difficult for me to explain this feeling; it's something I've felt in no other work, it's admirable.
##And the story doesn't lag behind even with such strong visuals. Eri's motivation to help the protagonist makes sense and is commendable, and damn, I'm crying again seeing him in the same frame as his suicide video, but this time happy.
##I don't expect this panel to prevent suicide for everyone., but I can easily see someone giving life another chance after reading it. And that, for me, already makes me very happy.
##I felt happy and connected with the characters just by watching them have cinema sessions; I find that admirable.
##I don't understand the purpose of this scene. Is the take to show that he was really excited by the comment?
##As pointed out in another review, which I also hadn't noticed, the 3 pages of silence not only show Fujimoto's good storytelling, but also show Yuta's improvement in writing. And combining the different narrative with the interesting dialogue of the father and the twist of what the film recording was, makes this one of the most memorable sequences in the manga.
##And herethe pace speeds up, showing that Eri is ill and revealing her true intentions in approaching the protagonist. It was to try to achieve, in a way, continuing to live even after her body's death like the woman she envied for being able to, Yuta's mother.
##I didn't quite understand the logic of the father. His son's "girlfriend" is terminally ill, he's depressed locked in his room, and then you're going to show him a video of his mother dying and calling him useless?
##I usually prefer stories where we have a clear understanding of what the protagonist knows. However, in 'Sayonara Eri', this transparency is absent, but it doesn't bother me due to the way we follow the narrative through Yuta's films. Therefore, I was surprised and intrigued when the true personality of the mother is revealed, showing her as a ruthless person lacking any consideration for her son.
##Unfortunately, it's not uncommon in reality to find situations where one parent overlooks the abuse caused by their spouse to the child, remaining silent even if they don't agree with what's happening. Therefore, the fact that Yuta's father is complicit in the abuse caused by his wife to his son is realistic and very impactful, making his character complex and a great character for reflecting on life.
##This panel affected me by summarizing the thoughts I had while watching Oppenheimer, A film that I consider harmful to society for deliberately showing untrue situations about facts and which ignorant people, who make up the majority of the world, will take as truth. I hadn't realized until now how powerful it is to be able to change people's perspectives on events or people, I believe it's a problem that remains hidden in our society and will still cause many problems.
##These sequence of photos made me very happy, and I felt a great desire for both of them to achieve their goals; they were solidified as my favorite characters here.
##I was very pleased that as Eri's last moments arrive, the author used this fixed image in the hospital while there was all the dialogue, it gave a different and unique feeling to the work. With Eri, Yuta stayed until her last breath beside her and stayed until the last breath talking about her last request, contrasting with Yuta and his mother's events, because he didn't stay by her side and also didn't fulfill her last wish.
##Next, we see that everything was a film, but more importantly, we see an exceptional narrative that manages to intensify the emotions caused by the story. We have a whole panel just showing the students watching, with no text, causing a certain anxiety to the readers for not quickly showing the audience's reaction, and on the next page we see only onomatopoeias of crying, showing with few words that Yuta and Eri achieved their goal.
##Now we see something very intriguing; if from the beginning we see Eri as she wanted to be seen by the public, we never know who she really is. Therefore, it is very likely that Eri, like Yuta's mother, was not as lovely a person as we saw. This factor makes the work, which was already very intriguing, become a work that has a high value for rereading due to its complexity.
##Him being the only survivor is something I consider convenient and even cliché. I don't understand why the author decided to use this plot device to impact, since no other moment in the work used such a generic resource as this.
##We clearly see that there is no one else in the room, but then we see Eri sitting on the couch. This event doesn't appeal to me, and again, even though it can be interpreted differently, it has a supernatural feel.
##Seriously, what does the author mean by this? Did he just say "screw it" and decide to write the story randomly? I confess that I didn't understand the author's intention with this dialogue and with Eri's resurrection. If you have an interpretation, I would be happy to read it.
### In summary, 'Sayonara Eri' stands out as an emotionally and originally work, capable of provoking deep reflections on life, death, and human relationships. The author's ability to create dense and authentic characters, combined with the expressiveness of the art, provides a unique and magnificent experience for the reader. However, some plot conveniences, especially in the conclusion, considerably diminish the narrative. Nevertheless, the work remains as a memorable read, capable of moving and stimulating reflection on our lives.
##My scores are:
#28.5 out of 30 users liked this review
