Have done my best to keep spoilers out of this My review of Solanin A short yet stimulating story which makes you laugh, cry, think and cry again for good measure. I took a liking to this as I'm in my twenties too and the pain and the characters were very relatable. The story is about a couple and their friends who have just graduated and are trying to make find their place in this world amidst insecurities, fears and the question of "Am I really happy?".

It's a dark whisper calling to me. But I'm not brave enough to listen. I'm old enough to know I don't have any special talents. So no matter how depressing... I have to suck it up... And live the life I have.”

The negativity and rejections we go through in our lives turns us into mindless drones and by the time we are adults, we don't even know what we want anymore and are filled with thoughts of uncertainty. This leads to us conforming to a life we might not really want but one we think we want. It's a rare sight to see people break these chains and live the life they love, the life which makes them feel truly alive. These convoluted emotions we go through in our twenties makes life seem impossible and very scary. But we must not give up as there is happiness in waking up. There is happiness in sharing a beer or having a smoke with your friends. There is happiness in kissing the one you love and caressing their hair. These are not moments which will make us happy forever but these fleeting moments are worth living for. They are worth struggling for.

Asano in his usual style manages to jerk a tear or two out of you, yet in Solanin he has always kept a tinge of hope throughout. The characters are extremely likeable and although there is not a lot of pages dedicated to character building, each character is well established.
This is also the first physical manga I ever bought and the experience was amazing.
The art in Solanin is quite nice and is very striking; the cartoonish character design coupled with the hyper realistic backgrounds is characteristic of Asano, and definitely adds to the story. The conversations don't feel dragged out and everything someone says is integral to the story. The depiction of young love and the ever looming feeling of doom, as a person is suddenly thrown out into the real world is beautifully presented. The paradox of being an adult is poked fun at a lot of times.
I would definitely have liked Solanin to have gone on for longer but the beauty of it is that it is as short and beautiful as the message it tries to convey.
This is not a book which would absolve you of your feelings of existentialism but it would definitely help you see hope in your life and the profoundness of our daily lives.