Review by Frank Plowright

Considering that to end Goodnight Punpun 4 Inio Asano reduced Punpun to a small pyramid on legs, it’s a surprise to see him on the cover of Goodnight Punpun 5 almost fully formed. Is life taking a turn for the better? Well, he’s woken up in artist Sachi’s flat…

It leads to very disturbing opening chapters where Punpun’s thoughts cross a line between being a socially awkward teenager into the possibility of a sexual predator. Sachi is showing kindness, friendliness and perhaps pity, and what Punpun is thinking borders on rape. It’s incredibly uncomfortable for a few pages, and Asano manages to elevate the feeling by having Sachi ask Punpun to be honest. You’ll fear for the worst.

As brilliant as Goodnight Punpun has been as a series of observations about isolation and depression, there may be a feeling that in the absence of therapy what Punpun actually needs is a dose of reality. If he’s truly clinically depressed it won’t have any effect, but perhaps he can be pulled out of a self-confining state of mind. Well, the daughter of Punpun’s landlord is prepared to deliver some home truths, very aggressively. It’s another discomforting scene for the lack of restraint and consideration that laziness is at the heart of Punpun’s problems, but Asano uses that as the building block for another wonderful scene. Sachi has faced her own disappointments, but has changed herself to become an idealised version, the extent coming as a surprise as her revelations are fed to Punpun in a piecemeal way.

So, Punpun as almost fully formed… It’s always been possible that Asano alters Punpun’s appearance according to his state of mind, and that now seems confirmed. In the depths of despair and barely able to communicate he was reduced to almost nothing, but with his confidence bolstered and a purpose, he gains some form once again. Is this is a Charlie Brown scenario where Lucy is going to pull the ball away again?

The art? It’s stunning, always stunning.

Five volumes in, pretty well all unrelenting misery, this is the first time Asano has offered Punpun a lifeline, meaning he has to make a decision as to whether or not to commit. As has been pointed out to him, his tendency is never to take the chance and convince himself it wouldn’t have worked out anyway, so can he change? We find out, as having dropped the idea in Goodnight Punpun 4, the final chapter once again moves forward, this time a year, only to end with another bombshell.

There was a feeling of Goodnight Punpun stumbling a little last time, but this is once again amazing.