Inio Asano

A dark coming-of-age tale where slice-of-life slices back. This is Punpun Onodera’s coming-of-age story. His parents’ marriage is falling apart. His dad goes to jail and his mom goes to the hospital. He has to live with his loser uncle. He has a crush on a girl who lives in a weird cult. Punpun tries talking with God about his problems, but God is a jerk. Punpun keeps hoping things will get better, but they really, really don’t. This is the end, Punpun.

Goodnight Punpun

A dark coming-of-age tale where slice-of-life slices back.

This is Punpun Onodera's coming-of-age story. His parents' marriage is falling apart. His dad goes to jail and his mom goes to the hospital. He has to live with his loser uncle. He has a crush on a girl who lives in a weird cult. Punpun tries talking with God about his problems, but God is a jerk. Punpun keeps hoping things will get better, but they really, really don't.

This is the end, Punpun.

Goodnight Punpun, Vol. 7

Thematically, the whole series hinges on that harrowing conversation in the woods between PunPun and Aiko. The first 6 volumes follow various characters, lost in the absurdity of life, as they grab at some sort of purpose to cling to. In other words, they all crave a religion. As Punpun lets go of his conscience and devolves into complete self-indulgence, he becomes a God unto himself. He now finds power in subjection and exploits Aiko’s helplessness to achieve this goal, pleading to her in the woods: “believe in me” as his eyes are filled with the photographic face of a man whom we know to be Punpun’s perception of God. 

Goodnight Punpun

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