5.0 out of 5 stars A funny book about selling manga

J. · 11 December 2023

This book arrived early and in very good condition, would recommend!

5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting anecdotal look into the life of a Japanese bookseller

H.F. · 30 August 2019

Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san gives us a really interesting look into the life of a bookseller in Japan, and all the stresses and joy that come with it! This is a slice of life manga about Honda-san and his co-workers, dealing with book shortages, foreign customers and sales reps, and is much more anecdotal than other mangas out there. There is also a lot of annotations and remarks to explain what is going on, which may feel too cluttered for some readers, and may make things difficult to read, but I enjoyed seeing the small comments as to what was going through Honda-san's mind at the time, and explaining some of the cultural differences.All in all, I would recommend this manga to those who want an insight into the life of a bookseller in Japan, or perhaps for those who work in retail as well! Some of the experiences were very relatable!Further recommendations for fans of this manga / genre:* Wotakoi: Love is hard for otaku - may be a bit of a stretch, but I really like this manga as a look into the life of office workers who also have massive interests in things like manga, cosplay and video games! It's also very wholesome and sweet.* Otherworldy Izakaya Nobu - another slice of life manga, this time about a Japanese pub! Another look into Japanese culture, this time focusing on food!

5.0 out of 5 stars Charming and nicely illustrated but sadly not to my tastes

L. · 19 July 2020

I really wanted to love this, but unfortunately it didn't capture my attention too much.I haven't taken off any stars though because I really can't fault the quality at all.The art is well drawn, and the characters are charming.Each of the chapters gives a nice insight into the life of a bookseller, and I feel like I learnt some things about that for sure.There seems to be a lack of an overarching story or plot. Each chapter focussed on a single event or customer, and that's it. It was many standalone short stories featuring the same protagonist.If that's the sort of thing you like, I'd recommend this manga.Ultimately I'm glad to have this in my collection, but I won't be purchasing the second volume.

4.0 out of 5 stars A nice book about booksellers

C. · 26 April 2023

A nice comedic look at the life of a bookseller. Art is okay.

5.0 out of 5 stars Really good manga

R.C. · 12 January 2020

Love this manga it's really enjoyable.

The skull's got nothing to do with it.

J. · 20 September 2019

Why everyone is wearing a mask or disguised is a question, sure. Really, though, this is a manga about selling manga: the strange customers, the panics when product doesn't show up on time, dealing with company reps, relying on co-workers for suggestions. My favorite takeaway is that Skull faced book seller doesn't see herself (himself?) as the font of knowledge about manga. S/he insists that it's just a job. Looking forward to the next volume.

For booksellers everywhere

A.S. · 23 May 2020

Honda-san works in a Japanese bookstore. This story is a little drier than I expected, but the art is great and, having spent time working in retail, I relate to many of her experiences. Looking forward to the next volume.

Finalmente

e. · 11 January 2023

Storia di un commesso di una libreria e delle sue peripezie potrebbe sembrare noioso ma ero riuscita a guardare l'anime e me ne ero innamorata! Quindi volevo trovare anche il manga che fortunatamente c'è, è composto da 4 volumi ma purtroppo inedito in Italia quindi è scritto in inglese. Ma sono felice comunque!Spedizione e consegna ottime

Hilarious Slice-of-Life Manga

P.G. · 24 October 2019

I picked this up b/c the cover looked interesting, and I’m glad I did! It’s a funny and relatable collection of experiences from the POV of a bookseller in Japan. Anyone who has ever been in the service industry will appreciate the humor in this book. And if you give it a try, maybe I can get the second volume faster 😂

Amazingly charming and pleasent read

L. · 18 December 2019

An amazingly charming book. This was my first introduction into manga and I loved it. There is something for everyone here, seasoned manga readers will definitly find references and jokes galore, while new comers to this genre will find it a charming look into that world and hopefully a pleasant introduction to the world of manga.