Sunny, Vol. 1

I got the hard cover version of this book, I don't know if it comes (or will come) in paperback, but the edition I have is really nice. It actually looks like a book from the 1970s, I don't know if that was intentional or not. This manga almost reads like a book, a continuing collection of encapsulated chapters that center around a group of foster kids living in a home, sort of like a small orphanage or wayward house. It's not explained why any of the kids are there, though it's clear they come from broken homes, dysfunctional families, and possibly abusive pasts. It takes place in the 1970s and there are occasional references made to popular culture of that time, so if you're in your 40's, like me, you might find some things stir up sentimental memories. And even though it takes place in Japan, people from anywhere can relate.The title of the series comes from a broken down yellow Nissan Sunny in the yard of the orphanage, where the kids often go to escape from reality. When asked if it runs, one of the kids responds, "yes, it runs on telepathy!" Then they climb in and imagine the car taking them places, from outer space to fantasy lands. The kid on the cover, nicknamed "White," often imagines himself as a gangster trying to evade the law.The kids go through typical kid stuff, from crushes and bullying to dealing with abandonment and death. The art style is very unique and utilizes a kind of controlled scribbly chaos. I couldn't get enough of it, and when I got to the end I went right back to the beginning and reread it!

Manga is pop culture, and as such it often skips over all of the real and/or difficult parts of life—above all, real emotions. It is in manga's "slice of life" genre that we most often find true human feelings. This slice of life story is about the experiences of the kids growing up in an orphanage. (I've read that Japan still uses such homes for parentless children because the blood family is of prime importance to most Japanese, so adoption and fostering don't happen as much there as here in the USA.)"Sunny" is a wonderful evocation of how it feels to be a child and alone. Even though the caretakers in the Home are kind, and the natural meanness of the kids is kept in check by those adults and by the well-known highly civilized Japanese behavioral norms, it gradually becomes clear that these kids know there is no-one in the world looking out for just them. That fact affects various characters in this story in various ways, making for good stories, with a touch of sadness always lurking in the background. Anyone who has had reason to learn that sadness is an inescapable part of life will love this manga. And it might be a revelation, as well, for people who up til now have tried to look away from that truth.

Love the book and illustrations of this Japanese graphic novel. Was so excited to have a nice new copy. This is how the book arrived. I was able to order a kindle version when returning this book. I am not keeping this dirty broken hardcover. The illustrations are amazing and worth the trouble of returning the damaged book and getting a kindle edition.

Beautiful artwork but not my kind of story. Orphan slice of life. It won many awards just not my taste. The shipping was fast and the product came quickly.

This book is evidently highly interesting as my son will not continue reading something that does not keep him engaged continuously. This was given as an early Christmas gift and he glanced through it and started reading. Thirty minutes later, he was still reading. I am certain we will be purchasing Book 2 soon. It has been a while since he has wanted to read something.

I loved this manga! The art style is beautiful and the story is wonderful, but also a bit sad.

Story is fantastic and I really love the line work with the occasional color illustration.

For the most part, I enjoyed the first volume of this manga. But I did find myself lost a few times, not sure who was who and what the story was. I'm willing to give the second volume a try.

Taiyo Matsumoto is a genius and this is my favorite work by him. Plus, the overall quality of the book is great, Viz did an excellent job.Came in great condition too!

I bought this book for my girlfriend and we read every night together. The ilustrations are incredible.

I bought this book to see the illustration style of taiyo Matsumoto. It's amazing. All the characters are so adorable and very nicely drawn.

Com sua arte exótica, narrativa autobiográfica envolvente e ambientação sublime, a obra Sunny, de Taiyo Matsumoto, conta a história de um grupo de órfãos e um carro velho 'Sunny' - que proporciona uma forma de escapar das suas vidas cotidianas. O mangá foi vencedor do prêmio Shogakukan em 2016.

As soon as I began scanning the stylish and beautifully honest images of 'sunny', I became immediately aware that I had come across a truly special, personal depiction of childhood. Maybe a reason that this manga sang so beautifully for me is due the fact that, now that I've reached the age of 18 and begin to reflect on my own childhood, I've found that this piece of media deeply resonates with my own experience of growing up as a boy. I'd even go as far as to say that it has helped me face various personal issues, some that still linger. The artistic perspective of scenery masterfully creates a child-like viewpoint. The characters are drawn with utter human integrity, all of which are far from flawless, but nonetheless lovable.Shame these are fairly expensive though, I'd like to buy the whole series but can't afford it.Even if like me, you can only afford one volume. It was a wonderful experience spending a sunny morning lost in this manga.