Osamu Dazai's No Longer Human: The Manga Edition

No Longer Human is a manga adaptation of Osamu Dazai's novel of the same name. It follows the story of Yozo Oba, a young man growing up in Japan in the aftermath of World War II, who is caught between the disintegration of his aristocratic provincial family and the impact of the new postwar world. Oba is tormented by a failure to find any value in himself or in human relationships and becomes addicted to sex and alcohol. The manga explores Dazai's own sense of failure and alienation, which drove him to self-destruct with alcohol and numerous suicide attempts.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 21 November 2023
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing

I have led a life full of shame. Human beings are a complete mystery to me.

This manga version of novelist Osamu Dazai's masterpiece, NO LONGER HUMAN, is the #2 bestselling novel of all time in Japan. It tells the story of Yozo Oba, a young man growing up in Japan in the immediate aftermath of World War II, who finds himself caught between the disintegration of the traditions of his aristocratic provincial family and the impact of the new postwar world.

Oba is tormented by a failure to find any value in himself or in human relationships, despite being surrounded by women who love him. He creates the persona of a buffoon who mocks himself while entertaining others. But inside, he is tortured, and as he moves from childhood to adulthood, he becomes addicted to sex and alcohol.

Largely autobiographical, No Longer Human explores Dazai's own sense of failure and alienation, which drove him to self-destruct with alcohol and numerous suicide attempts.

Osamu Dazai (1909–1948) is Japan's second most popular novelist (after Soseki), and his works are seeing a huge surge in popularity among young people worldwide thanks to the success of the recent manga, anime, and film series, Bungo Stray Dogs. Its protagonist, a detective called Osamu Dazai, has similar character traits to Yozo Oba. Fans of manga and anime are turning to the original No Longer Human novel, whose themes of alienation from society and an inability to reconcile social appearances with inner self—told with great wit, irony, and pathos—strike a deep chord among readers today.

Recommended for readers ages 16+ due to mature themes and graphic content.

Weight: 284g
Dimension: 203 x 140 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9784805317723