The Setting Sun, the Manga Edition

＂This is the first manga edition in English of The Setting Sun, Osamu Dazai’s classic novel, often considered his masterpiece. Set in the aftermath of World War II, this is the story of Kazuko, a strong-willed young woman from an aristocratic family that has fallen into poverty since the war. The book follows Kazuko’s journey as she and her family struggle to survive and adapt to the harsh new conditions. In addition to having to move from Tokyo to the countryside, where she is forced to work in the fields to support the family, she has to deal with a difficult divorce, the birth of a stillborn child, and the return of her drug-addicted brother from the war. This gripping and inspiring portrait of one woman’s determination to survive in a society that is in the grip of a social and moral crisis tells one story in a fast-changing world, with universal themes that resonates with readers today.＂ --

Osamu Dazai (1909 - 1948) was the pen name of Shuji Tsushima, the tenth of eleven children born to a wealthy landowner and politician. Dazai studied French literature at the University of Tokyo, eventually leaving without a degree. He first attracted attention in 1933 when magazines began to publish his work. Between 1930 and 1937, he made three suicide attempts, a subject he dealt with in many of his short stories. Despite his troubled life and rebellious spirit, Dazai wrote in simple and colloquial style, conveying his own experiences in his best work. Dazai’s life ended early in a double suicide with a married lover.

Manga Adaptor Cocco Kashiwaya, born 1970, is a Tokyo-based manga artist. In 2010, her manga serial Rikon Dokyo was made into a national TV drama in Japan.