Soseki Natsume's Kokoro: The Manga Edition

A timeless psychological study of a young man's deep alienation from society.

Set in the early 20th century, Kokoro opens with a chance encounter on a beach near Tokyo that irrevocably links a young student to a man he simply calls Sensei (Teacher). Intrigued by Sensei's aloofness, the student calls upon him with increasing frequency. Eventually, Sensei and his beautiful wife open their home and their lives to him. Only later does the student learn the devastating secret that has haunted Sensei since his youth.

Kokoro has sold millions of copies in Japan where it is taught in schools and is a perennial favorite. Its lucid prose and universal themes of friendship, betrayal and the struggle for meaning in a changing world have made it popular internationally as well. This English-language manga version will make the book accessible to a new generation of foreign readers.

The manga includes depictions of suicide and may not be suitable for some readers.

Soseki Natsume was born in Tokyo in 1867. He taught English in a small town before studying for three years in England. Returning to teach at Tokyo University, he began his writing career soon after. He became famous during his lifetime and is the only Japanese author referred to by his first name (Soseki).

Manga Adaptor Nagi Yoshizaki is a Japanese manga artist who has illustrated many graphic novels in his native Japan. The works he is best known for include Atashi, Hitori..., Zettai Triangle Love and For You, My Beloved.

Translation by Makiko Itoh. Itoh is the author of the Just Bento cookbook series and has translated many Japanese works into English including Zen Wisdom for the Anxious, and Modern Japanese Ikebana. She writes regular columns on food for the Japan Times.