Goodbye, Eri by Tatsuki Fujimoto

One year for his birthday, Yuta's mother gives him a smartphone and requests that he record her often, as she is dying and won't know which moment will be her last. Yuta complies and tries to capture as many memories as he can, but he can't bring himself to go into the hospital to see her last breath. Then, he runs from the building just in time for it to explode. Then, we realize we are in a theater and have been watching a movie Yuta put together of all the footage of his mother, and he's debuting it in front of his classmates. Most of them are horrified, and Yuta takes their criticism very harshly. He runs to the roof with the intention of killing himself, but instead meets Eri, a girl who loved his film but believes he can make a better one. The two of them spend many days in Eri's secret hideout, watching movies together, until Yuta gets the inspiration to make his second film. This film also has a surprise twist, as Yuta can't help himself.

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Of all the Fujimoto works I've consumed, this one affected me the most. There is an artistic tell to what is being filmed and edited versus what Yuta is seeing in real life, but it might not be obvious why that's important on the first read. Because of Yuta's editing and twists, this book will require re-reads and will either provide more clarity or more questions as to what's real and what's actually Yuta's edited reality. Fujimoto is playing with elements of the fantastique ​genre, which is one of my favorites, so this book really stands out to me in composition and form.

If you're familiar with Fujimoto's other work, the art style in this book will be familiar and comforting. Eri looks very similar to characters in Chainsaw Man, although the subject matter is much less shocking and violent. I appreciate the subtle difference Fujimoto employs to differentiate between filming and real life.

Because this deals with grief and suicidal ideation, this would probably be best for high school audiences.

Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 9-12

This review was made possible with a digital reader copy from the publisher through Net Galley.

Publisher: VIZ Media
Publication Date: June 27, 2023
ISBN: 9781974738939 (Paperback)

​Tags: Rating: 9/10, Suitability: High School, Manga, Family, Grief, Friendship, Mystery, VIZ Media