ISBN:9789861052632
日本漫畫以職場為背景的題材多不勝數,自然也找得到經營實體書店為主軸的作品。《東京書店奮鬥記》便是一部描寫在中型連鎖書店擔任店長的主角,憑藉無與倫比的衝勁與真誠,在各種職場難題與人際關係中迎刃而解、順風順水的故事。
故事背景設定在2010年,因此貫太郎任職的太陽花書店不可避免地正面臨網路書店與電子書的雙重挑戰。然而,若讀者期待作者會編織出逆轉局面的經營巧思,恐怕會有些失望。老實說,這部漫畫對實體書店的經營管理著墨不多,全書重心皆放在貫太郎周遭的人際互動。其故事節奏即便改編成日劇也毫無違和感,說不定這正是漫畫編輯最初的野心。
一位47歲的大叔,在日本職場中展現完全不讀空氣的魯莽舉止,反倒獲得老闆青睞、同事信賴、鄰居歡迎,甚至擁有異常的女人緣。只能說在日漫中,即便是在畫風寫實的職人漫畫裡,依然存在著主角威能。不過,比起誇張的《島耕作》,貫太郎也僅是擁有路人等級的幸運值罷了。
全系列共七集,描述主角(已婚!)與初戀情人的故事大約就佔了三分之二。然而情節安排頗具解謎趣味,看著看著便將其視作愛情故事,興致盎然地一路翻閱下去。遺憾的是,原作者岩重孝先生已於2012年過世,故事因此戛然而止於劇情邁入最高潮的時刻。生命充滿無常,沒想到在假日悠閒地看部漫畫,也能再度體認到這個道理。
Japanese manga set in workplace environments are abundant, and naturally there are works centered on “running a physical bookstore.” *Tokyo Bookstore Struggle* is one such story. It follows a protagonist who works as the manager of a mid-sized chain bookstore. With unmatched drive and sincerity, he manages to resolve various workplace challenges and interpersonal conflicts with apparent ease, sailing through them smoothly.
The story is set in 2010, so the “Sunflower Bookstore” where Kantaro works inevitably faces the dual challenges of online retailers and e-books. However, readers hoping the author will craft clever business strategies to turn the tide may be disappointed. To be honest, the manga doesn’t delve deeply into the management of physical bookstores. Instead, its focus lies almost entirely on Kantaro’s interactions with the people around him. The pacing feels perfectly suited for a TV drama adaptation, and one might even suspect that this was the editor’s original ambition.
A 47-year-old man behaving in a brash, “doesn’t read the room” manner in a Japanese workplace somehow earns the favor of his boss, the trust of his colleagues, the welcome of his neighbors, and even remarkable success with women. It can only be said that, even in more realistic, profession-focused manga, the phenomenon of “main character privilege” still exists. That said, compared to the exaggerated *Shima Kosaku*, Kantaro merely possesses a modest, background-character level of luck.
The series spans seven volumes in total, with about two-thirds of the story devoted to the (married!) protagonist and his first love. The plot is structured with a puzzle-like appeal, and before long, it becomes an engaging romance that keeps you turning the pages. Unfortunately, the original author, Takashi Iwashige, passed away in 2012, and the story comes to an abrupt halt just as it reaches its climax. Life is full of impermanence—unexpectedly, even a leisurely weekend spent reading manga can serve as a reminder of that truth.

