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To most manga readers, their favorite series receiving an anime adaptation is a dream come true. The chance to relive the story from the printed page in breathtaking animation is something we all revel in. But there’s one manga fandom that goes against that trend. In fact, fans of Goodnight Punpunthe linen manga by Inio Assano (Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction), actively fight against a manga adaptation… and for good reason.
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First published in 2007, Goodnight Punpun is a story about the challenges of growing up and everyday life. The series is one of the most celebrated Seinen manga of all time, up there with Berserk, 20th Century Boysand Hellsing. While fans are vehemently against an anime adaptation, they have little to worry about, as it will probably never happen.
Goodnight Punpun Should Never Get an Anime
Goodnight Punpun frequently ranks towards the top of “Best manga without an anime adaptation” lists. But, the fan base is happy for the series to remain there. From the first chapter, fans knew there was something different about Punpunand that its plot and storytelling style wouldn’t work in an anime.
The series follows 11-year-old Punpun Onodera as he goes through puberty. What sounds like an innocent enough premise is one of the most depressing manga ever written. His home life is abusive, his crush on a girl at his school is toxic, he nearly dies in a fire, his anxiety is overwhelming, life constantly beats him down, God literally speaks to him and laughs at him… and that’s just in the first volume. Goodnight Punpun isn’t an optimistic story about the character starting a new life or finding happiness. It’s an honest and tragic look at the reality and complexity of growing up and finding meaning in life.
It’s the content of Goodnight Punpun that is the biggest factor opposing any kind of anime adaptation. As previously mentioned, the series dives into some heavy and sensitive themes from the very first chapter, and things only get worse as the story continues and Punpun grows older. Anime doesn’t shy away from heavy and controversial subject matter. But it usually tackles them by trying to find the light in dark situations. The oppressive and nihilistic tone of Goodnight Punpun would be hard to translate to an anime, and it would be an incredibly depressing viewing experience.
The series is so bleak that fans of the manga often joke about not wanting to recommend it so that others don’t have to go through the same emotional turmoil. There’s no way we want to relive the same pain in an anime, let alone expose even more people to Punpun’s heartbreaking story.
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Goodnight Punpun Doesn’t Translate Into an Anime
Aside from the heavy themes, there are parts of Goodnight Punpun that only work because it is a manga. For starters, there is the design of the titular protagonist. While the rest of the characters are vividly human, Punpun and his family are designed as cartoon bird-like creatures. In the manga, this creates a stark contrast and makes the tragic events even more impactful. But it wouldn’t look right in animation without coming off as goofy.
Secondly, many parts of Goodnight Punpun are surreal and eccentric. However, the monochromatic sketches in the manga help to ground these scenes and don’t let them offset the bleak tone. Moments like Punpun’s dreams and Shimizu’s visions would feel out of place in an anime, and would detract from the overall tone of the series.
Finally, one of Goodnight Punpun‘s most intelligent and intriguing elements is its nonlinear storytelling that bounces between the present day, the past, and the future. While this isn’t a strong reason why the manga would be “impossible” to adapt, it would take a very skillful director to effectively capture the story in anime form while maintaining the care and balance of Inio Asano’s unconventional plot structure.
Thankfully, there is no talk or rumors of a Goodnight Punpun anime adaptation being in the works at the moment. Given the immense popularity of the series, it is likely that a studio will attempt to develop one in the future. However, anyone who has read the series knows it would take a miracle for the anime to live up to the depressing high quality of the manga.
For those who want to challenge their mental health by reading Goodnight PunpunVIZ publishes the manga in English (and the volumes are stunning).
