My Own Bible
SUPER★DRAGON’s Book Recommendations for TSUTAYA Shibuya
“My Own Bible”
-Reo-
ヘレン・ケラー
“Hellen Keller”
by Masaguchi Yamaguchi
“This book makes me think about the everyday abilities I have in speech and behavior that I often take for granted, and what a life is like for those who go through life without those abilities. In this age where we bury our attention in SNS, I really want the young people of today to learn about her story. I’m going to live more thankful for each day from now on.”
フランス流紅茶芸術
“The French Art of Tea”
Published by Mariage Frères
“As well as an in-depth analysis of tea cultivars by region, the story of tea as it relates to the history and culture of France is brought together in this one singular volume. The sheer variety of fragrant tea embodies the spirit of France, a country with one of the most colorful and vibrant arts cultures in the world.”
トリコ
“Toriko”
by Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro
“If you ask me, the ingredients and meals that come up in the story seem absolutely delicious! As a quick example, take the combination of a lemon and a peach to make something called lemopeach. The fantastical ingredients seem like they came straight from our childhood imagination. Combining these fictional foods with real ingredients to create new ideas, the hero threads each new recipe throughout the tales of his journeys. Caution: don’t read on an empty stomach! Haha”
夏目友人帳
“Natsume’s Book of Friends”
by Yuki Midorikawa
“This story primarily deals how we humans react to the spirit world, but when I read it, it made me think instead about how we humans treat one another. The protagonist stands apart from society only by his ability to see the spirits that others cannot, and yet it seems that we as people have yet to learn what it means to accept others who may not be like ourselves. This story brings up some things to ponder when it comes to human nature.”
有閑倶楽部
“Yukan Club”
by Yukari Ichijo
“I think this was probably the first manga I ever looked at. Generally, it’s a story that gives me a laugh from time to time; sometimes even a laugh out loud. But there’s also some rather scary moments that leave me shaking! This is a story you can read over and over again without getting tired. Even if it’s categorized as a ‘girl’s’ manga, I hope people of all genders will check it out and enjoy!”
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“My Own Bible”
-Tsuyoshi-
ドラゴンボール
“Dragonball”
by Akira Toriyama
“I’m just one of the countless people all over the world who love and appreciate of this manga. When I was a kid, I drew Z-fighters all over my notebook instead of paying attention in class.”
NARUTO
by Masashi Kishimoto
“This story of love, loneliness, strength, and coming of age in the world of ninja raised my entire generation. Each book represents memories of my own childhood and school life. When the series ended, I cried.”
「刃牙」シリーズ
“Baki the Grappler (manga series)”
by Keisuke Itagaki
“As he is known: ‘The strongest one can be while still walking this earth.’ The main idea of the extremely simple concept is the aesthetic, philosphy, and string of fate that ties a man at war to his creed. I must see to it that I too become a man of the same principles!”
ハサミ男
“The Man Behind the Scissors”
by Masayuki Shuno
“As my eyes followed the words, it was if the characters jumped from the pages into life. I could see and hear their voices in my head. The author’s provocative tease of the story’s progression kept me absolutely captive until the very end.”
ココ・シャネルの言葉
“The Words of Coco Chanel”
by Michiko Yamaguchi
“For each imaginable detail such as the sound of one’s walk or one’s silhouette when standing, the fascinating womens’ advice in this book may just be one person’s words but they have been a valuable source of inspiration and encouragement.”
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“My Own Bible”
-Jean-
スライム倒して３００年、知らないうちにレベルＭＡＸになってました
“I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level“
by Kisetsu Morita
“I actually dabble in writing my own light novel stories, and this is one of the first works I came across when I first started. I remember that it had a considerable influence over me during those times. The overwhelming power of the protagonist gives me the happy feelings.”
虚構推理
“In/Spectre”
by Kyo Shirodaira
“Thinking about if the events in this story would happen in the world we’re living in right now, it really hit me so that I was trembling with every turn of the page.”
オーバーロード
“Overlord”
by Kugane Maruyama
“You know how when we were kids, we kind of thought that when we started a game, we’d end up one of the top players on the entire server? In that vein, I definitely recommend this book for the gamers out there.”
HUNTER × HUNTER
by Yoshihiro Togashi
“Whether it’s the anime or the book, this is my favorite series. My favorite character is Feitan, but I love all of the Phantom Troupe too. I stopped reading around the time the Dark Continent story line was introduced, if I remember correctly. I’m excited to pick it back up again!”
月刊少女野崎くん
“Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun”
by Izumi Tsubaki
“If you like ‘slice of life’ or romantic comedy, this is highly recommended! It’ll make you laugh but also is quite touching and sometimes made me blush. Before I knew it I was already on the last page lol”
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-Hayate-
心を整える。 勝利をたぐり寄せるための56の習慣
“Straighten Up Your Soul: 56 Habits That Bring You Closer to the Win”
by Makoto Hasebe
“With the personal experience that comes from being a former soccer coach and National Representative player, Makoto Hasebe talks about his personal philosophy and how one can change their perspective on the things we normally struggle with in our daily lives with simple adjustments of mentality. Of course, soccer fans should check it out, but the book is great even if you don’t know a thing about sports!”
君たちはどう生きるか (漫画)
“How Do You Live? (manga series)”
by Shoichi Haga
“Concepts like the purpose of education and the value of interpersonal relationships are, of course, somewhat obvious. But this book made me understand more deeply those natural things we sometimes take for granted, or even forget.”
一瞬の風になれ
“Be Like the Wind”
by Takako Sato
“A story about a track-and-field game, yet there’s so much it left me thinking about. Whether effort can triumph over natural talent, how to recognize a true friend, the thin line between keeping the desire to win to motivate oneself forward and acceptance that winning isn’t everything….it’s all in this book.”
世界から猫が消えたなら
“If Cats Disappeared from the World”
by Genki Kawamura
“We don’t realize sometimes how important something was to us until we’ve lost it. This book makes me think about that a lot. I am taking care of a pet cat myself so the story hit me especially close to home!”
夢をかなえるゾウ
“An elephant that fulfills a dream”
by Keiya Mizuno
“This is a self-help book but it doesn’t come across as too preachy and the unique characters the author uses make it an easy to read story about how to bring one’s dreams or other ideas to fruition.”
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“My Own Bible”
-Sougo-
新幹線を走らせた男 ― 国鉄総裁十河信二物語
“The Man Who Made the Shinkansen: The Story of Japanese National Railways President Shinji Sogo”
by Dankichi Takahashi
“This is the tale of Japanese National Railways president Shinji Sogo, who paved the way for the establishment of the Tokaido Shinkansen. If Mr. Sogo could see the Japan of today, I wonder what his reaction would be.”
カレチ
“Karechi”
by Kunihiko Ikeda
“Set among the hustle and bustle of the hundreds of people who work for the railway system, this book depicts the life of a train man who conceals his great suffering. Please remember him and his beautiful story.”
NOTE
There is little information on this job position in English, despite its ubiquitous appearance in every railway station in Japan. The “train man” Sougo is referring to is a person who stands on the platform during a given work period and checks to make sure tracks are clear before giving a hand signal to the train conductor that it is safe to pull up to the tracks. When a train is departing from the platform, the train man should check once again that everyone safely entered the train before signaling to the conductor to close the doors. This image is very typical of their usual appearance.
コンパス時刻表
“Compass Timetable (magazine)”
“If you’re someone who uses the railway system, this one right here is a must-have. It comes in an easily portable small size, so I want everyone to grab this and have fun running around seeing Japan!”
鉄道ダイヤ情報
“Railway Schedule Information (magazine)”
“Not only is there all the latest railway news, but valuable information on limited or seasonal trains and special runs of inspection cars. This magazine has only given me a deeper appreciation of and commitment to the train otaku life.”
「のりものアルバム」シリーズ
“Transportation Encyclopedia (series)”
author varies by volume
“When I was a kid I read these so much I practically memorized the book. This series is full of so many memories.”
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“My Own Bible”
-Koki-
五等分の花嫁
“The Quintessential Quintuplets”
by Negi Haruba
“Although the five heroine girls initially start off giving the protagonist the cold shoulder, as the story continues to develop, you can see how they slowly let down their guard and come to accept him. I enjoyed reading through that part!”
氷菓
“Hyouka”
by Honobu Yonezawa
“That feeling of tension you get when you’re trying to solve the big mystery makes that moment you figured it out always super satisfying. This novel has so many mysteries to figure out and they’re all so complex, so I chose this book to recommend.”
Re:ゼロから始める異世界生活
“Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World”
by Tappei Nagatsuki
“The main character is a little bit intense and almost overbearing to the reader, but when I read it I could empathize with him completely. Also, I love the constant back and forth exchange he has going with Rem.”
とらドラ!
“Toradora!”
by Yuyuko Takemiya
“With this little love-hate relationship story, even I was letting out all kinds of feelings. Personally, this is the book that made the most lasting emotional impact on me.”
やはり俺の青春ラブコメはまちがっている
“My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected”
by Wataru Watari
“The main character’s tsukkomi style personality is an archetype I personally love. As well, all of the unique charms of the other characters are easy enough to see that it’s very enjoyable!”
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“My Own Bible”
-Hyoma-
絶唱
“A Masterpiece”
by Kanae Minato
“The chaotic plot twists and surprises throughout the latter part of the novel were so enthralling that my chest felt tight as I was reading. It made me think of the impending natural disasters that are almost guaranteed to occur, and I think it’s a work that can make others aware as well.”
三日間の幸福
“Three Days of Happiness”
by Sugaru Miaki
“I often wonder, what does it truly mean when someone says the word happiness. When we find ourselves a place where you’re grasping forth to keep going, only then do we realize that happiness is actually right next to us. I liked as well how the author decided to use elements of foreshadowing in the story.”
夜のピクニック
“Evening Picnic”
by Nanae Kumagai
“This book gives me the chance to experience the concept of ‘youth’ firsthand. The story is quite light so it’s easy to feel sympathy for the characters and I liked it a lot. I remember this book so dearly that I even have written a book report on it!”
人間の条件
“The Human Condition”
by Hannah Arendt
“Let me just say, first of all, that this book is quite difficult.
Even though I feel that I myself have yet to understand completely what the book is presenting, I feel like, on top of deepening my understanding of philosophy as it relates to society and mankind, it sheds further light on my inherent prejudices and fixed ideas.”
羅生門
“Rashomon”
by Ryunosuke Akutagawa
“I am very curious about the ways of life of the peasant class of the past, so I chose this book. In this book, what I want to point out is the difference of the peasants in nature and motivations. I think this book is the kind that would cause the reader to think ‘If that were me, I’d do this…’ and things like that as you read on.”
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-Tomoya-
NARUTO 42巻
“NARUTO #42”
by Masashi Kishimoto
“Out of the series that became my roots, NARUTO, this is the most memorable volume to me. This is about a brother’s love. No matter how many times I’ve read it, it makes me cry every time. Sasuke’s wailing face on the cover tells you all you need to know, perhaps….”
NARUTO 72巻
“Naruto #72”
by Masashi Kishimoto
“This is the series finale of NARUTO. Of course, I would have been emotionally moved either way, but the way it ended so clean and briskly with a perfect closer… Once again, I have to tip my hat to Mr. Kishimoto on that one. This volume will leave you quivering!”
友罪
“My Friend ‘A'”
by Gaku Yakumaru
“This is a novel by one of my favorite authors, Gaku Yakumaru. In this book, the story ends in a way that no one really gets a happy ending. The story of when your past mistakes come face to face with the resulting pain and suffering, and how it’s written to be happening currently in present tense was interesting enough that I remembered its impact.”
痩せない豚は幻想を捨てろ
“To All the Pigs Who Don’t Lose Weight, Get Rid of Your Delusions”
by Tequila Murakami
“This is just the diet book I’m currently using LOL. It changed me quite a lot. If you read it too, you too can make the change! I mean, ultimately it does come down to you though~”
直観と論理をつなぐ思考法
“Vision Driven”
by Kunitake Saso
“This has been influential on my mindset in all matters. This has sparked a greater question within me of how my intuition can transform into proper, logical thinking, and who I would like to be as a person and where I would like to head in the future.”
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-Raku-
ブランケット・キャッツ
“Blanket Cats”
by Kiyoshi Shigematsu
“You might have been able to tell by the title, but this is about cats. People who have many worries and troubles go to a place called ‘Blanket Cats’ where you can rent your own cat. It’s a story that really warms your heart.”
「ハリ―ポッター」シリーズ
“Harry Potter (series)”
by J.K. Rowling
“My sister collected all the books in the series and had been reading them before me. I got into it from the movies, but I started to want to read the books from those. There were some differences from the books and the movies which were really interesting to note.”
海底2万マイル
“Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea”
by Jules Verne
“This is the first novel I ever read. I don’t really like books this long but I stuck through and read until the end. I’m the type of person who, once I start reading, just wants to read the entire thing without stopping until it ends so I powered through and finished it.”
約束のネバーランド
“The Promised Neverland”
by Kaiu Shirai
“This is the first serialized manga that I’ve collected the volumes of. I quite like the world view being presented, and I like how the setting seems normal and yet isn’t quite the same as ours.”
カラフル
“Colorful”
by Eto Mori
“In middle school, I stopped reading books for a while, so I grabbed this thinking ‘I should at least read something!’ I thought this would be quite regular too, so I was very surprised at the end!”