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Note: Goodnight Punpun is recommended for Mature readers.

Don't let the little birds fool you, this isn't a story for kids.

Punpun and his immediate family are all drawn as avian stick figures, and while they are kind of cute, their true narrative purpose is to insulate the reader as the plot becomes increasingly bleak. 

Think Art Spiegelman's Maus, where the Holocaust is peopled by mice, cats, pigs and dogs. By creating a mental remove, Asano can explore some pretty grim territory without totally destroying the readers, and readers can travel down paths they might otherwise avoid. Punpun's gawky little legs cover a lot of ground in this series, and his super cartoonish visage is weirdly expressive while also giving readers a form of emotional breakwater against a deftly told, depressing as hell story.

Goodnight Punpun also uses the cute character designs to lure readers into a false sense of security. The first volume makes it seem like this is going to be a quirky coming of age tale. You know, protagonist falling in love with a girl who lives in a cult. 

Dealing with the pressure of school.

Entering puberty.

Looking for porn but finding a creepy confession instead... 

But much like a frog unaware the water it's relaxing in is slowly heating, readers are sucked unprepared into Punpun's downward spiral. Suddenly you realize how deep things have sunk, and you wonder how such a cute little stick bird could have come to this. And with hindsight, each stumble upon the path is clear. Each crumbled handhold stands out stark in black and white. This isn't a story of growing up. It's a story about falling down. 

This might sound like I'm warning you away from the story, but that isn't the case at all. Inio Asano has a gift for writing about depression, disaffection, disillusionment—the dark places our souls can take us—in a way that makes his stories unique and familiar. Goodnight Punpun speaks to anyone who has found themselves deep in a dark mist.