I saw the Anime a year or two ago and, like with all movies I really enjoy, I started looking into the production. When I realized the film was based on a famous Japanese novella, from the same author who wrote Paprika, I knew I had to read it. This book did not disappoint me at all. I will say that it was quite a bit different from the film, which maybe felt a bit more adventurous than the book. This story is a great combination of sci-fi, coming-of-age, and magical realism. I loved the characters, I loved the ride, and I loved the ending. Altogether It was a good read. The other story that is attached to my copy of the ebook was not quite as good but I still really enjoyed it. It was still very mysterious and really pulls you along as you read in the same way, though maybe not as effectively, as the first story. This story also felt a bit spookier or eerier which I liked. The search for a nagging forgotten childhood memory that is important to the protagonist was just very compelling.
