In the mid-1990s, MariNaomi, a young mixed-race Japanese American, finds herself at a crossroads. Fresh out of a relationship and feeling disconnected from her heritage, she embarks on a journey to explore her cultural identity, which she recounts in excellent detail in her graphic memoir Turning Japanese.

The narrative begins in San Jose, California, where 22-year-old MariNaomi moves in with her new boyfriend and stumbles upon a Japanese-style hostess bar. Intrigued by the prospect of immersing herself in Japanese culture and learning the language, she takes a job there. However, the reality falls short of her expectations—customers are indifferent to her efforts, and the work offers little meaningful cultural exchange. This disillusionment pushes her to take a bigger leap: relocating to Japan in the hopes of a more authentic connection.

In Tokyo, the memoir shifts gears, following MariNaomi as she navigates the challenges of living in a foreign country with only rudimentary language skills. The story unfolds in short, self-contained episodes, capturing her interactions with coworkers, customers, and family members, as well as her observations of Japanese culture and are often compelling.

MariNaomi’s storytelling is deeply personal, but its focus sometimes wavers. The first half of the book dedicates significant time to her life in San Jose, including an extensive exploration of hostess bar culture. While these sections are informative, they can feel overlong, delaying the main storyline’s move to Japan. Once the setting shifts, the narrative becomes more engaging, though it still occasionally veers into mundane territory.
The visual style of Turning Japanese is simple yet functional. Done completely in bold black and white, MariNaomi employs a no-frills approach to the artwork where it acts as an important supporting cast in her story.

While I loved the overall story that comes through in the book, I thought it was a bit fragmented and could have done with some more deeper thoughts and reflections. Perhaps, it’s because MariNaomi wrote the book in different segments and kept adding to it as she explains in the Afterword.

I still enjoyed it, though. The memoir’s greatest strength lies in MariNaomi’s candid voice, which is a mix of humor and vulnerability keeping us interested even when the story meanders.

Turning Japanese has some raw storytelling and little moments of genuine insight.

Don’t skip this if you spy it in your library.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for the ARC.

An interesting read. This one is very relatable as well. The need to know more about how we came to be versus how we actually are is interesting. Mari writes a wonderful account and it was a very fascinating read with a lot to offer the reader.

The best thing in this graphic memoire is the illustrations and color palette. I found myself analyzing every page and dreaming away in the world of colors. It's a nice book with outstanding graphics.

A delightful graphic novel memoir. One thing that stuck out for me immediately was MariNaomi's use of her colour palette and illustration style. It carried the story well and I enjoyed her use of colour. I like the way she showed us a slice of life, through the subculture of hostess bars, to the funny moments of her life in Tokyo.

I requested this for consideration for Book Riot's All the Books podcast for its release date. After sampling several books out this week, I decided to go with a different book for my review.

I really wanted to get to this one, as it seemed interesting. This was requested when I first found out about NetGalley and I had requested so many ARCs that I could not get to all of them before they were archived. If I can find this somewhere for a reasonable price, I will try to get it!

This book delves into the author's personal journey of self-discovery and cultural assimilation as she navigates her identity as a Japanese-American. With a blend of introspection, wit, and vivid illustrations, MariNaomi invites readers on a thought-provoking exploration of the complexities of identity, relationships, and the transformative power of embracing one's heritage.

I liked this! I'm not really into graphic novels much but this story really hit home and I resonated with some parts so strongly that it made the whole thing very compelling.

In this book we follow Mari as she falls in love, travels, and tries to reconnect with her Japanese roots. This graphic novel was really great and I think if you are a fan of travel memoirs or books about family roots then you should check this one out!

"Turning Japanese" by MariNaomi is a candid and insightful graphic memoir that offers a personal exploration of identity, culture, and the complexities of self-discovery. This graphic novel is a thought-provoking blend of visual storytelling, introspection, and the search for belonging.

MariNaomi's writing and artistic style is authentic and engaging, inviting readers to accompany her on a journey of self-exploration and cultural understanding. The illustrations complement the narrative, allowing the author's emotions and experiences to come to life on the page.

At the heart of the memoir is a poignant exploration of identity, relationships, and the challenges of living between cultures. The author navigates her experiences as she immerses herself in Japanese culture, providing readers with a window into her journey of self-discovery.

"Turning Japanese" successfully balances the personal with the universal, touching on themes of belonging, self-acceptance, and the complexities of cross-cultural experiences. The exploration of both the joys and struggles that come with embracing a new identity adds depth to the memoir.

In conclusion, "Turning Japanese" is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant graphic memoir that offers readers an intimate glimpse into the author's journey of self-discovery and cultural exploration. If you're seeking a book that combines visual storytelling with heartfelt introspection, this memoir provides an insightful and engaging narrative that will leave you contemplative and moved.

The artsyle to its surprising humuor is what I enjoyed the most. The illustrations sets mood right away, however, I did not personally love the reading experience or I think I have a problem with the pacing or I feel like it took me a while to finish this one. But all in all, its a refreshing read.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free graphic novel!*

"Turning Japanese" is a wonderful graphic novel about cultural hybridity, loss, culture clash and identity. Mari is 20yo and does not speak Japanese well, a part of her cultural heritage and family is not really accessible to her, a problem that persists. Wonderfully illustrated, touching and honest, I quite enjoyed this memoir. I also learned a lot. 4 stars

2.7 /5 rounded up to 3

Thank you Oni Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review

Turning Japanese is a memoir about MariNaomi’s experience as a mixed-race Japanese-American trying to connect with her Japanese roots. I enjoyed the whimsical art style and the chapters were overall enjoyable. However, this book didn’t feel very cohesive at all. It felt like we were jumping from anecdote to anecdote with minimal introspection, something that I enjoy in memoirs. I wish the book contained more introspection and reflection rather than random memories of the author’s time in Japan and working at a host bar. I normally enjoy this format of memoir but this fell flat with me.

The simple art style was unique and refreshing, as was the actual premise. However, I wasn't overwhelmed by this graphic memoir, and I thought it could have been shortened in areas to improve pacing.

This was a really cool book. I was not expecting a graphic novel when I first looked into this book, but I think it amplified the storytelling effect well. While I'm fairly knowledgeable about aspects of modern day Japan, Japan in the '80s is something entirely different. I also enjoyed the casualness of the book, while it was autobiographical, the way the different parts of the book were presented per page made it really easy to read for a bit and pick back up later.

It was also interesting learning about Mari's experiences in Japan, and her childhood/young adult life while figuring out what it meant to be Japanese.

An amazing look at one persons Japanese experience. This was an absolutely stunning memoir and one that will stay with me for a while. Loved the art style and overall story presentation. Will be looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thanks NetGalley and Oni Press for this arc!

5/5 stars!

This graphic memoir was a funny and emotional journey through MariNaomi's adulthood, and I really enjoyed reading it. The art style took a little to get used to, but that's ok! I feel the simplistic style of the drawings really helped to bring focus to the emotions that were being played out in each scene. I appreciate all the insights into working at a hostess bar, something I've never really thought about before but seems like such a hard place to work. MariNaomi's trip to Japan and reconnecting with their family was both touching and sad, seeing the rift grow between them and Guiseppe.

This was a cool story of a young person searching for a foothold in their cultural identity. Part travelogue, part personal reflection, I appreciated this look into the authors experience in Japan and in 90s/00s Bay Area as they navigated another language, family, and relationships. Funny and honest.

Wow. This was a mesmerizing and heartbreaking reading experience. I'm looking forward to reading more from MariNaomi.

I love a good graphic memoir and this one was FANTASTIC. It really showed the difficulty in learning something like a new language the older you get. I think we've all faced that frustration head on at some point and this does a really great job of encapsulating that.

This is also a really great look at Japanese culture. I didn't know anything about hostesses and that type of bar, so it's always great to learn something new!