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The Tatami Galaxy
Cover of The Tatami Galaxy
The Tatami Galaxy
A Novel

An unfulfilled college student hurtles through four parallel realities to explore the what-might've-been and the what-should-never-be in this Groundhog Day meets The Midnight Library–esque novel from one of Japan's most popular authors.

Our protagonist, an unnamed junior at a prestigious university in Kyoto, is on the verge of dropping out. After rebelling against the dictatorial jock president of the film club, he and his worst and only friend, the diabolical creep Ozu, are personas non grata on campus. For two years, our protagonist has made all the wrong decisions, and now he's about to make another mistake. He and Ozu are preparing for revenge—a fireworks attack at the film club's welcoming party for new members. Then, a chance encounter with a self-proclaimed god sets the confused and distraught young man on a new course. Destiny will bring him together with Akashi, the blunt but charming sophomore he has a crush on—if he's brave enough to make a move. Yet our protagonist cannot get beyond his profound disillusionment and the moment is lost. But what if there's a universe where he did join the club of his dreams, ditched Ozu for good, and was confident enough to get the girl? A realm of possibility opens up for our protagonist as time rewinds, and from the four-and-a-half-mat tatami floor of his dorm room, he is plunged into a series of adventures that will take him to four parallel universes. In each universe, he is given the opportunity to start over as a freshman, in search of a rose-colored campus life.

The inspiration behind the much-loved anime series, Tomihiko Morimi's contemporary classic is a fantastic journey through time and space, where a half-eaten castella cake, a photograph from Rome, and a giant cavity in a wisdom tooth hold the keys to self-discovery. A time-traveling romp that speaks to everyone who has wondered what if, The Tatami Galaxy will win readers' hearts over . . . and over . . . and over again.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

An unfulfilled college student hurtles through four parallel realities to explore the what-might've-been and the what-should-never-be in this Groundhog Day meets The Midnight Library–esque novel from one of Japan's most popular authors.

Our protagonist, an unnamed junior at a prestigious university in Kyoto, is on the verge of dropping out. After rebelling against the dictatorial jock president of the film club, he and his worst and only friend, the diabolical creep Ozu, are personas non grata on campus. For two years, our protagonist has made all the wrong decisions, and now he's about to make another mistake. He and Ozu are preparing for revenge—a fireworks attack at the film club's welcoming party for new members. Then, a chance encounter with a self-proclaimed god sets the confused and distraught young man on a new course. Destiny will bring him together with Akashi, the blunt but charming sophomore he has a crush on—if he's brave enough to make a move. Yet our protagonist cannot get beyond his profound disillusionment and the moment is lost. But what if there's a universe where he did join the club of his dreams, ditched Ozu for good, and was confident enough to get the girl? A realm of possibility opens up for our protagonist as time rewinds, and from the four-and-a-half-mat tatami floor of his dorm room, he is plunged into a series of adventures that will take him to four parallel universes. In each universe, he is given the opportunity to start over as a freshman, in search of a rose-colored campus life.

The inspiration behind the much-loved anime series, Tomihiko Morimi's contemporary classic is a fantastic journey through time and space, where a half-eaten castella cake, a photograph from Rome, and a giant cavity in a wisdom tooth hold the keys to self-discovery. A time-traveling romp that speaks to everyone who has wondered what if, The Tatami Galaxy will win readers' hearts over . . . and over . . . and over again.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Available formats-
  • OverDrive Listen
  • OverDrive MP3 Audiobook
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  • Available:
    3
  • Library copies:
    3
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About the Author-
  • Tomihiko Morimi was born and raised in Nara Prefecture, Japan. His first novel Tower of the Sun, which he wrote while studying at Kyoto University, won the 15th Japan Fantasy Novel Award. In 2006, he received the Yamamoto Shugoro Prize for the novel The Night is Short, Walk on Girl, and in 2010, Penguin Highway was awarded the Japan SF Grand Prize. In 2023, the English edition of The Tatami Galaxy was shortlisted for the PEN Translation Prize. Several of his works have been adapted into critically acclaimed anime series and films. He still lives and works in Nara.

Reviews-
  • Publisher's Weekly

    September 12, 2022
    Morimi’s delightful campus novel follows the quixotic adventures of an unnamed student dreaming of the perfect college experience. As a freshman, the narrator is presented with four potential extracurricular activities: the Ablutions film club, a vague organization posting “Disciples Wanted” ads, the softball club, and a shady group called Lucky Cat Chinese Food. Each deceptively promises the student—and the reader—a different narrative. However, over four sections in which the student chooses a different activity, he stumbles, à la Groundhog Day, through the same circumstances over and over. He develops a love-hate relationship with the devilish Ozu, has his fortune told by an old woman in the nightlife district, and one way or another falls in love with the intellectual yet beautiful Akashi. Other objects of repetition include castella cakes, fish burgers, a luxury scrub brush, and the novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. In their recurrence, Morimi instills comfort in the familiarity of his hero’s routine. Light and sweet in its confection, this satisfies like a spongy piece of castella.

  • AudioFile Magazine Andrew Grace finds the humor in a narrative that is progressively unreliable yet always relatable. At Tokyo University, a college junior lives in a messy, cramped space, a "four-and-a-half-tatami room." He seeks the perfect college experience, preferably one that includes a "raven-haired beauty." Several alternate timelines unfold, each with subtly divergent details involving different college clubs but the same recurring characters who seek to sabotage the student's ideal journey through higher education. Grace's nimble, light touch keeps the proceedings buoyant as the protagonist faces deep questions about the nature of opportunities and choices. Grace's performance captures the audiobook's theme of personal growth and reflection. S.P.C. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
  • Library Journal

    February 1, 2023

    Morimi's (Fox Tales) recursive novel takes listeners through a dizzying Groundhog Day--like plot, where a messy god of love allows an unnamed third-year student at Kyoto University to travel through four parallel realities, exploring the different paths that he might have taken as a first-year college student. The student hopes to have his crush return his affection, but beyond that, he also welcomes the chance to realize his potential in life. A novel that offers variations on the same plot again and again might have been incredibly boring. This audio is always stimulating, however, as narrator Andrew Grace skillfully employs different shades of emotion to create new worlds with each iteration. While Grace voices many characters pleasantly and believably, this is one of those audiobooks where annoying people are narrated annoyingly--notably Ozu, the student's lousy friend, who is a central character, which means that listeners are frequently subjected to his unpleasant voice; this may be a point of difficulty for some. VERDICT Grace's accomplished narration combined with Morimi's entertaining plot provide an absorbing listening experience. Will please fans of the award-winning anime series that was inspired by the novel.--Matthew Galloway

    Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Title Information+
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    HarperAudio
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    Transfer to device: 
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    Transfer to Apple® device: 
    Permitted
    Public performance: 
    Not permitted
    File-sharing: 
    Not permitted
    Peer-to-peer usage: 
    Not permitted
    All copies of this title, including those transferred to portable devices and other media, must be deleted/destroyed at the end of the lending period.

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The Tatami Galaxy
A Novel
Tomihiko Morimi
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