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Yokohama Station SF Novel #1
Yokohama Station SF
A WORLD INSIDE
All Hiroto has ever known is a life on a tiny coastal speck of Japan. Much of the country has been swallowed by Yokohama Station, a mysterious, ever-growing series of buildings that's been around for as long as anyone can remember. The few who live outside its many entrances have never seen Inside and know only rumors and legends of the station's interior. That all changes when Hiroto is given an 18 Ticket, a mysterious item that lets him enter the massive complex for five days. The young man has always sought a purpose, but the one he finds may not be the sort he'd hoped for...
All Hiroto has ever known is a life on a tiny coastal speck of Japan. Much of the country has been swallowed by Yokohama Station, a mysterious, ever-growing series of buildings that's been around for as long as anyone can remember. The few who live outside its many entrances have never seen Inside and know only rumors and legends of the station's interior. That all changes when Hiroto is given an 18 Ticket, a mysterious item that lets him enter the massive complex for five days. The young man has always sought a purpose, but the one he finds may not be the sort he'd hoped for...
228 pages, Hardcover
First published December 24, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
June 10, 2021
So many mixed feelings about this narrative and hard to start from one place!
Those who love metro stations and train cars, stay tight - it will blow your mind! In far future, Yokohama station in Japan had started to expand and cover the whole of Honshu island and it's been expanding since then to cover the whole Japan till Mount Fuji. People living in those parts of Japan are part of Yokohama Station now and those who don't afford to buy Suikanet access are being removed from the station and put into the holes to die there.
Hiroto, the main protagonist, is an outsider who survived this expansion and gets 5-day access ticket to find the guerilla leader within Yokohama station who will help him to find the answer to questions around this station. We mainly read 5-day journey of Hiroto within the station, his adventure with Northern Japanese Coalition spies, mysteries within the station and the route cause of this expansion.
Loved this story so much and this idea had so much potential to get expanded - I adored the robots he met, the Kyushu island's politics, and the whole concept of this expansion and fight against this mega power. However, the characters were not deeply developed and I found myself hard to emphasize with them no matter how much I wanted.
Would be a wonderful manga - this is how it was read anyway and good news - the manga is published in Japan, but not licensed anywhere else yet. Would definitely like to go back to discovery of this cyber world!
*This book has been provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review of mine
Those who love metro stations and train cars, stay tight - it will blow your mind! In far future, Yokohama station in Japan had started to expand and cover the whole of Honshu island and it's been expanding since then to cover the whole Japan till Mount Fuji. People living in those parts of Japan are part of Yokohama Station now and those who don't afford to buy Suikanet access are being removed from the station and put into the holes to die there.
Hiroto, the main protagonist, is an outsider who survived this expansion and gets 5-day access ticket to find the guerilla leader within Yokohama station who will help him to find the answer to questions around this station. We mainly read 5-day journey of Hiroto within the station, his adventure with Northern Japanese Coalition spies, mysteries within the station and the route cause of this expansion.
Loved this story so much and this idea had so much potential to get expanded - I adored the robots he met, the Kyushu island's politics, and the whole concept of this expansion and fight against this mega power. However, the characters were not deeply developed and I found myself hard to emphasize with them no matter how much I wanted.
Would be a wonderful manga - this is how it was read anyway and good news - the manga is published in Japan, but not licensed anywhere else yet. Would definitely like to go back to discovery of this cyber world!
*This book has been provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review of mine
April 11, 2021
This book is so solid. I hadn't read it when it was in it's twitter and web-created infancy, but I loved reading it now. A great sci-fi read.
January 9, 2022
I love the premise of this book, and the worldbuilding that goes into its far future setting and the creepy cool ever expanding lifeform of Yokohama Station. The plot lacked some punch for me, both in the lackluster agency embodied in the story's protagonist, and in the introduction of a secondary plotline a bit too late in the game for it to feel well balanced.
October 12, 2021
Me ha gustado bastante. La ciencia ficcion es un genero que nunca me canso de el, y en esta ocasion al ser una novela japonesa se nota mucho en su narrativa. La cual va mas a los hechos que a la propia descripcion del ambiente o de los personajes.
Siendo una novela corta de unas 270 paginas te desarrolla una historia con final, donde Hiroto sucumbido a una sucesion de casualidades termina siendo ese heroe o villano que la gente no se esperaba y que no sera recordado.
Me ha gustado la analogia de lo que es en realidad la estacion de Yokohama y como en la historia te demuestran como en distintos entornos un mismo punto de partida puede evolucionar en distintos ambitos segun las necesidades. Me parece una novela muy redonda, pero que te debe de gustar el estilo japones escueto.
Siendo una novela corta de unas 270 paginas te desarrolla una historia con final, donde Hiroto sucumbido a una sucesion de casualidades termina siendo ese heroe o villano que la gente no se esperaba y que no sera recordado.
Me ha gustado la analogia de lo que es en realidad la estacion de Yokohama y como en la historia te demuestran como en distintos entornos un mismo punto de partida puede evolucionar en distintos ambitos segun las necesidades. Me parece una novela muy redonda, pero que te debe de gustar el estilo japones escueto.
September 9, 2021
Cool world. Wonder if the SF in the title just stand for "science fiction." Feels like it could be remnant of its beginning as shorter story based of a tweet about the real Yokohama Station possibly being a living organism due to its constant state of growth and change. Picturing a document titled "Yokohama Station SF" like "Sci Fi story about YS that I'm going to play around with and don't expect to become a book." Fun. Interesting.
Does feel like it didn't really maximize the potential of the world. Would've been a stronger end result, I think, with more time Inside (outside, too, I suppose) for more interactions like the one with the mountaineers. Or something else that would add a bit more depth to the story and world. It felt like the major interactions outside of meeting K were more used for illustrating or reiterating how life on the inside was different in shallow portions. They did affect Hiroto, but idk. I guess the real issue was maybe just that those interactions didn't quite land their meat hooks in my imagination and get the kind of grip that real solid "your father fought in the Clone Wars," run-n-gun world building can for me. Cuz I did mostly like the pace and feel it was consistent and appropriate, but, yeah it just didn't quite grab me. Wasn't optimized.
Caught wishing there was a 3.5 stars option, but following my gut and rounding rules and giving it a 4. Suspect I may continue to ruminate and will grow to like it more. Also its short, so no one will be out much time if they read it expecting a solid 4 and find its more in the three side for them.
Does feel like it didn't really maximize the potential of the world. Would've been a stronger end result, I think, with more time Inside (outside, too, I suppose) for more interactions like the one with the mountaineers. Or something else that would add a bit more depth to the story and world. It felt like the major interactions outside of meeting K were more used for illustrating or reiterating how life on the inside was different in shallow portions. They did affect Hiroto, but idk. I guess the real issue was maybe just that those interactions didn't quite land their meat hooks in my imagination and get the kind of grip that real solid "your father fought in the Clone Wars," run-n-gun world building can for me. Cuz I did mostly like the pace and feel it was consistent and appropriate, but, yeah it just didn't quite grab me. Wasn't optimized.
Caught wishing there was a 3.5 stars option, but following my gut and rounding rules and giving it a 4. Suspect I may continue to ruminate and will grow to like it more. Also its short, so no one will be out much time if they read it expecting a solid 4 and find its more in the three side for them.
April 10, 2021
This was definitely an interesting book. It took some time for me to warm up to it, but once I was captured, I couldn't put this book down, I HAD to know how it was going to end. It didn't go the way I expected to, but that was ok. I like not always figuring out how the story ends.
One thing though, the MC was blessed that everything he did and everyone he encountered helped get him closer and closer to his goal. He never really seemed to have to work for much. Other than that and the time it took me to really get into the story, this was almost enchanting. I honestly don't want to say too much, if you are going to read this, you should go into it not knowing what to expect.
I am going to get a copy of this for a family member who is into sci-fi that is different from what it out there, this fits that bill perfectly. Definitely one I will be recommending to our sci-fi readers at the store.
3.5 stars, rounded down to 3, because while I did enjoy it, it was a little too easy and streamlined for the MC and the jumps took a bit to get used to. Worth the time to read, recommended.
My thanks to NetGalley and Yen Press/Yen On for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
One thing though, the MC was blessed that everything he did and everyone he encountered helped get him closer and closer to his goal. He never really seemed to have to work for much. Other than that and the time it took me to really get into the story, this was almost enchanting. I honestly don't want to say too much, if you are going to read this, you should go into it not knowing what to expect.
I am going to get a copy of this for a family member who is into sci-fi that is different from what it out there, this fits that bill perfectly. Definitely one I will be recommending to our sci-fi readers at the store.
3.5 stars, rounded down to 3, because while I did enjoy it, it was a little too easy and streamlined for the MC and the jumps took a bit to get used to. Worth the time to read, recommended.
My thanks to NetGalley and Yen Press/Yen On for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2022
The magic is just really here with this one. It's not perfect by any means; with several instances of information being repeated unnecessarily, its confusing reverse-order world building that requires quite a lot of patience at the start of the book, etc. But it absolutely builds a world I want to be a part of, with characters who can be flatter then a pancake but still somehow very compelling. I would travel along with any boring fellow in Yokohama Station.
April 17, 2021
I received a free e-ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
(Actual rating 3.5)
[This review will be posted on my blog on April 18]
Yokohama Station has a strange premise, but is a super compelling read. Basically, through genetic replication, Yokohama (train) Station has grown and taken over the entire island of Honshu. There were a lot of things about this book that I thought could have been done better, but I was completely hooked. I don't think this is going to be a hugely popular book for audiences reading it in English, and I feel like this is a real shame, because it's a fascinating book. I am somewhat familiar with Japanese forms of storytelling, and the difficulties of translating between Japanese and English due to extensive study at uni. I want to say straight up that I think the translator has done an excellent job at balancing literal translation with free translation. It's not an easy thing to achieve. So even though the writing seems kind of dry in places, I still felt excited to find out what was going to happen.
The story follows two main characters, Hiroto and Toshiro. Both have set out to explore Yokohama Station for different reasons.
I want to say straight off the bat that this is not a character driven story. The characters really only exist to further the plot. As a result they are kind of flat. Hiroto, who was born outside Yokohama Station has a fascination with it, and is fortunate enough to receive to what amounts to a visitor's pass. He just sort of bumbles his way through Yokohama Station, and through no effort of his own, manages to luck upon allies when he needs them. Toshiro isn’t introduced until 40% of the way through, so that was somewhat jarring. He hates people, and I had no idea what motivated him to do anything. Some of the side characters, such as Keiha, Nepshamai, and Haikunterke were quite fascinating, and I would have liked to read more about them. Alas, there was not enough time to do so.
The worldbuilding was probably the most interesting part of this book. Yokohama Station has, as previously mentioned, taken over all of Honshu. Most humans live inside the station, where all their needs are taken care of, provided they have a Suika - basically a little microchip that’s inserted into the body when you’re six years old (providing your parents or someone else will foot the bill for you). Using it you are able to earn points to use as currency. Order is kept by Automated Turnstiles, which enforce the basic rules of the station - don't harm other people, or cause damage to the station. Local human militia type organisations also try to enforce local rules. Some humans, like Hiroto, live outside the station on Honshu, clinging to the margins, and living off whatever the station ejects out. While others, like Toshiro, inhabit the other islands like Kyushu and Hokkaido, and actively try to repel the station’s expansion.
The writing style is very straight forward, and fairly easy to read. Sometimes there is a bit of info-dumping/exposition, and it can take a bit of effort to understand what it means, but I wasn't too worried about it because it didn't feel out of place in the context of the story. Both characters, especially Hiroto, were unfamiliar with the world inside Yokohama Station, so we learned about it as they did. While the worldbuilding can seem quite complicated, the story itself isn’t overly complex. It’s a basic narrative that explores the question of what the world would look like if technology took over.
One of the biggest difficulties I had while reading this book was I lacked a sense of geographical space. While I could recognise the islands, major cities and some of the prefectures, I didn't know the locations of smaller cities and towns. I think it would be really helpful for foreign readers to have a map included, especially considering so much ground is covered by the characters.
I think this would be really cool if it was adapted to anime, and I would be interested to read more short stories or novellas set in this world (especially a prequel of some sort).
I would recommend this to science fiction fans, especially those who like their sci-fi a bit quirky.
(Actual rating 3.5)
[This review will be posted on my blog on April 18]
Yokohama Station has a strange premise, but is a super compelling read. Basically, through genetic replication, Yokohama (train) Station has grown and taken over the entire island of Honshu. There were a lot of things about this book that I thought could have been done better, but I was completely hooked. I don't think this is going to be a hugely popular book for audiences reading it in English, and I feel like this is a real shame, because it's a fascinating book. I am somewhat familiar with Japanese forms of storytelling, and the difficulties of translating between Japanese and English due to extensive study at uni. I want to say straight up that I think the translator has done an excellent job at balancing literal translation with free translation. It's not an easy thing to achieve. So even though the writing seems kind of dry in places, I still felt excited to find out what was going to happen.
The story follows two main characters, Hiroto and Toshiro. Both have set out to explore Yokohama Station for different reasons.
I want to say straight off the bat that this is not a character driven story. The characters really only exist to further the plot. As a result they are kind of flat. Hiroto, who was born outside Yokohama Station has a fascination with it, and is fortunate enough to receive to what amounts to a visitor's pass. He just sort of bumbles his way through Yokohama Station, and through no effort of his own, manages to luck upon allies when he needs them. Toshiro isn’t introduced until 40% of the way through, so that was somewhat jarring. He hates people, and I had no idea what motivated him to do anything. Some of the side characters, such as Keiha, Nepshamai, and Haikunterke were quite fascinating, and I would have liked to read more about them. Alas, there was not enough time to do so.
The worldbuilding was probably the most interesting part of this book. Yokohama Station has, as previously mentioned, taken over all of Honshu. Most humans live inside the station, where all their needs are taken care of, provided they have a Suika - basically a little microchip that’s inserted into the body when you’re six years old (providing your parents or someone else will foot the bill for you). Using it you are able to earn points to use as currency. Order is kept by Automated Turnstiles, which enforce the basic rules of the station - don't harm other people, or cause damage to the station. Local human militia type organisations also try to enforce local rules. Some humans, like Hiroto, live outside the station on Honshu, clinging to the margins, and living off whatever the station ejects out. While others, like Toshiro, inhabit the other islands like Kyushu and Hokkaido, and actively try to repel the station’s expansion.
The writing style is very straight forward, and fairly easy to read. Sometimes there is a bit of info-dumping/exposition, and it can take a bit of effort to understand what it means, but I wasn't too worried about it because it didn't feel out of place in the context of the story. Both characters, especially Hiroto, were unfamiliar with the world inside Yokohama Station, so we learned about it as they did. While the worldbuilding can seem quite complicated, the story itself isn’t overly complex. It’s a basic narrative that explores the question of what the world would look like if technology took over.
One of the biggest difficulties I had while reading this book was I lacked a sense of geographical space. While I could recognise the islands, major cities and some of the prefectures, I didn't know the locations of smaller cities and towns. I think it would be really helpful for foreign readers to have a map included, especially considering so much ground is covered by the characters.
I think this would be really cool if it was adapted to anime, and I would be interested to read more short stories or novellas set in this world (especially a prequel of some sort).
I would recommend this to science fiction fans, especially those who like their sci-fi a bit quirky.
May 16, 2021
This was a fun little read. Straightforward science fiction with little backstory explanation to move you forward - essentially, a train station on Honshu, built with AI to be a self-maintaining, self-caretaking station, takes its purpose quite literally, and over the span of decades begins to restore what it can to the point of self-replication. The turnstiles are automatic, sentient, and mobile, and very much not something to be messed with. As the size of the station grows (covering all of the island of Honshu), the Japanese government - which has been completely ineffective in stopping the station's growth and "self defense" - is concerned for the fate of the other islands, but most importantly, Tokyo itself.
There are two main characters, both trying to get into the station for their own reasons. Their presence is pivotal in moving the story forward, but they are far more than just cogs in the author's writing wheel. The station is inhabited by those with wealth, and are fiercely protected by the station's machinery; the have-nots are the people living on the island but outside the station - residents are chip-tracked by the station's omnipresent database, and those living outside who somehow gain entry or access are dealt with. Hiroto is one of the outsiders, looking for purpose in life - his village is just outside the station, and he sees that the village lives off of the refuse cast out from the station, and thereby obviating the need for the villagers to work. So when an opportunity to do something more presents itself, Hiroyuki seizes it (and a seven day pass inside the station) and embarks inside Yokohama Station to see what it’s like and try to find a mysterious place known as Exit 42.
Another outsider - living on an entirely different island - is Toshiru, working on the government's behest to reconnoiter the workings of the station if he can somehow slip inside and stay alive.
The characters are vibrant, their tasks are fraught, and the whole thing just works. A fun book, well worth my time (which wasn't much, given that it is a slim tome). Four stars, take a ride at Yokohama Station.
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free advance reader copy. This in no way affected my rating or review.
There are two main characters, both trying to get into the station for their own reasons. Their presence is pivotal in moving the story forward, but they are far more than just cogs in the author's writing wheel. The station is inhabited by those with wealth, and are fiercely protected by the station's machinery; the have-nots are the people living on the island but outside the station - residents are chip-tracked by the station's omnipresent database, and those living outside who somehow gain entry or access are dealt with. Hiroto is one of the outsiders, looking for purpose in life - his village is just outside the station, and he sees that the village lives off of the refuse cast out from the station, and thereby obviating the need for the villagers to work. So when an opportunity to do something more presents itself, Hiroyuki seizes it (and a seven day pass inside the station) and embarks inside Yokohama Station to see what it’s like and try to find a mysterious place known as Exit 42.
Another outsider - living on an entirely different island - is Toshiru, working on the government's behest to reconnoiter the workings of the station if he can somehow slip inside and stay alive.
The characters are vibrant, their tasks are fraught, and the whole thing just works. A fun book, well worth my time (which wasn't much, given that it is a slim tome). Four stars, take a ride at Yokohama Station.
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free advance reader copy. This in no way affected my rating or review.
June 26, 2021
The novel is three separate but similarly themed journeys through Yokohama Station all with the goal of bringing the end to the station. The first is a traveler from outside the station who has grown up at the seaside border with it. The second two are infiltrators from off the island who are tracking the station's progress and are collecting intel on ways to keep that progress in check.
Reading this fascinating book as an American, I'm reminded most of Kate Milford's river city-state, Nagspeake which features in a number of her middle grade and YA fantasies. Of all of them, though, The Thief Knot (2020) and The Raconteur's Commonplace Book (2021) come closest in theme and tone to Yokohama Station SF. That said, there is one very big difference — the iron of Nagspeak isn't spreading beyond its bounds and doesn't need to be shut down.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2021/comm...
Marginalized Uhoria Interstate 66CC00
Reading this fascinating book as an American, I'm reminded most of Kate Milford's river city-state, Nagspeake which features in a number of her middle grade and YA fantasies. Of all of them, though, The Thief Knot (2020) and The Raconteur's Commonplace Book (2021) come closest in theme and tone to Yokohama Station SF. That said, there is one very big difference — the iron of Nagspeak isn't spreading beyond its bounds and doesn't need to be shut down.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2021/comm...
Marginalized Uhoria Interstate 66CC00
March 14, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up.
An interesting dystopian sci-fi novel translated from Japanese. I found the concept to be completely fascinating: the Yokohama rail station has become almost like a living organism and has self-replicated itself to spread its concrete web across most of Japan. The protagonist is a young man who is a rare outsider who gains temporary access to the inside of Yokohama Station to explore. The execution of the story is pretty solid, though at times it didn't grip me quite as much as the premise itself. Still, it was an enjoyable read.
An interesting dystopian sci-fi novel translated from Japanese. I found the concept to be completely fascinating: the Yokohama rail station has become almost like a living organism and has self-replicated itself to spread its concrete web across most of Japan. The protagonist is a young man who is a rare outsider who gains temporary access to the inside of Yokohama Station to explore. The execution of the story is pretty solid, though at times it didn't grip me quite as much as the premise itself. Still, it was an enjoyable read.
June 28, 2023
If I had a nickel for every time there was a story about architecture growing like a tumor I'd have 15 cents, which isn't a lot but weird that it happened 3 times.
March 23, 2021
Can a city be classified as a living entity? If so, can it then be killed? That is the problem posed by this short novel. An interesting story peopled by surprising characters.
I received an eARC through NetGalley.
I received an eARC through NetGalley.
April 14, 2021
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Yokohama Station is a novella (175 pages) deeply rooted in Japanese culture. Japan is, after all, is a country intricately and expansively connected by trains and so it is no surprise that the maguffin here is a train station. Those who have travelled to Japan will appreciate the references of course (Suica - Suika) as well as the very disenfranchised and disaffected nature of the protagonists. None are admirable and most just shuffle through the book as coincidences allow the plot to develop. It makes for a somewhat stilted read but there are, of course, interesting sci fi references within (from Asimov to Philip K. Dick).Story: As a devastating war destroyed most of the world, a few outlier countries developed radical technology in order to survive. In Japan, a self replicating station evolved and slowly began to take over Japan. The main island of Honshu was soon completely covered by the station, pushing people to the outer limits or to other islands. Inside the station, residents continued life as normal, as long as they had a very expensive Suika implant that allowed them to do transactions and communicate within the station. Hiroto lives outside the station and wonders about what's inside. Toshiro is in the army in the south island of Kyushu - they are charged with stopping the halt of Yokohama Station onto their island. In the north, AI is being used to stop Yokohama from invading Hokkaido. When Hiroto comes into possession of a pass into the station, all will change.
Both protagonists are rather dull - neither has much in the way of social skills and it was very hard to get into/behind either character. For the most part, life just happened to them rather than the other way around. Toshiro doesn't much care about humanity, his superiors are self serving, and he has a very clinical POV. Hiroto, the scavenger, just bumbles around most of the book and manages to meet only people who can help further the plot to find the mystery of Yokohama station. For those reasons, this felt very deus ex machina and not organic at all.
Yokohama Station isn't really a character and the idea of it being intelligent is glossed over and ignored. It just replicates, poorly, and that's all we know about it. Because the station never became anything more than an 'it', the ending and reveals were very anticlimactic and the journey (even as easy as it was) uninteresting. Honestly, a drone could replace Hiroto or Toshiro and have about the same impact on the story.
This is a quick and easy read. There are illustrations at the beginning of each chapter (and there are under 10 chapers) in black and white. As well, there are explanations in the back of various ideas by the author. As a sci fi piece, it did feel a bit flat. But as a glimpse of Japanese culture, it has a lot to say. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
June 24, 2019
其實我覺得「車站擴張」的這個設定很棒，光是看簡介就可以在腦海想像各種情節，但實際上讀完這本書之後，覺得稍微有點遺憾。並不是不好看，而是還算好看，但這個好看是不上不下的那種好看，就是明明再加上一點什麼就可以變得更好看了，但偏偏卻沒有的那種好看。
可能是因為一本完結的關係吧？所以其實除了主角尋人之外，每個人可以分到的篇幅不多，所以對於每個角色的描寫有限，讓我一直處於「感覺這個角色在設定上好像可以寫成很有魅力的角色，但這麼短的戲分根本沒辦法」的煩躁感。我個人覺得九州篇（？）的篇幅可以再增加，還有捏普夏邁跟JR北日本的部分也是，明明設定了那麼多組織，可是實際上讀者讀完知道或者該說能理解的事情卻不比主角尋人多到哪裡。
而且正常來說劇情的高潮應該是在尋人抵達42號出口的地方吧？可是實際上這段卻還滿平淡地就這樣結束了，讓我有一種「嗯？？？就這樣？」的感覺，明明尋人的到來應該要讓人感受到命運的安排（或者該說描寫上應該讓讀者有這種感覺啊！），但卻結束的太俐落了。而且可能因為有站內不能傷害其他人的規定存在吧，所以尋人前往42號出口的過程也沒有任何的刺激，老實說我覺得不能傷人的規定應該要設定的籠統一點，有漏洞可鑽，這樣才會更有趣一點吧（雖然故事中的土匪似乎也是鑽漏洞去傷害村民，那為什麼村民沒辦法鑽漏洞去對付他們也讓我很不能理解）。
總之有點遺憾，不知道全國版能不能補完一點本篇？
可能是因為一本完結的關係吧？所以其實除了主角尋人之外，每個人可以分到的篇幅不多，所以對於每個角色的描寫有限，讓我一直處於「感覺這個角色在設定上好像可以寫成很有魅力的角色，但這麼短的戲分根本沒辦法」的煩躁感。我個人覺得九州篇（？）的篇幅可以再增加，還有捏普夏邁跟JR北日本的部分也是，明明設定了那麼多組織，可是實際上讀者讀完知道或者該說能理解的事情卻不比主角尋人多到哪裡。
而且正常來說劇情的高潮應該是在尋人抵達42號出口的地方吧？可是實際上這段卻還滿平淡地就這樣結束了，讓我有一種「嗯？？？就這樣？」的感覺，明明尋人的到來應該要讓人感受到命運的安排（或者該說描寫上應該讓讀者有這種感覺啊！），但卻結束的太俐落了。而且可能因為有站內不能傷害其他人的規定存在吧，所以尋人前往42號出口的過程也沒有任何的刺激，老實說我覺得不能傷人的規定應該要設定的籠統一點，有漏洞可鑽，這樣才會更有趣一點吧（雖然故事中的土匪似乎也是鑽漏洞去傷害村民，那為什麼村民沒辦法鑽漏洞去對付他們也讓我很不能理解）。
總之有點遺憾，不知道全國版能不能補完一點本篇？
January 23, 2022
Do you want to read 200+ pages of boring characters info dumping as conversation? Then this book is for you.
1/5, I don't even have a pun for this one. >:(
1/5, I don't even have a pun for this one. >:(
July 11, 2021
A fascinating science fiction novel backed with big ideas.
July 19, 2021
Exploring a landscape of never ending artificially produced tunnels, “Yokahama Station SF” uses intersecting tales of life on the inside to explore the complexity of a dystopian Japan. Marking a departure from content focused on manga or light novels, Yen Press presents a truly unique experience for their fans. An experience aimed at both sci-fi fanatics and the Japanophiles’ that is perfectly crafted to bridge the gap between the two.
The prose of Yuba Isukari balances lofty concepts by utilizing an outsider as a protagonist. Hiroto, who has spent his life on the outskirts of Yokohama station living off scraps, works as an ideal guide for exploring the complex inner working of the station. As a result, his own inquisitive nature to better comprehend the massive structure that has loomed over his village since he was a child, also acts to inform the reader as Hiroto interacts and talks to the denizens within the station. The secondary plot offers a new protagonist who has spent his life around conflict around the growth of the station, giving a different perspective from Hiroto. Ultimately, these intertwining narratives make the expansive universe comprehensible, informative while engaging.
Further creating a sense of accessibility, the novel combines new and ancient tech that feels familiar to a steampunk aesthetic, a genre which has become a big part of modern pop-culture in the West. At the same time, the work is undeniably born out of Isukari’s own reflection on Japanese society and obsession with technology that the works still feels like a unique product from Western sentiments towards steampunk genre. Overall, “Yokahama Station SF” is a wonderful amalgamation of influences that holds universal appeal.
“Yokahama Station SF” is a welcome change-up for a publisher like Yen Press that is focused on manga and light novels. Not tied to an anime or manga, the book offers a stand alone sci-fi experience which compliments their catalogue. For fans, titles like this mark potential for other fascinating works to make their way West and should be celebrated as such. In addition, the work is presented in hardcover with a dust jacket and great interior artwork from renowned sci-fi artist Tatsuyuki Tanaka (including a fold out that can act as a mini -poster). On quality alone, the release is an idyllic addition to any otaku or sci-fi aficionados collection.
Working within some abstract concepts in a dystopian landscape, the translation work from Stephen Paul feels deserved of praise. Taking on such work seems like an arduous task, one which can lose a certain flow or become nonsensical within trying to explain the dystopian landscape of Yokahama Station. Thankfully, the narrative is easy to follow and never feels convoluted or muddled in translating the, admittedly, particular genre.
Ultimately, enjoying “Yokahama Station SF” will rest largely with fans of science fiction, but the appeal will not be exclusive to that audience. Myself being a casual fan of the genre, I found Yuba Isakara’s approach to land that perfect balance of inclusiveness and nerdy indulgence to ensure the work stays accessible. For fans who are on the fence about whether to try this unique entry in the Yen Press catalogue I would say it is a chance worth taking.
The prose of Yuba Isukari balances lofty concepts by utilizing an outsider as a protagonist. Hiroto, who has spent his life on the outskirts of Yokohama station living off scraps, works as an ideal guide for exploring the complex inner working of the station. As a result, his own inquisitive nature to better comprehend the massive structure that has loomed over his village since he was a child, also acts to inform the reader as Hiroto interacts and talks to the denizens within the station. The secondary plot offers a new protagonist who has spent his life around conflict around the growth of the station, giving a different perspective from Hiroto. Ultimately, these intertwining narratives make the expansive universe comprehensible, informative while engaging.
Further creating a sense of accessibility, the novel combines new and ancient tech that feels familiar to a steampunk aesthetic, a genre which has become a big part of modern pop-culture in the West. At the same time, the work is undeniably born out of Isukari’s own reflection on Japanese society and obsession with technology that the works still feels like a unique product from Western sentiments towards steampunk genre. Overall, “Yokahama Station SF” is a wonderful amalgamation of influences that holds universal appeal.
“Yokahama Station SF” is a welcome change-up for a publisher like Yen Press that is focused on manga and light novels. Not tied to an anime or manga, the book offers a stand alone sci-fi experience which compliments their catalogue. For fans, titles like this mark potential for other fascinating works to make their way West and should be celebrated as such. In addition, the work is presented in hardcover with a dust jacket and great interior artwork from renowned sci-fi artist Tatsuyuki Tanaka (including a fold out that can act as a mini -poster). On quality alone, the release is an idyllic addition to any otaku or sci-fi aficionados collection.
Working within some abstract concepts in a dystopian landscape, the translation work from Stephen Paul feels deserved of praise. Taking on such work seems like an arduous task, one which can lose a certain flow or become nonsensical within trying to explain the dystopian landscape of Yokahama Station. Thankfully, the narrative is easy to follow and never feels convoluted or muddled in translating the, admittedly, particular genre.
Ultimately, enjoying “Yokahama Station SF” will rest largely with fans of science fiction, but the appeal will not be exclusive to that audience. Myself being a casual fan of the genre, I found Yuba Isakara’s approach to land that perfect balance of inclusiveness and nerdy indulgence to ensure the work stays accessible. For fans who are on the fence about whether to try this unique entry in the Yen Press catalogue I would say it is a chance worth taking.
July 5, 2023
Normally, I tend to deduct points for books that end up on my "Who Knew It Was Part of a Series?" shelf, but somehow, it actually worked in this one's favor. If this had been a standalone story, the entire inclusion of Toshiru's story halfway through would have felt like nothing but the setup to a sort of deus ex machina near the end. But knowing now that this is the first book in a series, I have some hope that his journey will be fleshed out in the sequel(s).
Now that I've got that out of the way, I'll say that Yokohama Station SF is set in quite an interesting world. It's a post-apocalyptic dystopia that paradoxically also has some utopian influences in parts. Yokohama Station, itself, is a self-perpetuating, autonomous megastructure covering nearly all of Japan's largest island, Honshu. The station does provide for the needs of the people living within it--and even some of those few who live outside its walls, hence the slight utopian bent; it's not a glamorous life, but it can be a comfortable one for those inside as long as they follow the rules and pay their debts. Similarly, those living on the outskirts benefit from the cast-off leavings that the station dumps outside.
Those further afield view the station as a mindless cancer, merely mimicking whatever it absorbs, and a threat that will spread everywhere it can possibly reach unless it's kept at bay. An in each of these areas, there are different factions and philosophies at work and in conflict with each other. Given the book's short page length, at times all of this feels more like it's told through info-dumps, rather than shown, but it's still an interesting world full of androids, bandits, military-industrial organizations, people trying to uphold the status quo, and those looking to tear it down.
So yeah, rather than being annoyed to discover at the end that this is a series, I was actually rather relieved to know the story continues, because I want to spend more time in this world. Especially with the chaos rising in the wake of how Yokohama Station SF ends.
Now that I've got that out of the way, I'll say that Yokohama Station SF is set in quite an interesting world. It's a post-apocalyptic dystopia that paradoxically also has some utopian influences in parts. Yokohama Station, itself, is a self-perpetuating, autonomous megastructure covering nearly all of Japan's largest island, Honshu. The station does provide for the needs of the people living within it--and even some of those few who live outside its walls, hence the slight utopian bent; it's not a glamorous life, but it can be a comfortable one for those inside as long as they follow the rules and pay their debts. Similarly, those living on the outskirts benefit from the cast-off leavings that the station dumps outside.
Those further afield view the station as a mindless cancer, merely mimicking whatever it absorbs, and a threat that will spread everywhere it can possibly reach unless it's kept at bay. An in each of these areas, there are different factions and philosophies at work and in conflict with each other. Given the book's short page length, at times all of this feels more like it's told through info-dumps, rather than shown, but it's still an interesting world full of androids, bandits, military-industrial organizations, people trying to uphold the status quo, and those looking to tear it down.
So yeah, rather than being annoyed to discover at the end that this is a series, I was actually rather relieved to know the story continues, because I want to spend more time in this world. Especially with the chaos rising in the wake of how Yokohama Station SF ends.
July 16, 2021
This book is all about the titular Yokohama Station which has turned into a massive structure spanning the biggest island of Japan. The characters do get a little bit of backstory and some of their motivations are mentioned but their lives aren't the main focus here. They are there to demonstrate the life in the book's world. Still, I think it's a great read because I like thoroughly built worlds and learning about them. There is a plot there, too, it's just not very clear at first.
Yokohama Station has become a sort of tech organism, it self-replicates and has covered most of Honshu and tries to spread to Kyushu, Shikoku and Hokkaido too. However, the structure dissolves in sea water, so Kyushu and Hokkaido are doing pretty good keeping the Station away. It's a constant battle though. People on Honshu have adapted to living Inside, i.e. within the growing and changing Station. People on the inside have Suika implants that allow them to live inside. If a person doesn't have Suika, they are dumped outside by stations "guards", automated turnstiles.
Hiroto lives outside the Station, on a small coastal area. As outsider, he doesn't have Suika but a professor who has been dumped by the Station, gives him a temporal pass that allows Hiroto to stay Inside for five days. Professor says Hiroto should go to Exit 42 but doesn't tell him why or where it is. Hiroto wants a bit of an adventure, so he goes Inside and tries to find the Exit 42. He meets curious people who help him during his journey.
I liked the scifi aspects of this, the AIs and the bizarre Station. And I did chuckle a bit at Suika system's "evolution". I would've wanted to know more about JR North and their tech, I guess that's what was cut and turned into a sequel/companion novel (as Isukari says in the afterword) but sadly it seems Yen Press hasn't licensed the second book.
Yokohama Station has become a sort of tech organism, it self-replicates and has covered most of Honshu and tries to spread to Kyushu, Shikoku and Hokkaido too. However, the structure dissolves in sea water, so Kyushu and Hokkaido are doing pretty good keeping the Station away. It's a constant battle though. People on Honshu have adapted to living Inside, i.e. within the growing and changing Station. People on the inside have Suika implants that allow them to live inside. If a person doesn't have Suika, they are dumped outside by stations "guards", automated turnstiles.
Hiroto lives outside the Station, on a small coastal area. As outsider, he doesn't have Suika but a professor who has been dumped by the Station, gives him a temporal pass that allows Hiroto to stay Inside for five days. Professor says Hiroto should go to Exit 42 but doesn't tell him why or where it is. Hiroto wants a bit of an adventure, so he goes Inside and tries to find the Exit 42. He meets curious people who help him during his journey.
I liked the scifi aspects of this, the AIs and the bizarre Station. And I did chuckle a bit at Suika system's "evolution". I would've wanted to know more about JR North and their tech, I guess that's what was cut and turned into a sequel/companion novel (as Isukari says in the afterword) but sadly it seems Yen Press hasn't licensed the second book.
April 4, 2021
Hiroto, an outsider, ventures into Yokohama Station with a temporary ticket. His mission is to free the leader of the Dodger Alliance. Will he make it out in time?
“Hiroto let Keiha finish her story, although at least half of it was beyond his comprehension.”
The above quote perfectly illustrates how I feel about science fiction in general. I think I thought this book was a graphic novel when I requested it, plus I’m always interested in reading works from Japanese authors. That being said, science fiction tends to go a little over my head. I feel like I’m a pretty smart person, but science fiction almost never seems to click with me.
I want to give this novel 3.5 stars. I would’ve rated it higher, even though some of it didn’t make sense to me, but it felt like something was missing. I know that something always goes missing in translation (this book was originally published in Japan in 2016), but this was different. A lot of things happened in Hiroto’s journey, but not a lot of things actively advanced the plot. There were also a couple of characters that seemed not-quite-pointless, existing only as a way to give background information (and a deus ex machina, of sorts).
There’s a map at the beginning, which is always useful. There’s also an appendix at the end that I wish I would’ve known about when I started the book (definitely my own fault for not checking the contents); it’s not necessary but definitely helpful.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Yen Press, LLC (and Kadokawa Corporation) for the ARC in exchange for an honest review (sorry it’s late. I’m finally catching up!).
“Hiroto let Keiha finish her story, although at least half of it was beyond his comprehension.”
The above quote perfectly illustrates how I feel about science fiction in general. I think I thought this book was a graphic novel when I requested it, plus I’m always interested in reading works from Japanese authors. That being said, science fiction tends to go a little over my head. I feel like I’m a pretty smart person, but science fiction almost never seems to click with me.
I want to give this novel 3.5 stars. I would’ve rated it higher, even though some of it didn’t make sense to me, but it felt like something was missing. I know that something always goes missing in translation (this book was originally published in Japan in 2016), but this was different. A lot of things happened in Hiroto’s journey, but not a lot of things actively advanced the plot. There were also a couple of characters that seemed not-quite-pointless, existing only as a way to give background information (and a deus ex machina, of sorts).
There’s a map at the beginning, which is always useful. There’s also an appendix at the end that I wish I would’ve known about when I started the book (definitely my own fault for not checking the contents); it’s not necessary but definitely helpful.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Yen Press, LLC (and Kadokawa Corporation) for the ARC in exchange for an honest review (sorry it’s late. I’m finally catching up!).
March 31, 2021
An interesting and fascinating concept let down by a loose plot and thin characters.
Yokohama Station as an entity and as a concept is a fascinating one. I loved learning more about the station, how it expanded, how it came to exist, and how it interacts with the world and those who live Inside.
However, the fascinating concept is dragged down a bit by the main character Horioto. Everything his village needs is provided by the station leftovers leaving many without work or anything purposeful to do with their lives. So when an opportunity to do something more presents itself, Hiroyuki seizes it and embarks inside Yokohama Station to see what it’s like and try to find the place known as Exit 42.
Along the way more characters weave in and out of the story and blank spots of history are filled in. Most of the book though felt like a journey in search of a destination. Hiroto even admits that he’s just going where he’s told, searching for something others have that he can’t quite find himself.
Other characters like Toshiru and Okuma were harder to get a read on. I could never really tell what was real with them or whether they were deflecting attention and lying about what they were doing. Their parts were interesting but generally ended up just leaving me confused about their personal goals in relation to the story.
Overall this was a decent book, with a strong central idea, but with characters that weren’t particularly interesting outside of the Station itself. Worth reading for the concept, but not necessarily the plot in my opinion.
Yokohama Station as an entity and as a concept is a fascinating one. I loved learning more about the station, how it expanded, how it came to exist, and how it interacts with the world and those who live Inside.
However, the fascinating concept is dragged down a bit by the main character Horioto. Everything his village needs is provided by the station leftovers leaving many without work or anything purposeful to do with their lives. So when an opportunity to do something more presents itself, Hiroyuki seizes it and embarks inside Yokohama Station to see what it’s like and try to find the place known as Exit 42.
Along the way more characters weave in and out of the story and blank spots of history are filled in. Most of the book though felt like a journey in search of a destination. Hiroto even admits that he’s just going where he’s told, searching for something others have that he can’t quite find himself.
Other characters like Toshiru and Okuma were harder to get a read on. I could never really tell what was real with them or whether they were deflecting attention and lying about what they were doing. Their parts were interesting but generally ended up just leaving me confused about their personal goals in relation to the story.
Overall this was a decent book, with a strong central idea, but with characters that weren’t particularly interesting outside of the Station itself. Worth reading for the concept, but not necessarily the plot in my opinion.
January 2, 2023
This book was a masterclass on how Japanese storytelling can build up the world setting.
The idea of the train station that has grown into this organic nightmare is fascinating and terrifying as well. I love how this book captured the maze like aspect of the Japanese underground malls/rail stations so well.
Now let's talk about the two stories; If you're looking for character fiction, look elsewhere. This novel is strictly a world building piece on the post apocalyptic Japan that is in constant reaction to the station.
There is some commentary on the mandatory Suika (which is currently not mandatory, but there are extreme economic and time advantages to adopting a Suika/passmo in Japan today) and tobacco controls being implemented in Japan today, which as a former expat in Japan, resonates with me strongly.
The first story is a pilgrims tale, a man from outside goes on a adventure. He acts as a vessel for the reader into the setting of the station, along with hints about the Hokkaido Android situation. The ending of this story is rushed, and kind of writes the author into a wall, but it's understandable.
The second story is about a former military man going AWOL to live his best mad max life. It mostly paints the Kagoshima situation as a commentary on a futile war, and how war time propaganda is a natural cycle of civilization. This character is a bit of a psycho, but that's fine, we aren't supposed to relate to this one.
All in all, Yokohama station SF feels like a Japanese take on golden/silver age sci-fi novels. It really has a short of Damon Knight feel, mixed with that light novel writing style.
I highly recommend it.
The idea of the train station that has grown into this organic nightmare is fascinating and terrifying as well. I love how this book captured the maze like aspect of the Japanese underground malls/rail stations so well.
Now let's talk about the two stories; If you're looking for character fiction, look elsewhere. This novel is strictly a world building piece on the post apocalyptic Japan that is in constant reaction to the station.
There is some commentary on the mandatory Suika (which is currently not mandatory, but there are extreme economic and time advantages to adopting a Suika/passmo in Japan today) and tobacco controls being implemented in Japan today, which as a former expat in Japan, resonates with me strongly.
The first story is a pilgrims tale, a man from outside goes on a adventure. He acts as a vessel for the reader into the setting of the station, along with hints about the Hokkaido Android situation. The ending of this story is rushed, and kind of writes the author into a wall, but it's understandable.
The second story is about a former military man going AWOL to live his best mad max life. It mostly paints the Kagoshima situation as a commentary on a futile war, and how war time propaganda is a natural cycle of civilization. This character is a bit of a psycho, but that's fine, we aren't supposed to relate to this one.
All in all, Yokohama station SF feels like a Japanese take on golden/silver age sci-fi novels. It really has a short of Damon Knight feel, mixed with that light novel writing style.
I highly recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2021
After a self-replicating train station has taken over all of Honshu, Hiroto tries to track down the leader of a hidden alliance that’s determined to free humanity.
Yokohama Station SF by Yuba Isukari is a visionary sci-fi novel that explores our relationship to technology and … well, public transportation. The station itself is truly its own living, sentient character in this story and most of Japan is now dependent on it. At the age of 6, children have a Suica (a type of point card) installed in them. They use those points to buy things like food or to continue living in the station. Those who commit the most minor of infractions may be expelled from the station and left to fend for themselves.
It’s really a fascinating world that Isukari has built here, and I think it’s important to note this is a very conceptually-driven and exposition-heavy story. This is both its greatest strength and its weakness. Due to the novel’s short length, there isn’t room for much asides from learning how the world works. I wish we could have seen more descriptive imagery in regards to its setting and seen a little more from its human (and non-human) characters.
All in all though, I still definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a short but sweet sci-fi with innovative worldbuilding and cool AI.
Thank you, Netgalley and Yen Press, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Yokohama Station SF by Yuba Isukari is a visionary sci-fi novel that explores our relationship to technology and … well, public transportation. The station itself is truly its own living, sentient character in this story and most of Japan is now dependent on it. At the age of 6, children have a Suica (a type of point card) installed in them. They use those points to buy things like food or to continue living in the station. Those who commit the most minor of infractions may be expelled from the station and left to fend for themselves.
It’s really a fascinating world that Isukari has built here, and I think it’s important to note this is a very conceptually-driven and exposition-heavy story. This is both its greatest strength and its weakness. Due to the novel’s short length, there isn’t room for much asides from learning how the world works. I wish we could have seen more descriptive imagery in regards to its setting and seen a little more from its human (and non-human) characters.
All in all though, I still definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a short but sweet sci-fi with innovative worldbuilding and cool AI.
Thank you, Netgalley and Yen Press, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 7, 2021
In the far future, after the Winter War, humanity has lost it hold over the world. A self repairing train station, the Yokohama Station has run out of control. Before the war, technology had advanced to the point where buildings could maintain and repair them selves. The Yokohama train station was one of them. As the war ensued, this technology morphed. When the war ended, the nations of the world had been eliminated. The remaining population are living in groups. Some organized in the old military corps, others by location. Those inside the station and those outside.
All this time Yokohama Station does not repair itself, but grows. It uses the spaces it has and replicates them over and over. Escalators rise into the mountains, elevators pop up where none were before. In this world, a young man, gains a five day pass into the station.He is tasked with two things. Help save a person and get to Exit 42. He travels through the station. Getting caught, escaping, and finding a friend.
Yokohama Station takes us into this new world, but seems to never quite get anywhere. The characters are interesting, but never reach a point of being invested in them. We are introduced to two life like robots, but we don’t get much more. I wanted this story to be much more. It was nice but left me thinking there should be more.
All this time Yokohama Station does not repair itself, but grows. It uses the spaces it has and replicates them over and over. Escalators rise into the mountains, elevators pop up where none were before. In this world, a young man, gains a five day pass into the station.He is tasked with two things. Help save a person and get to Exit 42. He travels through the station. Getting caught, escaping, and finding a friend.
Yokohama Station takes us into this new world, but seems to never quite get anywhere. The characters are interesting, but never reach a point of being invested in them. We are introduced to two life like robots, but we don’t get much more. I wanted this story to be much more. It was nice but left me thinking there should be more.
December 30, 2021
'Yokohama Station SF' is an interesting translated story, about a Japan overrun by a self-replicating Yokohama Station, and a young man who gets a mysterious five-day pass that will let him escape his coastal refugee life and explore the strange interior of the station, in hopes of finding someone who might know what's going on. In the Afterward, the author talks about the story's genesis from the constantly under-construction actual Yokohama Station and a twitter thread of a story outline about what if it escaped its bounds to devour the rest of Japan; it's really interesting because you can see how it doesn't fit in quite the same genre of US-published SF as you read this, being basically a single idea expanded out to fill the book, with world-building and such, and characters only existing as needed to show you the next bit. How much of that is translation, how much is genre style for web-novels, and how much of that it this particular author, I'm not qualified to say. What I can say is that I enjoyed it for the exploration of an intriguing idea, and it was easy to sit down and just read it in an afternoon or two. Especially if you like dystopic cities, or the familiar-turned-strange, this is really worth a look. (Also, the fold-out map of Yokohama Station with points of interest, and the occasional interior illustrations, are really very good too.)
August 16, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
Another futuristic Sci-fi Japanese dystopia with a train station this time as the main cause of all the chaos. After reading the description I was so curious to read more and to see how it's going to end. I learnt that the story started on twitter where the author posted this theory of Yokohama Station as a living organism, yep!
I liked it, it has this dystobian vibes that you only find in the Japanese Sci-fi books, mangas or animé. The plot was interesting, the only thing, and it might be crazy, is that I was waiting for more dramas, more misadventures and some complicated developments. For me, it should have been more longer with a less easy ending like "just push the button you layman!" Also, Hiroto's character needed more development and Toshiro's wasn't that interesting as a mad character that hated humanity. All in all, I found it a little bit tame for a Japanese dystopia.
Anyway, I enjoyed it and I would be happy to see it as an anime movie that's for sure. I'm gonna check the manga that the author mentioned it in his afterword if I could find it.
3.5 stars
Another futuristic Sci-fi Japanese dystopia with a train station this time as the main cause of all the chaos. After reading the description I was so curious to read more and to see how it's going to end. I learnt that the story started on twitter where the author posted this theory of Yokohama Station as a living organism, yep!
I liked it, it has this dystobian vibes that you only find in the Japanese Sci-fi books, mangas or animé. The plot was interesting, the only thing, and it might be crazy, is that I was waiting for more dramas, more misadventures and some complicated developments. For me, it should have been more longer with a less easy ending like "just push the button you layman!" Also, Hiroto's character needed more development and Toshiro's wasn't that interesting as a mad character that hated humanity. All in all, I found it a little bit tame for a Japanese dystopia.
Anyway, I enjoyed it and I would be happy to see it as an anime movie that's for sure. I'm gonna check the manga that the author mentioned it in his afterword if I could find it.
May 28, 2024
A really captivating concept and having now read the afterword a concept that got me genuinely excited to explore a story that follows a SF enhanced Yokohama Station.
And then I remembered I had already finished the final product.
It feels...rushed? Like so much could happen, doesn't, and then it's over. I want a sufficient hyperbole for how badly it NEEDS you to have fairly complete geography knowledge of Japan, and when paired with a map that includes key story landmarks (good) but omits general landmarks (awful) I found myself generally lost when locations were being described because I don't know Japan.
I'm going to up and walk away at this point, I'm aware there is a manga series that probably solves a lot of the visualisation problems and a second book that likely explores everything in more detail, but I feel no pull to lay hands on either.
I can happily say this is something I read as a pallete cleanse after some high fantasy and unfortunately falls into the usual "good idea poor execution" pit.
And then I remembered I had already finished the final product.
It feels...rushed? Like so much could happen, doesn't, and then it's over. I want a sufficient hyperbole for how badly it NEEDS you to have fairly complete geography knowledge of Japan, and when paired with a map that includes key story landmarks (good) but omits general landmarks (awful) I found myself generally lost when locations were being described because I don't know Japan.
I'm going to up and walk away at this point, I'm aware there is a manga series that probably solves a lot of the visualisation problems and a second book that likely explores everything in more detail, but I feel no pull to lay hands on either.
I can happily say this is something I read as a pallete cleanse after some high fantasy and unfortunately falls into the usual "good idea poor execution" pit.
May 24, 2021
As a former resident of Japan, I found it fascinating to imagine Tokyo Station or Shinjuku station growing to the same supermassive size. It was both uneasy and thrilling at the same time, which is kind of how I felt about Yokohama Station SF’s titular station. Safe to say this novel is certainly going to stick with me for a while yet. Once again, I credit that to Stephen Paul, as well as the editor for this volume, who is unnamed.
Ultimately, Yokohama Station SF is a fascinating novel, full of neat tech, a haunting setting, and lots of quirky characters existing in and around a nation-wide train station. Fans of Serial Experiments Lain and Akudama Drive will find themselves eager to plunge into the multi-leveled halls of Yokohama Station in this sci-fi treat.
Read My Full Review: butwhythopodcast.com/2021/04/06/revie...
Ultimately, Yokohama Station SF is a fascinating novel, full of neat tech, a haunting setting, and lots of quirky characters existing in and around a nation-wide train station. Fans of Serial Experiments Lain and Akudama Drive will find themselves eager to plunge into the multi-leveled halls of Yokohama Station in this sci-fi treat.
Read My Full Review: butwhythopodcast.com/2021/04/06/revie...
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