No spoilers Despite the obvious comparison with Yuasa’s adaptation, the book is still worth checking out. The story starts from the same premise: Watashi, a freshman, chooses a club in hopes of achieving the rose-colored campus life he longs for, but every time ends up regretting the years he spent in that club. It’s a simple story, yet very moving, and it hits differently if you’re in a similar situation to the protagonist. The original material is solid, at least, although there isn’t much exploration of the characters, and some situations feel repetitive (which is partly the point) but in certain moments I would have preferredthe story to take different outcomes.

In the end, I would recommend the adaptation more. It has more content, deeper exploration, and more climactic moments that feel rewarding both for the viewer who waits and for the protagonist who finally takes a step forward. I would only recommend the book if you loved the anime or if you’re curious about the original material. Now I would like to stop at a few points that I want to explore in more depth.

Spoilers:
First, it feels somewhat strange that in some endings Watashi regrets his past despite having formed a new circle of friends and having a hint of a relationship starting with Akashi. It doesn’t really seem like he made the wrong choices. It’s possible that this comes from Watashi’s pessimistic and idealistic perspective, but in some ways it feels forced.

Second, the characters lack exploration, so they feel flat. Akashi, for example, falls in love with the protagonist despite him not showing any qualities or interaction between them, which makes her feel more like a reward than a real character. Others, like Ozu, work more as a reflection of Watashi’s biased perspective toward the people around him, but while reading the story it’s hard to fully justify his actions. The adaptation works incredibly well here, exploring different facets of the characters and giving Ozu a concrete motivation (wanting to see his girlfriend) which in turn pushes Watashi to think beyond his perspective. The book keeps things simple, but in doing so it leaves some noticeable gaps in the plot.

Third, the fourth chapter alternates between the Tatami Galaxy dynamic and the Library Police storyline, creating an interesting pacing between past and present that works very well. This chapter also contains several climactic moments, but some of them feel underwhelming. For example, Watashi’s realization that he is in love with Akashi (a scene I love in the anime) is presented very straightforwardly. Maybe this approach aims to give the moment a sense of everyday normality, but it doesn’t feel impactful. On the other hand, I think the repetitive structure of certain paragraphs is used effectively, giving us a clear sense of change in the protagonist, who finally begins to appreciate the life he has.