Kokoro: A Graphic Memoir

by Christine Mari

My life in Tokyo, a young woman's journey through anxiety and depression to self-discovery and hope.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Memoir, Nonfiction, Japan, Comics

301 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2021

About the author

Christine Mari is a comic artist based in Los Angeles, California. When she was fifteen years old, she wrote her first book, Diary of a Tokyo Teen, an illustrated travelogue detailing one summer in Japan. Her artistic journey continued in her online comics, which deal with topics ranging from her multiracial identity to navigating adulthood and the joys and challenges of daily existence. She loves rainy days and grocery store birthday cake. This is her first graphic novel. Christine invites you to visit her at christinemari.com or follow her Instagram @christinemaricomics.

Reviews

[Sachi Argabright]

A dark yet hopeful graphic memoir about a biracial Japanese American woman living in Japan. Even though I’ve seen a lot of these illustrations on Instagram, I still appreciated getting more context from the book as a whole. Definitely would recommend!

[kailie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being half Japanese, and also having the same experience of studying abroad in Tokyo, I find myself finally having something that I relate to wholeheartedly. Kokoro is something that I will treasure and hold close to my heart forever ❤️

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic memoir made me cry so many times. The art is simple, accessible, emotional - it is so easy to connect with the storytelling and there was so much that unexpectedly resonated. I don’t really have the right words for how much I loved it. I hope Christine Mari knows that she created something beautiful.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

ty brendan for the incredible christmas gift <3

[Elena L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A graphic memoir of a biracial Japanese-American woman who goes back to Japan - with vulnerability channeling through the pages, Inzer grapples with depression, belonging and identity. Filled with raw emotions alongside simple art, I read it in one sitting. Mostly poignant yet with a hopeful tone, I highly recommend this book!

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poignantly drawn. Anyone who's experienced isolation and loneliness (so everyone) can find something to relate to here, but especially us lonely hearts in Tokyo will find a friend in this book. Made me cry with recognition many times over.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read it in one sitting, I had already seen a lot of it on her Instagram but it was still nice and found it really relatable and real.

[Kaitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christine Mari's graphic memoir is told in a series of short comic strips, each with her signature style of black pen drawings with spacious margins and visual metaphors. With a keen sense of pacing and a confident and persuasive mark-making instinct, she weaves a compelling portrait of a young mixed-race woman reflecting upon belonging, depression, friendship, family, and romance. Her comics have warm brevity to them. Though many of them tackle painful and traumatic topics, she uses a gentle and precise approach. She explores life with the gaze of a curious observer, keen to find meaning and beauty in the smallest of things: from an extra serving of pork as she eats ramen alone in a new restaurant, to the way her JiJi (Grandpa) is not a hugger, but loves her through his nagging "Wear a sweater, it's cold outside!"

This book's strength, in addition to Mari's vivid drawings and a strong sense of storytelling, is the frankness with which it explores the ongoing management of mental illness. Mari carefully draws out the cyclical feelings of despair, longing, and healing. There are no easy answers here, only hard-won truths, unflinching vulnerability, and a lovely sense of humor.

There are so many orientalized and fetishized stories about young women of Asian descent, and it's incredibly refreshing to read a comic that empathetically and tenderly explores one woman's experience of moving through the world as a Japanese-American trying to tell her story on her own terms. Resisting binaries of identity, she embraces all the parts of herself, through a tapestry of words and pictures.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished Kokoro in one weekend. I've always been a fan of her comics but getting to read them in a collection added more nuance. I've always appreciated that she speaks so candidly but hopefully about depression through visials. The black and white illustrations aren't understated at all. They are the story, and the details (or lack thereof in some panels) captures the mood and really brings it all together.

I had goosebumps. I shed a few tears. Per the introduction, Kokoro translates often to "heart, mind, soul" in Japanese. Mari opens by thanking readers for giving her a voice and being able to share her stories from a "place deep within", and it shows. It is a memoir that really touched my heart. Reading it really made feel like talking to a friend. Thank you for putting this book in the world! 💙

[Zhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A raw and beautifully-illustrated memoir. What drew me to its pages was how strikingly honest and vulnerable it was - all that pain & relief & fear & love rolled up in one book. I am so thankful to have read this and to remember that I am not alone, that the act of sharing can be one of release, that sadness is not beautiful but beauty can still be found when sadness is felt, that the fleeting moments of joy in life is what makes life beautiful. A short read, but one I am glad I did order and read.

[Ayu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This felt so intimate to read. As though I’m peeping into her soul as she is peeping into mine. I think one of the many reasons why people are so drawn to her works is due to the fact that she is so transparent about it.

There is so much struggle but there is also a whole lot of bravery for her to share something so inane with the rest of the world. It felt like a friend, like a sister, a daughter, that I want to comfort but share gratitude with since she understood so well what it’s like to feel lost.

Thank you for sharing.

[Momo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I first learned of Christine’s artwork on Instagram, and it was extremely comforting to see an artist so candid with her art, and life. I invested in this book because I loved her artwork and I definitely wanted to support her and snag myself a copy. Being an artist myself, especially in college, I really related to many of her feelings about failure and struggles with depression. I loved the book, absolutely loved it and it gave me such comfort to know that I wasn’t alone in these feelings. I’ll highly recommend it to anyone!

[Praniya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first saw Christine work on Instagram scrolling mindlessly. Her honest and vulnerable comics caught my eye. When she announced a book I was in!

A great memoir that captures a coming to age experience with struggles with mental health, race, love, friendship and family. The pain is apparent and clear within this book but her message is ultimately one of hope- I didn't regret buying and waiting for it.

[shruts · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites of all time. Painfully relatable, one of the most accurate (yet possibly niche?) descriptions of depression and coming-of-age I've seen. I picked up a mint condition copy of it at the strand for $5, and it's the best 5 dollars I've ever spent. It was like I was reading a book written almost exactly about the past 3 years I've had in New York; it made me feel seen when it seemed like nobody else did.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this graphic memoir by Christin Mari. It felt raw and real—like reading someone’s diary. It felt refreshing to see my own struggles reflected for me in a way that was so simple but yet so profound. Highly recommend!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a beautiful (and at times, painfully relatable) graphic memoir about coming to terms with everything about yourself

[Marina · Rating 5 out of 5]

love 💚

[Zareen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful drawings and beautiful insights

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

So real and raw. I cried so many times. I appreciate and thank the author for being so open and vulnerable.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short story memoir about loneliness, alienation, and trying to find your place as a young adult. Great work, very happy I Kickstarted it.

[Maylan Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading about Christine’s adventures. They are so beautiful.

[alyssa]

Good fast cute relatable

[Emily Nicoletta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poignant and incredibly deep, Kokoro’s earnestness and honesty was like an arrow shot right through the heart.

Full of heartfelt illustrations alongside even more heartfelt words, Mari challenges readers to recognize depression and appreciate the smaller, melancholy moments in life. I loved reading about her time living and traveling in Japan and her short yet powerful words.

This is a quick read but it is full of heart.

[Caitlin Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

So few words but so much felt; thank you for putting my feelings into a book

[Claudine · Rating 5 out of 5]

honest and beautiful.

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strong & Turning were my favorite :-)

[michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

was kind of expecting more of a novel format rather than copy-pastes from her ig but it's ok i still love u christine

[Juli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ein wunderschöner semi-autobiografischer Comic and, der das Leben und Aufwachsen als Kind von Eltern verschiedener Herkunftsländer und Kulturen beleuchtet. Ich konnte mich so gut darin wiederfinden.