Saturn Apartments Explained

Ja Kanji:土星マンション
Ja Romaji:Dosei Manshon
Genre:Science fiction[1]
Type:manga
Author:Hisae Iwaoka
Publisher:Shogakukan
Demographic:Seinen
Imprint:Ikki Comix
Magazine:Monthly Ikki
First:November 25, 2005
Last:June 25, 2011
Volumes:7

is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hisae Iwaoka. It was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Monthly Ikki from November 2005 to June 2011, with its chapters collected in seven tankōbon volumes. Viz Media licensed the series for English-language publication in North America.

Plot

The story is set in a distant future, where the Earth has been evacuated and humanity now inhabits a man-made ring-shaped city orbiting 35 kilometers above the planet's surface. The ring is divided into floors, of which there are three; the first being the living space of everyday workers, the second being dedicated to agriculture, and the third being the dwellings of the upper class. The plot follows the life of a young man called Mitsu, whose job as a window cleaner allows him a glimpse into the lives of the ring's inhabitants, as he attempts to learn more about his father's disappearance while working in the same job.

Characters

Window Cleaners

Mitsu works as a window cleaner because he takes joy in it and because he wants to learn about his father's ill disappearance at work. He tends to be of a very calm nature, and he is very dedicated to his job, something he is aware of as being a dangerous and low-paying occupation. He is somewhat inexperienced and insecure of himself.
  • Mitsu's late father, who raised the latter by himself until his untimely death during a job when the rope dangling him snapped. Since Mitsu was very young at the time, much of Aki is told from his friends and colleagues, upon many of which he had a profound influence on.
  • Jin is Mitsu's superior and occasional supervisor who has had plenty more experience working as a window cleaner. He tends to speak gruffly and is externally of a brash nature, however he is caring for his co-workers. He lives with his wife, Haruko, and is a close friend of Tamachi (even though they dislike admitting it).
  • A co-worker of Mitsu who has a grudge with him for "replacing Tamachi" and for "having it so easy" in terms of work.

    • Other characters

    Jin's wife. Haruko is frail and prone to blackouts due to what is described as an autoimmunity deficiency caused by a lack of sunlight in the lower levels. In a flashback it is revealed that she dislikes hospitals due to an accident that led to her sterility. This doesn't stop Haruko from being cheery and from participating in public agriculture.
  • A family of three that occasionally house Mitsu. The family is integrated by the bald and boisterous Mr. Kageyama (who is also a window cleaner), his wife, and their daughter Fuyo.
  • Tamachi once worked as a window cleaner and was the former partner of Aki (Mitsu's father) until the latter's death, whom he blames himself for. He now works in a bio-gas plant with his friend Sohta.
  • Sohta is an aspiring scientist who lives with his wife in the lower levels, and works with his friend, Tamachi, at the gas plant. It was his honeymoon request for a lower-level window to be washed where Mitsu's father, Aki, died.
  • An acquaintance of Mitsu who works as a "falling objects researcher" . She was originally mistaken as a man by Mitsu. She and her pet cat live outside of the ring on a small cabin, and the exposure to solar radiation gives her constant sunburns.

    • Publication

    Saturn Apartments, written and illustrated by Hisae Iwaoka, was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Monthly Ikki from November 25, 2005,[2] to June 25, 2011.[3] Shogakukan collected its chapters in seven tankōbon volumes, released from October 30, 2006, to August 30, 2011.

    The manga was licensed in North America by Viz Media, who released its seven volumes from May 25, 2010, to May 21, 2013. It was also licensed in Taiwan by Taiwan Tohan,[4] and Kana in France.[5]

    Volumes

    Chapters are called "floors".

    Reception

    Matthew Warner enjoyed the interesting world presented in the manga, and praised the 'simple, yet gorgeous art style'.[6] Johanna Draper Carlson compares the protagonist, Mitsu, to Charlie Brown, as they both have rounded heads and small eyes, and are "dealing with a grim life".[7] Later, she describes Mitsu as being a typical 'plucky young manga hero' who improves at his work, but is also noted for his talking to his upper-class clients.[8] Greg McElhatton compares Iwaoka's artwork to Travis Charest and Sean Chen, praising the details of the work.[9] YALSA included the first volume of the series on their 2011 Great Graphic Novels for Teens list.[10]

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: The Official Website for Saturn Apartments. Viz Media. December 13, 2017. July 14, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170714175609/https://www.viz.com/saturn-apartments. live.
    2. Web site: ja:月刊ＩＫＫＩ ２００６年１月号. http://www.s-book.com/plsql/com2_magnew?sha=1&zname=01709&type=s&keitai=0. Shogakukan. September 14, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20051212173059/http://www.s-book.com/plsql/com2_magnew?sha=1&zname=01709&type=s&keitai=0. December 12, 2005. ja.
    3. Web site: ja:月刊ＩＫＫＩ ２０１１年８月号. http://www.shogakukan.co.jp/magazines/detail/_sbook_0170908111. Shogakukan. September 14, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20110723215115/http://www.shogakukan.co.jp/magazines/detail/_sbook_0170908111. July 23, 2011. ja.
    4. Web site: ja:土星公寓 1. http://www.books.com.tw/products/0010371370. Taiwan Tohan. chinese. November 3, 2015. November 3, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151103180420/http://www.books.com.tw/products/0010371370. live.
    5. Web site: La cité saturne. Kana. 8 July 2011. July 6, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110706123449/http://www.mangakana.com/s723/La-cite-saturne.html. live.
    6. Web site: Saturn Apartments Vol. #01 - Mania.com . www.mania.com . 15 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100719095858/http://www.mania.com/saturn-apartments-vol-01_article_122296.html . 19 July 2010 . dead.
    7. Web site: Saturn Apartments Volume 1. May 28, 2010. December 8, 2019. February 17, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230217230000/https://comicsworthreading.com/2010/05/28/saturn-apartments-book-1-recommended/. live.
    8. Web site: Saturn Apartments Book 2 » Manga Worth Reading. June 25, 2011. July 7, 2012. https://archive.today/20120707112150/http://comicsworthreading.com/2010/11/22/saturn-apartments-book-2/. live.
    9. Web site: Review: Saturn Apartments Vol. 1 - Comic Book Resources . June 25, 2011 . July 6, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110706123827/http://www.comicbookresources.com:8080/?page=user_review&id=2244 . live .
    10. Web site: ALA | 2011 Great Graphic Novels for Teens. June 25, 2011. July 4, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110704104314/http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/greatgraphicnovelsforteens/ggnt11.cfm. live.

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