Exploring Childhood and Healing in Taizan5’s Takopi’s Original Sin

Trigger Warning: death, suicide, bullying, physical violence, child abuse, infidelity

Takopi’s Original Sin by Taizan5 is a devastating story that follows four unique timelines. We are first introduced to Shizuka, a fourth-grader battling with depression who by chance encounters an alien, Takopi, inside a concrete pipe on the playground. Shizuka appears uninterested, or perhaps unbothered, but offers the alien some of her bread. This simple act of kindness reveals to us the purpose of Takopi. The alien from the Happy Planet: a planet focused on spreading happiness throughout the galaxy.

One of the realest aspects of this story to me was the fact that the author does not shy away from highlighting the impact of their environment on a child's mind.

There is no fluff to hide the gruesome interactions of the world, showing without flinching the nature of personality and development, and how that leads to interactions with others. The book spared no feeling in showing the brutality of humans, and the ripple effects that lead to these actions, and from them afterwards. Despite this, we are reminded throughout of innocence in the form of the naive Takopi. We are reminded that there is always another way. That if given even the smallest chance, kindness will prevail, even in situations that feel like only anger and violence could end.

There is no denying that the suffering of these kids was shown bluntly, the reader is not asked to imagine but is forced to bear witness to the pain. As the observer you are given the cause and effect at the same time, an emotional vantage point when the subject is so real, yet terrifying. The injustices they faced lead to their actions, but it also led to their inability to distinguish their own emotional boundaries and needs, allowing their environments to dictate entirely their outcome. This destruction of care for self and more often others is painful but real.

Using the time jumps, between actual time and perspective was very powerful, it highlights again the reality that no matter where you stand, or what vantage point you have, the effect remains and that healing isn't something that happens just because you can't see the damage being done. You can't run from your past, illustrated in its rawest form. But sometimes accepting the unaddressed is what allows us to heal from whatever experiences we carry with us.

Overall, this was hauntingly beautiful. I fell in love with this story when I came across the anime adaptation on Netflix a week ago, I cried within the first 5 minutes! I had heard of the manga before, from my usual scrolling through the Libby app, but I had no idea going in how much of an impact it would immediately have on me. I am glad that I did not read this when I was younger however, because I have no doubt that it would have not had a good impact on my mental wellbeing. But reading it now, a little older and more lived, the pain of these children makes me grateful for the access there is now. Resources like books, the internet and others around the world who want to listen. It can be helpful when used correctly, a source of connection that otherwise would not exist.

Please remember to reach out, you don’t have to solve things alone. It might feel like it’s a strength, but true strength is knowing when to ask, and accepting when it’s offered.