I Wish I Could Say 'Thank You'

How do you say ‘thank you’ and ‘goodbye’ to a woman who has been domineering and difficult her whole life? Especially when that woman is your mother! Yukari had long struggled in a chaotic love-hate relationship with her mother Chieko, so when her mother is diagnosed with advanced stage pancreatic cancer with just months to live, she is faced with a difficult situation. Takinami honestly recounts the turmoil created by this announcement from her sister Nao without ever descending into pathos. At first she thinks of the practical – where should her mother be, who’s going to look after her, how can I with my work and my child? Then slowly she starts to face the fact of losing this energetic woman who had never even caught a cold to her memory! After years marked by difficult communication, will they now manage to overcome their conflicts and say what s truly in their hearts before it’s too late?

Author Biography

Yukari Takinami was born in Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan in 1980. She is an artist and author of manga, an essayist and a radio broadcaster. She is considered as one of the most original voices in the contemporary female comic world. Her writings portray everyday occurrences in society and her surrounding with humour and honesty. Her manga ‘Motohare Mania’ (Ex-Boyfriend Mania) (2017 – ) was adapted into a live action TV series in 2019. Also her work ‘Rinshii!! Ekoda-chan’ (2005 – 2014) has inspired two TV anime series in 2011 and 2019. ‘Arigato-tte Ietanara’ (I Wish I Could Say “Thank You”) seduced a large public in her native Japan and is set to do so in English.