Mikkakan no Koufuku
Three Days of Happiness

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So, they finally added this to the website.

This book is incredibly painful, for all of the right reasons.

It is relatable in a cathartic and fire-starting way. The reader - typically a young man - will inevitably project all of their failings onto Kusunoki. In my case, Three Days of Happiness spurred me to take my own life a little more seriously.

That being said, it is also incredibly beautiful. Brilliantly written, it generates powerful images at every critical point of the novel. The author, Sugaru Miaki, manages to catch you completely off guard on a number of occasions. Especially in the final third of the book, ... Miaki mixes bitter and sweet deftly, creating a dark chocolatey miasma you can't help but read again and again.

This is one of only a handful of books I have ever bought and I am probably going to buy it in Japanese at some point. I number it among a select few that genuinely changed my life.

I've encountered numerous stories about an MC who is a hopeless shell of their former selves. Much of those stories had an irresistibly sweet girl turn them back into a hopeful person again. So, was this novel also only about a meeting of two soulmates?

For me, it was much more than that. It was an incredibly compelling tale, especially for those readers who've wished to sell their own life span at some point in their lives. It gracefully describes loneliness in it's rawest form and how people, when free from the shackles of life, start craving for those chains around their soul once again and ... then having to face an even greater depression.

The story starts at the lowest point of the MC, Kusonoki's, life yet, and continues to grow more morose while simultaneously getting enriched with some very impactful characterisation and developments oh-so very natural.
There is one aspect of storytelling that I really adore, or if I'm being a little haughty; a standard I use to judge it, that is, the deftness to present something incredibly ordinary in a way that feels like "there is nothing better than this". Whenever I'm caught living lifelessly in my mundane life, I'm reminded that "Ah! These little things are what I found so beautiful in that book..", and that alone makes me a teeny bit happy. And make no mistake, this novel does it to a tee.


To the ones that either love a "happy" end or a "sad" one, they'll enjoy it's conclusion regardless, as they come to appreciate the journey. Personally, it was one of the most satisfying endings.
Alluringly enough, few of it's ample of great pages come after the story is complete. That is, author Miaki's afterword.

While this beautiful story may very well be conceived as one, Miaki himself mentions that this isn't a grandiose tale about value of life/love, rather a piece of writing meant for that moment where those people pained by their own shallow breaths learn it's beauty when they're about to enter the realm where none may be taken. And I love it all the more for that.

In short, it is an experience to be had.

The lesson I learned after having parted with this book?

(*whispers* - It is much more charming to close your own umbrella and get drenched with the other person than offer them yours. Even if both of you happen to fall ill.)
We all wish to feel, to be useful to someone, to anyone. And that isn't really a negative thing. On the contrary, I find it incredibly poignant. Also, I never really parted with this book cause I'll be fo sho revisiting this piece of beauty now and again. ^~^

P.S.- Do read a short story from the other MC Miyagi's POV that came alongside this novel called "I Say A Little Prayer", after this novel has been read.

In the group of novels, manga, and movies meant to convey a deep message or theme to the audience, I'd argue 3 days of happiness is the best. Perhaps even "epic" as the kids say.

Story (9/10)
Several stories revolve around a bored or struggling character meeting a love interest, learning to enjoy life to the fullest, and said love interest inevitably dying or leaving by the end. What sets 3 days of happiness apart is the MC willfully starts the scenario, never regrets his decision, and the events feel natural given the premise and how one would expect it to play out given the MC. ...

Character (9/10)
The two leads are great and their dynamic, time spent together, and eventual decisions all felt in character and believable. Kusunoki develops very well and it's part of what makes the payoff so satisfying. Great all around.

Pacing (8/10)
The pacing of the novel was at times too fast. During the period before Kusunoki's decision to sell all but three days of his life, more time spent exploring the relationship between the two leads would have heightened the eventual payoff of the story's ending. The events with Kusunoki's childhood friend also felt a bit rushed and the eventual resolution and rebound felt abrupt.

Enjoyment (10/10)
The characters, message, and story were all executed as well as one could hope for. Whatever complaints I had with the novel amount to nitpicks. The writing was fantastic, the story was easy to follow, and the resolution felt truly bittersweet- unlike the standard fairy tale or emotionally manipulative ending most similar stories have. I loved it from start to end.


Overall- 9/10 One of the best.

This is one of those books that will make you stare at the ceiling after finishing it. And that's literally what i do after reading this in one sitting. I'm thinking about all my life after that last words on the book. The success, the failure, the relationship, the emotion. I can relate with the protagonist in many level. Also love the vibe this books give out. I read this past midnight and its really perfect, because usually at this time, I myself thinking about life. The characters relationship is well written. Although they didn't explain in detail how the selling life things work, it ... didn't matter that much. Because the main point in this book is not the mystery, but the drama. I see that a lot on a Japanese author. Will definitely looking forward to read the manga adaption.

What exactly is happiness? How will you go about determining the factors of happiness? Is it money? Is it the moment you fall in love for the first time? Perhaps it is your friends and family. All of it? Or maybe, none of it? A simple question yet an unanswered one.

Whenever we fall into a bit of a pinch, or whenever we are ‘unhappy’ about how things played out, we make a fuss about how life is being really unfair to us. Many of us think, “I don’t want this crappy life. It doesn’t have any meaning. I wish I’d die.” But, is life really ... so cheap that you can throw it away just like that? We always tend to forget that no matter how much of a hard time we are having, there is always someone who is going through an even harder time. Sure, life may have thrown a few rocks at some point but is it always going to be that way?

Kusunoki, our average delusional protagonist who, as a child, thought that he was going to be someone famous when he grows up. Relatable? I’m sure it is. But life isn't so eager to make him famous yet. Talented kid going to a barely average college, part-time jobs that hardly makes any money to support himself, that’s how his life turned out at the age of 20. Relatable again? Yeah, for a lot of us. Then Kusunoki was given a chance to sell his lifespan for money depending on many different factors, the factors of happiness. Since he wasn’t happy in his life, he was given a bare minimum for his 30 years of lifespan, leaving only 3 months to live.
Then appears another main character, Miyagi, our observer. Observers are given the duty to observe anyone who sells their lifespan and has less than a year to live. Initially hostile and cold towards Kusunoki, she gradually warms up to him because of many different circumstances.

A lot of things change when your life is suddenly cut short. People start to understand their surroundings better. They begin to clear the mysteries that fog up around them. They start looking for happiness, true happiness. They change a lot over that short period of time.

There are things people can achieve when they have someone important in their life. Having someone who you can relate with, who understands you can change you for better. That’s what happened with Kusunoki. Kusunoki represents us. Deep down we all are Kusunoki in one way or another. He wasn’t able to find happiness at first. His delusions clouded his judgment. But having Miyagi by his side changed his views on life. He found happiness only he can find. He found enjoyment in the smallest of things. Visiting his homeland, staring at the starry sky, even just talking with Miyagi. In the end this encouraged him to do something. And guess what, he was able to do something. Kusunoki used to draw when he was young. But he stopped at one point because he couldn’t find the meaning behind it anymore. Having Miyagi broke the long slump he was in.

A simple enough plotline yet so much to think about. “Three Days of Happiness” is a novel that doesn’t answer the questions rather makes you think about those questions. Makes you think about life, raises the question ‘how much is life truly worth?’ Or ‘is it worth something at this point? How to make use of this precious thing I was given?’ The story was very beautifully crafted, keeping the emotions of the readers in mind. From the very start of the story there was a uniqueness to it that caught attention. The characters were accurately written. The pacing of the story was perfect. Gives you just the time you need to think about everything that has happened. The words were very carefully chosen that directly hits, and puts an emotional impact on the readers.

There is a manga adaptation of this novel. A great one in fact. Most of the readers read the manga adaptation. But I highly recommend you read the original source. A very few people have read the novel. The novel has a different feel to it. It captures the audience, encapsulates them and makes them want to read further and further. So even if you have already read the manga, give the novel a go as well. You might be able to uncover some new themes you weren’t able to before.

Bittersweet. That’s the only word I can think of to describe this beautiful piece of work. The ending makes you feel empty at one side but also makes you emotionally stronger. The author came up with something really sensitive and delivered it in the smoothest way possible. So in the end, an easy 10/10 for me. No questions asked.

mikkakan no koufuku, an underappreciated masterpiece. (no spoilers)

this manga is by no means hidden, i think a fair amount of people know about it. although it's genuinely one of the best manga's i've read to date, take that as you will.

if you're looking for a bittersweet story dealing with romance, loneliness, and a search for happiness this has it all. the read can be a bit jarring at times, but it's ultimately a really sweet pay off in the end.

this manga is short, obviously. you could definitely finish it in an hour or two if you're reading it all in one sitting, but the ... pacing in it is perfect. everything comes together really nicely and the story's world building, and also somewhat supernatural aspects to it. while the read is short, i can guarantee what you gain from this manga sticks with you forever.

The thing that drew me into this light novel was 1). the concept of selling your life for money / giving a persons life a monetary value. 2). the fact that Kusunoki's struggles were relatable and felt very real and raw (especially in this day and age I find)

This light novel does a good job of showing that even if you have very little time to live, the world won't coddle you and not everything will go your way. It has cute moments, moments that make you think, and maybe some that will make you cry.

I do recommend this light novel if you want to ... pick up a quick and interesting read (maybe even relatable)! It's well written and you can really feel the emotion and hard-work that went into creating it.

This is probably of the few reviews I'm going to write on this website at all, but this manga hits hard. Even though this is relatively short, this is painfully relatable. I know it's personal but I love this manga.

I was feeling down and suddenly go onto my to-read folder that has 1000 different mangas. One of them is a manga I saw on Gigguk's videos. I didn't bother watching the video and just go straight to the manga and oh boy, this is one of the best things I've read for years.
Unlike critically acclaimed work jizzed with some depression juice on it such ... as Evangelion, Blame!, Berserk, of course, this manga is more relatable than any of them. It's similar to Girls' Last Tour, where you just do whatever and enjoy resting. The story is simple and easy to follow, all of the characters are super realistic, the art is alright, nothing too special but they still convey the message.

Again, this is all personal experience, but you should really give it a shot, I have nothing else to say, it's easily a 10/10 for me.

I've read the (light) novel with the manga next to it so as to have it provide me with some visualization. It was great for that.

There are painful things in this story, things "everyone" would appreciate having had a different conclusion (the revenge and that certain character's life overal is hard to come to terms with. You'll understand if you've read the story), but it is what it is and it's what makes the story what it is. That character's life, her past and both her new and old futures is how real life works. Merciless. I wish her all the best.

I feel like the ... novel made this an overal better experience than had I just read the manga. I am not sure though. I love manga.

It's a great story which ends with making me feel like I'm suffocating, making me feel like crying, and with making an ephemeral point, at least for me.
I would love to have 3 days of happiness.

The author is a master of description and as you read the novel the scenes, landscapes, expressions in people and situations the MC is in are easy to picture and I felt the same satisfaction as if I was reading a manga or even watching an anime.

I love the main duo. Kusunoki goes through an unbeliavable character development in such a short spawn of time, and it's beautiful how the main reason for this change is just as simple as a close relationship suddenly appearing in his life (something he had purporsefully been avoiding by sticking to the past) and, eventually, having someone he loves ... and living for her. You'll probably end up reflecting yourself in his flaws. As for Miyagi, she's adorable and I personally understand why Kusunoki would go to such lenghts for her (must protect).

The novel really makes you revalue your life and for a while after reading it, as long as it's still in your mind, it will make you feel really motivated to make big changes.

Very easy and a delight to read. Usualy when I read a novel I can't even finish a chapter in a one-go, but the chapters in 3 Days of Happiness past by in a wink.

The ending was bittersweet, but cute, beautiful and satisfactory down the most.

10/10 must read, recommended to anyone, specially if you like psychological, love and life-changing stories.

A journey to find meaning in life (Existentialism). Kusunoki sells the last 30 years of his life for 300,000 yen (10,000 yen per year). The story does a great job explaining Kusunoki's background, so readers can understand why he makes this extreme decision to sell his remaining life. It's not really about "How much money do you get for selling your life?" but more "What will you do with the rest of your life when you've sold it and only have a few months left before death comes?" This is where the search for life's meaning begins.
After meeting Miyagi, Kusunoki slowly starts to find happiness ... and purpose. His journey to fill the emptiness in his life has a bit of drama and romance, but that's not a bad thing - it actually makes the journey more meaningful. Honestly, I got a bit emotional when Kusunoki started enjoying life with Miyagi, like he was the happiest person in the world without a care.
The ending is kinda open-ended, letting readers imagine their own version, but I'm pretty sure it's a happy ending for both of them (Kusunoki and Miyagi).

This is my personal first time reading a manga. I was curious why so many people found this manga sad. I put on some music and began to read. It was heartbreaking. The ending was beautifully crafted. I normally hate sappy mangas and animes but this was a masterpiece. It truly lets you reflect on the value of life.

Synopsis- A man discovers he can sell his life span in exchange for money. He meets old and new friends along the way and begins to learn what life if truly worth.

Rating 10/10- Made me cry from happiness and sadness at some parts. Honestly a great manga ... even if you don’t like traditionally sadder stories.

-Dr Weebster

P.S. If you’ve enjoyed my review please give it a like and maybe even me a follow. I have been on a long break but will now continue reviewing anime and mangas