No One's Perfect
Hirotada Ototake, 2001
五体不満足
乙武洋匡
Read in 2026.07
Check the synopsis and details on amazon.com
🔽 Summary and quick note 🔽
✔ The author, who was born without legs or arms, wrote "his life so far" while in his 20s
✔ A very strong personality, this book tries to go beyond pity and inspirations
★★★★☆ 20 some years since its first publication, the author is still known as one of "the most famous disabled people in Japan". The book made him famous very quickly, and everyone wanted him to be a saint, but he refuses, he is just a person, with strong or rather eccentric personality.
🔽 Book review 🔽
20 some years since its first publication, the author is still known as one of "the most famous disabled people in Japan", indeed we often see him on TV, with his wheelchair, and without his arms or legs.
The book is without a doubt inspiring, but I read this in Japanese later edition so I'm not sure if this English version includes the "life after the publication" section, which really completes his story.
The book came out when he was still a student, and thanks to his parents, teachers and schoolmates, he grew up not particularly concerned about his disability (even though it was obviously a disadvantage).
He then very quickly became famous after the book came out, and everyone wanted him to be a saint.
But he never was a saint, he has only been a living human being.
He never claimed to be representing all disabled people, if the book was inspiring, it's because of his unique and rather eccentric personality, and in the added chapter in the later edition, he talks about how the media messed up his life (though that didn't stop him).
While living in London, I saw people with different kind of disability, and sadly, in Japan or in Italy, I normally don't.
For example, on a London bus, let's say there was already pushchair / pram / stroller, and a person on wheelchair gets on board, then the pushchair has to be folded to give up the space for the wheelchair, if not foldable, the pushchair must get off. The rule is clear.
There has been a long struggle by the disability community, and the UK has a history of listening to them.
Interestingly, when they see a person with wheelchair living independently, they feel inspired, while in Japan they feel pity.
One clear message from the author is; everyone is different, and he doesn't need pity, and he doesn't want to inspire either.
But of course there is nothing wrong to want to help people and creating a community where anyone can move with ease, that should be a goal for the city or town or nation who claims to be serving people, all people.
🔽 Related pages 🔽
🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽
●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●
No One's Perfect
赤パンの本棚 akapan's bookshelf 