it’s actually a little surprising at times that Taniguchi isn’t a bigger deal outside of Japan.

Note that Taniguchi isn’t a big deal inside of Japan either: similarly to Tsuge, Tatsumi, or Yokoyama, Taniguchi is a big deal mostly only in France/Belgium/Swiss, probably because his Proustian sensibilities have found fertile soil among the literate.

Also, The Walking Man is actually among his weakest books (relatively to his body of work, that is): it’s beaten all hollow by short-story collections such as L’Orme du Caucase or Terre de rêves, graphic novels such as Quartier Lointain or Au temps de Botchan, and genre stories such as Le Sommet des dieux or Seton le naturaliste. Those who’d prefer The Walking Man will find more of the same contemplative short stories in Le Gourmet solitaire and Le Promeneur.