The years nineteen and twenty are a crucial stage in the maturation of character, and if you allow yourself to become warped when you're that age, it will cause you pain when you're older.

Well, think of what I’m doing to you right now. For me I’m the self, and you’re the object. For you, of course, it’s the exact opposite—you’re the self to you and I’m the object. And by exchanging self and object, we can project ourselves onto the other and gain self-consciousness. Volitionally.” “I still don’t get it, but it sure feels good.” “That’s the whole idea,” the girl said.

You make do with what you have. As you age you learn even to be happy with what you have.

It is very simple, actually. It is because you and Tengo were so powerfully drawn to each other.

If a person remains tense for a long time he might not notice it himself, but it’s like his nerves are a piece of rubber that has been stretched out. It’s hard to go back to the original shape.

A state of chronic powerlessness eats away at a person

I have read all my novels that were translated into English. Reading my novels is enjoyable because I forget almost all the content in them.