REVIEW BUKU #26: Mantappu Jiwa

Title: Mantappu Jiwa

Author: Jerome Polin

Introduction

Mantappu Jiwa is not merely a biography, nor is it just a motivational book. Written by Jerome Polin—a mathematics student at Waseda University, Japan, and the creator behind the popular YouTube channel Nihongo Mantappu—this book offers a reflective journey about dreams, limitations, persistence, and growth. Jerome, born in May 1998, is a recipient of the prestigious Mitsui Bussan Scholarship and has successfully balanced academic excellence with a thriving career as a content creator, amassing more than 3.4 million subscribers.

What makes Mantappu Jiwa unique is its unconventional narrative style. Instead of a linear life story, Jerome weaves his experiences with metaphors, mathematical analogies, poetic reflections, and even simple practice problems. This approach reflects his academic background in applied mathematics while making complex life lessons feel relatable and grounded. Ultimately, the book communicates a powerful message: dreams exist to help us transcend limitations.

What Is This Book About?

At its core, Mantappu Jiwa tells the story of Jerome Polin’s life—from childhood to becoming an international student in Japan and a well-known digital creator. However, the book goes beyond recounting achievements. It explores how dreams are formed, challenged, broken, and rebuilt.

Jerome presents his life as a series of “stages” or “acts,” much like chapters in a play. Each stage highlights not only success but also failure, doubt, and struggle. Mathematics plays a recurring symbolic role throughout the book. For Jerome, math is not just a subject but a way of thinking—about problem-solving, persistence, and logical growth. This is why the book is humorously described on its cover as a “practice problem book,” because readers are occasionally invited to solve simple questions, reflecting on life as a sequence of problems waiting to be approached thoughtfully.

Importantly, this book emphasizes that limitations—whether economic, academic, linguistic, or social—are not final barriers. Instead, they are challenges that give meaning to dreams. Jerome’s story becomes a mirror for readers who feel constrained by their circumstances, reminding them that progress often begins with mindset and consistent effort.

Overview of the Book’s Content

Broadly, the book is divided into several life phases that represent Jerome Polin’s journey toward his dreams:

1. From Birth to Junior High School:The early formation of dreams, curiosity, and discipline.

2. Becoming a Mitsui Bussan Scholarship Recipient:The struggle behind academic success and adapting to a foreign environment.

3. Life as a YouTube Content Creator:Balancing creativity, failure, and consistency while studying abroad.

Each phase is further elaborated through thematic “acts” or chapters that explore both internal struggles and external challenges.

Act 1: Birth and the Early Stages of Dreaming

The first act focuses on Jerome’s childhood and formative years. Rather than portraying himself as a naturally gifted prodigy, Jerome emphasizes the process of discovering interests and nurturing ambition. His dream of studying abroad did not appear overnight; it evolved gradually through exposure, curiosity, and persistent effort.

This section highlights several key insights:

• The importance of having a dream, even if it feels unrealistic at first

• Failure as a training ground, not a stopping point

• Effort as a habit, not a one-time action

Jerome openly shares moments of disappointment—failed attempts, missed opportunities, and self-doubt. However, these experiences are framed as necessary variables in the “equation” of success. The message is clear: failure does not invalidate a dream; it refines it.

Act 2: Becoming a Mitsui Bussan Scholarship Recipient

Receiving the Mitsui Bussan Scholarship marks a major turning point in Jerome’s life. Yet, this chapter strongly rejects the myth that success ends once a goal is achieved. Instead, Jerome describes this moment as the beginning of a new set of challenges.

One of the most significant obstacles he faced was language. Despite being accepted into a Japanese university, Jerome was not yet fluent in Japanese—a crucial requirement for academic survival. This section details his learning process, discipline, and emotional struggles as he adapted to a new culture and educational system.

Key themes in this act include:

• Continuous struggle after success

• Building daily habits to overcome skill gaps

• Cultural adaptation and humility

Jerome also reflects on differences between life in Japan and Indonesia, offering observations about discipline, responsibility, and independence. These reflections are not judgmental but contemplative, encouraging readers to learn from contrasts rather than resist them.

Act 3: Life as a YouTube Content Creator

The third act explores Jerome’s journey as a content creator. The birth of the Nihongo Mantappu YouTube channel was far from smooth. The book recounts technical failures such as broken cameras, corrupted files, inconsistent uploads, and creative blocks. At several points, the channel was nearly abandoned.

However, on December 23, 2017, the channel officially launched and slowly began to grow. This section provides valuable insights into creativity, consistency, and resilience. Jerome shares how he struggled to generate ideas, learned from feedback, and refined his content over time.

Some of the most important lessons from this act include:

• Creativity is built through repetition, not inspiration alone

• Consistency matters more than perfection

• Growth often comes after long periods of invisibility

This part of the book resonates strongly with readers who aspire to build something while juggling other responsibilities, such as studies or work.

Core Themes and Reflections

Throughout Mantappu Jiwa, several recurring principles emerge:

• Dreams exist to challenge limitations

• Mindset determines endurance

• Effort compounds over time

• Failure is feedback, not a verdict

By combining storytelling with reflective exercises and metaphors, Jerome invites readers not just to observe his journey but to evaluate their own.

Conclusion

Overall, Mantappu Jiwa is a highly recommended read for anyone who has dreams but feels constrained by circumstances, fear of failure, or uncertainty about where to begin. It is especially suitable for readers who aspire to study abroad, pursue academic excellence, or build a creative career alongside formal education.

The book is also valuable for those who struggle with repeated failure or self-doubt. Jerome Polin’s story demonstrates that perseverance is not about never failing, but about continuing despite failure. Through honest storytelling and practical reflection, Mantappu Jiwa offers encouragement without exaggeration—making it both inspiring and grounded.

In the end, this book reminds us that dreams are not meant to be easy. They are meant to stretch us beyond what we think is possible—and in doing so, help us grow into better versions of ourselves.