What is fascinating is the resurgence of interest in among Gen Z readers. On TikTok, "Sad Boy Autumn" reading lists include Marcovaldo as a precursor to the "liminal space" aesthetic. The idea of a man walking through an empty, snowy city or seeing a mushroom in a crack of asphalt fits perfectly with the current mood of urban melancholy.

: Unlike his neighbors, who only see advertisements and traffic, Marcovaldo notices "mushrooms in the city" or the change of seasons through a stray leaf.