Sometimes, a one shot (a single, standalone volume of manga) can cover all its bases in terms of adequate art, story and writing. It can work within the limitations of its length, and use conscision and minimalism, techniques neglected by longer series, to create a cohesive experience for its readers. This is the case with … Continue reading Review: Aosora
Showcase: Vérité Magazine
Within manga, the prolific work of the gekiga movement diversified the medium by bringing adult entertainment to the forefront of graphic novels. Identifying a need to separate from the dominant, childlike themes of mainstream manga, the gekiga discipline unionised cult followings attached to highly innovative pieces scattered along the fringes. Gradually, what was just an … Continue reading Showcase: Vérité Magazine
Review: That Miyoko Asagaya Feeling
The alternative manga movement, pioneered by the likes of Yoshihiro Tatsumi and Yoshiharu Tsuge, has produced some of my favourite manga of all time. Titles like A Drifting life and Screw style freely explore profound topics through autobiographical structures and surrealist imagery, deviating from the cartoony aesthetic comics were (and are still) driven by. While … Continue reading Review: That Miyoko Asagaya Feeling
Louder and Smarter: The Comic Strip Revival
When an artist begins producing comic strips, they unintentionally pit themselves against some of the most iconic characters in popular culture. The likes of Garfield, Snoopy and Calvin (and Hobbes) all employ a witty cynicism that has been universally adored for its concise, sharp method of describing small elements of hypocrisy present within society. Alongside … Continue reading Louder and Smarter: The Comic Strip Revival
Review: Dokudami Tenement Volume 1
When exploring the struggles of young adulthood, it’s often tinged with romanticism. The idea of slumming it out, living alongside financial and social constraints seems an enriching experience to a modern audience. Maybe its links with escapism assist in this positive portrayal, but you’d be hard pressed to find a work of manga in which … Continue reading Review: Dokudami Tenement Volume 1
Review: A Shameful Life
At the age of 16, I was gifted one of Japan’s most successful novels, Osamu Dazai's No Longer Human by a family member. Its unabashed angst, explored in beautiful prose, allowed me to embody my adolescent frustrations with utter intensity. It introduced a disparate conceptualisation of human morality, not a lifestyle I would adopt, but … Continue reading Review: A Shameful Life
Review: When One Person Dies The Whole World Is Over
Story and art by Mandy Ord Published by BrowBooks (2019) Length: 1 Volume In terms of popularity, vloggers, and the depiction of modern living, has become the most popular form of content consumed on the internet. These figures, often referred to as social media influencers, are able to simultaneously emit authenticity, while providing an idealised … Continue reading Review: When One Person Dies The Whole World Is Over
