Story and art by Eldo Yoshimizu Published by Titan Comics (2019) Length: 2 Volumes Even the term “frenzy” wouldn’t suffice in describing the turbulence of Eldo Yoshimizu’s Ryuko. The first manga in Titan Comics’ “Hard Crime Series”, Yoshimizu’s tale of tragedy, betrayal and redemption is filled to the brim with abstract motion and unnerving violence. … Continue reading Hard Crime: Ryuko Review
Manga as literature: The Poe Clan Volume 1
Story and art by Moto Hagio Published by Fantagraphics Books (2019) Length: 2 Volumes When reading manga, rarely do you find a title with writing resembling literature. The marriage between art and narrative requires a harmonious balance, which is often strained with the inclusion of dense, sophisticated passages. Moto Hagio’s The Poe Clan attempts to … Continue reading Manga as literature: The Poe Clan Volume 1
The Enigma of Amigara Fault: Classics of Horror
Story and art by Junji Itou Originally publisher: Shogakukan Length: One Shot While horror has been a genre present throughout the history of manga, it was only with the rise of alternative/adult manga that a diverse range of titles aimed to terrify became prevalent in the mainstream. Contemporary authors such as kazuo Umezu and Junji … Continue reading The Enigma of Amigara Fault: Classics of Horror
Screw-Style (and the Gekiga Movement)
Story and art by Yoshiharu Tsuge Original publisher: Garo Magazine (1968) Length: One-shot I’ve wanted to discuss this piece for awhile now, but my limited experience with abstraction has made formulating my thoughts difficult. Early on this article morphed into a showcase, as opposed to a review, as the piece itself is less than 30 … Continue reading Screw-Style (and the Gekiga Movement)
Disappearance Diary Review
Story and art by Hideo Azuma Originally published by East Press Length: 1 volume Synopsis: This autobiographical piece documents the numerous “disappearances” of alternative manga author Hideo Azuma, who, unable to cope with the pressures of a lifestyle afforded by his occupation, abandons his work and family to travel around Japan. I appreciated that, while … Continue reading Disappearance Diary Review
Dream Fossil: A look at life
Dream Fossil (Yume no Kaseki) Story and art by Satoshi Kon Original Publisher: Kodansha (2011) Length: 1 Volume (15 stories) Whenever I describe the works of Satoshi Kon, I use the term "cinematic", which is the most accurate way of describing how these pieces are experienced in my mind. That's not to say they'd be … Continue reading Dream Fossil: A look at life
Doing Time Review
Story and art by Kazuichi Hanawa Originally serialised in AX (1999) Length: 1 Volume (12 chapters) In early December 1994, manga artist Kazuichi Hanawa was arrested by Hokkaido police for violating the law on firearms, having been caught in the woods trying out his modified guns collection. To the surprise of his lawyers, who believed … Continue reading Doing Time Review
