Forum - View topicHouse of 1000 Manga - Nijigahara Holograph
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RAmmsoldat
 Posts: 1261 Location: North wales coast |
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This book is hot on my wishlist. After Solanin and Goodnight PunPun Id have put this on my to buy list on Asanos name alone.
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angieness
Posts: 162 Location: Columbus, OH |
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It's pretty great! I need to reread it because on the first read through it can take a little time to adapt to the jumping between timelines.
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TarsTarkas
 Posts: 5936 Location: Virginia, United States |
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After that review, I want to read it, but also scared that I won't understand it, and it will be a waste of money.
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meiam
Posts: 3450 |
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Damn sounded really good, until supernatural element got into it, not my cup of tea : (
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One-Eye
 Posts: 2267 |
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This article really piqued my interest and I just added this title to my wishlist.
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Bonham
 Posts: 424 Location: NYC |
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Great article, Jason. It is really easy to make comparisons to David Lynch, almost like a cliche, but the fragmentation and dreamlike nature of the narrative almost demands it. Mulholland Dr. is probably the closest comparison in terms of a fragmented cast with shifting times and locations, with maybe Lost Highway fitting more in tone.
I think what does separate it from Lynch, though, is how its narrative subjectivity stems from more than one viewpoint. With Lynch it's usually the protagonist's distorted identity that creates the confusion. With Nijigahara Holograph, you have a multitude of external conflicts being inflicted upon each of the characters. With Lynch it's about seeing a character internalize and contend with their environment and themselves, where NH has us viewing these characters' intentions, actions and histories like a witness testimony or a history book. It's been a few years since I've read it, so I don't recall a lot of specific details, but I felt there were a few moments of relief (I'm thinking of Nerumi and Amahiko sharing something of a sweet moment, despite the latter's disinterest and dour disposition, and possibly the ending). It's an ugly book, but not as (annoyingly) one-note and depressing as Goodnight Punpun.
I would agree with Jason:
The supernatural elements come out of the myths—as if in a child's fairy tale—that the characters have created themselves and cannot escape from. Much like their lives, as if that's not an obvious enough metaphor... If you're not wanting any supernatural elements at all, I understand, but they are just shoe-horned in as a gimmick or dumb plot twist—they're constantly in the background, gradually being drawn out, but never overtaking the more "human" element of the story. And to TarsTarkas, I wouldn't say it's hard to "understand." There are a lot of unclear plot points that you may or may not get after a reading or two, but its main narrative—and strength of its characterization—is understandable enough to draw in readers. It's honestly one of the best manga I've ever read, and is definitely an exciting license. Getting more people to check it out can only encourage companies to try their hand at more offbeat/alternative titles. |
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Player No. 3
 Posts: 209 Location: San Antonio, Texas |
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I picked it up at my local B&N last week. Loved it to death, in particular how the narrative kind of "folds in" - if you will - on itself; it refuses to lay itself out linearly. Sure, you can parse out a direct timeline, but eventually it will loop back in on itself.
The supernatural elements never felt out of place. Never campy. Never unwanted. In fact, they're vital to the atmosphere of the book. |
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katscradle
Posts: 469 |
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After reading Nijigahara Holograph I can understand why people are so impressed with Inio Asano. Some of his other works have never truly drawn me in. But, this one with its brutal horror and despair got to me. I had to stop reading partway through for a little bit because I started crying. Fiction seldom evokes a reaction like that from me. It's such a book of concentrated evils and sins both large and small in the story of people living in a little town. And the supernatural aspects are so important really, because tragedy and seeming senselessness don't fit in some ordinary, everyday, explainable box.
I'm very glad Fantagraphics brought this over. I haven't read manga with stories quite so ugly or surreal besides some gekiga from the 60s and 70s. |
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melmouth
Posts: 167 |
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I happen to have just read it. And once again I found that it's fun to be mystified, most especially when the mystery is not some contrived crime scenario, but an expressionistic story that just might hide some actual truth about our confusing and often rather awful lives.
But one thing I discovered is don't read this one when you're tired. The events and symbols are too convoluted for that. |
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El-ahrairah
Posts: 21 |
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This sounds like just the kind of thing I'd enjoy, thanks for sharing!
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irishninja
 Posts: 344 Location: Seattle-ish |
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Your local library might carry it. I'm about to check mine.
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