Forum - View topicNot just trendy manga
|
|
| Author | Message | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
sacchan
Posts: 277 Location: Okinawa, Japan |
|
||
|
I just read the first 2 volumes of a manga called "Hikari to tomoni" (translates into With Light) by Keiko Tobe. My sister borrowed them from a friend.
"Hiraki..." is a story about a mother raising an autistic child and the problems and frustration she faces. The auther herself has an autistic child, and she wanted others to understand what their lives are like. This is a really moving manga. It brought tears to my eyes. And it probably moved many others, since it was turned into a live-action drama series, too (although I can't watch it because it doesn't air in Okinawa  )
Most manga are entertaining and many have great stories. But some manga just touch your heart. This is one of them. This is a type of manga that should be translated into many languages and be read by many people in the world. Some of the problems faced by families of autistic children depicted in "Hikari..." may be unique to Japan, but I think most are not. "Hikari to tomoni" is one manga that made me think and made me want to be more kind to others. I wish people in the U.S. could read this manga, too, and not just the trendy ones. http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/ASIN/4871186989/qid=1087181498/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_10_2/249-5218478-2831543 http://www.e-hon.ne.jp/bec/SE/List?dcode=02&ccode=06&scode=29&listcnt=0 |
|||
|
|||
Nani?
 Posts: 632 |
|
||
|
Unfortunately, too little of this type of stuff is published outside Japan. I honestly wish we would see more of this over here.
Domo Arigato Gozaimasu, Sacchan All the Best, Nani? |
|||
|
|||
C_Brightshadow
 Posts: 81 Location: In a Mod-Starbridge running away from pirates |
|
||
|
Two things:
1) Are there other manga like this that anyone would recommend because I've been looking for manga like this. Unforunately the closest I get is PSME (and that's not very close at all). 2) Can we see some of this stuff? I've only see the "trendy" manga, mainly those that have been released in the US and have been a little depressed at it. Can we see something that won't entertain us, but something that will seriously show us something about humanity? |
|||
|
|||
jfrog
 Posts: 925 Location: Seattle |
|
||
|
There are two anthologies of alternative Japanese comics that I've seen floating around (Comics Underground Japan and Secret Comics Japan), but sadly they become impossible to find whenever I have money. I've read some of the comics that appear in Comics Underground Japan and its exactly the opposite of Hikari to Tomoni, but they're very good for what they are. And you should especially check them out if you're into American artists like Robert Crumb and Jim Woodring.
|
|||
|
|||
Neilworms
 Posts: 155 Location: Chicago IL |
|
||
|
I'd also recomend stuff from this publisher Ponet Mon. Kinderbook is really a subtle brillant work that is far removed from the stereotypical shounen/shoujo garbage that seems to be filling our bookstores as of late. The problem with them is that they are extremely difficult to find, they aren't even sold on amazon.com! In addition I'd recommend tracking down some of Taiyou Matsumoto's work (No. 5, Hanaotoko), Iou Kuroda's work (Nasu, Sexy Voice and Robo... you can find these online if you look hard enough), National Quiz (a wickedly funny satire on Japanese and world politics circa 1993).
The only thing of interest I see as of late being released commercially by a mainstream company is Tokyo Tribes by Santa Inoue who is actually the cousin of Taiyou Matsumoto. At least this guy has an original style. |
|||
|
|||
|
jfrog
Posts: 925 Location: Seattle |
|
||
|
I was rereading Optic Nerve #9 last night, and I noticed this on the letters page:
"The other project I'll be working on is an English-language version of the comics of Yoshihiro Tatsumi. If you're not familiar with the name, Tatsumi is a Japanese cartoonist who has been working since the 1950's. He pioneered a style of cartooning that focuses on the grim, often disturbing aspects of modern urban life. He's one of my favorite Japanese cartoonists, and as a non-Japanese-literate fan, I'm excited to finally read more of his work. There was a disappointing English edition of Tatsumi's comics published in 1987 under the title The Goodbye and Other Stories, but this project from Drawn & Quarterly will present a much more comprehensive selection of his stories, with excellent reproductions and new translations. This will most likely be a multi-volume series, with the first edition appearing sometime in the autumn of 2004. I'll be working with Chris Oliveros as an editor and designer of the books. For a sample of Mr. Tatsumi's work, please see the recently-published Drawn and Quarterly anthology, volume five." This looks very exciting. And even though Drawn and Quarterly isn't a major publisher by any means, it's still very nice to see some alternative Japanese comics published by a company that has a title that breaks the Diamond Top 100. I'm tired of going into the most well-stocked comic stores in the city and have the staff not know what I'm looking for. |
|||
|
|||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group