Horn Book Review
Young Japanese American Ichiro is trying on versions of manliness, including mimicking the swagger and certainty of the U.S. military delineated in his long-dead father's army manual. When his mother brings Ichiro on an extended trip to Japan to visit her father while she pursues a new job, he feels stranded. His grandfather, a thoughtful man full of stories and myths, provides a new role model, but Ichiro's mixed-race heritage makes him feel like an outsider. Local legends take on a new kind of life when Ichiro is pulled into a supernatural journey among gods, ghosts, and demons, and he begins to realize all creatures share the flaws of arrogance and ambition. In this graphic novel, Inzana investigates the human tools of war-mongering and propaganda by interweaving mythological and historical examples. The tale smartly sheds light on the complexity of wartime by showing Japan as both aggressor and victim during World War II before delving into myth. The fluid, expressive brushwork brings the streets of New York City and mythical Japanese creatures to life, allowing the fantastical aspects to be both beautiful and vividly creepy. Mingling myth and reality is tricky: the story must resonate emotionally but still be wondrously different. Inzana deftly presents a satisfying tale that provokes questions and eschews easy answers. robin brenner (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
tanuki trickster spirit. The story cuts to New York City, where Ichiro and his mother prepare for their trip. Ichiro has been very close to his American grandfather, who has schooled him in the worst kinds of American jingoism. First his mother, then his Japanese grandfather began to share the legends and history of Japan, both positive and negative, with Ichiro. A nighttime pursuit of a persimmon-thieving tanuki turns into a surreal odyssey that takes Ichiro deep into the mythic realm of Japanese folklore. Inzana's graphic style is, at first glance, far more Western than Japanese-influenced; there is no look of manga in his figures. But his compositions and his brushwork, particularly exquisite transitional spreads between episodes, echo classical Japanese art, and his depiction of the Japanese Otherworld will seem familiar to anyone who has seen a Miyazaki film. Ichiro's realistic and mythic journeys combine to give both him and readers a better understanding of the importance of both understanding and overcoming history. Beautiful and thought-provoking; questions unanswered will linger in readers' minds. (Graphic novel. 12 up)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
