School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-Mixing memoir and political history, this graphic novel presents a tumultuous time in Japan's past through the eyes of someone who lived it: influential 20th-century manga artist Mizuki. The early years of Japan's Showa era were marked by government and military corruption that ultimately led the nation to World War II, and Mizuki's frank account of this period does not gloss over unflattering truths. At first glance, this tome may appear to be strictly for history buffs and Japanophiles-but any reader will be hooked by the juxtaposition of the author's humorous anecdotes of his rural childhood and the sobering picture of his country's financial instability, political turmoil, and harrowing acts of aggression in Asia. It's an eye-opening reading experience, a window into a segment of history not taught in typical American classrooms. The sheer number of unfamiliar names and places can be daunting, but one of Mizuki's famous characters, Nezumi Otoko, pops in and out to help the contemporary audience make sense of key events. Black-and-white illustrations vacillate between cartoonish in the sections portraying boyish antics and stunningly detailed when depicting more serious subject matter, illuminating the dichotomy of everyday life in Japan and the rising tensions on the political landscape. Less successful are the too-frequent references to endnotes that don't always add to the narrative. Whether or not teens choose to read them, this book clearly shows how seemingly remote political decisions can profoundly affect the average person. Thought-provoking and powerful.-Allison Tran, Mission Viejo Library, CA (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Mizuki, one of Japan's most celebrated manga artists, was born only a few years before the start of the Showa period, one of Japan's most turbulent eras. In this, the first of four volumes, he traces history along two tracks: the first is Japan's story, spanning the years between the great Kanto earthquake and the start of WWII; the second is the story of the author and his family growing up in a port town far from the drama taking place in Tokyo. Using a series of narrators to keep the story flowing, Mizuki prevents the account, which could have easily been a mere list of tragic incidents, from becoming dry, repetitive, or confusing. Looping his own story in and out of the narrative and switching back and forth between a photo-realistic art style and broadly drawn cartoons, Mizuki shows how politics and war affected the Everyman. Mizuki is not afraid to show his country in a less than flattering light, and Showa, 1926-1939 provides an opportunity to understand Japanese history from a new point of view.--Volin, Eva Copyright 2014 Booklist
Library Journal Review
This massive manga history earned Mizuki (NonNonBa; Onward Toward Our Noble Death; Kitaro) the Kodansha Award in 1989. Here, he presents two parallel story lines: a meticulously researched chronology of the events leading up to Japan's entry into the World War II and the memories of his youth during the era. As the focus of the narrative shifts, so, too, does the art, from highly realistic scenes of political and military events to an expressive, cartoony style when looking at the lives of ordinary people. As if these shifts in tone weren't enough, Mizuki's iconic Kitaro character Nezumi Otoko steps in periodically to expand on the background and impact of certain major events. This approach may sound disjointed, but the end result is much, much more than the sum of its parts. By turns poignant, hilarious, harrowing, cynical, and inspiring, this work perfectly balances personal and universal elements to deliver a powerful message. Originally published in eight volumes, the first two are collected here. Verdict A remarkable work that will make a lasting impression on readers; essential for most manga collections and highly recommended for readers of World War II-era histories and memoirs.-Neil Derksen, Pierce Cty. Lib. Syst., Tacoma (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
