Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Would You Believe I’ve Actually Read…

… one of these? In the original hardcopy version? Ah, memories.

I took a look at this, too. The Katsuhiro Ōtomo influence is evident, almost pre-Akira at that. There are several manga-ka, the creators, who have changed the genre in their own ways, more often than not through both their artwork and narratives. That’s something you don’t really see in American comics.

The multitalented Mr. Ōtomo is one of those double threats.

8 comments:

Sophie said...

I'm not even sure I can refer to manga as a genre, its sub-genres being so diverse.
Here we refer to Bandes dessinées (Franco-Belgian comics) as the 9th art, and I think manga is the same.

From Tintin to comics about history or social issues, from Astro to The time of Botchan, these forms cover as many subjects in as many different ways as cinema does.

Jun Okumura said...

Sophie, you Francophone have always had a feel for pop culture, and I’ll never forget the French reverence for Philip K. Dick. And Mssrs. Ōtomo and Moebius have a mutual admiration society of their own.

But Jerry Lewis? Please…

Hey, you know what’s sad though? Takehiko Inoue is the youngest guy whose work I know that changed the paradigms of the genre, and he’s in his forties. And he’s young enough to be my biological (if illegal) son.

Jun Okumura said...

PS: Robert D., the un-Colbert S., has a thing for Tin-Tin. Look him up the next time you’re in Japan.

Anonymous said...

Big Otomo fan here, but pre-Akira...

And speaking of the diversity of manga, what better example is there than Oishimbo?

Jun Okumura said...

I used to read it, but it doesn’t work for me any more. Now that I cook regularly, I do what I can, with what I have. Oishimbo is sexual acrobatics; it’s like, dude, I’m a gazillion-years old, I don’t need instructions, I need something I can actually do. In twenty minutes. Hot. And. Sour.

Catch my drift?

And the artwork is pretty lousy, if you ask me.

Jun Okumura said...

And it’s a two man/production team.

Anonymous said...

Sir,
If you can pull your nose out of the comics for a minute, I would be grateful if you would comment on the possible political effects of the new changes in Japan's health care payment regime.

My understanding is that the elderly now have to pay more and their families have to shoulder more of the burden of taking care of their aging family members.

Lyons

Jun Okumura said...

Mon Chére Anonyme:

Regardez vous my nose ici.