Abandon the Old in Tokyo

I've been a fan of Tatsumi's GNs that take a bleak and hard look at Japanese society. In this series of short stories, he tells us tales of men and women who feel trapped in bleak lives because of family obligations, hidden desires, thirst for revenge and social expectations. He exposes the repression his characters live under. If you want Disney-type GNs, this is not for you. If you want to look under the glossy surface of a culture, dive in. ( )

Volume Two of the English-language trilogy that looks back on the career of Yoshihiro Tatsumi, who has been called the 'grandfather of Japanese alternative comics.' Powerful stories, all rendered in clean but claustrophobic black and white lines that give one a real sense of the utter vastness of Tokyo. The trilogy stands as a masterwork in and of itself; if Tatsumi had published no other works but these, his legacy would still be guaranteed. Essential reading for any serious collector of graphic novels. Illustrated, b & w. Can be used in public libraries to introduce fans of gekiga to an underappreciated master of the form. ( )

Stories here are much better than the ones in "The Push Man" due to the increased length, grittier, more dramatic stories. Picks:- Abandon the Old in Tokyo- Beloved Monkey- The Hole- Eel ( )

Soft and yet gritty drawings of everyday life in Japan during the 70's. The sordid reality of the characters is very tangible in Tatsumi's work; however, it is balanced with light humor. This graphic medium has succeeded in bringing together the Japanese of today and yesterday, as well as bringing in the readers to experience their reality. Tatsumi's perspective is spot on, and his eye serves as a perfect record of humanity's destruction, as well as occasional glimpses of beauty, as shown in this series of oftentimes-strange stories. He never leaves anything out; the buildings and the walls pop out at you, and they are also characters in the stories. Delving into the deeper characters of people and how they cope, no matter how strange or repulsive, at the end of the day, it shows that it is man's survival that is important. And though the characters may seem to be defeated and weak, the stories' importance lies on the fact that the characters have indeed survived, even if they still live in their "one room castles." For they still recognize freedom and they continue, and this is just enough to save them. ( )

Re-issue of gekiga (not manga) for the West of the work of one of the pioneers of the genre. Began in the late 60's, prior to the growth of manga-style magazines, during the period of the book lending shops. Stories about alienation, lonliness - typical Japanese themes of the 20th century. ( )