Naoki Urasawa's 20th Century Boys, Volume 1: The Prophet
Recently released in February this year, Naoki Urasawa's 20th Century Boys was a cover with a back summary I couldn't ignore. There seems to be an increasing number of bland comics these days at the store, full of yaoi and magical girl dramas wrapped around fluffy stories that hold no substance beyond their covers. This, was quite the opposite of both those genres giants. I'd already read, for the very first time pathetically, through the very first volume of Naruto. I'll try not to be too tangent about that, but it really got me giggling again and inspired to read more manga. There were even a few gags I swear were edited out of the anime. The benefit, of course, to switching to a series I've never read mixed up translations on is literally like a breath of fresh air. The whole aspect of reading something that's been raw translated ("shadow clone jutsu"), and then dummied down and over-complicated at the same time ("art of the doppleganger"...seriously, what?) is mentally exhausting. It's been hard trying to find something that fits my taste, and so many let me down after opening that I was suprised when I found this.I repeat: fresh air.
Initially the main character, Kenji, is so boring I expected him to coast off into nonexistence immediately. But his stubborn personality, coupled with his admirable affection towards his neice–deeply contrasted by his comical disagreements with his mother–really start to draw you into their little Japanese world. Then a whole series of weird news reports and strange events cuts into Kenji's blah adult life and leads him seeking answers to questions he probably wouldn't be asking if it weren't for the strange clues left behind that hint to his childhood.You're introduced to the gang of boys Kenji grew up with as they come together for a wedding, and then a funeral for an old friend "Donkey". The circumstances surrounding his death are questionable, but ignored, until Kenji receives a letter from Donkey asking about an old symbol (a hand with a creepy hairy eyeball pointing up with its index finger). It takes his group awhile to recall that the emblem is from their childhood, but where it actually originated is unknown. They conclude that someone who knows the symbol is using it as a vehicle to spread their own sort of cult and it appears that this cult is related to the strange deaths happening around town (including their friend's)...and perhaps something they prophecised long ago.
The entire story really has the conspiratoral flavor and irks of daily life that appear in Paranoia Agent, mixed with foreboding hints to an old-fashioned sci-fi robot apocalypse to come.
With every memory, another piece of the puzzle appears, and the story keeps dragging you further and further inside the group and the conspiracy surrounding the emblem. The facial expressions Urasawa uses throughout the story coupled with quirky memories and daring characters certainly precludes an awesome series to come. I haven't even mentioned that the entire novel is a tribute and constant reflection on the beginning of rock music and the era it started in. Can't wait for the rest of the manga to be translated, I'm really surprised that a series like this, that was awarded and created back at the real turn of our century hasn't recieved proper attention in the states until now. Then again, I only happened to pick it up out of "this one looks like an oddball" curiosity. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what comes next.
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