(漫画; 漫 "man" translates as "whimsical" or "involuntary" and 画 "ga" translates to "picture"). Though this post does not delve into the history of manga or its impact as a cultural phenomenon, the following books serve as great introductions should you wish to learn more:
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind may be the most whimsical manga in
our collection, created over several years (1982-1994) by Hayao Miyazaki of
Studio Ghibli (Kiki's Delivery Service, Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, etc.). It takes place in a
post-apocalyptic, polluted world. Nausicaä, princess of the Valley of the
Wind, navigates tensions between two other kingdoms, poisonous forests, and
giant insect beings (who are feared and misunderstood). Soaring through the air
on her personal glider, with bucolic vistas below, and her pet (Teto) which
looks like a cross between a mini-tiger/squirrel/rat, you experience the kind
of good-feeling fantasy with life-relevant themes that Miyazaki is known
for.
Another manga classic in our
collection is Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira, a science fiction series that takes place in Neo-Tokyo
after World War III, where biker gangs and rebel groups fight for control. A
secret government program involving experiments on children to awaken
telekinetic, superhuman powers underpins this manga. Kaneda and Tetsuo,
childhood friends, become at-odds with each other when Tetsuo's unpredictable
psychic powers are awakened, and he becomes a threat to the future of
Neo-Tokyo. Themes of transformation, alienation, and societal pressures abound,
across all six volumes of this cyberpunk landscape.
Sci-fi and fantasy not your thing?
Browse the stacks around these two titles and you will find other gems not discussed in this post. Such as Barefoot Gen: A cartoon story of Hiroshima by Keiji Nakazawa, and Yoshihiro Tatsumi's dark and gritty short tales found in The push man and other stories.
