Panini Comics has published the new work by the author of Full Metal Alchemist with a paperback edition without dust jacket. A very different work from its most famous title, with an intriguing action style and a very particular world building, which mixes the tradition of spirits and yokai with the modern world. An effective contrast that manages to carry forward an interesting, non-obvious and harmonious narrative.
Hiromu Arakawa was born on May 8, 1973 in Makubetsu, Hokkaidō Prefecture. She grew up on the family farm (an element that emerges in many of her works), but thought of becoming a manga artist from an early age. Arakawa began working in 1999 as a writer’s assistant to Etō Hiroyuki on GuruGuru: Circle of Magic. Arakawa’s manga career began with Stray Dog, but she is best known as the author of Fullmetal Alchemist, considered a masterpiece of children’s manga.
Yomi no Tsugai is a work that strongly recalls the graphic style of Fullmetal Alchemist, the clothing, the designs, the physiognomy of the characters and the paneling bear the unmistakable signature of his style. However, the steampunk and esoteric component is missing, the power system and the “magical” world behind the powers and abilities of the characters is in fact linked to the tradition of the yokai. Finally, the last difference, the characters’ powers are entrusted to stands, represented by the yokai themselves, who protect their bearer.
Titolo originale: Yomi no Tsugai
Italian title: Yomi no Tsugai Japanese release: September 2022 Italian release: July 2023 Number of volumes: 8 (in progress) Publisher: Planet Manga (Panini Comics) Genre: fantasy, supernatural Art: Hiromu Arakawa Story: Hiromu Arakawa Format: paperback without dust jacket Number of pages: 200
We reviewed Yomi no Tsugai via the print volume provided to us free of charge by Panini Comics.
A village hidden in the mountains
The story tells of Yuru and Asa, two very different twins but united by the same destiny. They reside in a village isolated from the modern world. Here Yuru, a young hunter and Asa, locked up in a prison, live an almost medieval lifestyle, without the help of technology. One day, a group of armed men on board helicopters, called “dragons” by the citizens, attack the village in search of Yuru. The boy tries to save his sister but when he arrives at the prison he finds a body. The crazy thing is that the person who killed her claims to be Yuru’s real twin sister.
After escaping with the help of Dera, a stranger who often visits the village, Yuru will slowly discover the truth about the world out there. But that’s not all, Yuru will soon discover that he has an unbreakable bond with two yokai who protect the village and who magically become his “bodyguards”.
The themes
The story tells of Yuru and Asa, two very different twins but united by the same destiny. They reside in a village isolated from the modern world. Here Yuru, a young hunter, and Asa, locked up in a prison, live an almost medieval lifestyle, without the aid of technology and motorized transport. One day, a group of armed men on board helicopters, called “dragons” by the citizens, attack the village in search of Yuru. The boy tries to save his sister but when he arrives at the prison he finds a body. The crazy thing is that the person who killed her claims to be Yuru’s real twin sister.
After escaping with the help of Dera, a stranger who often visits the village, Yuru will slowly discover the truth about the world out there. But that’s not all, Yuru will soon discover that he has an unbreakable bond with the two yokai who protect the village who magically become his “bodyguards”. What emerges from the first pages is certainly the love for one’s family and, in particular, the love that Yuru has for his sister. In fact, he lives for her and for the good of the village, his initial goal is to become a professional hunter so as to no longer have to move from the village, to be able to stay close to his sister and make himself useful. From this emerges the simplicity of the protagonist, capable of taking on a gigantic burden in order to live a comfortable, peaceful life, far from the world and close to loved ones.
A second theme that emerges is certainly the lies that the village continually feeds to its inhabitants. In fact, the moment Yuru manages to escape from the village he realizes that a world of secrets and discoveries awaits him out there. A gigantic doubt then arises in him, why does such an isolated village exist, why do they keep us away from everything? What are they hiding from us?
Finally, connected to the theme of isolation and conspiracy, the discovery emerges. Leaving the village will in fact allow Yuru to discover a new world, much more advanced than where he lived before. A world in which he will have to adapt, he will have to abandon his rural life and embark on a journey that will change him and allow him to know the secret behind his birth and that of his sister. The narrative setting therefore acts as a Pandora’s box, the protagonist opens the doors to a totally new world, he will have to face this new complexity and amid the amazement shared with the reader he will soon learn to get by. However, the transition to the new world does not sever the bond with one’s village of origin thanks to the constant presence of the two tsugai, the guardian spirits who protect it from dangers.
The cleaning of the Arakawa stretch
Arakawa’s trait is definitely recognisable. Synthetic, clean, with a large prevalence of white and a characteristic physiognomy, very expressive but at the same time simple. The line is not masterful, the hand hatching is almost totally absent but the use of screens still manages to create excellent contrasts between shadows and lights. A decidedly functional and clear trait but, in my opinion, not as impactful as that of Fullmetal Alchemist.
The direction, on the other hand, is clean, simple, there is almost never a choice of particular shots, the paneling itself does not present particular explosions of cage, but everything is functional to an extremely smooth and clear reading. Despite this apparent flatness, the story remains captivating and can be followed without difficulty.
In short, Arakawa confirms herself to be an extremely effective cartoonist. A design that does not appear sophisticated but which fits exactly with the type of direction, with the paneling style and remains, despite everything, perfectly recognisable. An example of stylistic synthesis that few really manage to develop in such an organic and precise way.
The Panini edition
Panini has released a classic tankobon edition, a paperback without dust jacket at the modest price of 5.20 euros. He also released a variant for 7 euros which, however, in my opinion is not very far from the original cover both in terms of composition and subject. Basically the only thing different is the pose of the protagonist in the foreground and some background details that are missing in the variant and which make it much cleaner.
Regarding the edition itself, I think the choice not to translate the onomatopoeias but to use small notes alongside them is one of the best choices to remain faithful to the graphic layout of the table as the author conceived it. The same goes for the notes section, essential, understandable and non-invasive, but above all useful for understanding all those terms typical of the Japanese tradition. Finally, at the end of the volume, comic strips written and drawn by the author herself have also been included, they give lightness and present some very nice gags relating to the narrative world.
A chi consigliamo Yomi No Tsugai?
Yomi no Tsugai is an interesting title. Hiroma Arakawa’s worlds always tell the story of family relationships, especially fraternal ones, they tell of bonds that flourish and allow the characters to realize themselves and close the circle of their development. A manga that blends tradition with modernity, recommended for an audience that loves action but also human relationships, to those who have already read and loved Fullmetal Alchemist and have learned to love the author’s light and flowing writing.
Interesting world building. Effective storytelling
Not as impactful as Fullmetal Alchemist
Yomi no Tsugai
A journey into a new world
A simple, rural life, without the aid of technology, is suddenly turned upside down and catapulted into the modern world. The only link with his origins are the tsugai, two traditional spirits who will follow the boy in his new adventure. Yomi no Tsugai is a journey to discover an unknown world, full of danger, action and mystery. A journey to discover the secret of one’s birth. A journey of self-discovery.
