Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Four very entertaining, often darkly funny, sometimes even touching stories!!! You can see Fujimoto's development as an artist and as a person in them. My favorite was Shikaku, but Sasaki Stopped a Bullet is a close second.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty
Me gustó mucho ver los inicios de Fujimoto. "Niwa niwa niwa niwatori ga ita" y "Shikaku" fueron mis relatos favoritos pero todos son re entretenidos.
3.5 stars
Quite good, but they’re not as refined as CSM. U can really tell they’re fujimoto older and rougher works. They still have that classic fujimoto chaos to them tho with all the insane plot twists like the alien one where the guy is revealed to be an alien all along. All of these were so weird and fun to read. Don’t know if I’d read them a second time though
Quite good, but they’re not as refined as CSM. U can really tell they’re fujimoto older and rougher works. They still have that classic fujimoto chaos to them tho with all the insane plot twists like the alien one where the guy is revealed to be an alien all along. All of these were so weird and fun to read. Don’t know if I’d read them a second time though
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is a collection of four short stories written by Fujimoto between the ages of 17 and 21. I’ve been on a bit of a comic book stint the last few months, partially thanks to the artist’s most popular, ongoing work, Chainsaw Man. Tatsuki Fujimoto probably is the future of Japanese comics - at least for the next decade or so. I imagine that many artists will try to replicate his formula, which can be seen in this volume as already being present when he was a teenager.
Some brief explanation, I stumbled upon Fujimoto’s first issue of Chainsaw Man when I was trying to get back into reading after struggling to connect with longer works for a few years. I had read advice that if you’re someone struggling to get back into reading for fun, then start easy. Read short stories and comics. It will help build up that habit. I jokingly clicked Chainsaw Man issue 1 open on my phone (I just happened to see it on the first week it had come out) while looking for a new story. It instantly hooked me. Despite being crass I felt that the artist was actually trying to do something unique. Playing around with tropes in stories like Dragon Ball and One Piece, Fujimoto seemed to be dialing it all to 11 only to sweep the rug from under you and divert the story in a non-traditional direction. It was raw, and cynical. If One Piece was pop this felt punk rock. Really, when all the style and crass humor is taken away, the story is about youth. As a kid your small problems seem so big and insurmountable but when you get older you realize how those problems paled in comparison to the larger issues going on around you. You also realized that maybe the adults were lying. The kids were not alright.
If anything, this collection of stories shows the dual theme of youth and tragedy have been on the artists’ mind since he was in high school. He recounts how he had to wait a year for art school because the Fukushima earthquake happened. He tells a story of feeling like his art was meaningless after going to help clean up after the event and not feeling like he had actually done anything to contribute. Ultimately, for whatever reason, that through-line resonated with me. I think that, whatever else is happening in his stories, the emotional arc of youth confronting an absurd tragedy is a powerful and compelling one.
The art here is good but clearly he improved over time. The stories and action also become easier to follow. But each short story and both of his single issues (Goodbye Eri and Look Back) show someone with a lot of talent playing around with a format that’s inherently juvenile and pulpy. I’m excited to see where his work continues to go. I’m also amazed that we’re similar in age and he’s already produced so much good work.
Some brief explanation, I stumbled upon Fujimoto’s first issue of Chainsaw Man when I was trying to get back into reading after struggling to connect with longer works for a few years. I had read advice that if you’re someone struggling to get back into reading for fun, then start easy. Read short stories and comics. It will help build up that habit. I jokingly clicked Chainsaw Man issue 1 open on my phone (I just happened to see it on the first week it had come out) while looking for a new story. It instantly hooked me. Despite being crass I felt that the artist was actually trying to do something unique. Playing around with tropes in stories like Dragon Ball and One Piece, Fujimoto seemed to be dialing it all to 11 only to sweep the rug from under you and divert the story in a non-traditional direction. It was raw, and cynical. If One Piece was pop this felt punk rock. Really, when all the style and crass humor is taken away, the story is about youth. As a kid your small problems seem so big and insurmountable but when you get older you realize how those problems paled in comparison to the larger issues going on around you. You also realized that maybe the adults were lying. The kids were not alright.
If anything, this collection of stories shows the dual theme of youth and tragedy have been on the artists’ mind since he was in high school. He recounts how he had to wait a year for art school because the Fukushima earthquake happened. He tells a story of feeling like his art was meaningless after going to help clean up after the event and not feeling like he had actually done anything to contribute. Ultimately, for whatever reason, that through-line resonated with me. I think that, whatever else is happening in his stories, the emotional arc of youth confronting an absurd tragedy is a powerful and compelling one.
The art here is good but clearly he improved over time. The stories and action also become easier to follow. But each short story and both of his single issues (Goodbye Eri and Look Back) show someone with a lot of talent playing around with a format that’s inherently juvenile and pulpy. I’m excited to see where his work continues to go. I’m also amazed that we’re similar in age and he’s already produced so much good work.
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
1. Fun, goofy, and I love seeing this more amateur art/story. It honestly takes on its own beauty when you know how refined and accomplished of an artist Fujimoto has grown into
2. LOOOOOOOOOVED THIS. My favorite fujimoto one shots are the ones that remind me of truths I'd forgotten. This one reminded me that I should never take the future for granted. There's so many unlikely things happening all the time around the world that it's crazy to think I can know exactly what the outcome will be. While Sasaki did it partially to talk down the gunman from hurting anyone, it really warmed my heart that he spoke into existence such a beautiful future for that man. Through nothing but confidence and determination, Sasaki created a better future for himself and for someone else, through the simple act of tearing down the illusion that that man had nothing to live for and showing him one of many possibilities for him to live a good life. This oneshot summarizes a lot of what I love about Fujimoto's works
3. THE ALIEN AND THE MUGGER BOTH WAITING WITH BATED BREATH TO HEAR OUT THIS LOVE CONFESSION. I CANT. INCREDIBLE WORK
4. My least fav out of the collection, but still sweet and im glad they found each other :) Fujimoto's handling of the airhead ditzy girl character is a bit annoying but it's ok bc now he's a boss at writing well rounded female characters, plus the male lead is just as weird and goofy.
Overall i loved this set a LOT - much more than the other oneshot collection tbh.
Fujimoto's closing note was really powerful. I'd like to have the skill to take my feelings and create something from them like he does.
2. LOOOOOOOOOVED THIS. My favorite fujimoto one shots are the ones that remind me of truths I'd forgotten. This one reminded me that I should never take the future for granted. There's so many unlikely things happening all the time around the world that it's crazy to think I can know exactly what the outcome will be. While Sasaki did it partially to talk down the gunman from hurting anyone, it really warmed my heart that he spoke into existence such a beautiful future for that man. Through nothing but confidence and determination, Sasaki created a better future for himself and for someone else, through the simple act of tearing down the illusion that that man had nothing to live for and showing him one of many possibilities for him to live a good life. This oneshot summarizes a lot of what I love about Fujimoto's works
3. THE ALIEN AND THE MUGGER BOTH WAITING WITH BATED BREATH TO HEAR OUT THIS LOVE CONFESSION. I CANT. INCREDIBLE WORK
4. My least fav out of the collection, but still sweet and im glad they found each other :) Fujimoto's handling of the airhead ditzy girl character is a bit annoying but it's ok bc now he's a boss at writing well rounded female characters, plus the male lead is just as weird and goofy.
Overall i loved this set a LOT - much more than the other oneshot collection tbh.
Fujimoto's closing note was really powerful. I'd like to have the skill to take my feelings and create something from them like he does.