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jocaaay's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
bluenicorn's review against another edition
4.0
I did not think I could get into this, but I found it surprisingly informative, and the storyline was refreshingly different from usual manga. It was very touching.
curiouslibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
Before I read this book, I thought I just lacked the "manga gene." I love American comics, but Japanese comics were incomprehensible to me. But it turned out I was just reading the wrong genres of manga. This book instantly grabbed me, and wouldn't let go. (Which is not to say that I didn't struggle at all with it, just that it was much easier to follow, and gave me an incentive to figure it out when I had trouble.)
I fell for little Hikaru, and soared when he triumphed and sorrowed for his defeats, much like a mother would. I learned much about autism that I didn't already know between this and the second volume. And the interaction of caring for an autistic child in Japanese culture was fascinating.
One thing I liked from a structural point of view was the English translations of sound effects written in small letters alongside the originals. I felt like it allowed the original art and intention to shine through without leaving me, the American reader, behind. It's so much better than the usual lack of translation or glossary in the back.
I would heartily recommend these books. And I would love to know if there are others out there like this in the US!
I fell for little Hikaru, and soared when he triumphed and sorrowed for his defeats, much like a mother would. I learned much about autism that I didn't already know between this and the second volume. And the interaction of caring for an autistic child in Japanese culture was fascinating.
One thing I liked from a structural point of view was the English translations of sound effects written in small letters alongside the originals. I felt like it allowed the original art and intention to shine through without leaving me, the American reader, behind. It's so much better than the usual lack of translation or glossary in the back.
I would heartily recommend these books. And I would love to know if there are others out there like this in the US!
brantelg's review against another edition
5.0
This was an incredibly touching look at raising a child with autism.
markyon's review against another edition
4.0
OK: Manga. What images does that word create?
Images of biologically impossible physical feats, computer super-brains, cybernetically or anatomically enhanced young people (usually female), mega-weapons and all-out Armageddon spring to mind?
Perhaps.
However, those who know a little about the topic (which I admit, I am not one) will tell you that in Japan there are as many types of manga as there are genres in fiction. Not all manga is like the suggestions given above, though outside Japan, to be fair, such a broad range is less common.
Sales outside Japan though are on the rise. I understand that the TokyoPop imprint has been very successful, for one, not to mention the Ghost in the Shell and the Akira series for another.
Here though, from a new imprint, we have a very different novel in a graphic format.
With the Light (published as Hikari to Tomoni in Japan) tells the contemporary story of a young mother, Sachiko Azuma, whose first child is born as the sun is rising. For that reason he is named Hikaru (meaning ‘to be bright’ or ‘light’ in Japanese.) All is initially well, though there are soon signs that Hikaru is not the same as other children – seemingly quiet and inward-looking, disengaged from events around him, becoming upset at things that do not normally upset young children and not upset at the things that do.
At about one and a half years old, Hikaru is tested for deafness, though eventually it is realised that he is not deaf but autistic. The majority of this book is about how Sachiko and her husband deal with this issue, helping Hikaru cope and showing the consequences of the Azuma family learning to survive and adjust to a new situation as Hikaru goes through his early years.
There are no robots, no spaceships, no mega-battles here. Instead there is a gentle, sometimes humorous, often sad, story of human emotions and relationships. I realise that this is not the usual item for an SFF site to review, but it is stunning. The story is sympathetic to the situation and though in places it can be a little mawkish for some, it examines many aspects of the real world through the comic medium, as does the best comic book or novel.
It is also a major tome: 528 pages of graphic novel, produced by Yen Press in the Japanese reading format (back page to front page, right to left on the page) yet with a scrupulous translation from the Japanese into an engaging and readable English version. Once I got used to the format I read it very quickly. I read it in two major sittings.
This book surprised me a great deal on a number of levels, as I might expect it will others. It has depth and detail, light and shade, humour and pathos. Putting my cards on the table, as the father of a boy diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, it was at times an uncomfortable read, though the events examined were pretty realistic and clearly relatable to from my experience. In a wider less personal context, it examines the issues that many parents have had to face in an increasingly common situation, as well as the actions and attitudes of those around the family involved. With such a common bond, ultimately, whilst not a self-help guide, this book made me aware that dealing with autistic children is an experience that crosses international boundaries.
In summary then, an impressive and very moving read, and one therefore that may be worthy of your attention. For those manga fans looking for something a little different, or perhaps wanting to show that manga is not always what the outsider’s perceptions imagine it to be, the book makes an interesting counterpoint to those who read and enjoyed Elizabeth Moon’s The Speed of Dark (another book written based on autistic experiences.) This is an unusual book from a new publisher of manga. Though the rest of its proposed publishing may be more traditional, this is an interesting start. Recommended.
Images of biologically impossible physical feats, computer super-brains, cybernetically or anatomically enhanced young people (usually female), mega-weapons and all-out Armageddon spring to mind?
Perhaps.
However, those who know a little about the topic (which I admit, I am not one) will tell you that in Japan there are as many types of manga as there are genres in fiction. Not all manga is like the suggestions given above, though outside Japan, to be fair, such a broad range is less common.
Sales outside Japan though are on the rise. I understand that the TokyoPop imprint has been very successful, for one, not to mention the Ghost in the Shell and the Akira series for another.
Here though, from a new imprint, we have a very different novel in a graphic format.
With the Light (published as Hikari to Tomoni in Japan) tells the contemporary story of a young mother, Sachiko Azuma, whose first child is born as the sun is rising. For that reason he is named Hikaru (meaning ‘to be bright’ or ‘light’ in Japanese.) All is initially well, though there are soon signs that Hikaru is not the same as other children – seemingly quiet and inward-looking, disengaged from events around him, becoming upset at things that do not normally upset young children and not upset at the things that do.
At about one and a half years old, Hikaru is tested for deafness, though eventually it is realised that he is not deaf but autistic. The majority of this book is about how Sachiko and her husband deal with this issue, helping Hikaru cope and showing the consequences of the Azuma family learning to survive and adjust to a new situation as Hikaru goes through his early years.
There are no robots, no spaceships, no mega-battles here. Instead there is a gentle, sometimes humorous, often sad, story of human emotions and relationships. I realise that this is not the usual item for an SFF site to review, but it is stunning. The story is sympathetic to the situation and though in places it can be a little mawkish for some, it examines many aspects of the real world through the comic medium, as does the best comic book or novel.
It is also a major tome: 528 pages of graphic novel, produced by Yen Press in the Japanese reading format (back page to front page, right to left on the page) yet with a scrupulous translation from the Japanese into an engaging and readable English version. Once I got used to the format I read it very quickly. I read it in two major sittings.
This book surprised me a great deal on a number of levels, as I might expect it will others. It has depth and detail, light and shade, humour and pathos. Putting my cards on the table, as the father of a boy diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, it was at times an uncomfortable read, though the events examined were pretty realistic and clearly relatable to from my experience. In a wider less personal context, it examines the issues that many parents have had to face in an increasingly common situation, as well as the actions and attitudes of those around the family involved. With such a common bond, ultimately, whilst not a self-help guide, this book made me aware that dealing with autistic children is an experience that crosses international boundaries.
In summary then, an impressive and very moving read, and one therefore that may be worthy of your attention. For those manga fans looking for something a little different, or perhaps wanting to show that manga is not always what the outsider’s perceptions imagine it to be, the book makes an interesting counterpoint to those who read and enjoyed Elizabeth Moon’s The Speed of Dark (another book written based on autistic experiences.) This is an unusual book from a new publisher of manga. Though the rest of its proposed publishing may be more traditional, this is an interesting start. Recommended.
jamielynnlano's review against another edition
5.0
My niece has autism very similar to Hikaru's level, and that's why I picked up this manga. It was surprisingly moving and well done, making me start bawling a number of times, for both good and bad reasons.
I recommend it to anyone who wants to understand others, for it's not just autism that you learn about; it's the human condition. Excellent, excellent book, and long, too! I've already finished volume three from the library, and plan to buy copies soon.
I recommend it to anyone who wants to understand others, for it's not just autism that you learn about; it's the human condition. Excellent, excellent book, and long, too! I've already finished volume three from the library, and plan to buy copies soon.
beththebookdragon's review against another edition
4.0
Based on the manga-ka's interviews with families and research on autism, this is the story of a young couple whose little boy is diagnosed as having autism. I hoped and worried and learned along with Sachiko and her husband and those they know, through all the frustrations and misunderstandings and criticisms and gifts joys and triumphs.
The tone is a bit sentimental but no more (in the opinion of this childless prospective mom anyway) than should be from a mom's POV. The manga series was created around 2000 so the art's a bit old-fashioned (we're talking the traditional huge eyes and soft style of women's manga) and the medical and statistical bits are somewhat behind but oh, it's good for truly learning what living with an child with autism is like and simply for a good story.
Having people close to me who have Asperger's syndrome (a condition in the spectrum of autism) I feel particularly strongly about this manga. I'm glad that, among other things, the story points out the differences in sensitivities and behaviors of people with one or another form of autism, and the talents they can have, such as little Hikaru's excellent drawings and his knowledge about trains.
The tone is a bit sentimental but no more (in the opinion of this childless prospective mom anyway) than should be from a mom's POV. The manga series was created around 2000 so the art's a bit old-fashioned (we're talking the traditional huge eyes and soft style of women's manga) and the medical and statistical bits are somewhat behind but oh, it's good for truly learning what living with an child with autism is like and simply for a good story.
Having people close to me who have Asperger's syndrome (a condition in the spectrum of autism) I feel particularly strongly about this manga. I'm glad that, among other things, the story points out the differences in sensitivities and behaviors of people with one or another form of autism, and the talents they can have, such as little Hikaru's excellent drawings and his knowledge about trains.
bajoranjay's review against another edition
5.0
As an adult on the Autistic Spectrum, I appreciate this insight into the family discovering their child to be on the spectrum in Japan. This is the first Manga I've read, and found it deeply engaging.
lhraine's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
I can't wait to read the next volume!! This is the first time I'm reading about a book about a mental disability and I feel like it is informative about the life of an autistic child and their parents. Autism is a neural cognitive disorder and back around the early 1900s it was less known and talked about. This book takes place in Japan and shows how difficult it was in their culture to deal with disabilities because they seem to want to blame the mother when a child "misbehaves". I am wondering if this series will go all the way into Hikaru's adulthood and how he deals with as an adult. I'll have to keep reading to find out.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Child abuse