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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Iguana Girl and Hanshin: Half-God are standouts, but this collection of stoties from different points in Hagio's career is a must read!! And the interview at the end, ugh. Filled with love for Hagio's work and mark on the genre, really a master of shojo/sci fi
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
really beautiful collection. it made me sad that there seems to be such an aversion to translating older classics in north america. moto hagio's work is very different from the kind of shoujo generally picked up here which is fun but often formulaic in art style. i'm not sure everyone would dig the 70s vibe to this collection but as someone who's been regularly reading manga for ten years i appreciated the change of pace.
in terms of story? i guess the words i'd use to describe this collection is melancholic complexity. hagio's stories feel very rooted in reality even when they experiment with the fantastic. for example, you have iguana girl with a girl whose mother sees her as an iguana and consequently dislikes and neglects her growing up. it does a really good job at getting at a difficult parent-child relationship and the process of growing up and growing out of it. and no, there's no reconciliation at the end which felt fitting for the story
i've been really impressed with fantagraphics' manga publishing choices so far, i hope they keep this up. i'd love to read some more work by the magnificent 49ers matt thorn discusses in the appendix to this collection
4 stars
in terms of story? i guess the words i'd use to describe this collection is melancholic complexity. hagio's stories feel very rooted in reality even when they experiment with the fantastic. for example, you have iguana girl with a girl whose mother sees her as an iguana and consequently dislikes and neglects her growing up. it does a really good job at getting at a difficult parent-child relationship and the process of growing up and growing out of it. and no, there's no reconciliation at the end which felt fitting for the story
i've been really impressed with fantagraphics' manga publishing choices so far, i hope they keep this up. i'd love to read some more work by the magnificent 49ers matt thorn discusses in the appendix to this collection
4 stars
I've never read manga of any kind so this may be an uninformed view but these stories are so original, and that combined with the beautiful but then comedic visual style makes for a great collection. These are my favorites, not including the random panel in the middle of Bianca where (the author presumably) draws a non sequitur about her headstrong cat.
"Girl on Porch with Puppy"
"Marié, Ten Years Later"
"Hanshin: Half God"
"Iguana Girl"
"Girl on Porch with Puppy"
"Marié, Ten Years Later"
"Hanshin: Half God"
"Iguana Girl"
This collection of short stories was hit-and-miss. I am certain different people will fall in love with different pieces represented in this book. Since the stores included spanned a decade, it was nice to see the variation on themes and art from the author. My personal picks are: Iguana Girl, and Hanshin: Half God (a story of conjoined twins). Rarely a happy ending in the bunch, so do not expect coming away with a smile - but I am more than okay with that. Moto Hagio is good with "the feels."
Well, I'm going to have to read everything Moto Hagio ever wrote now, so next up will be The Poe Clan. I can see why she's considered a classic manga artist; every story was interesting and the art pulled me in. I really liked the way she handled serious themes in fantastical ways; that's my favorite kind of storytelling.
The translator, Matt Thorn, also has some great articles in the back, one laying out the history of shoujo manga and another interviewing Moto Hagio herself. I feel like I learned a lot this way. In particular, the one on the history of shoujo manga gave me a ton of authors and titles to check out, so I'm very excited. I've also realized that Matt Thorn is basically leading my dream life: anthropologist? translator? writer? Clearly I need to take a few notes out of her book.
The translator, Matt Thorn, also has some great articles in the back, one laying out the history of shoujo manga and another interviewing Moto Hagio herself. I feel like I learned a lot this way. In particular, the one on the history of shoujo manga gave me a ton of authors and titles to check out, so I'm very excited. I've also realized that Matt Thorn is basically leading my dream life: anthropologist? translator? writer? Clearly I need to take a few notes out of her book.
For a collection of short graphic stories, I was so impressed by Hagio's ability to leave the reader fulfilled at the end of each one. Each story was eerie and impressive. I am humbled that we get to read an English version of these stories thanks to Fantagraphics.
A marvelous introduction to one of the great "old school" 1970s shojo manga creators. Hagio's art is in the old style but has elements of uniqueness, and is beautiful even with odd characters such as Iguana Girl. Her stories are seriously unique, whether a quiet ghost story about a mother watching over her child or a science fiction tale that reaches back millenia in time. Themes of dysfunctional families, death, and romance (both heterosexual and same-sex) run throughout. The book starts with a brief description of the women manga-ka of Hagio's era and a quietly revealing interview with her--then a reader jumps to the "back" of the book to read the actual stories in proper right-to-left manga orientation.
For teen and adult manga fans who like or want to try some old manga tales and enjoy supernatural, mild horror, and/or fantasy stories.
For teen and adult manga fans who like or want to try some old manga tales and enjoy supernatural, mild horror, and/or fantasy stories.