Osamu Tezuka work has a uniqueness that makes them enjoyable and thought provoking without side-tracking from the pure healthy wonders he could conjure up with the mightiest tool on the planet—the pure and simple pen—his works have inspired a generation, his works let us enjoy worlds beyond ours, and brought tales of Astro Boy, Metropolis, Buddha, Black Jack, and ODE To Kirihito. But with the point of today’s article is to review ODE To Kirihito that may not stand so firmly against his better known work but regardless of status it is a good read to see the darker realms of the human condition.

The plot for this behemoth of a manga (just round the 800 hundred mark) that move between two plot-lines: One concerning Kirihito (a med student) who ends up contracting Monmow—a disease that slowly alters the victim’s body to resemble elements of a dog—which in turn leads to him being captured and being seem as an animal. This gives us the examination of the human condition on the author part who (as mentioned before) lets us question how we would react if something were to happen…though since this is based in the late 60’s there is the question of if this is more of the period piece of the characters reaction. The second plot-line concerns a colleague of Kirihito who ends up travelling to Africa where he meets a victim of Monmow. This subplot has a more interesting spin on someone who shows both streaks of the better side of humanity while also presenting the worse (rape is present at different points). The plot is a steady thriller that matures with the ideas of human condition giving us understanding of how the different characters who either embody ideas but are flawed or a dark creatures who doesn’t admit what they are.

Apologises about the brief plot outline, but I don’t want to ruin it for anyone.

Characters are fun if slightly unhinged at different points….though females characters feel underdeveloped and could easily be replaced with a cardboard cut-out with a name written onto it with a marker pen (something like “Female character 1” and you guessed it “Female character 2”). Overall characters have more of a representation feel to them with how they react to a situation with one clinging onto his humanity against a world that looks down on him, another who tries to fight demons while caring for someone or another who will disregard human life for the sake of his own wants (I’m sorry to not mention that part of the plot, but it’s best that you leave it for later for when or if you buy it).

The artwork throughout is the traditional style of a manga god and so give a nice sense of where everything is going with surreal imagery being scattered through and proclaiming itself as simply “Welcome to mind fuck alley!”.

The overall this manga isn’t something that is a gem in waiting, or something that would redefine an era…..Just a good manga that makes you think about the human condition with a plot-line best left for a mature audience to read. I recommend this for anyone looking for a thriller….or if you’re into that Furry crowd. Not to say you are! Just saying he does look like a dog and well…that sort of rare in manga so enjoy.

Thought of the Day: August 18th:

Back to the beginning of Snow Stalkers or renamed as Snow Stalker…..spent a week to write a prologue and now I’ve walked back and booted the original idea in the bin for something a little different.