I finally finished reading this massive autobiography of influential artist, Yoshihiro Tatsumi, and I am left with a tinge of sadness at how it ended. In a very Japanese-like fashion, the book wrapped up quietly without overstating things. Yet I feel strangely encouraged as he showed us that while dreams and passion fade over time, not all hope is lost if one continues to struggle and make sacrifices. Something is bound to come out from it, and in Tatsumi's case, he became the man who started the Gekiga moevement.
I haven't read many Gekigas, the only ones I read are Drifting Life, The Push Man, MW and a few chapters of Samurai Executioner. However, I have read many adult-oriented mangas out there, which aren't strictly labelled as Gekiga, but were influenced by the Gekiga movement. What I enjoy about those mangas is how they don't pretend that life is full of roses. Yes, it is unpleasant, but as I see the characters struggle to see the light at the end of the tunnel, my heart burns with excitement. That being said, I don't always relate to stories that revolve around male angst, or extremely gritty art style. Thankfully, A Drifting Life is easy to read, thanks to Tatsumi's approachable and appealing art.
Perhaps, the most enjoyable portion of this emotional autobiography is around the beginning, where we get a peek of Tatsumi's family dynamics and his tireless pursuit of his dream. Tatsumi's brother, Okimasa, who hurt Tatsumi several times in fit of jealousy, grew to become the most supportive of Tatsumi's career as a manga artist. Their seemingly unfriendly mother turned out to be just like many other mothers, worrying about their children's well-being. Even their grumpy father, who had affairs and got himself in deep trouble financially, learned to carry on with life and supported the family. These human aspects connected with me the most, as compared to the hectic days of Tatsumi's adulthood later on in the book.
Despite that, I did learn about how Gekiga came to be, how the events in Japan after WW2 influenced ordinary people, and how much Disney, American comics and films gave inspiration to the manga artists. Most importantly, I was mind-blown by the amount of work he and his friends churned out every month in order to meet the demands from several publishers. It puts my productivity to shame....but at the same time, that shows what it takes to be truly good at something.
That being said, A Drifting Life is an engrossing read (I could not stop reading it even while working on Thesis!) and one is bound to be reminded of their dreams and ambitions as he/she trudges along with Tatsumi through his struggle.
No comments:
Post a Comment