© HATOYAMA Ikuko / OHTA Publishing Company

21st Manga Division Jury Selections

Shindai kyusya ((A Boy and War Pigeons))

Manga published in book form, in magazine

HATOYAMA Ikuko [Japan]

Outline

War Pigeons were carrier pigeons that ew here and there in countless numbers to per- form their role as messengers carrying secrets in time of war. In this story, the soul of a bird that could not make it home to complete its mission took on the shape of a youth and met another youth, Duby, the protagonist who was traveling on a train. This is a nuanced portrayal that expresses the weight of a life that sup- ported this means of communication, these words.