©YAMAKAWA Naoto

16th Manga Division Jury Selections

Cho Ko Do Shujin

YAMAKAWA Naoto [Japan]

Outline

This is the story of the life and death of the famed novelist AKUTAGAWA Ryunosuke, told in a style that embraces both meticulous attention to, and a free interpretation of, historical detail by an artist known as the “troubadour of manga.” YAMAKAWA vividly portrays the protagonist’s encounters with other colorful writers of his generation, as well as the tumult of an era convulsed by earthquakes and wars. He also offers a sensitive accounting of the brilliant writer’s descent toward death, shedding new light on the meaning of AKUTAGAWA’s suicide note about “a vague unease.