Urasawa Naoki - Monster, vol. 13-15
I thought this series was boring up till around vol. 5, and now I cannot stop reading it. I think I've said this several times already, but the more I read, the more impressed I am with how solid Urasawa is, both as an artist and as a writer. I've been trying to sell him to other people (hi vom_marlowe, victim recipient of my latest attempts!) because he does great plots that are insanely addictive, likeable and moral characters, good women, and I really enjoy his side characters.
I keep saying this, but I'm still so impressed by how he can make me care about someone in the space of a volume, usually by a deft combination of time-skipping around in the narrative, tying the character into the plot, and giving them very memorable and believable backstories and motives that dovetail nicely into the themes of the story he tells.
Spoilers
My latest favorite (though still not as liked as Grimmer) is Martin, who is now sadly dead. And now I'm starting to see why coffeeandink has continued to talk about Eva, because she just got a lot more interesting. I'm really hoping she does something with the gun. I've also been enjoying her prickliness and the way she handled re-entering her old social world, and I really hope she doesn't get killed off.
The other main female character continues to be fascinating; the twin thing in manga could be so hilarious, and yet, it's such a huge part of the story here. And while Urasawa definitely has his share of the cracktastic, his characters are always so grounded and so real that I never quite realize until later.
But yes. Nina! Dude! I loved the entire bit about "You are me and I am you" or however it goes, of the overarching theme of the monster within, of names, of identity, of how to deal with evil. And those storybooks! So creepy, particularly the one of the god of peace.
And what happened at the Red Rose Mansion? And what is up with Man With Glasses and his plans for world domination/
I read Monster and am so amused, because I can totally see where the seeds of 20th Century Boys are.
I am less worried than I was at the beginning about Tenma giving in; having read Urasawa's other series, I don't think he would end it like that. Also, I so appreciate reading a series about moral choices, and I admire not just Tenma, but also all the characters around him, who try to do the right thing and make the right choices, even after they may have done bad things before. On the other hand, I'm really worried about Nina now!
I keep saying this, but I'm still so impressed by how he can make me care about someone in the space of a volume, usually by a deft combination of time-skipping around in the narrative, tying the character into the plot, and giving them very memorable and believable backstories and motives that dovetail nicely into the themes of the story he tells.
Spoilers
My latest favorite (though still not as liked as Grimmer) is Martin, who is now sadly dead. And now I'm starting to see why coffeeandink has continued to talk about Eva, because she just got a lot more interesting. I'm really hoping she does something with the gun. I've also been enjoying her prickliness and the way she handled re-entering her old social world, and I really hope she doesn't get killed off.
The other main female character continues to be fascinating; the twin thing in manga could be so hilarious, and yet, it's such a huge part of the story here. And while Urasawa definitely has his share of the cracktastic, his characters are always so grounded and so real that I never quite realize until later.
But yes. Nina! Dude! I loved the entire bit about "You are me and I am you" or however it goes, of the overarching theme of the monster within, of names, of identity, of how to deal with evil. And those storybooks! So creepy, particularly the one of the god of peace.
And what happened at the Red Rose Mansion? And what is up with Man With Glasses and his plans for world domination/
I read Monster and am so amused, because I can totally see where the seeds of 20th Century Boys are.
I am less worried than I was at the beginning about Tenma giving in; having read Urasawa's other series, I don't think he would end it like that. Also, I so appreciate reading a series about moral choices, and I admire not just Tenma, but also all the characters around him, who try to do the right thing and make the right choices, even after they may have done bad things before. On the other hand, I'm really worried about Nina now!