![]() ![]() Some readers might get intimidated by the countless interconnected storylines, but it is such a satisfying read. A hodgepodge of backstories revealed through flashbacks, loud guitar music, world domination, and the terrorising masked enigma that is simply known as "Friend." One might say that this is him being ambitious, yet playful. ![]() While Monster is considered to be his magnum opus, 20th Century Boys is his most enjoyable and relatable work. It’s baffling how this and Monster both came from him. It only shows how amazing of a writer he is, and how compelling of a story this is, robots and laser beams aside. Urasawa's approach deviated from the norm He assumed they indeed can. The constant debate in Sci-Fi stories whether robots can feel emotion or not is present. It’s a science fiction masterpiece that explores themes like the nature of one's self and their emotions, grief, and how hatred only breeds hatred. Despite the cast being primarily robots, they feel more human than their organic counterparts. And, all of these mentioned happened in Chapter 1. That whole page had an eerie calmness to it. One page where Gesicht tells a robot maid that her husband died while returning his memory chip, and then her trying to process her emotions with what had happened, is one of the highlights of the manga, and one of the best depictions of processing grief in written media. Urasawa’s take on this classic story made the robots, and everyone else, feel more grounded, despite the looming threat. ![]() Were there any ulterior motives behind these? One might have mixed answers, but one thing’s for sure: The killer was out for blood. The mystery behind the killings started when a famous robot died out of nowhere. Giant horns, and a beloved robot torn to pieces puzzled Gesicht, a Europol police inspector and the main character. The main characters or the “good guys,” as people may call them, are just as good, but the antagonists almost always take the limelight whenever they’re there, in a panel or four.Įchoing what Pulitzer Prize recipient Junot Diaz said, “Urasawa is a national treasure in Japan, and if you ain’t afraid of picture books, you’ll see why.” These characters are just so carefully written, complex, and elaborate, while still being shrouded in mystery. However, the true stars of the show are his antagonists. With so many time jumps involved, the readers might find themselves confused at times, but then eventually come to understand why that part or arc had to be told.įrom the main characters to the side ones, his characters are so well-crafted, both in text and in visual. He loves writing stories that span through ages-from generations long gone, to the war-torn eras of yesterday, the supposedly fake moon landing, the hippies and the rockstars, and then back to the present, or even the future. Focus is key to enjoying Urasawa’s more complex stories. ![]()
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