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Forum - View topicMW
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smoochy
 Posts: 367 Location: Texas |
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I finished it yesterday with my day off work, and I'm very happy with it, but I feel that it's not as complete as some of his works.
With Buddha, Ode to Kirihito, and Apollo's Song, I felt that Tezuka had something to say, he had a message that he conveyed with the story, something meaningful. MW is a good story, a great one, but I don't think Tezuka had an underlying theme or message he was conveying, he was merely entertaining. I'm certainly not against manga as just entertainment, the majority of it is, and I enjoy it, but I've always felt Tezuka went beyond that. But even though I feel it has less to say, it's the only Tezuka work that I've read in which he has no jokes, none of his doh! moments that he throws into a lot of his work. Anyhow, anyone else read it? Opinions? |
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Highway Star
 Posts: 227 Location: Ireland |
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I'll be damned if I don't pick MW up before Chrimbo. Kinda' suprised it doesn't have any of those d'oh moments, I love 'em...
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Kagemusha
 Posts: 2783 Location: Boston |
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That worked with the first two, not so much for Apollo's Song. It just came off as a lecture on sex and love, albeit with amazing storytelling and a very trippy execution. MW, though not nearly as ambitious, is much more successful in its goals (mainly creating a gripping, depraved story) and for that I'd say that it's the better of the two, but for the most part it was a disappointing year for Tezuka releases. Both are worthy buys (AS is a fascinating failure and MW is very enjoyable) but compared to what we got the last couple years they're a bit disappointing. Of course next year we get Blackjack, so all is forgiven. |
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Highway Star
Posts: 227 Location: Ireland |
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And two volumes of Dororo. (http://www.amazon.com/Dororo-1-Osamu-Tezuka/dp/1934287164) Gorgeous covers, amirite? |
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Kagemusha
Posts: 2783 Location: Boston |
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I'm not completely sold on Dororo simply because I have trouble imagining Tezuka doing a post-Sanjuro, blood-n-guts samurai saga but even if it doesn't reach Blackjack levels of cool is should be fine read. |
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Kotonaru
 Posts: 23 |
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MW? never heard of it, don't exactly know what it stands for either
 (beginner Otaku)
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Highway Star
Posts: 227 Location: Ireland |
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I think its a poison gas...
Knowing Tezuka's other works, I wouldn't really recommend MW off the top of my head, and even at that I believe its a bit different to Kirihito and Buddha and such. So unless you're willing to skip past the Shonen phase and straight into more mature stuff, don't get this book for the time being. Just my opinion. Wait... is any Tezuka manga recommendable to new readers? I mean, his early Sci-Fi trilogy is quite cartoony and a bit stiff, Astro Boy is.... Astro Boy, and then there's the real heavy stuff like Adolf, Black Jack and the Vertical stuff. Also, is Phoenix any good? |
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Kagemusha
Posts: 2783 Location: Boston |
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It varies from volume to volume, which isn't really surprising since they were usually written years apart. The first volume and some of the later ones are good but not comparable with his best work. The ones you really want to start with are 2 and 4, as they're among the most mind-blowingly awesome comics ever created. 2 (Future) is probably the best introduction to the man and easily one of the most ambitious things Tezuka ever did (the main character more or less becomes god halfway through it). While volume 4 (Karma) lacks the "Wow" factor of Future's epic sci-fi story, it more than makes up for in plotting, characters and depth. In my opinion its the best and most thought-provoking thing he's ever created. Both are must-owns. The rest of Phoenix is generally great stuff, though it has yet to live up to the standard of those two volumes. But the whole series is a mush own for any self-respecting manga fan. |
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HellKorn
Posts: 1669 Location: Columbus, OH |
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MW is definitely a vast improvement over the mediocre Apollo's Song (which is worth reading, if only for the opening scene with the fighting sperm). There are a few hiccups -- a particular development about homosexuality towards the latter half of the story is one example -- but it's genuinely fascinating stuff. Lacked a soul that Tezuka is famous for, but that's not so much a negative as to show his own beliefs during that time. I wouldn't be surprised if this is his most bleak work.
Can't add much more than Kagemusha has said. Many consider Phoenix to be Tezuka's magnum opus, and I can't disagree -- it's really unlike anything else that has been produced since then in the medium. Mixed bag of quality, but ultimately it results in some really epic -- in the truest sense of the word -- material that really showcases why he's considered the God of Manga. The last volume is due out next March, so it's as good as a time as any to pick it up. |
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Dranxis
 Posts: 591 Location: Ohtori Academy |
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Awww, I liked Apollo's Song, but I agree that it was underwhelming compared to his other works. I thought that the protagonist was very interesting... sympathetic and repulsive at the same time, and he was memorable compared to some of Tezuka's other heroes (who tend to blur together in my mind). So far, the only Tezuka manga I've read are the first 8 volumes of Phoenix and Apollo's Song, so I really want to pick MW up. Good to know the storytelling quality is still there.
Phoenix is great, though some volumes are better than others. Actually, I think my favorite is in volume three, the shorter story called "Space." I don't remember it very well, but it involved a man who aged backwards, a planet for "punishment" and lots of the general weirdness you find in the sci-fi Phoenix stories. I thought that the page layouts for that story were especially unique and inventive. |
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Kagemusha
Posts: 2783 Location: Boston |
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I'd recommend buying Ode to Kirihito before MW. Not only is it a better, more insanely depraved thriller but Tezuka actually had something important to say with it. And Space is indeed awesome. Pop sci-fi at its finest. |
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Not a Jellyfish
 Posts: 539 Location: Boston, MA |
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I'll second the vote for Ode to Kirihito, I'm just finishing it up myself. And pulled myself away briefly to make this post.
 Absolutely amazing work. Massive volume of awesomeness. I truly love the unique panels and layouts. There were several times where I just stopped and stared at a page in awe of the glory and artistic style and beauty put into each panel. Some of the style he used in still unseen today. He was so far ahead of his time. And in a time where they didn't use screen tones, it makes for that much more appreciation into the detail and love that goes into each stroke.
I'm actually on quite the Tezuka kick lately, and I'm going and tracking down as much of his stuff as possible. Luckily, Phoenix volumes 1 and 2 have just been reprinted, so they should be available now. Next I'm working on finishing Buddha and getting Adolf. Adolf is a series I've wanted to read for a long time, but it's next to impossible to find. I asked for MW for Xmas, so hopefull I'll get that. Phoenix is awesome. I just picked up the anime for it as well, but I've only watched the first episode. I can't wait to see what develops from the series, since I'm only on the second volume. And I really hope that with the success of the more recently translated series, we get some Princess Knight to come our way. |
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GATSU
Posts: 16424 |
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smoochy:
Revolution can be just as violent and destructive as war? Kage:
Buddha was awesome, but Kirihito's just exploitive and repetitive.
Then check out Blood Will Tell first.
I liked the Sun arc. I'm not sure why people don't seem to dig Apollo's Song, though. It's a lot less flighty than his usual stuff. |
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Kagemusha
Posts: 2783 Location: Boston |
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Right. I'm not even going to try to start an argument since I know it would be pointless, though I will agree that Kirihito could have been shortened by a hundred pages or so.
The crappy PS2 game?
Because no matter how cool it looks and how well its told Apollo's Song is still just a lecture on sex. |
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GATSU
Posts: 16424 |
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Kage: Um, no, Blood Will Tell's one of the few reasons to own a PS2. And [url=anime#1517[url]
Merumo[/url] is a lecture on sex. Apollo's Song is an introspective look at human relationships. |
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