Title: 20th Century Boys
Author: Urasawa Naoki
Number of Volumes: 22 + 2
My Rating: 5/5
Summary: Kenji is thirty-something, single, trying to raise his sister's kid while keeping his family's shop (now a convenience store franchise) in business. Definitely not where he saw himself as a kid, but those childhood dreams seem far away now and aren't really something he dwells on much anymore. But when the only thing linking a string of mysterious deaths and disappearances is a symbol he vaguely remembers from childhood, suddenly he has to remember. The fate of the world just might depend on it.
Review: This is definitely going on my favorite manga EVAR list. While the first volume didn't really catch my interest that much (I mean, it was okay, but didn't wow me) and I was easily able to set the series aside for like six months when I got distracted by other stuff, once I finally did pick up volume two, I got so sucked in, I pretty much inhaled the rest of the twenty-four* volumes.
There's just so much going on in this series, a million plot twists and flashbacks and so much to keep track of, but not in a "wtf was the author thinking!?" way at all. I'm very impressed with Urasawa's ability to keep everything straight. I really wish I had time to go back and read it all again knowing everything I do now (I also wish I had managed to avoid spoiling myself for a few major things by reading wikipedia, but there was still plenty to be surprised by).
I really love the characters. I love how many times people turn out to be important when you thought they were just a random mention. The first one that comes to mind is Chouno. I thought it was just a poignant moment to have the old cop get killed right when he was on his way to visit his grandson. Was totally NOT expecting said grandson to be a major player in the later part of the manga.
I love how sprawling it is, going from the early '70s to the "present" of the late '90s and then the "present" of 2014+ (not to mention the VR events; I love how Kenji uses the VR to try and make ammends).
I love the fake-outs. I was totally ready to believe Otcho was Friend because of the way Kenji's memories focused on Otcho saying how it would be cooler to take over the world than save the world. And yet then Otcho turned out to be one of my favorite characters).
I love how complicated everyone was. Some people felt really irredeemable (no matter how much of Fukubei's memories we got, I never felt like there were much to like about him), but I ended up really liking Manjoume and Sadakiyo (omg wee!Sadakiyo was super adorable; I am a sucker for downturned eyes), and even found Katsumata sympathetic. And I loved how even though Mabou & Yanbou ended up joining the good guys, they were still assholes. And Koizumi! She was definitely my favorite of the girls. Oh, and Koizumi reminds me of Kami-sama. I loved when they found out it was him who built the bowlning alley that destroyed their hideout. *flails* Yet another "omg everything is so connected and yet it feels natural not forced" moment.
Ugh. I just have so much love for this series and want to talk about ALL the things. If you read it, please talk to me in comments!
I also am ready to read more by Urasawa! I saw some episodes of Yawara waaaaay back in the day, but that's the extent of my familiarity with him. I definitely am more interested in intriguey stuff (although I would like to read Yawara eventually as well), so I might try Monster next. (Really I just wish I could read more of this FOREVER. Or, you know, something else exactly like it. Definitely having one of those "finished an awesome story and am having a hard time moving on" moments.)
*I'm not sure why this was published as 22 volumes of 20th Century Boys and 2 volumes of 21st Century Boys. The last two volumes are not a sequel as I had first assumed, and you really couldn't just stop reading at volume 22, so...idk.
Author: Urasawa Naoki
Number of Volumes: 22 + 2
My Rating: 5/5
Summary: Kenji is thirty-something, single, trying to raise his sister's kid while keeping his family's shop (now a convenience store franchise) in business. Definitely not where he saw himself as a kid, but those childhood dreams seem far away now and aren't really something he dwells on much anymore. But when the only thing linking a string of mysterious deaths and disappearances is a symbol he vaguely remembers from childhood, suddenly he has to remember. The fate of the world just might depend on it.
Review: This is definitely going on my favorite manga EVAR list. While the first volume didn't really catch my interest that much (I mean, it was okay, but didn't wow me) and I was easily able to set the series aside for like six months when I got distracted by other stuff, once I finally did pick up volume two, I got so sucked in, I pretty much inhaled the rest of the twenty-four* volumes.
There's just so much going on in this series, a million plot twists and flashbacks and so much to keep track of, but not in a "wtf was the author thinking!?" way at all. I'm very impressed with Urasawa's ability to keep everything straight. I really wish I had time to go back and read it all again knowing everything I do now (I also wish I had managed to avoid spoiling myself for a few major things by reading wikipedia, but there was still plenty to be surprised by).
I really love the characters. I love how many times people turn out to be important when you thought they were just a random mention. The first one that comes to mind is Chouno. I thought it was just a poignant moment to have the old cop get killed right when he was on his way to visit his grandson. Was totally NOT expecting said grandson to be a major player in the later part of the manga.
I love how sprawling it is, going from the early '70s to the "present" of the late '90s and then the "present" of 2014+ (not to mention the VR events; I love how Kenji uses the VR to try and make ammends).
I love the fake-outs. I was totally ready to believe Otcho was Friend because of the way Kenji's memories focused on Otcho saying how it would be cooler to take over the world than save the world. And yet then Otcho turned out to be one of my favorite characters).
I love how complicated everyone was. Some people felt really irredeemable (no matter how much of Fukubei's memories we got, I never felt like there were much to like about him), but I ended up really liking Manjoume and Sadakiyo (omg wee!Sadakiyo was super adorable; I am a sucker for downturned eyes), and even found Katsumata sympathetic. And I loved how even though Mabou & Yanbou ended up joining the good guys, they were still assholes. And Koizumi! She was definitely my favorite of the girls. Oh, and Koizumi reminds me of Kami-sama. I loved when they found out it was him who built the bowlning alley that destroyed their hideout. *flails* Yet another "omg everything is so connected and yet it feels natural not forced" moment.
Ugh. I just have so much love for this series and want to talk about ALL the things. If you read it, please talk to me in comments!
I also am ready to read more by Urasawa! I saw some episodes of Yawara waaaaay back in the day, but that's the extent of my familiarity with him. I definitely am more interested in intriguey stuff (although I would like to read Yawara eventually as well), so I might try Monster next. (Really I just wish I could read more of this FOREVER. Or, you know, something else exactly like it. Definitely having one of those "finished an awesome story and am having a hard time moving on" moments.)
*I'm not sure why this was published as 22 volumes of 20th Century Boys and 2 volumes of 21st Century Boys. The last two volumes are not a sequel as I had first assumed, and you really couldn't just stop reading at volume 22, so...idk.