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Fallen Words (2012)

by Yoshihiro Tatsumi(Favorite Author)

3.6 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1770460748 (ISBN13: 9781770460744)

languge

English

genre

Graphic Novels & Comics

publisher

Drawn and Quarterly

review 1: Fallen Words is full of short one-shots about everyday characters in everyday situations with a humourous twist. Each part is an individual story based on a rakugo (a type of Japanese storytelling) set in the Edo period of Japan. With this format the author is able to explore a good variety of this distinct culture. Thanks to the flexibility of rakugo, and its universality in regards to human nature, it is easy to relate to various characters, with their foibles or strengths, and to find amusement in their tales. Each shares the common theme of fortune or misfortune, which often stems from monetary wealth, or those whom one knows. Choices of morality often bare the brunt of the joke. While this title comes from Japan, it is not manga, rather it is a graphic novel with char... moreacteristics similar to a comic strip. The art is fairly standard with a focus on comedic expressions. Each section ends with one climatic line, which is only made possible by the author's perfect pacing, and leaves us with a strong impression of its point. The troubles of these people will only be appreciated by adults, and certain topics are only appropriate for an older audience. Most of the text is translated in a way that the western audience can easily understand, however there are notes in the back that expand on certain words, and explain the more subtle jokes.
review 2: This is a collection of early Tatsumi short stories, and I found them a little disappointing. Too often there's a lot of set-up building to a one-line pay-off, which too often are not worth the wait. The stories themselves aren't bad (and some are good), it's just most of them fizzle out so abruptly, and read in collection it becomes a bit too much. I'd suggest this is mostly of interest to Tatsumi completists (which I'm not, yet). 2 stars is a bit harsh, but 3 suggests an indifference which I don't feel. less

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