3.5. I really liked watching the development of the forms Tatsumi would eventually become famous for, especially the various arguments about the nature, future, and mechanics of manga the author has, mostly with his brother. That relationship, in fact, was the most compelling part of this memoir for me. ( )

The book certainly drifted alright. While I enjoy Tatsumi's work a considerable degree, reading his autobiography was more like reading a slideshow of events that mattered to the author. There was no thematic thread that kept everything together and made the book feel... meaningless.

While there are intriguing moments where the author slowly beings to conceptualize his concept of "Gekiga" throughout his professional career, these trace moments of insight are few and far between. Along with it, Tatsumi simply hasn't lived that interesting of a life to acquire 800 pages. While his artistic style may carry his work (I've always been a sucker for it), again, what there is to look forward to in this book is few and far between.

The ending where he understands that Gekiga only works under the rumbling rungs of anger, not simply grit, and, spoiler, along with the epilogue where he describes attending Osamu Tezuka's 7th annual funerary ceremony, were both incredibly touching and sweet.

Overall, the book is left a bloated mess that, while stylistically softens my heart, has too little to say. ( )

While I appreciate the work that went into this graphic novel, and the work that it describes, I did not feel at all engaged while reading it, though I persisted to the end. Perhaps this is due to lack of knowledge about the context or the setting or the history, but I can't see myself reading this again. ( )

Stylistically, there is not much to be said: this is a work by a master. Both the drawing and the text dance and merge so well together, over time, that this, more-than-800-pages, leaps out at the reader and makes for an interesting read, no matter if you're "into" comics, graphic novels or manga (and, indeed, gegika) or not.

Tatsumi writes of his life as a young manga lover. He reads, discovers, and at the same time experiences life, love and family troubles, mainly through his ill brother.

While this is a far cry from modern graphic novels, Tatsumi uses space - both in text and in drawings - to great advantage, which I always feel is one of the hallmarks of a master at her or his trade. His tale is one of marvel: at the manga world, at reading, at creating, at becoming forced to deal with the business side of his passion for manga, while growing up. His family's problems and fortés spring at the reader, and he, our protagonist, finds love, in some ways.

I found the ending to be the most non-likeable part of this book. While it's explosive in one way, it's still left the reader hanging, and I wonder: is there more? ( )

I'm a sucker for the 800 page comic you can really sink your teeth into. ( )