Susumu Katsumata (1943–2007)

Històries que combinen llegendes i tradicions en el Japó rural de temps passats, poblat per personatges diversos (monjos, dones soles o mal acompanyades, xiquets treballadors o fins i tot éssers mitològics) que se les han de veure amb les dures condicions de vida de l'època i lluitar de vegades contra el medi, de vegades contra els seus propis coetanis per tal de sobreviure.

It will always be weird reading Japanese men narrating the struggles of Japanese women. It's even weirder that there was this period in the 2000s where Drawn & Quarterly were re-publishing these stories.

Little vignettes of post war rural japan. Gender was a heavy focus and it was interesting how oppressive gender norms differ in this world - where women seem to have a certain power but also a more intense subjugation to male violence. The illustrations are cute and transporting at once.

A fine example of Japanese Gekiga, a more serious, darker, atmospheric type of Japanese comic; Red Snow is a collection of short stories dealing with life in the Japanese countryside of Susumu Katsumata’s youth. A brilliant mix of magic realism and harsh reality.

Stories included in this collection:

Mulberries
Echo
Cricket Hill
Pulp Novel About A Sack
Kokeshi
The Dream Spirit
Specter
Torajiro Kappa
Wild Geese Memorial Service
Red Snow