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{Please note ~ this is an import comic and is not available in English at the time of this review. It can be purchased with the ISBN number below through Japanese bookstores and amazon.co.jp}
---------------------------- Publisher: Media Factory ISBN: 978-4-8401-1038-9 C0979 ----------------------------- Background Usamaru Furuya is an amazing artist and an incredibly twisted man. It takes a certain sort of courage just to pick up a title with his name on it: one never really can know exactly what to expect. This particular volume is a set of 4-koma (four-panel comics) with accompanying essays. The emphasis this time around is on wry humor though some stories touch on other genres. Overview The topics here range from the mundane (there are several comics on self-esteem, weight issues, compensated dating, and school life) to the downright bizarre (a boy who is attracted to his male best friend because he has a face exactly like a woman's torso, a factory village in which every family makes only one thing, a girl living alone in post-apocalyptic Tokyo...) The comics are frequently funny, occasionally thought-provoking and almost always have enough "truth" to them to ground them in reality. So many topics are covered that at least a few are bound to resonate with any reader. It's the comics that tie in to real-life experience that are likely to be the most enjoyable. Not The Ususal Furuya Work This is by far the "lightest" Usamaru fare available. While that doesn't necessarily hurt the book on it's own, those looking for the usual Furuya mind-trip are likely to be disappointed. That said, these are wonderful bite-sized reads perfect to digest just before bed. Final Thoughts Very enjoyable but ultimately disposable, the volume as a whole hasn't got a great deal of staying power. That said, it's a good deal more artistic and well-thought out than most 4-koma collections. A few of the better comics may linger... A must for Furuya collectors. Otherwise, it can be enjoyed just as much borrowed as owned. While not as potentially controversial as Usamaru's other works, the volume still contains nudity, sexuality and some possibly offensive images. Buyer beware.
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