The Manga of Shigeru Mizuki, a Remembrance of War
How the banyan forest and its native people nurtured the creativity of a pioneering author and artist.
To understand the magical realism in the hugely influential manga of Shigeru Mizuki, we need insight into his personal experiences of war and peace, death and life… How the maestro of manga discovered harmony in the midst of conflict and creative inspiration from the spirits of nature.
About 20 years ago, in the fall of 2005, I visited Taiwan. It was a short stay of only two nights and three days, but it was a wonderful experience. I ate at a restaurant offering healthy and refreshing seafood dishes, a wide variety of drinks, a glittering night view of Taipei with its many skyscrapers, and was among friendly people. I was fascinated by the scenery that somehow resembled that of Japan, and I was convinced that many people there were indeed pro-Japanese.
However, due to recent social conditions, this beloved town feels as if it is about to be engulfed in the ravages of war once more. The people have all grown up in a situation where war could break out at any moment, and they have been educated to be prepared in case of emergency. For me, living in Japan, this sense of urgency was hard to imagine because all of the people I met had such a…
