おーい！龍馬

STORY

1935年、土佐の坂本家に竜馬は産声をあげた。
坂本家に生まれた初の男の子であったが、泣き虫で勉強も全くできずに、近所の子供達から毎日いじめられていた。
そんな竜馬であったが、家族からのあふれる愛情を受け、大変優しい心を持っていた。
その優しい心は、次第にいじめっ子の岡田以蔵を惹きつけることとなり、竜馬の面倒をみてきた武市半平太さえも、とりこにした。
すくすくと育つ竜馬であったが、土佐にある階級による差別を知る。
またその差別により友達や母を亡くし、強くなることをせつに願った。
18歳になった竜馬は、子供の頃からは想像も出来ないほど、強くたくましい男に育っていた。
江戸の千葉道場へ剣術修行へでたことをきっかけに、日本の大きさ、土佐の閉じられた世界を知る。
そして丁度そのころ黒舟が来航する。
日本幕府の弱腰な対応、吉田松陰を筆頭とした討幕の意志を持つ者達に衝撃を受ける。
また幼少期に会ったアメリカ人ジョン・エリックと再会、江戸の無血開城を成功させた勝海舟と出会い、日本を生まれ変わらせることを決意し、
卓越した行動力で激動の時代を駆け抜けて行く。

(Tetsuya Takeda&Yu Koyama/1986-1996/23 books/Shogakukan)

COMMENT by Shun

幕末の討幕運動で活躍し、風雲児として絶大的な人気を誇る坂本竜馬を描いた半フィクションなマンガである。
歴史について何も知らない子供のころに読んだせいか、幕末の熱き男たちの信念、思想、そして死について、ホント心にしみる作品だった。
幼少時代の徹底的な身分差別、上士の理不尽な行動に怒りを覚え、またそれが原因で亡くした母と姉に悲しむ。
なかでも忘れられないのが、幼なじみ武市と以蔵の死である。
志半ばで切腹を命じられる武市、自分の腹部を３度も切り裂いて死ぬ圧巻の切腹シーン。
以蔵の処刑を食い止めようと現れた竜馬の姉へ暴力する上士。
以蔵は怒り、両手を縛られたまま、隠し持っていた差し入れの握り飯を包んでいた笹の葉を武器に最後まで抵抗する。
心臓が掴まれるような衝撃を受け、何年経っても忘れられないシーンとなった。
ほぼ史実を再現しているにもかかわらず、マンガとしての面白さも兼備えた素晴らしい作品である。

Shun's Score 8

Oi Ryoma

STORY

In 1935, Ryoma was born as a member of Sakamoto’s family in Tosa, now Kochi prefecture.
He was the first boy born in Sakamoto’s family.
He was a crybaby and not so smart, so kids around the neighborhood were often teasing him.
But Ryoma had received full of love from his family; as a result, he grew up as an affable boy.
Everybody around him notices such personality and he gradually attracts Izo Okada, who used to tease Ryoma, and also Hambeita Takeichi, who used to take care of him.
As growing up, Ryoma finds the class discrimination existing in Tosa.
He loses his friends and mother by the discrimination, and then he truly wishes to be stronger.
When Ryoma became 18 years old, he is then a strong man that nobody could expect it as comparing from his childhood.
Through that he goes out to Chiba for training of sward skill, he first finds out how large Japan is and notices how closed Tosa society is.
At the same time, Kurofune, the black ship from America, arrives at Japan.
Ryoma gets disappointed at Japan’s feudal government that its attitude against America was quite coward.
There Ryoma is struck by people who are willing to defeat the government, led by Shoin Yoshida.
Besides, Ryoma meets an American John Eric, who met Ryoma when he was kid, again, and Kaishu Katsu who was successfully acting to lead Japan to modern age.
Ryoma rushes his life in the turbulent days.

(Tetsuya Takeda&Yu Koyama/1986-1996/23 books/Shogakukan)

COMMENT by Shun

Ryoma Sakamoto is one of the most popular men in terms of Japanese history.
He played a very important role as the revolutionist when defeating Tokugawa feudal government in the end of Edo Period, and this cartoon is written about him with half fiction.
Maybe because I read this cartoon when I was kid, that I had no pre knowledge about the history, I was really moved by the belief, thought and death of passionate men in that period.
I got mad against class discrimination and irrational treatment from upper class kids when Ryoma was kid, and felt very sorry for him when his mother and older sister were killed because of the reasons above.
Especially, I can’t forget the scene when Ryoma’s childhood friends, Takeichi and Izo, died.
Takechiyo was ordered to commit hara-kiri, and he cut his own stomach three times.
So shocking that was.
There are upper class samurais who try to disturb Ryoma’s sister when she tries to stop Izo’s execution.
Izo gets mad and, until he dies, he tries to resist against them with a bamboo leaf which was rapping rice balls that were secretly passed by Ryoma’s sister for his lunch, although his both arms are tied up.
This scene is my unforgettable one that shockingly grub my heart, and I still remember it.
Despite that it is almost following the historical fact, it also has interesting points as a cartoon.
Incredible one truly!

Shun's Score 8

Last Inning

STORY

Keisuke Hatogaya, working as a salesman, is left with all the responsibility of company scandal, and is sent to a jail.
As a result, he loses job, money and his girlfriend.
At the same time, Saijyu Gakuen High School, once used to be a prestigious high school for baseball, loses the match of Koushien (Japanese high school baseball tournament) preliminary contest.
The present school principal, Shigeaki Sayama, who used to be the head coach of the school baseball team 13 years ago, recalls Keisuke, who were the captain 13 years ago.
13 years ago, Keisuke punches Tsurugashima, the umpire, due to his intended misjudge and excuse.
Then, he left baseball.
But later, Keisuke accepts the offer to be the new head coach.
Sometimes his radical words and original way of teaching make people worried.
But, good results and his verbal skill that he learned when he was salesman convince players and their parents, and get them involved aiming Koshien together.

(Ryu Kamio&Yu Nakahara/29 books as of 2011, August/Shogakukan)

COMMENT by Shun

This is a tactics baseball cartoon.
Kensuke brings team members’ potential to their max levels, and leads the team to win games with his appropriate tactics aiming for Koushien.
Cartoons focusing on baseball head coach are few.
Well, of course there are some such ‘Rookies’ and ‘Yattarojan,’ but usually head coach tends to be left on the side especially during game.
On the other hand, in Last Inning, the head coach’s skill rather than the members’ skill influence results of the games.
Efficiently training players, committing to draw players’ max skills, and finding enemy’s tiny weak point, the coach accurately approaches the winning road.
It makes me feel good that his tactics hit correctly and leads the team defeat opponent team that has more ability than Saigaku.
There is nobody who can’t refuse to be attracted to Hatogaya head coach.
It makes me so excited that such new upcoming rivals facing after winning games, the improved team in spite of a few members, and those tactics, by what and how to.
Now facing the end of the last game of prefecture’s tournament, this is the best recommended baseball cartoon as of now.

Shun's Score 10

ラストイニング

STORY

セールスマンとして働いていた主人公鳩ヶ谷圭輔は、会社の不祥事の責任を全て押付けられ、職、金、恋人の全て失い留置所入りとなってしまう。
同じ時に、過去には名門と呼ばれていた彩珠学院高校野球部は甲子園予選で敗退した。
現校長であり13年前に野球部監督であった狭山滋明が目を付けたのが、13年前にキャプテンを務めていた鳩ヶ谷であった。
鳩ヶ谷は13年前に準決勝をかけた試合で、審判であった鶴ヶ島の故意の誤審と言い訳にブチ切れて鶴ヶ島を殴りつけてしまい、そのまま野球の世界から去ってしまった。
しかし、留置所入りとなり全てを失った鳩ヶ谷は彩学新監督を受け入れる。
過激な発言、独自の指導方法を展開し波紋を呼ぶものの、結果とセールスマン時代に身に付けた話術で選手や保護者を納得させ、巻き込んで甲子園優勝を目指して行く。

(Ryu Kamio&Yu Nakahara/29 books as of 2011, August/Shogakukan)

COMMENT by Shun

作戦野球マンガ。主人公鳩ヶ谷監督が部員達の能力を最大限に引き上げ、鋭い采配で勝利を重ね甲子園を目指していく。
監督が主人公の野球マンガと言えば、少ないながらも「ROOKIES」や「やったろうじゃん」等があるが、勝利は部員の力によるところが大きく、こと試合中はオマケ的な存在となってしまうことも多い。
しかしラストイニングは部員の力というよりも、監督の力の影響がとても大きいんである。
部員を効率よく育てあげ、いかに力を発揮させるかに尽力し、相手チームのわずかなほころびを見つけ、的確に攻め立てていく。
采配がハマり、実力で上回る他校に勝利していく様子はホント気持ちがよい。
鳩ヶ谷監督に惚れないやつはいない。
トーナメントを勝ち上がるにつれて対峙する新たな強敵、小数ながらもレベルアップしてきた野球部、どんな作戦で、どう攻略していくのか？
夏の県大会決勝もいよいよ終結間近、今イチオシの野球マンガである。

Shun's Score 10

Kacho Shima Kosaku

STORY

This is an outstanding businessman focused cartoon.
A baby-boomer businessman, Kosaku Shima, successfully runs up the promotion road with his sense of justice and capability while being involved into Hatsushiba’s factional struggles.
In Hatsushiba, three senior managing directors are scrambling for getting the next vice president post.
Promoted to a department chief when he is 33 years old, Kosaku is working as a subordinate officer under Usami, one of the managing directors.
On the other hand, Kosaku is also liked by Oizumi, the other candidate and the chairman’s son-in-low, and is ordered to observe his mistress, a night club hostess.
Later, the chairman Yoshihara passes away.
Usami group catches the information early and takes insider trade using Kosaku.
Then, Kosaku notices that he was used by Usami without recognizing.
He regrets it, denies kickback, and refuses to be a member of Usami group.
As a result, Kosaku is sentenced to be fired.
Kosaku, however, help Oizumi promote to be the vice president, and plots to retract the dismissal by helping Oizumi.

(Kenshi Hirokane/1983-1992/17 books/Kodansha)

COMMENT by Shun

Kosaku Shima is the most famous business man in Japan, in terms of cartoon popularity.
While you have fun reading Kosaku’s promotion and growth in this cartoon, it also has another aspect; that is as basic business skilled teaching.
Because the contents are linked with the real world in a way, lots of current affairs are included such as acquisition of foreign company by Japanese company in 1980’s, and currently buy-in of Japanese land by Chinese.
I am the one, who have learned all the important things by comics, and for my case, especially Kosaku Shima did me so.
Talking about Kosaku, we can’t forget his popularity among women.
He is smart and gentle, and has a sense of justice.
Yes, he is a mack daddy!
Often such women, who encounter him and become in love, appear as a key person for progressing work, and help Kosaku again and again.
Such piquant stories also make this cartoon more fun!

As a bonus, let me tell you this.
Without noticing, I race past Katsuo (Sazaesan’s family), the same age of elementary school, and aged more than Masuo who were used to be much older than me once…
Kosaku, however, ages with you always!

Shun's Score 8

課長島耕作

STORY

団塊の世代サラリーマンである主人公嶋耕作が、初芝電産の派閥争いに巻き込まれつつも、屈することなく持ち前の正義感と手腕で活躍していく、サラリーマン漫画の金字塔である。
初芝電産では筆頭専務、専務、会長の娘婿の専務が、次期副社長の椅子を狙って3つ巴の戦いを繰り広げていた。
33歳の若さで課長に昇進した島耕作は、専務である宇佐美の部下でありながら、会長の娘婿の大泉にも気に入られ、大泉の愛人のホステスの監視役に命じられる。
そんな折、初芝電産の吉原会長が逝去するという事態が起こり、それを早期に知った宇佐美一派は島耕作を利用してインサイダー取引を行った。知らず知らずのうちに手を貸すことになってしまった島耕作は、それを悔やみ、宇佐美一派の報酬、および宇佐美派に属することを拒否した。結果クビを宣告されることになった島耕作であったが、大泉専務を副社長に昇格させ、宇佐美を失脚させクビを取り消すことを画策し、大泉一派の躍進に加担することとなった。

(Kenshi Hirokane/1983-1992/17 books/Kodansha)

COMMENT by Shun

マンガの人気から考えるに、主人公島耕作は日本でもっとも有名なサラリーマンである。
島耕作の出世・成長物語を楽しむマンガである一方、簡易ビジネス書としての面も持ち合わせている。
現実の世界とある程度リンクしているため、例えば島耕作が課長に成りたての1980年代ならば、日本企業の海外企業買収のお話だったり、 最近だったら逆に、中国の日本の土地買い付けのお話などの時事ネタが満載である。
大事なことは全てマンガから学んだ小生であるが、島耕作から得たものは大きい。
島耕作を語る上で、忘れていけないのがモテっぷりである。頭も切れ正義感が強く紳士的な島耕作はとにかく女性にモテるのである。 そして偶然出会って恋仲となった女性が、後に仕事を遂行する上でのキーマンとして登場し、ピンチを何度も救うのである。そんな適度な痛快さも醍醐味のひとつ。
おまけ
知らない間に、同じ小学生だったカツオの年齢を抜き去り、自分より大分年上だと思っていたマスオさんよりも年上になってしまった。 一緒に歳を重ねてくれるのは島耕作だけ。

Shun's Score 8

ブラックジャックによろしく

STORY

主人公斉藤英二郎は医師免許を取得して、永禄大学附属病院で研修医として働き始める。安月給のため、他の病院で当直医のアルバイトを掛け持ちしながら、理想の医療の世界を夢見て、懸命に日々を送る。そんな中、初めて1人の患者を受け持つことになったのだが、延命治療の中止が決まった老人であった。斉藤はさまざまな治療を試みようとするが、指導医から「延命治療をする必要はないと」と宣告され、日本医療の不条理さに直面する。
その後、内科、NICU、小児科、癌科と様々な医療現場を経験し、自分の理想とあまりにもかけ離れた世界に驚愕し、苦悩、葛藤して行くこととなる。

(Shuho Sato/2002-2010/13 books/Shogakukan)

COMMENT by Shun

研修医の医療マンガ。
医療マンガの多くは、天才医師が卓越した技術でどんな患者をも救うというパターンなのだが、このマンガは研修医である主人公の斉藤英二郎が、様々な医療問題と向き合って葛藤しながら成長していくという珍しいタイプだ。
扱っているテーマも、他の医療マンガの花形である、脳手術や心臓のバチスタ手術のような派手なものではなく、癌の告知問題や、幼児の深刻な病気なものなど、心にささるズッシリと重いものが多い。
これらの目新しさと、英二郎の真っ直ぐな性格に惹かれて、完全に引き込まれたのだが、
話が進み精神病や移植などの重い課題がではじめると、研修医の範疇で解決できるものではなくなり、淀んだ空気のまま次の話へ…、という流れになり、「重苦しさと暗さ」だけが残っていく。
しかし、それは医学の世界の厳しい現実と理想を描いたら、自然と浮かび上がった目を背けたくなるような「重苦しさと暗さ」なのである。マンガの面白さで評価するならば「６点」であるが、できるだけ多くの人が読まないといけないマンガだ。
と、かっこいいことを言ってみたものの、時間は有限だ。スラムダンクを読んでないならそっちを読むのが先決だ^-^

Shun's Score 6

Say Hello to Black Jack

STORY

Ejiro Saito, the main character, has obtained a medical license and started working at Eiroku University Medical School Hospital as a trainee doctor.
Due to the cheap salary, he is forced to have a part-time-job at another hospital with a role of doctor on call.
There he bears off the reality with dreaming that his ideal medical age comes.
In the meantime, he first receives an offer taking charge of patient.
Unfortunately however, the patient is an old man who was already decided to abandon the life-sustaining treatment.
Although Ejiro tries to treat the patient by some different ways, his attending insists of ‘no need of the treatment to the patient.’
Like this, Ejiro faces absurdity existing in Japanese medical front.
Thereafter he experiences internal, NICU, pediatric and oncology, and fight against the contradictions he faces, along with the difference from his ideal.

(Shuho Sato/2002-2010/13 books/Shogakukan)

COMMENT by Shun

This cartoon is focusing on a young medical trainee.
Generally speaking, in most of medical cartoons, typical pattern is set up that a genius doctor saves any patients.
But, this cartoon is different as Ejiro faces several medical issues and grows up with bearing the contradictions.
Those picked up issues captured here are not the top-billed themes such as brain operation or Batista procedure, rather be cancer notification or juvenile major decease.
And I think, that’s why those themes make you think of life and those corresponding problems more seriously.
When I first read this comic, I was completely drawn by such themes and Ejiro’s straight personality.
But, after heavier themes such as mental disorders and implantation come up, because it is too difficult to solve them for a trainee and the story goes on with stagnated atmosphere, a sort of ‘heaviness and murkiness’ feelings are only left.
However, I believe those ‘heaviness and murkiness’ are unavoidable when spotting on the real medical condition.
If I make a valuation on this cartoon only valuating the amusingness, I would give ‘6’ on this, but I strongly recommend many of you to read this.
Although I’m taking a serious role here, also time is limited as you know.
If you haven’t read Slum Dunk, you better read it first!

Shun's Score 6