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