Manga in the 80's Pt. 16

Appleseed. Written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. 

Eclipse Comics with Studio Proteus published 19 issues in a bi-monthly format spanning the 4 original books, from September 1988 to August 1991 .

Cover art for the monthly issues for book 2 was Art Adams and book 3 was done by American illustrator Adam Warren.

The manga was originally published between 1985 and 1989 by Seishinsha.

[Note: As at the time of this post I am unable to find My own issues of Appleseed Book 3 #1, #2, #3 (August, September, October 1989) Published by Eclipse, in which I believe the 'Letters page' had printed American Anime\Manga Fan Club addresses. Thus started my journey in to Fandom, but as you can see I did import the original Manga at that time.]
 [Note: now have Appleseed Book 3 #2 read on.]

Shirow's artwork just blew me away, the attention to detail in the city-scape, the futuristic designs of vehicles, cyborgs, and power-armour were so fresh in the 1980's, and add to this the storyline of newcomers to the utopian city-state of Olympus, Deunan Knute and Briareos Hecatonchires who join the city's law enforcement’s ESWAT (Extra Special Weapons And Tactics) division. 

What follows is the relationship between Deunan and Briareos as they rely on each other as they take on the political underworld and powerful criminals of this veneer of a utopia where over 50% of the population is bio-engineered! 

You can just see how this Japanese Cyberpunk manga became award-winning!

[Note: Volume titles are - Book 1. Prometheus Challenge, Book 2. Prometheus Unbound, Book 3. Scales of Prometheus, Book 4. Prometheus Balance.]

[UPDATE: Collection of issues 1 to 19 now complete.]

[NOTE: APPLESEED LOGO designed by Tom Orzechowski (for the American reader).]

Appleseed.

Book ONE Issues 1 to 5.

BOOK ONE Cover Art by; Masamune Shirow. (issues 1 to 5)

Appleseed.

Book TWO Issues 1 to 5.

BOOK TWO Cover Art by; Arthur Adams (issues 1 to 5)

Appleseed.

Book THREE Issues 1 to 5.

BOOK THREE Cover Art by; Adam Warren (issues 1 to 5)

Appleseed.

Book FOUR Issues 1 to 4.

BOOK ONE Cover Art by; Masamune Shirow. (issues 1 to 4)

APPLESEED (Eclipse) Volumes One to Three.

APPLESEED (Dark Horse) Volumes One to Four.

BOOK TOUR Cover Art by; 

APPLESEED (MangaUK) Volume One (no other volumes printed).

Other works by Masamune Shirow.;

DOMINION

 

Manga in the 80's Pt. 15

Cyber 7. Written and illustrated by Shuho Itahashi. Eclipse Comics with Studio Proteus published 17 issues in a monthly format from March 1989 to Autumn 1990 spanning the 2 original books.

The manga was originally published by Hakusensha in the mid to late 80's.

Our young protagonist Tatsuki finds a photograph that shows a group of organic androids helping people after a vehicle accident, this he then sells to a tabloid newspaper, making it public knowledge 14 years after the accident and exposing their secret existence, and putting himself and those now teenagers and the scientist in great danger!

The secret of the 7 organic androids is that they are self-aware and make their own choices, and need a convincing discussion before undertaking any new obligation, and up until now have been kept a secret.

The threat to all, is a 7 foot tall anthropomorphic Rabbit who's technology is way-ahead of this Earth's time, not to mention his organisation's foot soldiers!

[Note: The artwork has a distinctive European feel to it, but the story is one truly from a Japanese prospective.]

[Note: I only have a smattering of the comic-books, so it is difficult to do it justice.  UPDATE; With a complete set I now can take the time to try to understand the themes of the the story, and review the translated manga.]

[Note: For many weeks now I have been ranking my brain with the notion that “Cyber 7” is not translated from the original Japanese title..... but I as yet can not find any proof of this!!  UPDATE; it is called the Bridge. ]

[UPDATE: Collection of issues 1 to 17 now complete. (27/08/2022).]

Cyber 7 BOOK ONE.

Issues 1 to 7.

Cyber 7 BOOK TWO.

Issues 1 to 10.

Manga in the 80's Pt. 14

The Legend of Kamui. Written and illustrated by Sanpei Shirato (by Akame Productions). Eclipse Comics with Viz Comics published 37 issues in a Biweekly format from May 1987 to November 1988, spanning 13 chapters taken from the original books published by Shogakukan Inc. that ran from 1982 to 1987. - English Translation by Toren Smith & Satori Fuji.

Rivalling “Lone Wolf and Cub” for the historical manga crown, for its scope and scale of storytelling, and art style (new to a Western reader) “The Legend of Kamui” is a powerful story that draws the reader in to the outlaw world of the underclass removed from the restrictions of the Bushido code, where a young man's desire for revenge threatens to overtake pursuit for freedom from the Ninja clans, and live as a free-man.

Kamui introduces himself as a “Nukenin” (a runaway shinobi) who can never return to his village now that he has left, he is alone. Encountering many souls on his journey, many of these regarding him as a renegade ninja thus fights to the death ensue.

The historical richness of this era, adding to this the explications of fighting styles and weapons used bring the myth and legends of the Ninja to a harsh reality for the mature reader.

[Note: Two stories were printed “The Island Of Sugaru” who's 6 chapters ran from issue 1 to issue 13, and “The Sword Wind” story who's 7 chapters ran from issue 14 to issue 37.]

 

[Note: In 1990 when Viz Comics had the rights to print (dairy format) “The Island Of Sugaru”, volume one had chapters 1 to 4, and with a 2 page introduction by American Manga aficionado Frederik Schodt, and it also had a 2 page Glossary at the back.]

[Note: Quoting the American scholar 'Hart Larrabee' “the Manga of Shirato Sanpei, they are what distinguishes literature from the simple story”.]

[UPDATE: Collection of issues 1 to 37 all but complete.]

The Legend of Kamui.

Issues 1 to 37 (7 & 8 missing).

The Legend of Kamui - “The Island Of Sugaru”.

Volumes ONE and TWO.

[NOTE: A feature length animated film based on the characters, entitled "The Dagger of KAMUI" 1985.]  

[NOTE: A live action feature was also filmed based on the Manga and its characters, entitled "Kamui: The Lone Ninja (Kamui Gaiden) 2008.]

Manga in the 80's Pt. 13

Outlanders. Written and illustrated by Johji Manabe. Dark Horse Comics with Studio Proteus published 33 issues in a monthly format, from December 1988 to September 1991 . The manga was originally published by Hakusensha in Comicomi magazine in the mid to late 1980's.

A favourite manga of mine with an engrossing story and appealing art with its character design and organic integrated technology all wrapped up in a space opera.

The invasion of Earth by the galaxy spanning Santovasku Empire's immense living battleships and terrifying ground troops and war beasts, our reluctant hero a Tokyo News Photographer by the name of Tetsuya Wakatsuki is taken as a prisoner by the beautiful (but deadly with a sword) Princess Kahm who has such lovely horns befitting one of Royal blood is the daughter to the Santovasku Emperor!

For a start humans are seen as vermin on this sacred planet and battle fleets of star-ships have been given orders to exterminate the infestation! With such a large Empire of many bipedal races (much like inhabitance of moons of the planet Mongo!) some fish-like (Royal Servant Nao ), and some the pinnacle of feline (Lady Battia) and canine (General Geobalai) evolution I think.

Tetsuya persuades Kahm to save the Earth and all its Human inhabitance and she promises to marry him and take on her father, but others are plotting against her, add to this confrontations between Lady Battia and General Geobalai and family of Royal Servants loyal to the princess you have a space opera with style!

[Note. Toren Smith of Studio Proteus sold the translated manga of Outlanders to the fledgling comic-book company Dark Horse, thus gave them their first manga title and a foot-hold in the newfound market. Such was its importance!]

[Note. 8 Volumes were printed by Dark Horse covering the entire series (of 33) & the one-off specials (dates to be confirmed).]

[UPDATE: Collection of issues 1 to 33 now complete. Plus specials.]

OUTLANDERS.

Issues 1 to 12.

OUTLANDERS.

Issues 13 to 24.

OUTLANDERS.

Issues 25 to 28.

OUTLANDERS.

Issues 29 to 32.

OUTLANDERS.

Issue 33.

Special issues. 

OUTLANDERS.

Volumes One to Eight.

LETTERS PAGE.

Gallery.

Gallery.

Gallery.

Gallery.

Gallery.

Manga in the 80's Pt. 12

Grey. Written and illustrated by Yoshihisa Tagami. Viz Comics published 9 issues in a monthly format, from October 1988 to June 1989 . The manga was originally published by Tokuma Shoten in the mid to late 80's.

One of my fondest memories was seeing a poster on the wall of the 'Final Fronter' comic-book shop (sadly no longer with us) this film size poster of Grey death with the iconic two legged flying machines in the background, just looked like the coolest Science fiction I'd ever seen (back in 1989)!

Set in the future when man's lust for war has reduced the human population to small pockets of scattered villages and the occasional town, with most of the high technology lost or restricted to the general populous. Life is hard, living in what for most is a ghetto, feeding from what others throw away. There is endless war and the threat of attack from the next village or even from your own 'Troopers' who defend the settlements and strike back, because in this class system of society, if you're not a 'Trooper' you're scum (class “F”)! There are even classes of troopers class “E” up to class “A” (50% of all who start never make it to a class ”D” trooper), with the promise of food, shelter and safety from invaders in 'the City' being a class “A” entitles you to become a citizen, and you are set for life! Killing the enemy and destroying vehicles and machines of war advances you up the ranks!

We follow the chronicles Grey as he becomes determined to survive after the death of his girlfriend called Lips, carrying her dream of becoming citizen and living in the city, is his relentless drive. As a trooper he is sent on mission after mission, each one harder than the last. His uncanny survival and being the sole trooper out of his squad to return from many a mission marks him with the nick-name Grey Death as we witness him becoming a ruthless killing machine focused on the next class rank! From retro fitted WWII tanks and vehicles to power amour and Mecha, and the realisation that humanity's fate is not their own, and that there is a group fighting a resistance, Grey now seeks answers to the endless battles.

[Note. The American author Harlan Ellison mentions in his introduction to the manga of Grey, “it is an important comment on how a society mad for war can debase and chill its citizens. Grey is also a powerful statement about the demeaning caste systems we create to keep others in their place.”]

[UPDATE: Collection of issues 1 to 9 now complete.]

GREY.

Issues 1 to 9.

GREY.

 Volume ONE and Volume TWO.

A look back at GREY.

Gerard Jones Writer, "Confessions of a rewriter".

Gerard Jones Writer, "Confessions of a rewriter".

GREY, THE END AND THE BEGINNG.

[Note. The three page article at the back of volume one entitled “Confessions of a rewriter by Gerard Jones, can be quoted as saying “Ultimately, the story of Grey springs not from the characters but from the machine-dominated world in which they function.”]

Genealogy of Manga;

"GREY".  Written and illustrated by Yoshihisa Tagami.

"HOROBI". Written and illustrated by Yoshihisa Tagami.

March-1990-pt5a-manga HOROBI

"FRONTIER LINE"  Also Written and illustrated by Yoshihisa Tagami.

Notable adaptations in to animation;

Anime entitled; GREY: Digital Target. (December 1986, 75\80 minutes, Director Satoshi Dezaki).

GREY: Digital Target, Released in the UK by .

[NOTE: On the 12th.September 1994, in the UK 'WESTERN CONNECTION - Film and Video Distribution'  released a PAL VHS tape, with Japanese Dialogue and English subtitles of GREY: Digital Target.] 

 

GREY Illustrations ART BOOK. 

(with THANKS to Brain F. for finding this book for me.)

[NOTE: 1984's TV Series 'Super High Speed Galvion' sees Yoshihisa Tagami credited with the character designs. - a keen eye can see this, by the distinct style and shape of the characters noises.]

Manga in the 80's Pt. 11

Fire Tripper. Written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. Published by Viz comics 1989 (the first the “Rumic World” showcase series). The manga was originally published by Shōgakukan Inc. 1989. 
 

This cleverly worked time travel short story centring on two children both flung from their respective times (1980's and possibly Japan's feudal civil war of the1500s) by a fiery explosions, with both of them having forgotten their juvenile past. The principal part of the story takes place in feudal Japan where the teenage schoolgirl Suzuko has been transported to a field in aftermath of a battle, and rescued by an older boy Shukumar who takes her to his village, where their relationship blossoms. 

[Note.  UPDATE: As of 2022 I have both "Fire Tripper.", and "Laughing Target", as well as the TPB "Rumiko Takahashi's Rumic World".]

[Note. Dear reader, 'Fire Tripper' is the only surviving issue I have from the 'Rumic World' that I have found in my collection, and with the OVA releases of the same name and under the same banner, I'm sorry to say I can not at this time recall all the manga that was featured.]

[Note. Laughing Target (1990) was the second short story in the collection of Rumic World.]

[Note. there was later a Trade Paperback compilation that had 3 stories within its pages called Rumic World.]

[FOOTNOTE: Rumiko Takahashi, her most popular English translated 'Manga' (Published by VIZ COMIC) in the 1990's was "Ranma 1/2" (a martial arts comedy), and the long running series "Maison Ikoku" (a light-hearted Soap Opera), but her dip into Gothic horror and the Occult would be those stories taken form myths and Legends of the Japanese Mermaid;    ]