Naoki Urasawa

20th Century Boys 01.

Naoki Urasawa's 20th Century Boys, Volume 20

Naoki Urasawa's 20th Century Boys, Volume 19

Naoki Urasawa's 20th Century Boys, Volume 8

Naoki Urasawa's 20th Century Boys, Volume 10

Naoki Urasawa's 20th Century Boys, Volume 14

20th century boys

Zita Azlina

** spoiler alert **
           Friend's identity revelation is quite disappointing. And his death is a major what the fuck to me. EVERYTHING IS honestly a major what the fuck to me. I WILL NEVER KNOW WHERE THE STORY IS GOING. Naoki Urasawa's outline is probably jumbled up like a kid's diary. And you could never guess which person is dead and which one is 'Evil'. Quite literally the most unpredictable book in existence. Not in a way that's nonsensical too at that. Also Keroyon is backkk??? (woah)

It keeps going in a way I would never expect. Everything is so fucking crazy you can't even expect any panel of it. So many good ideas in once that I can't think a better story than this. I love how Urasawa play with characters and he still left no single insignificant characters. The plot twist keeps twisting, almost to the point of no plot twist because twist is the normal. KANNAAAAAAAA (exactly). This book is crazy.

I want to have a proper discussion on the view of the characters of what is Good what is Evil (so rare in books nowadays). Also a proper discussion on how this book is the allegory of Abrahamic religions depiction of doom.

Wynter

August 25, 2019:It’s been a while since I picked up another volume of 20th Century Boys, and it’s good to be back. This book reveals some intriguing backstory and finally explains Sadakiyo’s role in all of this.

February 11, 2018: What a cliffhanger! Most of the volume follows a new character - a high school girl sent for re-education (brainwashing) after she decides to research Bloody New Year' Eve for a paper. An old friend who was thought to be dead appears to help her keep her sanity and to find out Friend's true identity.

Siya S

★★★★★ 5 brilliant, nostalgic, creepy and mysterious "friend" stars !!! 


  Note: I have just finished all 22 volumes in the series but will write a (somewhat long) general review here only to avoid flooding the feed with too many updates! 


  

Believe me when I say Naoki Urasawa is one of the best mangaka (漫画家 - a manga artist) of our time. This guy can spin a tale of mystery like no other. Not to mention the bittersweet glimpse into childhood nostalgia and the power of a bond called friendship that braves through time and space. 

UGH, big words, I know. But hear me out - 20th Century Boys is all about the best thing: a secret cult, big conspiracy, secret government projects, use of biological weapons, dystopian society, and a band of underdogs who want to save humanity against all odds. Ambitious, apocalyptic, with a hint of absurdity. What else could we ask for, right? 

 

Kenji is a regular guy working in a store owned by his family located in the very same neighborhood he grew up in. Everything in his life is normal enough, except for Kanna-chan, his toddler niece strapped on his back, whom he'd been taking care of since his sister dropped her on his lap some months ago and never returned. One day, the death of a friend had swept him into a whirlwind of a mysterious cult led by the enigmatic "Tomodachi" (translated as "Friend") - a masked entity/celebrity worshipped by a large number of Japanese contemporaries. 

Emblazoned on "Friend"'s mask was a symbol of Kenji's childhood gang of neighborhood friends back in 1969. As he tried to dissect the past, the more forgotten memories revealed themselves. One thing is certain - "Friend" must be someone from when he was young, a friend from his childhood, but...who? What followed was a series of events that changed the fate of humanity forever. 

 

Kenji and his close friends joined hands once again for the first time in decades. Their journey will definitely make the reader feel nostalgic, on a verge of tears, and at times chilling to the bone. 

I love all the supporting characters and their background stories. Everyone was portrayed in different shades of grey and it's up to you to decide which part about them is good and which part about them is bad. My favorites are Yoshitsune (the quiet one), Otcho (the brave one), and Kanna. 

 

Another thing I like is the use of pop culture references from the 70s as well as the settings that remind us what things were like when we were young. This story also dealt with themes such as school bullying and the impacts of being a social outcast. I love the part where "Friend" compared himself to Michale Collins (accompanied then by Kenji's flashbacks on the day Neil Armstrong walked on the moon). Michael Collins was there, too, during the expedition, but oftentimes forgotten with not enough recognition as he never stepped on the surface of the moon. It helped flesh out "Friend"'s characteristics in a very subtle, yet brilliant way. 

 

While the final revelation was a bit anticlimactic, I think that's what usually happened when the build-up is something of a gigantic epicness of a size. Due to its complexity and scale of the plot, I recommend you read it in one sitting, if possible. It will help clarify more on the identity of "Friend", his motifs, and the bittersweet/creepy series of events that created him. Personally, I love the ending, since it creates a full circle that connects beautifully to the opening sequence of the story. 

If you appreciate Urasawa's genius ability to weave up a complex plot as much as I do, you can check out his other manga (equally as epic) such as PLUTO: Naoki Urasawa x Ozamu Tezuka, Band 001 and Naoki Urasawa's Monster, Volume 1: Herr Dr. Tenma

Esteban Q

Geese Fish

20th Century Boys 05

A Rome, le père de Nitani cherche à joindre le pape désormais prisonnier du Vatican. Pendant ce temps, Ami est sur le point de mettre sa dernière prédiction à exécution. Kenji, quant à lui, poursuit sa marche sur Tokyo alors que Kanna et les autres se préparent à passer à la contre-offensive.

20th Century boys

Reiza H

Stellen Sie sich vor, Sie waren Mitglied einer Kinderbande, und heute setzt jemand ihre damaligen Ideen ohne Rücksichte auf Verluste in die Tat um. Genau dies passiert Kenji, dem Helden dieses ausgezeichneten Mangas. Natürlich waren seine fantastischen Einfälle unlogisch und nicht bis zur letzten Konsequenz durchdacht, wie hätte er das als Knirps Ende der 60er auch tun können. Zwar wollten er und seine Freunde die Bösen besiegen, aber dass beim Einsatz von biologischen Waffen auch Unschuldige sterben, haben sie nicht bedacht. Doch nun wird dies Realität: Exakt in der Reihenfolge, wie Kenji sich es als Junge ausdachte, wird in San Francisco, London und Osaka ein tödliches Virus freigesetzt. Klar, dass er glaubt, der Täter, der zudem dasselbe Erkennungszeichen wie die Bande benutzt, müsse ein ehemaliges Mitglied sein. Alles scheint auf Otcho hinzudeuten, bis plötzlich neue Indizien auftauchen. Eine hoch spannende Story, bei der das Vergessen oder Sich-erinnern-können plötzlich eine enorme Wichtigkeit bekommt. Hervorragend gezeichnet. Breit empfohlen. Ab 14 Jahren.

20th Century Boys 01.

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