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A review by milkshakevoid
Issunboshi by Ryan Lang
5.0
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This enchanting tale is so beautifully drawn, it overwhelmed me. I’m familiar with some Japanese creatures from myth and lore that have been featured in other mediums like manga and anime but I was not previously aware of this story. Issunboshi definitely follows the same energy of traditional myths/fairytales that I’m familiar with in terms of its structure. I had to remind myself a few times that it’s a retelling of a simple story because visually it had so much more to offer. I kept expecting more character development or branching out quests/topics. Admittedly I’m a bit disappointed that there was not more to it, but then again, this is an illustrated adaptation and its somewhat unfair of me to ask more from it than it promised. But damn, the art is so captivating. I just wanted more. Based on the cover I thought this graphic novel would be in color so the black and white was initially jarring but I think that was the right choice. The way light and shadow are used in these panels is nothing short of masterful. I’m not shocked in the least that the artist/author has a history of working on Disney films. The composition and fluidity of each panel sold the movement and life in each character. I’d love to see this animated as a short film.
I absolutely recommend this to anyone. The breathtaking illustrations, speak for themselves, the secondary Japanese myth/characters offer a jumping off point for further inspection, the characters are charming, and this is short and sweet enough to consume in a single sitting.
5/5 from me!
This enchanting tale is so beautifully drawn, it overwhelmed me. I’m familiar with some Japanese creatures from myth and lore that have been featured in other mediums like manga and anime but I was not previously aware of this story. Issunboshi definitely follows the same energy of traditional myths/fairytales that I’m familiar with in terms of its structure. I had to remind myself a few times that it’s a retelling of a simple story because visually it had so much more to offer. I kept expecting more character development or branching out quests/topics. Admittedly I’m a bit disappointed that there was not more to it, but then again, this is an illustrated adaptation and its somewhat unfair of me to ask more from it than it promised. But damn, the art is so captivating. I just wanted more. Based on the cover I thought this graphic novel would be in color so the black and white was initially jarring but I think that was the right choice. The way light and shadow are used in these panels is nothing short of masterful. I’m not shocked in the least that the artist/author has a history of working on Disney films. The composition and fluidity of each panel sold the movement and life in each character. I’d love to see this animated as a short film.
I absolutely recommend this to anyone. The breathtaking illustrations, speak for themselves, the secondary Japanese myth/characters offer a jumping off point for further inspection, the characters are charming, and this is short and sweet enough to consume in a single sitting.
5/5 from me!