In the rapidly changing manga industry today, there are two universal truths. The first is that Dogman is still a comic that defines our times. Second, more people are reading manga and web toons (also known as vertical scroll manga). Therefore, our comic beats continue the strange adventure of the beat. Every week, three writers recommend their favorite books and series in Japan, South Korea, and other countries. This week, we will send you a melancholy dark fantasy, a horror web manga that is about to be filmized, and of course BECK.
Centuria
Writer/Artist: Toru Kuramori
Translator: Catholine Drage
Lettering: Jade C.
Platform: Manga Plus
“Centuria”, which Toru Kuramori was in charge of writing and illustrations, debuted on April 8, 2024 through Shueisha’s boy jump + platform. Since then, this work has been edited in three stripes, and the first volume has been released in July 2024. This dark fantasy manga blends intense actions, attractive themes, and a healthy atmosphere, especially through exploration of family members.
The story is that the slave Julian escaped from the POW’s life, and when he noticed he was on a fellow slave ship. The new freedom he has gained for a long time, and is sentenced to death after being discovered. However, the courage and kindness of the slaves, especially the pregnant woman, Mira, change the fate of Julian. When a huge sea creature appears for sacrifice, Mira takes unusual, selflessness. She saves her child, gives Julian a supernatural power, and sacrifice himself. Julian, who has been taken care of by the child, begins a journey to reveal compensation, responsibility, and his humanity.
“Centuria” has a balance between the miserable theme and the moment of emotional warmth. This work explores important concepts such as war, human will, and dreams, but is rooted in intimate personal interests. In the first chapter, it fascinates readers by fusing dark fantasy and attractive character dynamics. Art is pretty good. Character design is not my favorite, but they are real and alive, and every panel is clear their emotions. I admit that their cuteness makes this story unique. On the other hand, the detailed description of the castle, house, forest, and sea is eloquent.
The dynamic action scene and the precise monster design create a vivid and cruel world, leaving a strong impression. The theme of this story of family and sacrifice is combined with the elements of the dark fantasy, giving this story to this story, reminiscent of classics such as Berserk, Vinland Saga, and Demon Slayer.
Centuria’s airy art and dark fantasy tone set a powerful story stage. This is a must -read for fans of emotional storytelling with great visuals. Get ready to travel to a beautiful and cruel world!
Stag town
Writer/Artist: Pencko
Platform: Web toon
Interestingly, the announcement that “Stag Town” would be made into a movie was triggered by returning before the premium screening and finishing the story. For those who are interested, the stag town was released in the 2021 horror web manga created by PUNKO until 2023 as an original series. This work focuses on Frankie, a college student returning to his childhood in Stag Town, a isolated country town. A place where strange events occur.
This series is as if Twin Peaks and Silent Hill crossed over and became a web manga. Pungco’s character has a very large and expressive eye, combining dark shadows and small diagonal lines to imply the depth and details of the bright shadow. Character design and line drawings are simple based on monotone, but the background is very detailed, so you can choose a sparse color on the picture so as not to feel that it is a black and white work. I am. It adds a dark and anxiety to the various horror elements and stage devices that are prepared not only by the characters but also by readers.
Various entities and characters at the center of each arc story are very creative. From perceived cameras with feet that proliferate and spread like illness, children wearing animal masks that hide the entire head, and mysterious curusels.
I also like the short and focus of each story of the stag town. This is reflected in the thumbnail art of the episode, part of those arcs. Each set of thumbnails configures a part of the entire image associated with the arc.
Stag Town is a thriller horror series full of heart and creativity. If the scriptwriter chooses the path, it is not surprising why each arc could be an independent movie easily. I hope that there are many content to cover, so I will not compress the whole series into two and a half hours.
If you want to read and experience all additional materials provided by the author, you can read the full text for free on WebToon. Check before the adaptation arrives! – Justin Guerello
Beck
Writer/Artist: Halold
Translator: Steven Paul
Lettering: Star Print Brokers
Publisher: Kodansha
Myth is essential for the story of rock and roll. One of the things you need to know is that Keith Richards’s (I Can’t Get No) SATISFACTION guitar riff is one of the best songs in history. It is another thing to know that Richards poured the song into the tape recorder with a drunken momentum, fell asleep, and played the tape in the morning, so it was another thing to know that this song had hardly existed. Such stories and legends are scattered in the history of rock. Without these, the song would be just a note flowing from the speakers.
That’s why Harold’s “BECK” continues to be one of the greatest fictional stories about rock music. The crops understand that the legend of Japanese rock band Beck is as indispensable to their stories as the music they make. When Koyuki, a teenager, meets a strange dog Beck and his owner Ryuusuke, it is treated as a moment of fate. Eventually, Koyuki is absorbed in not only the mystery of Ryusuke, but also the rock music he loves. As a result, the two will take the path to the legends to form and share rock bands.
Sakuishi loves rock music, which appears at the end of the dialogue of the manga. The instruments played by the character are being studied carefully. The people appearing in this series are intentionally similar to specific rock stars. One of the hostile may be Jay Z. But more importantly, when the stone draws many concert scenes in the series, it captures both the energy of live performance and the excitement of seeing their performance.
The Legend of Rock and Roll is an essential part for BECK, but also talks about the power of music in our lives. A community born by making music with other people. In other words, you can find friends by sharing your passion. When Beck progresses towards the big break, it is thanks to the friends (and rivals) they make. Through them, their legends will be spoken with music. – D. Morris
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