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ばるぼら [Barbara] #1-2
Barbara
Wandering the packed tunnels of Shinjuku Station, famous author Yosuke Mikura makes a strange a seemingly homeless drunk woman who can quote French poetry. Her name is Barbara. He takes her home for a bath and a drink, and before long Barbara has made herself into Mikura's shadow, saving him from egotistical delusions and jealous enemies. But just as Mikura is no saint, Barbara is no benevolent guardian angel, and Mikura grows obsessed with discovering her secrets, tangling with thugs, sadists, magical curses and mythical beings - all the while wondering whether he himself is still sane.
432 pages, Paperback
First published October 12, 2011
7 people are currently reading
268 people want to read
About the author
Osamu Tezuka
2,142 books1,293 followersDr. Osamu Tezuka (手塚治虫) was a Japanese manga artist, animator, producer and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion. He is often credited as the "Father of Anime", and is often considered the Japanese equivalent to Walt Disney, who served as a major inspiration during his formative years. His prolific output, pioneering techniques, and innovative redefinitions of genres earned him such titles as "the father of manga" and "the God of Manga."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
March 24, 2024
Una serie del Tezuka "Oscuro" (Uno tiene la sensación de que en el fondo toda la obra del Dios del Manga es bastante oscura) Técnicamente es buena y en ocasiones muy buena, se nota el dominio de los recursos por parte de Tezuka, pero, aunque tiene buenos momentos (especialmente hacia el final, cuando la trama se vuelve más coherente) este libro no me termina de funcionar. Bárbara es un muy buen personaje, el protagonista y sus cuitas me resulta pesado y el cliché del escritor falto de inspiración no me interesa demasiado. Además, las narrativas e inquietudes muy de los setenta me dejan un poco frío. No es una mala obra, es sólo que no la encuentro a la altura de otras de Tezuka. En fin me parece una obra interesante pero fallida.
October 26, 2012
I could be wrong about this, but I'm fairly certain this is Tezuka's first attempt at Gekiga (literally, "Dramatic Pictures," a movement to create serious comics similar to the graphic novel movement we have today stateside). So, in 1974, Tezuka set out to create a manga that would rival the stuff Garo was publishing-- something perverse, dramatic, and bit more literary. The result was.. well, Barbara, a comic informed by the opera Tales of Hoffmann, and what must be the weirdest thing Tezuka ever did.
Like most manga, Barbara was serialized weekly, and I'm fairly certain Tezuka had no idea where he was going with it. In the beginning of Barbara, there's a lot of experimentation into the Gekiga style, such using an unreliable narrator, or a character that Barbara interacts with that we only perceive as a shadow. He quickly does away with all that and sticks to his usual serialized adventure format.
Still, this thing is bizarre: There is sex with a dog. A man falls in love with a mannequin. Barbara's character herself may be the oddest element-- constantly abused and knocked around a ton, treated like an animal, and may I mention here that own mother is depicted as being a frog.
The art isn't Tezuka's best. We have some awkward panels, and the intricate artist of Ayako hasn't yet emerged. I'm wonder if he isn't letting assistants do most of the heavy lifting.
Barbara basically reads like a false-start to Tezuka's "serious" career where he didn't really know what serious meant just yet. It's pretty fun if you enjoy seeing just how creepy and strange Tezuka could get, but that's really it. Maybe get it for the Tezuka completist or a girl you've been wanting to break up with-- just tell her it's your favorite book ever!
Like most manga, Barbara was serialized weekly, and I'm fairly certain Tezuka had no idea where he was going with it. In the beginning of Barbara, there's a lot of experimentation into the Gekiga style, such using an unreliable narrator, or a character that Barbara interacts with that we only perceive as a shadow. He quickly does away with all that and sticks to his usual serialized adventure format.
Still, this thing is bizarre: There is sex with a dog. A man falls in love with a mannequin. Barbara's character herself may be the oddest element-- constantly abused and knocked around a ton, treated like an animal, and may I mention here that own mother is depicted as being a frog.
The art isn't Tezuka's best. We have some awkward panels, and the intricate artist of Ayako hasn't yet emerged. I'm wonder if he isn't letting assistants do most of the heavy lifting.
Barbara basically reads like a false-start to Tezuka's "serious" career where he didn't really know what serious meant just yet. It's pretty fun if you enjoy seeing just how creepy and strange Tezuka could get, but that's really it. Maybe get it for the Tezuka completist or a girl you've been wanting to break up with-- just tell her it's your favorite book ever!
February 7, 2019
Read for The Tezuka Challenge. Details can be found here.
Barbara
What an...interesting story. I'm using that word in the broadest term. Whatever this story was trying to achieve, I just couldn't get into it. And that's fine; not every story is going to appeal to every reader. But this bogged me down in a swamp of lost allegories.
There's a reason this is the only English title I haven't owned, past or present.
WHAT WORKS
Okay, this is the one thing I liked about this book. It's a small detail, but I jumped on it so quick I could've gotten whiplash. Get ready--
- Barbara's mom is the Venus of Willendorf.
This is perfect for the concept of mysterious women being muses for forlorn creatives, but it's a shame that no one else follows this visual motif. Barbara is a vagrant who quotes French poetry and will raid the liquor cabinet of the main character because I guess she's gotta maintain a buzz. Given the company she's keeping, I don't blame her.
WHAT DOESN'T
- This is an experiment and it shows. Written during a time when more mature-themed manga was hitting the market, Tezuka wanted to be seen as a competitor to upstarts in the gekiga scene. I've yet to read MW and Ayako, Tezuka's other works that fall under the gekiga category. I have read Ode to Kirihito and Apollo's Song, and I must say that these are improvements compared to whatever was happening in Barbara.
Experimenting is fine, but Barbara reads like off-the-cuff improvisational storytelling that left me wanting.
HOW DOES IT HOLD UP?
My personal opinion is that it doesn't, but this book does mark a stepping stone for Tezuka to branch out beyond the general audience stories he made in the past. I need to read more of his mature works to gague if this was a one-time flop or if all his works are kinda muddled.
Fingers crossed,
Plo
Barbara
What an...interesting story. I'm using that word in the broadest term. Whatever this story was trying to achieve, I just couldn't get into it. And that's fine; not every story is going to appeal to every reader. But this bogged me down in a swamp of lost allegories.
There's a reason this is the only English title I haven't owned, past or present.
WHAT WORKS
Okay, this is the one thing I liked about this book. It's a small detail, but I jumped on it so quick I could've gotten whiplash. Get ready--
- Barbara's mom is the Venus of Willendorf.
This is perfect for the concept of mysterious women being muses for forlorn creatives, but it's a shame that no one else follows this visual motif. Barbara is a vagrant who quotes French poetry and will raid the liquor cabinet of the main character because I guess she's gotta maintain a buzz. Given the company she's keeping, I don't blame her.
WHAT DOESN'T
- This is an experiment and it shows. Written during a time when more mature-themed manga was hitting the market, Tezuka wanted to be seen as a competitor to upstarts in the gekiga scene. I've yet to read MW and Ayako, Tezuka's other works that fall under the gekiga category. I have read Ode to Kirihito and Apollo's Song, and I must say that these are improvements compared to whatever was happening in Barbara.
Experimenting is fine, but Barbara reads like off-the-cuff improvisational storytelling that left me wanting.
HOW DOES IT HOLD UP?
My personal opinion is that it doesn't, but this book does mark a stepping stone for Tezuka to branch out beyond the general audience stories he made in the past. I need to read more of his mature works to gague if this was a one-time flop or if all his works are kinda muddled.
Fingers crossed,
Plo
October 12, 2014
Clearly, a masterpiece of the turbulent times that Japan experienced during the 70's and 80's. Barbara is more than just a manga, it represents the whole society's downfalls and the "lack of morals" the youth had, since they were diverging from the standard attitudes older generations had. A spiraling descent to chaos and the dark corners of Tezuka's mind that will leave you speechless with the sheer genius within him.
"You there, what have you done, always in tears?
You there, what did you do with your young years?"
-Paul Verlaine
"You there, what have you done, always in tears?
You there, what did you do with your young years?"
-Paul Verlaine
June 14, 2023
4.3/5
Prima opera letta del maestro Tezuka (e volevo fosse proprio questa).
Sono già state pubblicate un sacco di sue opere però nessuna mi ha incuriosita così tanto.
Nel libro sono presenti un sacco di elementi, soprattutto caratteristici degli anni '70 in cui è stato ambientato e pubblicato. Quello che mi ha attirata subito è il mistero che circonda la stessa Barbara.
Infatti fino alla fine e ancora a termine del libro, ancora non ci è chiaro chi sia effettivamente questa persona. La domanda che più ci si chiede è se effettivamente sia esistita davvero.
Viviamo attraverso i capitoli con gli occhi del protagonista del manga, un autore di successo ora senza idee per proseguire con la carriera. Barbara bazzica nella sua vita nelle più svariate delle situazioni. A volte queste sono talmente surreali che ci si chiede se effettivamente questo autore le stia veramente vivendo.
E' sicuramente un lettura particolare e non adatta a tutti, come primo appriccio a questo autore devo dire che sono rimasta assolutamente sorpresa dal suo stile. Una buonissima prima impressione e decisamente una lettura diversa.
Prima opera letta del maestro Tezuka (e volevo fosse proprio questa).
Sono già state pubblicate un sacco di sue opere però nessuna mi ha incuriosita così tanto.
Nel libro sono presenti un sacco di elementi, soprattutto caratteristici degli anni '70 in cui è stato ambientato e pubblicato. Quello che mi ha attirata subito è il mistero che circonda la stessa Barbara.
Infatti fino alla fine e ancora a termine del libro, ancora non ci è chiaro chi sia effettivamente questa persona. La domanda che più ci si chiede è se effettivamente sia esistita davvero.
Viviamo attraverso i capitoli con gli occhi del protagonista del manga, un autore di successo ora senza idee per proseguire con la carriera. Barbara bazzica nella sua vita nelle più svariate delle situazioni. A volte queste sono talmente surreali che ci si chiede se effettivamente questo autore le stia veramente vivendo.
E' sicuramente un lettura particolare e non adatta a tutti, come primo appriccio a questo autore devo dire che sono rimasta assolutamente sorpresa dal suo stile. Una buonissima prima impressione e decisamente una lettura diversa.
September 21, 2013
If your first thought when you hear 'Doctor Osamu Tezuka' is children's manga and Astro Boy, cheerful robots and visual gags and colorful fantasy worlds fit to explore through, you would do best to set all those thoughts aside. Once you open up Barbara, it's obvious that there are two Doctor Tezukas - the man best known for his creations like Astro Boy and Kimba who appeals to all age groups especially kids, while there is also the man who wrote Barbara, the man who explores the depths of human psychology in all its dark terrific details.
You can read my complete review of BARBARA at my blog: http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/
You can read my complete review of BARBARA at my blog: http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/
December 19, 2012
I was just reading an article somewhere where the author mentioned "what a deeply weird time the 70s were." This book is a great illustration of that. Hippies, writers, witches, hallucinations, sex, booze--this has got them all. And of course Tezuka's great artwork.
February 5, 2019
No me ha fascinado tanto como otras obras de Tezuka, y quiza se me ha hecho algo largo por momentos, pero tiene muchas cosas que son una rallada y he disfrutado.
January 16, 2025
more like 4.5 but so good liked this very much
September 22, 2025
Mikura, ma che cazzo?
May 11, 2017
A very worthy adult effort by Tezuka, tragic and upsetting. My only issue is that, due to its episodic structure, it seems a bit less focused than his other works. Nevertheless, I could not stop reading it.
January 20, 2014
I typically enjoy Tezuka's work and find his more adult oriented stuff particularly satisfying. This one might be his most adult work, and a surprisingly complex one at that. The basic plot is that of a writer discovering the woman of the title drunk at a train station and takes her home. The writer is both inspired and repulsed by the woman, and what transpires is almost a meditation on art and muse, myth and reality and how they blur for creators.
It's not completely successful in execution, and it's probably about as explicit and perverted as Tezuka can get (which is still very mild compared to where Manga has gone too but not suitable for the kiddies) but it is consistently entertaining and satisfying.
It's not completely successful in execution, and it's probably about as explicit and perverted as Tezuka can get (which is still very mild compared to where Manga has gone too but not suitable for the kiddies) but it is consistently entertaining and satisfying.
May 29, 2023
Another early 70s Tezuka story, from the era in which the "God of manga" was reformulating his style to incorporate the innovations of the 'gekiga' movement, a convulsive new wave of more adult-oriented comics and manga that had risen to prominence in the 60s. Tezuka was in his mid-40s at the time he drew Barbara: certainly at an age where he could have turned his back on new developments rather than struggle to come to terms with them. Credit to him for undertaking that struggle, but even positive reviews of Barbara describe it as part of a transition, a master groping towards a necessary evolution.
To put it less euphemistically, this is a sleazy, heady, messed-up comic, a mixture of a nastily sadistic romance story, a meditation on writing and inspiration, and a stab at doing a pulpy occult yarn in the decade of trashy horror. Bits of it feel inspired - strange and decadent in a way that's unlike any other Tezuka I've read. Bits of it feel like a middle-aged man trying to be a bit shocking.
Barbara is a story about a minor novelist who meets - and gradually falls for - bohemian alcoholic Barbara, who moves in with him and becomes his muse. Literally - if you know the Sandman story "Calliope" you'll know the general territory the book's working in. The relationship between the protagonist and Barbara is less explicitly abusive than in Gaiman's story but it's still violent, co-dependent and disturbing, all the more so because Tezuka is often milking it for slapstick visual action as well as more serious narrative effects.
Gradually the novelist slips into Barbara's demi-monde of weird magical goings-on, and his grasp on sanity and time starts to slip. Tezuka's narrative shifts around uneasily - things which seemed to be purely symbolic turn out to be literal, and the story slips between mystical, horror and thriller elements as our protagonist both pays for his sins and finds some degree of closure. A lot of the Tezuka I've read is loosely plotted, meandering off the story's track as he finds something that interests him more: here, that looseness contributes to Barbara's dreamy, unnerving feel.
Writers who write about writers struggling to overcome blocks and find inspiration often makes for tiresome stories - the equivalent of a rock band singing about the woes of touring. Barbara doesn't entirely escape this: it's not just the lead character's vanity and misogyny that made me happy to see his fortunes turn, it's also the fact he's such a moaner. But there are moments of uncanny and haunting imagination here too: edgy and indulgent it may be, but I'm glad I read it.
To put it less euphemistically, this is a sleazy, heady, messed-up comic, a mixture of a nastily sadistic romance story, a meditation on writing and inspiration, and a stab at doing a pulpy occult yarn in the decade of trashy horror. Bits of it feel inspired - strange and decadent in a way that's unlike any other Tezuka I've read. Bits of it feel like a middle-aged man trying to be a bit shocking.
Barbara is a story about a minor novelist who meets - and gradually falls for - bohemian alcoholic Barbara, who moves in with him and becomes his muse. Literally - if you know the Sandman story "Calliope" you'll know the general territory the book's working in. The relationship between the protagonist and Barbara is less explicitly abusive than in Gaiman's story but it's still violent, co-dependent and disturbing, all the more so because Tezuka is often milking it for slapstick visual action as well as more serious narrative effects.
Gradually the novelist slips into Barbara's demi-monde of weird magical goings-on, and his grasp on sanity and time starts to slip. Tezuka's narrative shifts around uneasily - things which seemed to be purely symbolic turn out to be literal, and the story slips between mystical, horror and thriller elements as our protagonist both pays for his sins and finds some degree of closure. A lot of the Tezuka I've read is loosely plotted, meandering off the story's track as he finds something that interests him more: here, that looseness contributes to Barbara's dreamy, unnerving feel.
Writers who write about writers struggling to overcome blocks and find inspiration often makes for tiresome stories - the equivalent of a rock band singing about the woes of touring. Barbara doesn't entirely escape this: it's not just the lead character's vanity and misogyny that made me happy to see his fortunes turn, it's also the fact he's such a moaner. But there are moments of uncanny and haunting imagination here too: edgy and indulgent it may be, but I'm glad I read it.
July 24, 2023
Primissima - e apprezzatissima - lettura del Dio del manga Osamu Tezuka.
La storia mi è piaciuta molto e mi ha ricordato tantissimo le storie narrate da Murakami e Yoshimoto, con questo elemento del fantastico che non si capisce mai fino in fondo se alcune vicende sono successe veramente o se è tutta una visione distorta del narratore. Senza fare spoiler, nell'ultimo capitolo assistiamo proprio a una meta-narrazione che cerca di rimettere a posto le vicende fino a quel punto narrate.
Unica nota che mi sento di dire è che l'inizio è un po' zoppicante: i primi tre capitoli sono molto episodici, si sente fortemente il fatto che questa storia viene pubblicata a puntate su un magazine, ma fortunatamente, appena c'è uno spiraglio di vicenda interessante da seguire, Tezuka si concentra solamente su quello, spiegando poi anche i primi capitoli.
Lo stile di disegno è molto bello, anche se non nelle mie corde, si capisce molto bene che la storia è ambientata negli anni in cui veniva pubblicata: vestiario, arredamento, architettura e la società rispecchia fortemente gli anni 70. Un vero e proprio tuffo nel passato!
I temi trattati sono interessanti, molto belle le analogie, i discorsi sull'arte molto interessanti.
Come prima lettura la consiglierei, è un buon gekiga autoconclusivo.
La storia mi è piaciuta molto e mi ha ricordato tantissimo le storie narrate da Murakami e Yoshimoto, con questo elemento del fantastico che non si capisce mai fino in fondo se alcune vicende sono successe veramente o se è tutta una visione distorta del narratore. Senza fare spoiler, nell'ultimo capitolo assistiamo proprio a una meta-narrazione che cerca di rimettere a posto le vicende fino a quel punto narrate.
Unica nota che mi sento di dire è che l'inizio è un po' zoppicante: i primi tre capitoli sono molto episodici, si sente fortemente il fatto che questa storia viene pubblicata a puntate su un magazine, ma fortunatamente, appena c'è uno spiraglio di vicenda interessante da seguire, Tezuka si concentra solamente su quello, spiegando poi anche i primi capitoli.
Lo stile di disegno è molto bello, anche se non nelle mie corde, si capisce molto bene che la storia è ambientata negli anni in cui veniva pubblicata: vestiario, arredamento, architettura e la società rispecchia fortemente gli anni 70. Un vero e proprio tuffo nel passato!
I temi trattati sono interessanti, molto belle le analogie, i discorsi sull'arte molto interessanti.
Come prima lettura la consiglierei, è un buon gekiga autoconclusivo.
November 7, 2024
## Key takeaways
- Barbara is a muse, she is needed to inspire the creation of art. Muses often appear in the form of substances like alcohol and drugs. In this story, the muse takes the shape of a woman who is terrible for you but at the same time needed to create your art. It is a double-edged sword.
- Doubles as an interesting narrative on why we keep bad people in our lives. To enjoy the madness and uncertainty they bring, a temporary escape from the monotony of our lives and a comfort in victimhood.
- Seeing mixed reviews on this story and while it does become more manic as it continues, I think this is reflective of the protagonists mental decline and plunge to insanity.
- I thoroughly enjoyed this story and it had me hooked to discover how it would all play out. Fans of Tezuka’s serious works should not deny themselves of Barbara.
## Quotes
“A muse is a goddess of art. They are the daughters of Jupiter, and long ago poets would invoke their names at the start of a new work, to pray for divine protection and success.”
- Barbara is a muse, she is needed to inspire the creation of art. Muses often appear in the form of substances like alcohol and drugs. In this story, the muse takes the shape of a woman who is terrible for you but at the same time needed to create your art. It is a double-edged sword.
- Doubles as an interesting narrative on why we keep bad people in our lives. To enjoy the madness and uncertainty they bring, a temporary escape from the monotony of our lives and a comfort in victimhood.
- Seeing mixed reviews on this story and while it does become more manic as it continues, I think this is reflective of the protagonists mental decline and plunge to insanity.
- I thoroughly enjoyed this story and it had me hooked to discover how it would all play out. Fans of Tezuka’s serious works should not deny themselves of Barbara.
## Quotes
“A muse is a goddess of art. They are the daughters of Jupiter, and long ago poets would invoke their names at the start of a new work, to pray for divine protection and success.”
May 4, 2023
In ogni essere umano c’è un lato di pazzia. Ma, crescendo in una società civilizzata, esso viene limitato dalla morale e dalle leggi. Ci sono persone che non mostrano mai nel corso della vita il proprio lato folle, ma gli artisti non riescono a trattenersi.
Un'opera eccentrica ed evanescente, come la protagonista di cui porta il nome. Oserei dire: alla fine, chi o cosa è Barbara veramente? La sua figura rimane così enigmatica non solo per lo scrittore Mikura ma anche per noi, che non fatico a capire come questa storia visionaria di Osamu Tezuka abbia ispirato Moto Hagio per la sua opera omonima molti anni dopo. Leggendo Barbara di Tezuka, ho ritrovato più di un elemento che la Hagio ha omaggiato, rielaborandolo a modo suo, nella sua Barbara.
July 4, 2023
Con Barbara entreremo nel mondo di Yosuke Mikura, uno scrittore di successo; ottimo partito per le figlie di padri insistenti e personaggio di spicco delle conventicole letterarie. Un giorno come tanti, a Shinjuku, Mikura noterà Barbara ad un angolo della strada. Dismessa, sporca e maleodorante come un cane randagio, Barbara, ubriaca e sgradevole, cita Verlaine parlando con Mikura. Così si incontrano per la prima volta le due anime di questo racconto, che vi condurrà per una discesa psicotica dritto all’inferno.
Che sia una proiezione mentale o una donna fatta d’ossa e di carne, poco importa. Barbara è il forziere dove immergere le mani alla ricerca dell’oro per Mikura: l’ispirazione per scrivere un nuovo romanzo.
Questa è Barbara, la storia di uno scrittore inquieto e perverso che farà di tutto per rimanere sulla cresta dell’onda.
Che sia una proiezione mentale o una donna fatta d’ossa e di carne, poco importa. Barbara è il forziere dove immergere le mani alla ricerca dell’oro per Mikura: l’ispirazione per scrivere un nuovo romanzo.
Questa è Barbara, la storia di uno scrittore inquieto e perverso che farà di tutto per rimanere sulla cresta dell’onda.
June 1, 2019
I'll give this one props for concept. Overall though, there were big parts of this that were just not enjoyable for me. I've heard that this was an effort for the author to branch into more adult content, but it just felt like some of those adult pieces had no purpose except to be explicit, they didn't always add to the story.
The prologue writer also points out that some modern readers might be turned off by the violence towards the main female character and they were right. I really was.
I'm sure some people might really enjoy this, but it just wasn't for me. I'm kind of sorry that this was my first attempt at reading manga.
The prologue writer also points out that some modern readers might be turned off by the violence towards the main female character and they were right. I really was.
I'm sure some people might really enjoy this, but it just wasn't for me. I'm kind of sorry that this was my first attempt at reading manga.
October 22, 2017
Barbara quotes Verlaine, she is a muse and a witch, she an interesting, devoted and witty girl, but the artist she is staying with sees her as a drunk and selfish hobo.
He realises what he had, only when he loses her. And he slowly goes insane.
It’s sexist and there are scenes of domestic violence, but the reader should be mature enough to understand this manga is a product of its time (1973-74).
He realises what he had, only when he loses her. And he slowly goes insane.
It’s sexist and there are scenes of domestic violence, but the reader should be mature enough to understand this manga is a product of its time (1973-74).
June 24, 2019
Very average. Couldn’t get into it. From a famous author who apparently was among the first to experiment graphic novel. He drew 170,000 pages in his carreer, which is about 7,5 per day, starting the day he was born. This is surreal, almost superhuman. But the character of the drunken muse and savior of an artist wasn’t deep enough to keep me on my toes. One of those rare mangas I couldn’t finish, I was too bored. Sad. But it happens...
March 26, 2024
Segundo manga que leo del autor. En este caso, la historia es algo convulsa y extraña. El mismo autor, en el epílogo, explica que hacia la segunda mitad decidió hacer las cosas más evidentes, lo cual le quita curiosamente algo de magia al asunto. En general es una obra que se lee rápido, con algunas historias más de tebeo, ligeras, y otras mucho más oscuras y tristes. De nuevo, una lectura interesante de una obra cuya existencia no he conocido hasta ahora.
August 9, 2018
Bewitching as the enigmatic female lead, I find this book hard to put down. At least, that was my feeling throughout the first half. The humorous episodic randomness was building up towards revealing Barbara's true nature. Sadly, it all fell downhill after that. The main protagonists obsession phase was boring.
February 22, 2025
Barbara est un personnage mystérieux et trash et c’était jamais lassant de suivre ses aventures par le biais du personnage principal. Ça va vraiment dans toutes les directions (mythologie, satanisme, sorcellerie?!), la version française était solidement franchouillarde mais super bien appuyée par des notes de contexte historique/culturel en fin de livre.
July 29, 2017
Marvelous, the art is so vivid and the madness incredible. Barbara i such a great character, the Writer relationship with her is one of sadness and beauty. I prefer Osamu Tezuka when he's telling story about the human mind, and this one is one of the best
November 18, 2018
6/10.
Al principio tenía miedo que que fuera una obra repetitiva. Por suerte poco a poco la trama va creciendo y cobrando interés. No es un manga brillante, pero siempre es un gusto leer algo de Osamu Tezuka.
Al principio tenía miedo que que fuera una obra repetitiva. Por suerte poco a poco la trama va creciendo y cobrando interés. No es un manga brillante, pero siempre es un gusto leer algo de Osamu Tezuka.
November 3, 2020
Uno scrittore si affeziona a una ragazza alcoolizzata e randagia, che diventerà la sua musa.
Esoterico, erotico, letterario, ma anche bizzarro "alla giapponese", malinconico ed esilarante. Il primo Tezuka che leggo è piuttosto intrigante. Ora potrei proseguire con le sue altre centinaia di opere.
Esoterico, erotico, letterario, ma anche bizzarro "alla giapponese", malinconico ed esilarante. Il primo Tezuka che leggo è piuttosto intrigante. Ora potrei proseguire con le sue altre centinaia di opere.
September 28, 2021
One of the very best works by Osamu Tezuka. Fans will not be disappointed in this title. New readers of Tezuka will find it alarming, but interesting at the same time. Certainly not for everyone. His style is an acquired taste in Manga.
September 25, 2022
Tezuka's adult work is so bananas - this one really shows the pressure of serialization, as many Tezuka works do, but this one especially you can feel him spinning his wheels, trying to figure out where the story is going through the first half. A really unique work, that's for sure.
August 19, 2024
Le pondría las 5 estrellas pero es... Demasiado de su tiempo(?
Que si fuera yo, con una mínima parte del maltrato de él yo ya me hubiera ido. Aunque viendo como es la obra, por ahí era la idea... Que rayada. Muy buena, igualmente.
Que si fuera yo, con una mínima parte del maltrato de él yo ya me hubiera ido. Aunque viendo como es la obra, por ahí era la idea... Que rayada. Muy buena, igualmente.
July 28, 2021
Una opera veramente matura di Tezuka.
Chissa' che anche lui non fosse alle prese con una "Barbara" mentre disegnava la sue opere?
Chissa' che anche lui non fosse alle prese con una "Barbara" mentre disegnava la sue opere?
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