うしおととら 第1巻 ワイド版

うしおととら ワイド版 / Ushio to Tora. Wide-ban #1

by Kazuhiro Fujita, 藤田 和日郎

地下室から出た妖怪は潮に「とら」と名付けられた。とらは潮に「必ずお前を食ってやる」と意気込み、潮はとらを「くそ妖怪」と馬鹿にしまくる。ところがこの二人、いがみあいながらも妙にウマが合い、お互い助け合って、次から次へと襲ってくる邪悪な妖怪たちを退治していく。1990年に連載開始され、「サンデーコミックス」から出ていた人気作をワイド版化した第1集。

Ushio and Tora centers around the travels and battles of Ushio Aotsuki (蒼月潮), who is constantly being stalked and aided by a gigantic, supernatural and sometimes invisible tiger-like monster.

Ushio's family maintains a temple in Japan, where 500 years ago, his samurai ancestor battled that same monster to a standstill, and eventually trapped him against a rock using a cursed spear called the "Beast Spear", which grants strength, speed, and endurance to the wielder in exchange to his soul. Ushio accidentally unsealed the cave Tora was trapped in.

Genres: Manga

334 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2000

About the author

Kazuhiro Fujita (藤田 和日郎 Fujita Kazuhirō, born 24 May 1964 in Asahikawa, Hokkaidō, Japan) is a Japanese manga artist. He graduated from Nihon University. He made his professional manga debut in Shōnen Sunday in 1989. He is most famous for the manga Ushio and Tora, for which he won Shogakukan Manga Award for shōnen in 1992 and the Seiun Award in 1997, and the long-running Karakuri Circus.

Reviews

[Heather Ranier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I watched the anime series years ago when it first came out subbed in ADV's heyday. When I moved to Japan several years later, I spent every Sunday at my local book shop looking for something to read and so began to collect this series solely because I was somewhat familiar with it. It wasn't until 3 years later, having returned to the US, that I actually started reading the series and found the anime had only covered 3 books of a 33 book series!

And an amazing 33 books they are. It starts off with amazing, in-depth characters who are both down-to-earth in their relationships and inspring in their sacrifices. Add to that an amazing plot so brilliantly complex without ever becoming confusing, weaving flashbacks across 2000 years of story with the modern trials and tribulations of the main characters, with each seemingly chance meeting throughout the series coming together to create a purely magical ending that has pushed all but the most hardened heart to tears.

After reading the series in Japanese, I was so inspired that I took one year out of my life to translate it for the public in the hopes that others would enjoy it as much as I did and still do (I am currently rereading it in Japanese). If only today's generation could look beyond the "unpretty" art (boldly drawn in a mix of ultra-realistic and comically deformed without the crutch of plastically gorgeous girls and boys) to bring this series the acclaim it still holds in Japan (voted in the top 20 manga of all time).

Read and enjoy!

[Mikuru Onuki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had heard the title of this manga but I hadn’t tried ever. My brother said he likes the unique worldview before, we are slightly coming into conflict and I remembered that he said, I read this volume.

I like this old school art style of Kazuhiro Fujita. He’s famous manga author I knew. His art is bold and angular, it makes good atmosphere when we see creepy and little scary world. I love the scene when Ushio and Tora met at first time, the author drew the darkness behind Ushio by inked brush. He, the author expressed well the gleam lighten something(but we can’t know what it is yet) behind Ushio and it isn’t usual. Then Ushio felt “there’s someone here?!”, this moment was drew Ushio’s surprised and seriously nervous face and background is filled with black ink. The panel shows Ushio felt something unusuality then, also there’s dark place where distant from peaceful daily life of Ushio. I love this expression!

Although, in this manga, it is used concentrated line-work a lot, and less toners except shades at serious scenes. It’s typical style of old shounen manga I guess. For example, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure or Dai’s Adventure, Hokuto no Ken..of course there’s differences but it can be said typically similar.

I was impressed the dynamism of his artwork...everyone who are learning drawing, steel it!

[Ennio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Questo è senza dubbio il più bel manga che abbia mai letto, annoverabile, secondo me, tra le pietre miliari di questo genere.
Ammetto che ho faticato un po' ad abituarmi allo stile di disegno di Katsuhiro Fujita, ma numero dopo numero l'ho trovato sempre più accattivante, fino a rendermi conto di quanto quel particolare gioco di ombre, il tratto a momenti caotico, sia inscindibile dalla natura stessa del manga.
Inoltre, avanzando con la lettura, ci si rende conto, come per il disegno, quale è la grandezza della storia che man mano si va definendo.
Questo manga regala attimi di comicità e commozione, che l'autore riesce a provocare anche grazie alla semplice espressione di uno dei personaggi, assolutamente affascinanti.
Per concludere Ushio e Tora non è classificabile in uno specifico genere, costituendo un "must have" per un amante dei manga di qualsiasi genere.

[Jodie Typn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best manga to me ever!!!