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人間昆虫記 [Ningen Konchūki] #1-2
The Book of Human Insects
Toshiko Tomura is a genius; the darling of the intelligentsia. A modern-day Michelangelo, this twenty year-old is already an established international stage actress, an up-and-coming architect, and the next recipient of the prestigious Akutagawa Prize as Japan's best new writer. Her actions make headlines in the papers, and inspire radio and television programming. And like many great talents, her troubled past is what motivates her to greatness. She has the amazing ability to emulate the talents of others.
Toshiko is also the mastermind behind a series of murders. The ultimate mimic, she has plagiarized, blackmailed, stolen and replicated the works of scores of talents. And now as her star is rising within the world of the elites and powerful she has amassed a long list of enemies frustrated by the fact that she has built critical and financial acclaim for nothing more than copying others' work. Neglected as a child, she is challenging the concepts of gender inequality while unleashing her loneliness upon the world as she climbs the social ladder one body at a time.
One of Osamu Tezuka's most wicked tales, The Book of Human Insects renders the 70's as a brutal and often polarizing bug-eat-bug world, where only those willing to sell their soul to the masses and become something less than human are capable of achieving their wildest dreams
Toshiko is also the mastermind behind a series of murders. The ultimate mimic, she has plagiarized, blackmailed, stolen and replicated the works of scores of talents. And now as her star is rising within the world of the elites and powerful she has amassed a long list of enemies frustrated by the fact that she has built critical and financial acclaim for nothing more than copying others' work. Neglected as a child, she is challenging the concepts of gender inequality while unleashing her loneliness upon the world as she climbs the social ladder one body at a time.
One of Osamu Tezuka's most wicked tales, The Book of Human Insects renders the 70's as a brutal and often polarizing bug-eat-bug world, where only those willing to sell their soul to the masses and become something less than human are capable of achieving their wildest dreams
368 pages, Paperback
First published May 9, 1970
67 people are currently reading
1689 people want to read
About the author
Osamu Tezuka
2,142 books1,292 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 212 reviews
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October 28, 202028/10/20
Went back and finished it. Still a nope. This was so boring.
22/7/20
DNFing this 220 pages in, this wasn't for me. The main character outsmarting people consistently just got really boring at some point and there was too much abuse etc. that really only made me detest this piece of work even more.
22/7/20
Excited to read a piece created by the OG of manga :D
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Went back and finished it. Still a nope. This was so boring.
22/7/20
DNFing this 220 pages in, this wasn't for me. The main character outsmarting people consistently just got really boring at some point and there was too much abuse etc. that really only made me detest this piece of work even more.
22/7/20
Excited to read a piece created by the OG of manga :D
You can find me on
Youtube | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Website | The Storygraph
February 21, 2020
With the Book of Human Insects, Tezuka's appeal is reaches new heights. He compressed an incredibly fascinating character study into a short space.
It is what he did with MW, but you'll see even more compression here. One eternally gets the sense that Tezuka suffered from too many ideas. He simply could not draw fast enough. In fact, I would have been okay with him just resorting to stick figures or blocking out his stories and allowing apprentices and assistants to finish his works. But no, he chose to work much harder than anyone else and do everything himself.
The Book of Human Insects, with its bleak commentary on art, is actually prophetic. How many artists would discover Tezuka and then copy and reinvent his ideas? He single-handedly created a market for anime with Astro Boy, and revolutionized manga into a legitimate career path. After leaving behind 150,000 pages of drawings in the famous 700 volume Tezuka collection, he still didn’t want to stop at the end of his life. The inspiration he found from Hollywood and Disney is clear in some of his work, but in the end he showcased a capacity to invent ideas at a greater rate than any other creator of his time.
The Book of Human Insects is a good place to enter into Tezuka’s work. Before embarking on Ode to Kirihito or Barbara or MW, this one, solid volume is enough to convince anyone with literary leanings that Tezuka was more than just a serious contender in the medium. He might have been the Mozart of manga. He makes everyone else look like Salieri. Sure, he had his flaws. You can find plenty of jokes that really aren't funny and plotlines that come out of nowhere only to go nowhere, but you won't find that kind of thing in this volume.
After reading The Book of Human Insects I needed no more convincing. I wanted to reread it. But I knew there was too much Tezuka left. I couldn’t pause to linger over this fine work of storytelling. I had to move on to his other works. The quality of Tezuka is such that even when he is not at his best, he is still addictive. And even when he was just starting, his brilliance was recognizable. When the medium didn’t allow for much space or experimentation, he still found ways to innovate with works like The Mysterious Underground Men. This work is marked by adult themes, adult atmosphere and a total lack of appeal for children. Tezuka was making an effort to elevate manga above the level of the funny papers and to spread appreciation.
The Book of Human Insects categorizes many typical characters, recognizable in part, from other examples of his work. It contains journalists, writers, actors, assassins, businessmen, lovers, but is devoid of children. It is fairly obvious when Tezuka is trying to be mature. It is a testament to him that he could dash off something like The Book of Human Insects while working on other projects simultaneously.
Tezuka must have internalized the basic themes he wished to explore: the human spirit, sacrifice, religious dogmas, futurism, dystopia, love, jealousy, etc. etc. And he conjures scenes organically, invents plot twists at the drop of a hat, inserts the right amount of conflict, tension, and mixes up the atmosphere as necessary. This book occupies a special place in my mind as one of the most crystallized Tezuka works. It's hard to beat for sheer intense storytelling. It contains all the drama and comedy and tragedy you could ask for from a graphic work. All he needed to do was dream, and let the characters come to life, and draw them into being in the midst of their frantic worlds.
It is what he did with MW, but you'll see even more compression here. One eternally gets the sense that Tezuka suffered from too many ideas. He simply could not draw fast enough. In fact, I would have been okay with him just resorting to stick figures or blocking out his stories and allowing apprentices and assistants to finish his works. But no, he chose to work much harder than anyone else and do everything himself.
The Book of Human Insects, with its bleak commentary on art, is actually prophetic. How many artists would discover Tezuka and then copy and reinvent his ideas? He single-handedly created a market for anime with Astro Boy, and revolutionized manga into a legitimate career path. After leaving behind 150,000 pages of drawings in the famous 700 volume Tezuka collection, he still didn’t want to stop at the end of his life. The inspiration he found from Hollywood and Disney is clear in some of his work, but in the end he showcased a capacity to invent ideas at a greater rate than any other creator of his time.
The Book of Human Insects is a good place to enter into Tezuka’s work. Before embarking on Ode to Kirihito or Barbara or MW, this one, solid volume is enough to convince anyone with literary leanings that Tezuka was more than just a serious contender in the medium. He might have been the Mozart of manga. He makes everyone else look like Salieri. Sure, he had his flaws. You can find plenty of jokes that really aren't funny and plotlines that come out of nowhere only to go nowhere, but you won't find that kind of thing in this volume.
After reading The Book of Human Insects I needed no more convincing. I wanted to reread it. But I knew there was too much Tezuka left. I couldn’t pause to linger over this fine work of storytelling. I had to move on to his other works. The quality of Tezuka is such that even when he is not at his best, he is still addictive. And even when he was just starting, his brilliance was recognizable. When the medium didn’t allow for much space or experimentation, he still found ways to innovate with works like The Mysterious Underground Men. This work is marked by adult themes, adult atmosphere and a total lack of appeal for children. Tezuka was making an effort to elevate manga above the level of the funny papers and to spread appreciation.
The Book of Human Insects categorizes many typical characters, recognizable in part, from other examples of his work. It contains journalists, writers, actors, assassins, businessmen, lovers, but is devoid of children. It is fairly obvious when Tezuka is trying to be mature. It is a testament to him that he could dash off something like The Book of Human Insects while working on other projects simultaneously.
Tezuka must have internalized the basic themes he wished to explore: the human spirit, sacrifice, religious dogmas, futurism, dystopia, love, jealousy, etc. etc. And he conjures scenes organically, invents plot twists at the drop of a hat, inserts the right amount of conflict, tension, and mixes up the atmosphere as necessary. This book occupies a special place in my mind as one of the most crystallized Tezuka works. It's hard to beat for sheer intense storytelling. It contains all the drama and comedy and tragedy you could ask for from a graphic work. All he needed to do was dream, and let the characters come to life, and draw them into being in the midst of their frantic worlds.
March 5, 2022
Toshiko Tomura is many things: actress, designer, writer, wife, chameleon, and murderer!
Osamu Tezuka is known as the Godfather of Manga but this is only the third work of his I've read. I'm solidly a fan now.
The Book of Human Insects is about a sociopath named Toshiko Tomura, although even her name is stolen. Hers is a life of theft, both of identity and of work, I guess you'd say. She stole a manuscript and passed it off as her own, as well as other similar works. The story is about the men pulled into her orbit and destroyed. That's all I'll give away from the plot.
After Astro Boy and Dororo, I didn't think Tezuka's cutesy style would work for this but it worked very well, He uses a lot of hatching and textures in his background, which makes his cartoony figures stand out even more.
This was a very captivating book. As Toshiko went from victim to victim, I was appalled but just kept turning pages. It was a gripping read and kind of a train wreck for all parties concerned. It reminded me of any number of psychosexual thrillers in books or on the screen that came later.
The Book of Human Insects is a noir thriller in a somewhat cutesy wrapper. Four out of five wrecked lives.
Osamu Tezuka is known as the Godfather of Manga but this is only the third work of his I've read. I'm solidly a fan now.
The Book of Human Insects is about a sociopath named Toshiko Tomura, although even her name is stolen. Hers is a life of theft, both of identity and of work, I guess you'd say. She stole a manuscript and passed it off as her own, as well as other similar works. The story is about the men pulled into her orbit and destroyed. That's all I'll give away from the plot.
After Astro Boy and Dororo, I didn't think Tezuka's cutesy style would work for this but it worked very well, He uses a lot of hatching and textures in his background, which makes his cartoony figures stand out even more.
This was a very captivating book. As Toshiko went from victim to victim, I was appalled but just kept turning pages. It was a gripping read and kind of a train wreck for all parties concerned. It reminded me of any number of psychosexual thrillers in books or on the screen that came later.
The Book of Human Insects is a noir thriller in a somewhat cutesy wrapper. Four out of five wrecked lives.
January 4, 2023
Osamu Tezuka es uno de esos nombres intocables dentro de cómic japonés. Es "el padre" del manga moderno, tiene una obra inabarcable sobre todo de temática infantil o juvenil, pero también publicó unas cuantas novelas gráficas para público adulto.
El libro de los insectos humanos, publicado en 1970, es una de esas obras inclasificables.
Una historia bizarra y muy perturbadora sobre una sociópata, un ser sin conciencia que no para de hacer el mal pero que sin embargo logra conectar tanto con el lector que acabas deseando que se salga con la suya.
Con ese aire años 60 revolucionario, provocador, donde la frivolidad se mezcla con la política y la situación social de la época.
Una pequeña obra de arte que se sale del cauce del manga tradicional.
El libro de los insectos humanos, publicado en 1970, es una de esas obras inclasificables.
Una historia bizarra y muy perturbadora sobre una sociópata, un ser sin conciencia que no para de hacer el mal pero que sin embargo logra conectar tanto con el lector que acabas deseando que se salga con la suya.
Con ese aire años 60 revolucionario, provocador, donde la frivolidad se mezcla con la política y la situación social de la época.
Una pequeña obra de arte que se sale del cauce del manga tradicional.
February 24, 2023
Magnífica incursión de Tezuka en el "gekiga", el tebeo adulto japonés surgido a finales de los cincuenta, mezcla de novela negra, melodrama, thriller psicológico, Rampo Edogawa, política, sexo triste y perversión, de un delicioso sabor a años 60/70. La narración es una sacada de un Tezuka en plenas facultades, en la que abundan las viñetas memorables, y, de nuevo, esa pasmosa habilidad para pasar de la caricatura a la tragedia, del drama a la comedia, de la narración sencilla a la sofisticación dramática. Y el personaje central es fantástico, esa psicópata sin escrúpulos que me llegó a caer bien, la habilidad con la que Tezuka hace pasear a sus personajes por la ambigüedad psicológica y moral es pasmosa. Una obra maestra.
October 25, 2014
3.5
Where this book succeeded was having a thrilling and dynamic story, even if without a clear plot, and creating several intriguing characters with some decent character development over its course.
Where it failed was not developing them enough. Instead of uni-dimensional characters we get excellent two-dimensional characters, but they largely end up seeming like empty puppets. It all could have been redeemed if we got more insight into the mind of the protagonist, Toshiko Tomura, or at least her background.
Where this book succeeded was having a thrilling and dynamic story, even if without a clear plot, and creating several intriguing characters with some decent character development over its course.
Where it failed was not developing them enough. Instead of uni-dimensional characters we get excellent two-dimensional characters, but they largely end up seeming like empty puppets. It all could have been redeemed if we got more insight into the mind of the protagonist, Toshiko Tomura, or at least her background.
March 13, 2017
One of the weirdest book i've ever read. It started off good and pulled me into the story. It kinda reeled off a bit in the third chapter. Maybe i should have done a research on what they were talking about. I dunno, but it kinda felt weird and cringe reading some of the panels but they're essential to understand the mentality of Tomura. All in all its worth your time reading it
June 14, 2024
A near perfect thriller that brings to mind a good Hitchcock movie. Tezuka even stops the action for a psychological analysis of the main character ala Psycho and Marnie.
Toshiko Tomura is a beautiful woman who mimics the talented people around her launches her into fame and fortune. First as an actress then an award winning architect and finally as a novelist. Her plagiarism hurts the people around her, but she doesn't seem to care. Later we'll get to see her mimic some other talents that wreaks havoc on the people around her.
It's pretty wild that a comic like this exists from 1970. Japan was so far ahead of Western comics back then when it comes to long adult stories.
It's not perfect but the thrilling pace and the fantastic artwork - I just couldn't put this down after I started reading - it's another Tezuka 5-star from me. The 10th I've given him... I guess I agree he's the Godfather of Manga. The Japanese Jack Kirby.
Toshiko Tomura is a beautiful woman who mimics the talented people around her launches her into fame and fortune. First as an actress then an award winning architect and finally as a novelist. Her plagiarism hurts the people around her, but she doesn't seem to care. Later we'll get to see her mimic some other talents that wreaks havoc on the people around her.
It's pretty wild that a comic like this exists from 1970. Japan was so far ahead of Western comics back then when it comes to long adult stories.
It's not perfect but the thrilling pace and the fantastic artwork - I just couldn't put this down after I started reading - it's another Tezuka 5-star from me. The 10th I've given him... I guess I agree he's the Godfather of Manga. The Japanese Jack Kirby.
June 1, 2023
Otro comic genial ,aquí Tezuka nos explica la historia de una femme fatale que va absorbiendo las capacidades de los hombres y mujeres que tienen la mala suerte de encontrarsela y va mudando de piel para lograr sus objetivos maquiavelicamente. Mucha tensió por saber a donde irá la historia y un dibujo genial como siempre. Tezuka es un dios.
January 12, 2025
No había leído esta obra de Tezuka a pesar de su fama, y bien merecida es. Además del dibujo, a la altura de lo mejor que hiciera nunca, mola lo que hace con Toshiko Tomura. Convierte a la protagonista en un molde capaz de mimetizar las habilidades de quienes tiene a su alrededor hasta superar cualquier reto que se proponga. En una época convulsa (finales de los 60, principios de los 70) se las ve con distintos elementos de la sociedad nipona a los que desprovee de las capas de simulación con las cuales se revisten y deja al descubierto su egoísmo, la ingenuidad, el hedonismo, la violencia, la obsesión... Su humanidad. Por el camino dota a Toshiko de facetas problemáticas, en parte carnaza para poder publicar en una industria que tenía que dar sus desnudos, su provocación, su drama desaforado... Pero lejos de quedarse ahí se sirve de ellas para profundizar en el retrato y sacar más punta a ese libro de los insectos humanos que es Toshiko, el rastro de personajes que deja por el camino y el propio manga en sí.
Read
April 2, 2015Listen, I don't want to scream "misogyny!" every time I read a story written by a man about a female character I don't like. But between this and Ayako it's kind of hard to ignore. First of all, Tezuka's Ayako is all about a nubile young woman who systematically destroys everyone around her. She has very little personality. The Book of Human Insects is about a nubile young woman who systematically destroys everyone around her. She has very little personality. I understand that in gekiga characters are often written with a kind of noir flatness, but when you compare the characters in this novel with just one of Yoshihiro Tatsumi's short stories, it's kind of sad.
So, fine--a failed "dramatic picture." It's a harrowing story without a lot of depth, about a sociopath who conceals her banal nature with a hot sexy body and a yen for expert plagiarism. A kind of Gone Girl for manga enthusiasts.
However...there's the only thing that made me kind of like this, in spite of it all. There's a panel in the story where one of the characters asks if--just maybe--Toshiko Tomura isn't justified in using these tricks to get what she wants. I feel like Tezuka wants us to think that no, she is not, but by the end, I was like, maybe she was justified after all. Good girls don't get the corner office, after all. If she hadn't lied, cheated, stolen, and killed to become part of the literati, then what would she be? A "boring, ignorant country girl" who never amounted to anything. Or, what, Mizuno's doomed wife? How was her sad life supposed to be any better? Sure, she was loved, but she suffered and lived a frankly kind of boring life in the sticks, married to a failure. Isn't Toshiko Tomura perfectly happy by the end? And though we may root for her evil husband to finally (horrifyingly) imprison her with pregnancy because she's so awful, don't we also root for her to kill his disgusting ass?
Tl;dr: a muddled noir story seasoned without much character development or really anyone to root for because they're all horrible, although you might enjoy the exploits of the spectacularly villainous main character if you ignore the woman-hating. No dog sex in this one, but plenty of abortions, lesbians, boobs, rape, explosions, and some extremely questionable depictions of Koreans.
So, fine--a failed "dramatic picture." It's a harrowing story without a lot of depth, about a sociopath who conceals her banal nature with a hot sexy body and a yen for expert plagiarism. A kind of Gone Girl for manga enthusiasts.
However...there's the only thing that made me kind of like this, in spite of it all. There's a panel in the story where one of the characters asks if--just maybe--Toshiko Tomura isn't justified in using these tricks to get what she wants. I feel like Tezuka wants us to think that no, she is not, but by the end, I was like, maybe she was justified after all. Good girls don't get the corner office, after all. If she hadn't lied, cheated, stolen, and killed to become part of the literati, then what would she be? A "boring, ignorant country girl" who never amounted to anything. Or, what, Mizuno's doomed wife? How was her sad life supposed to be any better? Sure, she was loved, but she suffered and lived a frankly kind of boring life in the sticks, married to a failure. Isn't Toshiko Tomura perfectly happy by the end? And though we may root for her evil husband to finally (horrifyingly) imprison her with pregnancy because she's so awful, don't we also root for her to kill his disgusting ass?
Tl;dr: a muddled noir story seasoned without much character development or really anyone to root for because they're all horrible, although you might enjoy the exploits of the spectacularly villainous main character if you ignore the woman-hating. No dog sex in this one, but plenty of abortions, lesbians, boobs, rape, explosions, and some extremely questionable depictions of Koreans.
April 5, 2017
Brilliant. Possibly the best thing I've read from Tezuka.
September 9, 2020
I got a sample of this a while back, but the artwork didn’t sit right with me initially.
I returned to it a few times, but always had something else to read.
Last week I ran out of manga, so I bought the full version.
It’s a compelling story. It reminded me of those pink films (I think that’s what they’re called) where a woman is a sort of muse to a man, but also leads to his demise. It’s always weird though because the men seem to think that the destruction was worth it.
The protagonist here is a woman who copies the talents of others. She’s very good at it, but she leaves a path of destruction in her wake. I probably wouldn’t read a novel about this, but the manga was excellent.
The artwork reminds me of Astro Boy or Speed Racer, but that’s not to say it is childish. There’s some really great paneling techniques in here, and it is really well done overall.
I will be reading more of this author’s work for sure.
I returned to it a few times, but always had something else to read.
Last week I ran out of manga, so I bought the full version.
It’s a compelling story. It reminded me of those pink films (I think that’s what they’re called) where a woman is a sort of muse to a man, but also leads to his demise. It’s always weird though because the men seem to think that the destruction was worth it.
The protagonist here is a woman who copies the talents of others. She’s very good at it, but she leaves a path of destruction in her wake. I probably wouldn’t read a novel about this, but the manga was excellent.
The artwork reminds me of Astro Boy or Speed Racer, but that’s not to say it is childish. There’s some really great paneling techniques in here, and it is really well done overall.
I will be reading more of this author’s work for sure.
February 15, 2025
DNF page 152.
Je ne rentre pas dans l'histoire, je ne trouve pas ça intéressant.
Je ne rentre pas dans l'histoire, je ne trouve pas ça intéressant.
May 26, 2021
Reading the title, one could be at least interested with what this manga by Osamu Tezuka has in store for its readers. With just enough intrigue, mystery, and plot to keep it going, The Book of Human Insects unfortunately lacks character relatability and depth for it to be a memorable one. It's one of those reads wherein one should not think too much and would just sit down and enjoy the ride.
The story revolves around Toshiko Tomura, a woman of great cunning and beauty. Well, I wanted to say more, but anything substantial I could say about her I think would be a spoiler. What I can say though is, the title really nails what the manga is all about. The story itself feels episodic and can be read in more bite-sized chapters, loosely tied together by the characters' relation with Toshiko. It is enough to sustain your interest to read until the end. It is not boring, although it suffers with plot conveniences just to get the story going.
Sure, Toshiko is intriguing and at times enigmatic, but she was written in a way that feels so distant and unrelatable to the readers. Except for who she was in the past and what she does in the present, but her motivations as to why she does what she does is sorely missing in the story. The Book of Human Insects sorely needs a relatable backstory at least for our main characters. A few pages of motivation and relatability would really do to make the readers more invested and relate with them.
I'd still recommend to read The Book of Human Insects, if you have some spare time. It isn't a must-read and sure there are better Osamu Tezuka mangas out there. But if you have time, why not?
The story revolves around Toshiko Tomura, a woman of great cunning and beauty. Well, I wanted to say more, but anything substantial I could say about her I think would be a spoiler. What I can say though is, the title really nails what the manga is all about. The story itself feels episodic and can be read in more bite-sized chapters, loosely tied together by the characters' relation with Toshiko. It is enough to sustain your interest to read until the end. It is not boring, although it suffers with plot conveniences just to get the story going.
Sure, Toshiko is intriguing and at times enigmatic, but she was written in a way that feels so distant and unrelatable to the readers. Except for who she was in the past and what she does in the present, but her motivations as to why she does what she does is sorely missing in the story. The Book of Human Insects sorely needs a relatable backstory at least for our main characters. A few pages of motivation and relatability would really do to make the readers more invested and relate with them.
I'd still recommend to read The Book of Human Insects, if you have some spare time. It isn't a must-read and sure there are better Osamu Tezuka mangas out there. But if you have time, why not?
December 12, 2023
For some reason am plowing thru the graphic novels. This one is from a Japanese master of the form. That probably says it all.
I was lost by some of the details of corporate machinations but overall the flow was great, and the execution equally impressive.
I was lost by some of the details of corporate machinations but overall the flow was great, and the execution equally impressive.
November 13, 2020
Not at all what I was expecting. This is objectively one of the worst things I ever read but its so bad its good in a strange way.
October 28, 2024
No pensé que se pusiera serio, en verdad no había ni cachado que era seinen. Tezuka es un pilar esencial en la producción del manga y para la cultura general. Astroboy lo conoce todo el mundo y sus gran lista de éxitos en el país de Asia es conocida de ese lado del planeta. Yo tuve que leerme esto apurado pero aún así me entretuve un montón. Me hizo pensar sobre el conflicto japonés de la posguerra, ya entrando a los 60 considerando la contradicción del mundo en el que entran. Se pierde la tradición y quedan entre los conflictos de Corea y China, dudando los bandos a tomar, los valores por adoptar y el futuro que elegir. Un país que queda muy decididamente sin futuro, eso es lo que se ve en este manga representado en su protagonista.
September 22, 2024
Este fue el primer manga que Osamu Tezuka, el creador de Astro Boy, La Princesa Caballero, etc., hiciera para un público adulto.
En él están presentes los temas más “polémicos” para la sociedad japonesa de los años en los que fue creado: la homosexualidad, la prostitución, el aborto, la liberación femenina, etc. La acción transcurre de manera vertiginosa; sin embargo, mucho de lo que podemos rescatar hoy de esta obra —que nunca fue pensada para ser leída fuera de Japón— es lo novedoso y artístico del trazo (el manga, al igual que el cómic en aquellos años, no era considerado un arte), así como una crítica muy sutil hacia la sociedad de su tiempo (que sigue siendo válida hoy): ¿reconocemos que, para sobrevivir en esta sociedad —sí, la japonesa del s. XX, pero lo dicho también aplica para cualquier otra—, tenemos que convertirnos en “insectos humanos”?
Addendum: tal vez me hubiese gustado un poco más de cuidado por parte de Kodansha USA (los editores de la versión estadounidense) para poner a la obra más en contexto.
En él están presentes los temas más “polémicos” para la sociedad japonesa de los años en los que fue creado: la homosexualidad, la prostitución, el aborto, la liberación femenina, etc. La acción transcurre de manera vertiginosa; sin embargo, mucho de lo que podemos rescatar hoy de esta obra —que nunca fue pensada para ser leída fuera de Japón— es lo novedoso y artístico del trazo (el manga, al igual que el cómic en aquellos años, no era considerado un arte), así como una crítica muy sutil hacia la sociedad de su tiempo (que sigue siendo válida hoy): ¿reconocemos que, para sobrevivir en esta sociedad —sí, la japonesa del s. XX, pero lo dicho también aplica para cualquier otra—, tenemos que convertirnos en “insectos humanos”?
Addendum: tal vez me hubiese gustado un poco más de cuidado por parte de Kodansha USA (los editores de la versión estadounidense) para poner a la obra más en contexto.
January 6, 2014
Osamu Tezuka è un artista di fama internazionale non a caso. Per quanto mi riguarda, pur non essendo particolarmente affezionato ai manga in genere, devo riconoscergli una capacità di inventare di inventare personaggi e situazioni molto insolita, il che fa di molte delle sue creazioni, perlomeno quelle che ho letto io finora, dei capolavori del genere. Anche questa "Cronaca" riflette tutti i tratti caratteristici dell'autore e ogni co-protagonista ha una sua funzione peculiare. Si legge nella postfazione che la storia è stata inventata sullo sfondo di un Giappone in crescita travolgente dopo la guerra: traduco, pensando che significhi il senso di smarrimento nel lasciare tradizioni millenarie per inseguire il modello occidentale, tanto nuovo e accattivante quanto insidioso. Non deve ingannare l'ironia che traspare talvolta dai disegni, essa è al tempo stesso scelta e stile, e nulla toglie alla drammaticità della trama.
September 10, 2014
Tezuka kept me guessing in every chapter. He takes aim at the "new breed" he saw coming up in the 70s, obsessed with consumerism and free sex, and follows those values to absurd (and absurdly entertaining) lengths. What's it like to live only knowing how to imitate, seduce, and acquire? How does one resist such a lifestyle without becoming a victim? Several different lifestyles (celebrity, corporate, artistic) are corrupted by Toshiko Tomura, who always gets her way. Follow her around awhile; Tezuka couldn't look away, either.
August 3, 2013
Before Catherine Trammell, there was ... Toshiko Tomura. A genius who is the fastest learner in the East, with parasitic tendencies.
While most of us know of Tezuka because of his works such as Astro Boy and Black Jack, this book, published by Vertical Inc. gives us a look at his full range of talent, especially in writing a psycohlogical thriller work. Due to the content, it is in some ways similar to MW, his other extremely dark manga.
While most of us know of Tezuka because of his works such as Astro Boy and Black Jack, this book, published by Vertical Inc. gives us a look at his full range of talent, especially in writing a psycohlogical thriller work. Due to the content, it is in some ways similar to MW, his other extremely dark manga.
February 5, 2021
Osamu Tezuka no para de impresionarme: mediante un dibujo sencillo y unos personajes infantiles, el autor nos transmite conceptos como la envidia, perseverancia, obsesión, donde las taras personales nos obligan a seguir pedaleando infinitamente para no caernos de la bici.
No es su mejor obra (de esas tiene unas cuantas), pero me fascina la psicología de sus personajes y los temas tan oscuros que contiene este manga.
No es su mejor obra (de esas tiene unas cuantas), pero me fascina la psicología de sus personajes y los temas tan oscuros que contiene este manga.
May 28, 2021
Another brilliant piece of a work by Osamu Tezuka !
The Book of Human Insects explores all of the human emotions and takes us through a hellish and sophisticated ride of our modern day society. The protagonist being a female makes this story 10 times better
I will recommend everyone to read this manga atleast once and I can guarantee, that you will not regret your decision
The Book of Human Insects explores all of the human emotions and takes us through a hellish and sophisticated ride of our modern day society. The protagonist being a female makes this story 10 times better
I will recommend everyone to read this manga atleast once and I can guarantee, that you will not regret your decision
December 6, 2016
I had no idea what I was getting into. I don't know the first thing about manga..but this has got to be the weirdest book I read this year!
May 9, 2019
4.5/5
Mi primer Tezuka y no será el último. Muy interesante y tiene una narrativa super guay. Una historia incomoda llevada con gran maestría.
Mi primer Tezuka y no será el último. Muy interesante y tiene una narrativa super guay. Una historia incomoda llevada con gran maestría.
January 7, 2020
Puoi trovare questa recensione anche sul mio blog, La siepe di more
La cronaca degli insetti umani è stato interessante da leggere innanzi tutto perché questa edizione mantiene il senso di lettura giapponese: pensavo che mi avrebbe creato confusione a causa della mia abitudine nel leggere al contrario, ma in realtà ci si abitua abbastanza in fretta. Senza contare che altrimenti ci si ritrova a leggere gli eventi in un ordine che non ha il minimo senso.
Interessante è stata anche la scelta della Tezuka Production di mettere un disclaimer all’inizio del libro, avvertendo lu lettère che nell’opera ci sono rappresentazioni di personaggi che, con la nostra sensibilità moderna, percepiremo come razziste. È una bella idea: non si può cambiare il passato, ma, dato che la nostra sensibilità è in continua evoluzione, mi pare un passo nella giusta direzione evidenziare questa variazione. Secondo me, La cronaca degli insetti umani contiene anche del sessismo, ma immagino che evidenziare anche questo fosse chiedere troppo…
Per quanto riguarda il manga, l’ho trovato una lettura difficile da definire perché è uno di quei libri che ti lasciano una sensazione inafferrabile dalla ragione. La cronaca degli insetti umani racconta una storia di azioni turpi, persone viscide e segreti scabrosi: alla fine della lettura mi sono sentita quasi contaminata dal peggio che l’umanità ha da offrire.
Non c’è un personaggio che non sia toccato o che non sia agente del male e i disegni di Osamu Tezuka sono così intensi che in alcuni momenti ho avuto bisogno di mettere giù il libro, prendere un bel respiro e poi continuare la lettura. Vi consiglio vivamente di recuperarlo (in qualche biblioteca, perché è fuori catalogo a quanto so): è un libro che ha ancora tanto da dire in merito alla spietatezza del nostro sistema socio-economico.
La cronaca degli insetti umani è stato interessante da leggere innanzi tutto perché questa edizione mantiene il senso di lettura giapponese: pensavo che mi avrebbe creato confusione a causa della mia abitudine nel leggere al contrario, ma in realtà ci si abitua abbastanza in fretta. Senza contare che altrimenti ci si ritrova a leggere gli eventi in un ordine che non ha il minimo senso.
Interessante è stata anche la scelta della Tezuka Production di mettere un disclaimer all’inizio del libro, avvertendo lu lettère che nell’opera ci sono rappresentazioni di personaggi che, con la nostra sensibilità moderna, percepiremo come razziste. È una bella idea: non si può cambiare il passato, ma, dato che la nostra sensibilità è in continua evoluzione, mi pare un passo nella giusta direzione evidenziare questa variazione. Secondo me, La cronaca degli insetti umani contiene anche del sessismo, ma immagino che evidenziare anche questo fosse chiedere troppo…
Per quanto riguarda il manga, l’ho trovato una lettura difficile da definire perché è uno di quei libri che ti lasciano una sensazione inafferrabile dalla ragione. La cronaca degli insetti umani racconta una storia di azioni turpi, persone viscide e segreti scabrosi: alla fine della lettura mi sono sentita quasi contaminata dal peggio che l’umanità ha da offrire.
Non c’è un personaggio che non sia toccato o che non sia agente del male e i disegni di Osamu Tezuka sono così intensi che in alcuni momenti ho avuto bisogno di mettere giù il libro, prendere un bel respiro e poi continuare la lettura. Vi consiglio vivamente di recuperarlo (in qualche biblioteca, perché è fuori catalogo a quanto so): è un libro che ha ancora tanto da dire in merito alla spietatezza del nostro sistema socio-economico.
December 18, 2021
Me costo al inicio empezar este libro, como que iba un poco lento y no sabia muy bien que me molestaba, hasta que di con ello: ¡el personaje principal! Así es, me molesto mucho la personalidad de Toshiko, representa todo lo que no me gusta de una persona: volatilidad, se aprovecha de su belleza, oportunista, sentimetaloide, ladina, mezquina, hipócrita.... en fin.
Sin embargo cuando volví a tomar el libro y ya me había dado cuenta que el personaje principal va mas de la mano a lo que realmente somos como seres humanos.... fue cuando no pude parar. La historia tiene "varios escenarios" y eso me gusto mucho.
Esta historía no dudo que haya sido de inspiración para una serie y porque es un clasico que se debe leer si te gusta las novelas graficas, Japón, o las historias dramáticas.
Sin embargo cuando volví a tomar el libro y ya me había dado cuenta que el personaje principal va mas de la mano a lo que realmente somos como seres humanos.... fue cuando no pude parar. La historia tiene "varios escenarios" y eso me gusto mucho.
Esta historía no dudo que haya sido de inspiración para una serie y porque es un clasico que se debe leer si te gusta las novelas graficas, Japón, o las historias dramáticas.
February 20, 2019
The first half of this book is nothing more than a well-oiled crime thriller, flaunting the shallow antemask of a woman who is manipulative and two-dimensional. As the book progresses, however, Tezuka reveals his antagonist to be far more fascinating: a woman who is desperate, if destructively, to escape being branded as a victim.
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