Billy Bat, Vol. 2

Billy Bat #2

by Naoki Urasawa, Takashi Nagasaki

Continua il viaggio nel passato alla ricerca delle origini di Billy Bat, il personaggio che ha portato Kevin al successo ma che forse può essere stato ispirato all’opera di altri. Questo, almeno, è il dubbio che si insinua nella mente di Kevin quando un poliziotto lo avverte di aver già visto il pipistrello in un fumetto giapponese. L’idea potrebbe essergli venuta proprio in Giappone, quando era nell’esercito. Ma dietro all’immagine del pipistrello si nasconde molto di più, e il povero Kevin si ritroverà in un gioco molto più grande di lui.

Genres: Manga, Comics, Mystery, Seinen, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Japan

192 pages, Paperback

First published November 20, 2009

About the author

Urasawa Naoki (浦沢直樹) is a Japanese mangaka. He is perhaps best known for Monster (which drew praise from Junot Díaz, the 2008 Pulitzer Prize winner) and 20th Century Boys.

Urasawa's work often concentrates on intricate plotting, interweaving narratives, a deep focus on character development and psychological complexity. Urasawa has won the Shogakukan Manga Award, the Japan Media Arts Festival excellence award, the Kodansha Manga Award and the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. In 2008 Urasawa accepted a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University.

Series list (not including short stories collections):
- Pineapple ARMY (パイナップルARMY) 1985-1988, written by Kazuya Kudo;
- YAWARA! 1986-1993;
- Master Keaton (MASTERキートン) 1988-1994, written by Hokusei Katsushika;
- Happy! 1993-1999
- MONSTER 1994-2001
- 20th Century Boys (20世紀少年) 1999-2006
- 21st Century Boys (21世紀少年) 2007
- PLUTO 2003-2009, based on Tezuka Osamu's Tetsuwan Atom
- BILLY BAT 2008-2016
- Master Keaton Remaster (MASTERキートン Reマスター) 2012-2014
- Mujirushi (夢印-MUJIRUSHI-) 2017-2018, collaboration with Musée du Louvre
- Asadora! (連続漫画小説 あさドラ!) 2018-ongoing

Reviews

[P.E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Am Legion

This second volume expands on the origins of the elusive "Bat Boy", a symbol profoundly influencing whoever sees it, something like the infamous cognitohazard creepypastas from the SCP Foundation website...
https://scp-db.fandom.com/wiki/Cognit...

Whoever sees a drawing of the bat seems to open communication with the entity... Obviously, scores of people saw it since the dawn of mankind: in this volume, you witness the deep influence it has in the Palestine region of the Roman Empire and in certain momentous events happening in Sengoku Jidai Japan (the era of the Warring States), especially some concerning Oda Nobunaga... There seems to be no limit to the influence of the weird creature, shaping world history.

In the main timeline of the story, happening during Civic-Rights-Movement-era USA, while its creator Kevin Yamagata is away in Japan, another brand of Billy Bat, now drawn by his assistant, is all the rage, and a Billy-Bat-themed amusement park opens in Florida... Is it truly for the best?


Also see:
1Q84; Kafka on the Shore
Life for Sale
Sensor; Uzumaki
Life of Brian – The Monty Python

[Rahul · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 🌟
Typically Urasawa style of weaving complex plot has begun. 3-4 different plots are going and I feel puzzled.

[yel ᰔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

➺ 3/5 🌟

I'm not sure what's happening anymore. There are a lot of jumping places and eras in a single volume and the only thing that connects them is a mysterious bat, which I don't know what really represents. This is really bizarre but I still couldn't stop reading because I'm so intrigue as to where this story will lead to.

[Chema Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magnífico, cuando mezcla la historia con la de Judas es deslumbrante. Q talento para el misterio y el cliffhanger, sobrenatural.

[Lennart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mir hat es gefallen, dass endlich mal jemand anspricht, dass Judas Iskariot von einer Comicfledermaus manipuliert wurde, den signifikantesten Verrat in der westlichen Kultur zu begehen.
Wie konnte das nur in der Bibel unerwähnt bleiben!?

[Horkken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apres un super tome 1, j’attaque avec envie ce deuxième volume que j’ai lu très très rapidement.

On en apprend pas forcement plus, et l’histoire se diversifie et s’étoffe après avoir poser les base au premier volume. On se met a suivre plus de personnages. On sent une volonté de l’auteur de mêler l’Histoire avec un grand H à son historie à lui. C’est fait plus ou moins habillement.

Mais le problème principal est que ça va un peu dans tous les sens. Et on ne sent pas forcément que les intrigues ont une possibilité de converger sans que ça soit tirer par les cheveux.

Mais cela dit, on a quand même un grosse envie de continuer la lecture.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bereits im zweiten Band macht Urasawa nicht nur durch eindrucksvolle Bilder, sondern auch durch die einzelnen Handlungsstränge klar, dass hinter der Geschichte um die Fledermaus viel mehr steckt als anfangs vermutet.
Ich freu mich richtig auf Band 3 heute abend.

[Emi gosto ruim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eu estava perdidinha

[Ibbo 🎄 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bene in questo volume ci siamo mossi solo in circa 1900 anni di storia

[Catalina Zepeda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este tomo me dejó más dudas que respuestas, pero vamos viendo.

[thom]

i don’t think i’ve ever seen or read anything that went so off the walls in directions i would’ve never guessed

[Vittorio Rainone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Questo secondo numero espande la trama del primo. In direzioni insospettabili. Ormai abbiamo capito che Billy Bat non è solo un personaggio dei fumetti: è piuttosto un'entità che influenza solo determinati tipi di persone. Un essere in qualche modo doppio che può comportare gravi disgrazie o, al contrario, grande salvezza. A metà del secondo episodio la storia di Kinji, il fumettario protagonista, sembra avviata verso un intrigo internazionale condito di mistero. E va benissimo così, è convincente. Stacco. Il racconto si sposta a NY molti anni dopo: ci sono altri personaggi e il nostro Kinji è giusto nominato. Segue una scena che farebbe piacere agli autori di Touch (ma che è fatta meglio di tutte le puntate viste finora in Touch) con il pipistrello come deus ex machina. Lo sguardo del narratore lascia NY e si sposta in palestina al tempo di Cristo, per seguire l'esistenza di Giuda Iscariota, dopo di che piombiamo nel giappone feudale. Il pipistrello è ovunque: è questo il protagonista del numero 2 di BB. Bello e interessante.

[Arsenic · Rating 5 out of 5]

L'histoire s'épaissit et essaie de se rattacher avec l'Histoire. Y'a plusieurs aspects toujours un peu anxiogènes, à certains moments, je me disais que lire la page avec une petite musique comme le générique de l'anime de Monster rendrait le truc vraiment angoissant ^^
J'ai bien aimé l'histoire avec la mariée et le chauffeur de taxi, c'était vraiment mignon.

[John Lemonsmith · Rating 5 out of 5]

What in tarnation!?
Jesus Christ is canon in this absolutely insane narration of a conspiracy theory fiction?!
I can't fathom to describe the insanity of this storytelling.
The story takes places in multiple times, multiple centuries. And just jumps between each for the convenience of the narration. It's beautifully weaved!
Urasawa is mad!

[Arzani Tellez · Rating 5 out of 5]

-Urasawa, you genius mfker...😦
-a Jesus cameo, a Judas cameo, the idea of God, interracial marriages, blacks vs. whites in the 1950's, and freeking NINJAS????
-this guy is insane like the way he ties together so many different timelines into one big story. Also umm who gave bro permission to just say slurs like that out of nowhere HELLOOOO?
-I really, reallyyyyy liked the Judas part. Jesus told him he just drew what he saw in his head. BRILLIANT.
-also the plotline with the bride and groom was so beautiful oh my flip I almost cried during ACT Prep. The way he wasn't able to stand up to his own family but he still went after her no matter what his family thought of him. I loved that so freeking much.
-brooooo also I think Urasawa is throwing shade at Walt Disney and especially Mickey Mouse and Disneyland. I mean Billyland?? C'MONNNNN. no wonder this series isn't being serialized in the U.S. Urasawa is exposing the fockkkk out of huge industry owners like Walt Disney.😬
-I'm actually so excited for where this story is going because it just keeps building up and up and the annoying ass bat keeps getting into shit sooooo WE'LL SEE...👀

[Jacek]

Daring experimentation with style has been Urasawa's modus operandi since Monster at least, and probably longer, considering how unabashedly he would drop Dr. Tenma from the storyline for volumes at a time. 20th Century Boys was more adventurous still, Pluto wasn't exactly predictable, and Billy Bat, believe it or not, is the wildest of all.

I sense, in this volume, a tribute to the (then still living) Satoshi Kon: there is a mad old prophet drawing dubious revelations about the future in chalk on the street, and narrative shifts that call to mind Millennium Actress, pieces of Paprika, and especially the second half of Paranoia Agent. It's all done lovingly and imaginatively, Urasawa's unmistakable personal touch and inscrutable sense of purpose accompanying the elements of homage.

Of the characters that seem like they might be back in later volumes (and the fact that I'm not sure whether any of them will re-appear attests to the explosiveness of the structure), my favorite is Jirou Shirasu.

The Jerusalem episode is pure brilliance.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

We’re getting glimpses into the bat throughout history and I think it’s really interesting how the bat has been influencing all sorts of history. The question I have is, which bat is the one influencing things? It seems like with Judas he spoke to both black and white bats, though he ultimately ended up listening more to the black bat given all the bad things he did. And it seems that the cab driver was talking with the white bat since he was given instructions on how to make unite people and more broadly possibly help with the racial tensions by showing the protestors their marriage. Finally, the bit we get at the end looks to be the black bat so it seems like we’re getting alternating scenes of the black and white bat.

[Michael Sorbello · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off continuing the plot set up by the previous volume and then it goes all over the place somewhere in the middle. Suddenly we have a story about Jesus and Judas, then a story about a white man and a black woman defying racism by proving their love for each other in New York during the 1950's (which was actually very touching,) and then some weird ninja/samurai plot that was a bit difficult to follow. Nothing makes sense right now, but knowing Urasawa's reputation, he'll find a way to put all these pieces together somehow just like he always does.

[Jonath666 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Je pense que toutes les interrogations que j'avais en tête après la lecture du premier tome ont au moins été multipliées par 10.

On jongle entre les personnages et entre les époques et on est servi en terme de twists et de rebondissements !

Je ne sais absolument pas où on va et peut-être que tout va retomber comme un soufflé pas assez cuit.

Mais en tout cas, pour l'instant je savoure le voyage...

[Federico Elías · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bueno esto está tomando unos grados de fumadez impresionantes, y eso que sólo vamos por el tomo 2. El retoque que se le da a la historia y contexto que damos por reales, mezclándolos con este toque sobrenatural, es una joya. Da más y más ganas de seguir leyendo. Por cierto, esa historia de amor de dos capítulos es mejor historia de amor que Titanic

[ASM Samiur Rahman · Rating 4 out of 5]

একজন লেখক যখন তার কাহিনীর সুতো ছড়াতে শুরু করেন তখন যে শিল্প সৃষ্টি হয় তার তুলনা হয় না। দ্বিতীয় বিশ্বযুদ্ধোত্তর জাপান থেকে চলে যাই ঈশ্বরপুত্র যীশু আর জুডাসের কাছে, তারপর আবার চলে আসা নিউইয়র্ক শহরে, সে সময়ে, যখন বর্ণবৈষম্যের বিরূদ্ধে ফুঁসে উঠছে কালোরা। সমাপ্তিতে আবার এদো পিরিয়ডের জাপানে। অসাধারণ বললেও কম হয়ে যায়।

[Eli Henson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting development in Kevin's story with maybe the first signature Urasawa emotional moment in the series. The series also starts to branch out into other story lines very effectively. In my opinion, the first three volumes are all the "intro" to Billy Bat, but the exposition and characters are just so good.

[fooleveunder · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love that the story keeps jumping from different eras. I got shocked when it jumped to Jesus' and that Billy Bat is there. Diane and Tony's reunion was very poetic in the sense that they used Moses as a reference when he split the sea. Here, the sea that the driver split is the sea of white and Black people.

[Princess Keziah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an intriguing Manga. Perfect amount of mystery and not too confusing! Love the different point of views in this volume. While reading it has this impeccable feeling of impending doom that keeps your heart racing, like you’re watching the end of the world unfold before your eyes.


P.s I think Billy Bat is based on Mickey Mouse😂

[Shoroug · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
I think I’m going to dnf Billy Bat.

It’s a shame really because so far I’ve loved urasawa naoki’s works and I was expecting more from him, but I guess this one is just not for me.

the characters weren’t that great, the story was all over the place, and I was unimpressed most of the time.

[Giorgia Pascali · Rating 4 out of 5]

tutto mi sarei aspettata tranne il salto dalla storia di Giuda Iscariota a quella dei ninja di Iga, eppure come al solito il maestro riesce a farti affezionare a dei personaggi nell'arco di poche pagine: non vedo l'ora di vedere come continua!!

[Alejandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

VAYA LOCURA DE TOMO. Me ha encantado TO-DO. Tengo muchísimas ganas de ver cómo le va a Kevin y que sigan contado más cosas relacionadas con los murcielagos. Lo de Jesucristo ha sido loquísimo y la trama de la novia me ha gustado un montón también.

[Alejandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creo que como cualquier obra de Urasawa empieza de una manera única y llena de misterio que conforme avanzas se van resolviendo dudas pero nuevas aparecen. En general hasta el momento es muy buena la historia

[Alasblancas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esta parte ha sido muy intensa. Han personajes inimaginables. Urusawa nos presenta todo un caleidoscopio de hechos históricos con otros sacados de su mente. ¿A dónde nos conducirán todas estas historias?

[Aya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite interesting but a little strange at first. Consisted of snippets of human history from different time periods and cultures, but there's a common thread in all of these little stories: betrayal.