GariGari

by Hugues Micol

In a medieval Japan populated by strange creatures, war between two clans threatens. To prevent things from escalating, a young ninja with extraordinary talents is tasked with infiltrating the opposing camp and seizing the arrow, the only clue to the accident that sparked the outbreak, exposing the traitor responsible for the crime to his own camp, and putting an end to the escalation... The world of GariGari precisely invokes the codes of chanbara, as found in the films of Akira Kurosawa, but distorted by the fantasized and absurd vision of a "micholian" Japan, populated by giant amphibians, mutant fish, and other anthropomorphic yokai; a long-standing source of inspiration for the author. The entirely silent narrative allows the eye to lose itself in these graphic interlacings and be struck by the dizzying framing of the aerial combat scenes. Hugues Micol once again reinvents his signature style by drawing his ambition from engraving, giving free rein to unique and exhilarating visual impulses. A breathtaking graphic masterpiece!

184 pages, Paperback

First published April 10, 2025

Reviews

[Rick Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

GariGari is a wordless comic that is set in a fantastical rendering of feudal Japan where warring clans duke it out on the field and with assassinations, whilst the world around them teems with yōkai, mythical beasts, mutated monstrosities and more. Entirely told without dialogue or narration, the story utilizes a similar surreal dreamscape styled setting to set the tone and atmosphere well. The use of horrifying creature designs echo the works of Jim Woodring, though the narrative as set by Hugues Micol is a fair bit more complicated than the standard Frank adventure. The nonlinearity in the panel layouts do make for a bit of a challenging follow with respect to what the story actually is, so I found myself appreciating this for Micol's majestic artwork.



An homage to samurai film and fiction, blended with elements of high fantasy and folklore, GariGari is a spectacular showcase of Micol's imagination and penmanship. The gritty cross-hatching and textured linework results in a dizzying set of action sequences and world-building elements, all of which can be appreciated in this loosely knit together narrative of feudal clans trying to survive in a vicious world.

[Soteralzobooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2 Chef-d’œuvre graphique!