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Nichiren
In 13th-century Japan, disease, famine, violence, and natural disasters plague society. Samurai lords, blinded by power, shirk any responsibility to protect the citizenry. Religious leaders care more about currying favor with the powerful than helping common people find hope and a positive way to deal with their suffering. But one unknown Buddhist monk dares to speak the truth to Nichiren remonstrates with the authorities. He insists that all human life is precious and that the government needs to change its ways and become of service to the people. He criticizes the established religions as being merely pawns of the state, who teach ideas that only further the people’s sense of powerlessness. The true purpose of Buddhism, he asserts, is to teach people a way to empower themselves, challenge their destiny, and experience happiness in this life. Based on actual events, this exciting comic touches on major milestones in Nichiren’s life interwoven with basic Buddhist principles. This real-life adventure story will captivate readers as it illustrates the life of one courageous human being who stopped at nothing to bring happiness to the people and peace to the land.
288 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2015
7 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 18, 2015
Historical story in manga form and quite well done I think. If you are in anyway interested in 13th century Japanese religious/political dealings and a monk "going against the grain of the times trying to set things right" as the centerpiece... then this is for you. I suppose this would be the equivalent of history in comic-book/manga form.
Art-wise it does have some nicely detailed backdrops that is prevalent in manga. Story wise I could follow it quite well (though as always that slight disjoint as a result of being a translation).
And here there is a whole wikipedia article on Nichiren.
Art-wise it does have some nicely detailed backdrops that is prevalent in manga. Story wise I could follow it quite well (though as always that slight disjoint as a result of being a translation).
And here there is a whole wikipedia article on Nichiren.
October 16, 2015
'Nichiren' by Masahiko Murakami and Ken Tanaka is a well done manga, but at times, it's history feels a bit like propaganda.
In 13th century Japan, there are lots of religious factions. Nichiren comes along and tries to get all the Buddhists to practice the lotus sutra. Unfortunately, this doesn't meet with widespread approval. In fact, there are people who would like for Nichiren to go away. They banish him, and he thrives. They send an assassin, and he wins the assassin over. They can't seem to stop him. Can they best him in a contest to bring much needed rain?
It was an interesting look at someone I wasn't familiar with, and I have since read about Nichiren's influence. It was just interesting that the characters that opposed Nichiren had features that seemed overexaggerated and made them seem cartoonish or menacing. I liked the story that was told, but at times it felt a bit proselytizing, which might be the point.
I received a review copy of this manga from Middleway Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this manga.
In 13th century Japan, there are lots of religious factions. Nichiren comes along and tries to get all the Buddhists to practice the lotus sutra. Unfortunately, this doesn't meet with widespread approval. In fact, there are people who would like for Nichiren to go away. They banish him, and he thrives. They send an assassin, and he wins the assassin over. They can't seem to stop him. Can they best him in a contest to bring much needed rain?
It was an interesting look at someone I wasn't familiar with, and I have since read about Nichiren's influence. It was just interesting that the characters that opposed Nichiren had features that seemed overexaggerated and made them seem cartoonish or menacing. I liked the story that was told, but at times it felt a bit proselytizing, which might be the point.
I received a review copy of this manga from Middleway Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this manga.
February 23, 2016
Looking for a non-typical comic book to read? Well, picking up Nichiren will be a good start. It focuses on religion and faith. As a Japanese Studies graduate, it was pretty interesting for me since it reminds me of all the subjects I took before. Such read always tickles my curiosity to learn more about Japan. It tapped on how politics could greatly affect one's beliefs especially if the people in power abuse it--on how those who do it could actually corrupt a lot of minds. But what caught my attention was on how Nichiren's faith was so strong that it never wavered no matter how he was tested and challenged. There's also a lesson in this comic that is very rare to happen and we should definitely take note of.
August 29, 2015
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I studied a lot of religion in college, enough to complete a second major. Some of my favorites were Eastern religions, including the teachings of the Buddha. I think this graphic novel would have been a fantastic addition to my Religions of the Far East class and I will be reaching out to my professor to consider it.
This graphic novel illustrates many of the main points of the teachings of Buddha:
"He realized that some things cannot be overcome with wealth or power - namely, the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death." (Page 50)
There is also information on the history of Buddhism as well as the explanation of the different branches. What I really like is that Nichiren is not just some fictional character whose fictional life is used to teach a lesson. He was, in fact, a real monk. While the story is embellished by the authors to include some less factual information, the point is this graphic novel is based on a very real historical figure.
During Nichiren's lifetime, his homeland was plagued with a lot of natural disasters, including widespread illness.
"Natural disasters are unavoidable, but human beings must have strength to overcome them and wisdom to move on with their lives. Negative thinking, however, can prevent people from summoning this inner strength and overcoming obstacles. Moreover, Buddhist scriptures offer the insight that disorder within human beings is reflected as disorder within society." (Page 62)
He felt that a common problem with the current Buddhist way of thought was the following of The Pure Land school of thought. This practice taught disciples to just give in to date and accept it so that they might achieve their place in The Pure Land. Nichiren found this to actually be a negative practice and petitioned for a return to the spirit of the Lotus Sutra. He felt that one should not just be governed by fate but that people should still attempt to improve their lives. Like many religious leaders before him, he was met by excessive resistance from leaders of his religion.
Many attempts were made on his life and Nichiren held fast to his devotion, willing to die for his beliefs. It's interesting that he was exiled twice and so many attempts were made on his life but the government that couldn't stand him was not able to silence him.
The author has kindly provided a link to a website about Nichiren for further information. My interest has been piqued and I look forward to finding out the whole truth about Nichiren and his teachings.
5 stars.
I studied a lot of religion in college, enough to complete a second major. Some of my favorites were Eastern religions, including the teachings of the Buddha. I think this graphic novel would have been a fantastic addition to my Religions of the Far East class and I will be reaching out to my professor to consider it.
This graphic novel illustrates many of the main points of the teachings of Buddha:
"He realized that some things cannot be overcome with wealth or power - namely, the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death." (Page 50)
There is also information on the history of Buddhism as well as the explanation of the different branches. What I really like is that Nichiren is not just some fictional character whose fictional life is used to teach a lesson. He was, in fact, a real monk. While the story is embellished by the authors to include some less factual information, the point is this graphic novel is based on a very real historical figure.
During Nichiren's lifetime, his homeland was plagued with a lot of natural disasters, including widespread illness.
"Natural disasters are unavoidable, but human beings must have strength to overcome them and wisdom to move on with their lives. Negative thinking, however, can prevent people from summoning this inner strength and overcoming obstacles. Moreover, Buddhist scriptures offer the insight that disorder within human beings is reflected as disorder within society." (Page 62)
He felt that a common problem with the current Buddhist way of thought was the following of The Pure Land school of thought. This practice taught disciples to just give in to date and accept it so that they might achieve their place in The Pure Land. Nichiren found this to actually be a negative practice and petitioned for a return to the spirit of the Lotus Sutra. He felt that one should not just be governed by fate but that people should still attempt to improve their lives. Like many religious leaders before him, he was met by excessive resistance from leaders of his religion.
Many attempts were made on his life and Nichiren held fast to his devotion, willing to die for his beliefs. It's interesting that he was exiled twice and so many attempts were made on his life but the government that couldn't stand him was not able to silence him.
The author has kindly provided a link to a website about Nichiren for further information. My interest has been piqued and I look forward to finding out the whole truth about Nichiren and his teachings.
5 stars.
July 16, 2016
Dull as dirt, this book seeks to extol the Buddhist priest Nichiren but ends up making him look like a bit of a self-righteous jerk. To amp things up, the creators toss in a masked female assassin, a bunch of soldiers and several villains of the mustache-twirling variety. To make the story more relatable to kids, they shoehorn in a couple of young characters that would look more at home in a Dragonball or Pokemon book. To make the book boring, they spend a bunch of time discussing which Buddhist sutra devote worshippers should be chanting. Characters are constantly telling us how wonderful Nichiren is, but the creators really do little to show him doing anything concrete or worthwhile. Instead we get scenes of Nichiren grandstanding in a childish squabble with another priest, telling him basically, "Nyah, nyah, you can't make it rain and should quit being a priest," but doing nothing himself to relieve the suffering of the populace in a time of drought. I'd never heard of Nichiren before reading this book and would be happy to never hear of him again after finishing this book.
March 10, 2016
It wasn't a bad story, I just couldn't really get into it. The historical retelling of Nichiren was interesting to a point, but it seemed to go nowhere. The book focused heavily on the religion and the correct interpretations of said religion of the time, which I found I liked (even though it was rather long-winded, at times.) The art was decent, I had no real problems there. To be honest, though, I was really just reading to see how it would end.
I don't know if I'd recommend this one, but I won't knock it either. It was alright.
I don't know if I'd recommend this one, but I won't knock it either. It was alright.
July 13, 2015
A perfect depiction of Nichiren in the easy and fun way to read about him. The illustrations and plot-line are sure to provide a realistic feel to the book. I just loved the way the teachings of the Buddha were so finely indicated at several instances. I found the depictions of the natural forest scenery particularly enchanting.
Truly worth reading.
I wish more books come out in this manner.
I thank Netgalley for an advanced reviewers' e-copy of this book.
Truly worth reading.
I wish more books come out in this manner.
I thank Netgalley for an advanced reviewers' e-copy of this book.
January 4, 2024
Nichiren - Un manga inutile
Verso la metà del XIII secolo, il sud del Giappone subì una serie di calamità. Durante questo periodo, un uomo cominciò a mostrare alle persone come superare le loro sofferenze e vivere seguendo la saggezza del Budda.
Almeno, questo è quanto afferma l'inizio di questo manga. Tuttavia, sebbene sia stato creato da due autori giapponesi sconosciuti, è presentato in stile italiano.
La trama del manga è molto ripetitiva. Nichiren cerca di istruire dei discepoli, ma viene perseguitato dai politici, e così si va avanti in un loop.
Vediamo Nichiren mentre impartisce insegnamenti del Budda, al fine di far comprendere al popolo la vera essenza della sua illuminazione, contenuta nel Sutra del Loto. Insegna che tutte le persone sono egualmente degne di rispetto e capaci di ottenere l'illuminazione in questa vita, poiché il potenziale per essere felici è dentro ognuno di noi.
Nichiren desidera trovare un modo per aiutare le persone a superare le loro sofferenze e a non abbandonare mai la fede di fronte agli ostacoli. Questo concetto viene ripetuto costantemente, ma effettivamente non si comprende cosa faccia questo prete, se non ripetere sempre il solito mantra caratteristico.
La trama ci spiega che gli insegnamenti del Budda furono trascritti dai suoi discepoli in vari sutra e quelli che contengono il cuore del suo insegnamento sono chiamati il Sutra del Loto, il cui titolo è Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Per assumere il corretto atteggiamento verso la vita, bisogna ripetere proprio questa frase, così sostiene Nichiren.
Nichiren cerca di convincere i politici a permettergli di insegnare il Buddismo nel modo corretto. Si rivolge a loro e al popolo cercando di far comprendere che la scuola della pura terra, che segue gli insegnamenti del Budda Amida, scoraggia le persone poiché promette la felicità solo nella vita dopo la morte. Tuttavia, i politici, spaventati da questa nuova idea, si vendicano mandando malviventi a perseguitarlo e diffondendo false notizie.
Nichiren tuttavia guadagna l'approvazione del popolo e i potenti temono di perdere il loro potere. Nonostante trasgrediscano le regole, lo accusano di calunnie e lo esiliano in un'isola.
Dopo due anni, lo fanno tornare non perché lo abbiano perdonato, ma per paura che il popolo, accorgendosi che non è stato processato, si ribelli.
Anni dopo, durante un'invasione mongola e una siccità, Nichiren continua a chiedere la diffusione di un buddhismo corretto, mentre ci sono preti corrotti che pensano solo al profitto. I governanti e i politici non lo hanno ancora perdonato e, per la loro sicurezza, organizzano un complotto per eliminarlo, ma una luce nel cielo lo salva. Allora viene nuovamente esiliato. Dopo anni, quando l'invasione mongola continua a minacciare la popolazione, viene graziato e fatto tornare, ma i politici non credono alle sue parole e lui se ne va.
Questo libro è in qualche modo una pubblicità di questo movimento buddista. Mi ha ricordato molto i libri di catechismo che leggevamo durante i corsi frequentati anni fa e che probabilmente continuano ad essere tenuti. In effetti, ho notato che la storia di questo prete è simile a quella di Gesù: si predica cercando di impartire dei principi che permettono alle persone di vivere meglio, ma ci sono situazioni difficili e i politici, spaventati dal crescente potere di questa figura carismatica, gli mettono i bastoni tra le ruote fino a che non viene portato al fallimento.
L'unica differenza è che questo Nichiren effettivamente non fa nulla se non ripetere questo mantra. Come potrebbe la gente sentirsi meglio semplicemente ripetendo questa frase? È una domanda che ancora oggi mi pongo riguardo a questa pratica, ma non sono qui per parlare di teologia, bensì per valutare questo libro. Il suo scopo era convincermi a intraprendere una via buddista, ma ha fallito miseramente. La storia è sciatta, ripetitiva come ho dimostrato nel riassunto della trama, e poco convincente. Non riesco nemmeno a credere che queste cose siano realmente accadute tanti anni fa, sembra più una favola che una storia. Ovviamente, sono stati aggiunti dei personaggi per addolcire la pillola, ma sono personaggi inutili, patetici e noiosi, di cui si potrebbe fare a meno, ma senza di loro la già povera trama sarebbe ancora più misera.
Essendo un manga, vogliamo parlare dei disegni? Lontanamente richiamano altri manga che ho letto, ma Nichiren ha sempre la stessa espressione, sempre piuttosto sorridente, nonostante tutte le difficoltà. Gli altri personaggi sono quasi tutti uguali, tranne i cattivi che spesso hanno i baffi. L'unica nota positiva è che la lettura scorre, ma solo perché non c'è molto da leggere, da imparare o da gustare.
December 22, 2024
"Nichiren" by Ken Tanaka is a graphic novel about the famous Buddhist reformer and founder of the eponymously named Nichiren school of Buddhism. Nichiren (1222-1282 CE) occupies a pivotal place in Japanese history, the Kamakura Period, which marked a seismic shift in Japanese politics, the movement of political power from the courtiers and emperor into the hands of the samurai and the shogun. Out of the Kamakura Period there came a great number of new lines of Buddhist thought and philosophy, moving away from the older and more established Tendai, Shingon, Hosso, and Kegon schools of Buddhism. Nichiren was contemporaneous with other great reformers like Eihei Dogen (1200-1253 CE) who brought Soto Zen Buddhism from China to Japan, Honen (1133-1212 CE) and his student Shinran (1173-1263 CE) who built the Jodoshu school of Buddhism, also known as the Pure Land School of Buddhism. This graphic novel reads very much like a hagiography and it also starts very much in media res, in the middle of Nichiren's life. The novel details Nichiren's discovery and reliance on the Lotus Sutra and Buddha Nature. It documents as well as various exiles and run ins with the law during this period. Ultimately, Nichiren is shown as infallible and stalwart throughout the text. I thought it was a fun read, but it is definitely the biography of a holy man and saint, making the characters somewhat flat and two dimensional.
October 5, 2020
kisah hidup nichiren cukup menarik tapi tidak lengkap dan ditutup dengan ending yang menggantung serta penjelasan singkat saja
diawali dengan bencana gempa yang disaksikan nichiren di usia 30 tahun hingga usia 50 tahun, perjuangannya menyebarkan ajaran buddha sutra teratai tidak mudah dan dihalangi oleh orang yang membencinya atau beda aliran
namun karena dibuat dalam gaya manga dan semi historis, cerita ini agak kurang menarik dan kurang informatif. tokoh2 di sekitar nichiren juga hanya ditampilkan secara singkat dan hanya menjadi pelengkap yang kurang punya bobot cerita
untuk yang ingin tahu lebih banyak tentang nichiren lebih baik membaca kisahnya dalam buku yang lebih bersifat sejarah dan terperinci dibandingkan versi manga
diawali dengan bencana gempa yang disaksikan nichiren di usia 30 tahun hingga usia 50 tahun, perjuangannya menyebarkan ajaran buddha sutra teratai tidak mudah dan dihalangi oleh orang yang membencinya atau beda aliran
namun karena dibuat dalam gaya manga dan semi historis, cerita ini agak kurang menarik dan kurang informatif. tokoh2 di sekitar nichiren juga hanya ditampilkan secara singkat dan hanya menjadi pelengkap yang kurang punya bobot cerita
untuk yang ingin tahu lebih banyak tentang nichiren lebih baik membaca kisahnya dalam buku yang lebih bersifat sejarah dan terperinci dibandingkan versi manga
May 14, 2018
Beautifully drawn, but in terms of a story the tale ends abruptly. As for the beliefs espoused, it comes off as vacant and I learned little about Buddhist beliefs, are more about political infighting and social upheaval in feudal Japan.
August 8, 2017
Fantastic ! Loved it from front cover to back !
Want to read
April 17, 2021Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
January 14, 2016
If you're interested in a biographical manga here's something for you. It's not perfect, but still enjoyable.
I don't read many biographies, so if I'm actually reaching for one I do have some expectations. In this case, I was more interested in the setting rather than character, although the blurb caught my attention enough to read the story.
It's all about the monk who decided follow other Buddhist teachings then most of Japan. Because of that, he was outlawed, chased and punished. He had some faithful followers, and thanks to the mantra he chooses to follow, he managed to stay calm and happy throughout his life.
The story itself is nicely written and well drawn, but don't expect a fascinating read and action packed story. It's supposed to be based on a life of a monk after all ;). Most of the "action" happens when Nichiren convinces others to follow the same sutra as he does. Most of the people he meets follow him quite easily, I'd even say too easily. Actually, the more I think about this story, the lower rating I want to use, but it does deserve these 3 stars.
The "bad" characters in this book were portrayed as very simple minded, they instantly believed in what someone told them. They instantly wanted Nichiren dead or imprisoned. Names of both authors seem Japanese (although at least one is a pseudonym) and yet the characters they portrayed didn't behave like they were in Japan. Everything seemed rushed, thoughtless, almost mad. When you imagine a person from Japan it's usually someone calm, reasonable, someone who hides their feeling (yes, I know these are stereotypes, but it is kind of true. I can honestly say I found no person like that in this book except Nichiren.
One of the issues I had with the graphic is that the characters didn't change. Maybe the authors thought we wouldn't recognize them, but if you show a pair of kids and after ten and more years they look and behave exactly the same and even wear the same clothes it's simply not right. I know some people have troubles with recognizing manga characters, it seems this style requires from readers some getting used to, but it doesn't mean we can't see the characters evolve.
As far as historical biographies go this was OK, but I think I was expecting more. I did like the graphic style. I do like manga ad since I haven't read any in a while this was a nice change from other graphic novels. I even didn't mind it being black and white, although I might've added half star for some colors. After all, if you'll think about all the fancy kimono's you could find in old japan it might've been a treat.
Check my reviews at maginibooks.wordpress.com
I don't read many biographies, so if I'm actually reaching for one I do have some expectations. In this case, I was more interested in the setting rather than character, although the blurb caught my attention enough to read the story.
It's all about the monk who decided follow other Buddhist teachings then most of Japan. Because of that, he was outlawed, chased and punished. He had some faithful followers, and thanks to the mantra he chooses to follow, he managed to stay calm and happy throughout his life.
The story itself is nicely written and well drawn, but don't expect a fascinating read and action packed story. It's supposed to be based on a life of a monk after all ;). Most of the "action" happens when Nichiren convinces others to follow the same sutra as he does. Most of the people he meets follow him quite easily, I'd even say too easily. Actually, the more I think about this story, the lower rating I want to use, but it does deserve these 3 stars.
The "bad" characters in this book were portrayed as very simple minded, they instantly believed in what someone told them. They instantly wanted Nichiren dead or imprisoned. Names of both authors seem Japanese (although at least one is a pseudonym) and yet the characters they portrayed didn't behave like they were in Japan. Everything seemed rushed, thoughtless, almost mad. When you imagine a person from Japan it's usually someone calm, reasonable, someone who hides their feeling (yes, I know these are stereotypes, but it is kind of true. I can honestly say I found no person like that in this book except Nichiren.
One of the issues I had with the graphic is that the characters didn't change. Maybe the authors thought we wouldn't recognize them, but if you show a pair of kids and after ten and more years they look and behave exactly the same and even wear the same clothes it's simply not right. I know some people have troubles with recognizing manga characters, it seems this style requires from readers some getting used to, but it doesn't mean we can't see the characters evolve.
As far as historical biographies go this was OK, but I think I was expecting more. I did like the graphic style. I do like manga ad since I haven't read any in a while this was a nice change from other graphic novels. I even didn't mind it being black and white, although I might've added half star for some colors. After all, if you'll think about all the fancy kimono's you could find in old japan it might've been a treat.
Check my reviews at maginibooks.wordpress.com
April 2, 2016
Wow, this is not your typical comic book/graphic novel. For one thing, it’s historical, set in 13th century Japan. For another, there’s no superheroes or such, unless you count the main character, a Buddhist monk, and his attempts at social change, dealing with a government that doesn’t care.
Though not by any means a Buddhist, I’ve read some of the main texts, so it’s not surprising for me to find some familiar stuff, like the old story about collecting mustard seeds from a house that has not experienced death in order to bring the dead back to life. Such familiarity helps set the scene, but its really jarring to believe this takes place 800 years ago when the writing is modern and simple, with the occasional “Whoa!”
My favorite line: “There’s a ghost in the outhouse!”
As far as the story goes, there’s three chapters that give examples of his attempts to make things better for the population, especially the poor. Not knowing how true to history these episodes are, I wonder if the people in this time period really were that gullible, believing all the lies told about Nichiren. As for the Buddhist priest himself, he considers himself so enlightened yet is incredibly stubborn. He knows people who have much to lose aren’t going to listen to him; he knows he’s in danger from them, but he never changes his strategy. As much as I would have liked him to succeed, I’m not at all surprised he didn’t. But I suppose since these events actually happened, I shouldn’t be criticizing the book for them.
All in all this is a quick easy read, though perhaps there’s too many characters to keep track of for too long; there’s a guide for that at the end, which I think proves my point. Some of the story was interesting, others not so much. I doubt the lack of color had anything to do with that, but yes, it’s in black and white.
3.5/5
Though not by any means a Buddhist, I’ve read some of the main texts, so it’s not surprising for me to find some familiar stuff, like the old story about collecting mustard seeds from a house that has not experienced death in order to bring the dead back to life. Such familiarity helps set the scene, but its really jarring to believe this takes place 800 years ago when the writing is modern and simple, with the occasional “Whoa!”
My favorite line: “There’s a ghost in the outhouse!”
As far as the story goes, there’s three chapters that give examples of his attempts to make things better for the population, especially the poor. Not knowing how true to history these episodes are, I wonder if the people in this time period really were that gullible, believing all the lies told about Nichiren. As for the Buddhist priest himself, he considers himself so enlightened yet is incredibly stubborn. He knows people who have much to lose aren’t going to listen to him; he knows he’s in danger from them, but he never changes his strategy. As much as I would have liked him to succeed, I’m not at all surprised he didn’t. But I suppose since these events actually happened, I shouldn’t be criticizing the book for them.
All in all this is a quick easy read, though perhaps there’s too many characters to keep track of for too long; there’s a guide for that at the end, which I think proves my point. Some of the story was interesting, others not so much. I doubt the lack of color had anything to do with that, but yes, it’s in black and white.
3.5/5
January 18, 2016
Nichiren is a historical comic about a Buddhist monk named Nichiren, who preached about the Lotus Sutra in the 13th century Japan. All the other priests hate him and want him gone. Nichiren ends up suffering from their schemes, but fights all the odds. The story in itself is quite interesting, though it goes nowhere. Nichiren just recites and survives until the story ends with him getting expelled from the country once again. Was this really the most interesting part of his life? Other characters play only a little role and all the other monks are just plain evil. So, very black-and-white this comic. The problem with historical manga is that they are usually extremely boring and have no plot whatsoever. There should be a story to tell instead of instances after instances. Historical manga tend to lack structure, which makes them vain, sadly so.
The art isn't spectacular either. Nichiren looks like a Ken dolls with a weird teeth smile plastered on his face. Most other faces are comical, which probably wasn't the aim. There's no smoothness and movement. The panels are full of people just standing and the talking heads phenomenon is evident. The story telling is rigid and the shading is poor. Why cannot history be fun and exciting? Why is it always like this especially in manga? It doesn't help that the Lotus Sutra isn't introduced or anything, so you get hardly anything out of this. Sadly so, even when the topic is interesting at least on some level.
The art isn't spectacular either. Nichiren looks like a Ken dolls with a weird teeth smile plastered on his face. Most other faces are comical, which probably wasn't the aim. There's no smoothness and movement. The panels are full of people just standing and the talking heads phenomenon is evident. The story telling is rigid and the shading is poor. Why cannot history be fun and exciting? Why is it always like this especially in manga? It doesn't help that the Lotus Sutra isn't introduced or anything, so you get hardly anything out of this. Sadly so, even when the topic is interesting at least on some level.
July 12, 2016
An epic battle for the hearts and minds of 13th century Japan.
Nichiren is an unusual Buddhist priest with an even more unconventional approach to Buddhism: people must have faith in themselves if they want to change their world. Through lectures, exiles, surviving assassination attempts and simple acts of kindness Nichiren is determined to deliver a message of peace to the chaotic world of medieval Japan. Inspired by true events.
A friend gave this to me on a whim and I have to say I was hesitant to read it because it is in the manga style. However, I am a fan of graphic novels so I can say I was open minded to give it a try. I am glad I did because while the artwork is not any different from what you see in other manga books it brought a smile to my face that such a beautiful story could be translated into the English language. Honestly, I learned more about Nichiren in this book than I ever did in college (Japanese history class).
Pros:
+Easy on the eye artwork to look at
+Realistic depictions of human beings and their emotions
+Using the real life story of Buddhist priest Nichiren as the source material
+Avoids being preachy on the subject of religion in politics
+An inspiring moral of the story that still applies today
Cons:
-if you're looking for samurai style action you'll be a little disappointed (but not completely)
-it is never explained what happens to the mysterious lady who randomly helps the main character
Nichiren is an unusual Buddhist priest with an even more unconventional approach to Buddhism: people must have faith in themselves if they want to change their world. Through lectures, exiles, surviving assassination attempts and simple acts of kindness Nichiren is determined to deliver a message of peace to the chaotic world of medieval Japan. Inspired by true events.
A friend gave this to me on a whim and I have to say I was hesitant to read it because it is in the manga style. However, I am a fan of graphic novels so I can say I was open minded to give it a try. I am glad I did because while the artwork is not any different from what you see in other manga books it brought a smile to my face that such a beautiful story could be translated into the English language. Honestly, I learned more about Nichiren in this book than I ever did in college (Japanese history class).
Pros:
+Easy on the eye artwork to look at
+Realistic depictions of human beings and their emotions
+Using the real life story of Buddhist priest Nichiren as the source material
+Avoids being preachy on the subject of religion in politics
+An inspiring moral of the story that still applies today
Cons:
-if you're looking for samurai style action you'll be a little disappointed (but not completely)
-it is never explained what happens to the mysterious lady who randomly helps the main character
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August 15, 2021I honestly do not know how i feel about nicherin. was it supposed to be educational? entertaining? beautiful? and in any case, did reach whatever of these goals it set out to acomplish? well, the art certainly was very pretty to look at but i am still confused as to wether this graphic novel was meant as an action story about an inocent man being plotted against or a creatively executed textbook on buddhism in thirteenth century japan. hopefully the ladder, because that sounds waaay more original.
regardless of the confusement (and a bit of a pasing issue) this book was unlike anything i have ever seen, idea wise. i liked the villains and the old-timey corruption aspect a lot and learned quite a bit ( and my interest sparked too ) about the history of japan as well buddhism. The biggest reason why enjoyed nicherin less than i was hoping too was that it never really got me super invested in the characters which is too bad since the idea kind of rocked.
regardless of the confusement (and a bit of a pasing issue) this book was unlike anything i have ever seen, idea wise. i liked the villains and the old-timey corruption aspect a lot and learned quite a bit ( and my interest sparked too ) about the history of japan as well buddhism. The biggest reason why enjoyed nicherin less than i was hoping too was that it never really got me super invested in the characters which is too bad since the idea kind of rocked.
July 24, 2015
Thanks to net galley for kindly providing me with a review copy of this book. This is a graphic novel based on the life and teachings of a buddhist monk in Japan in the 1200's. Its a really interesting read and tells you a lot about the different schisms in buddhism. If you find the history of japan interesting or are a follower of buddhism then this is a book for you. The only reason i haven't given it five stars is because it felt a little bit to preachy at times, like it was trying to convert you to follow his teachings and it does indeed offer to direct you to more of his writings if you read the end of the book, that said it's still worth a read and there should be more great historical mangas like this published
November 14, 2015
I recieved this book free from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
When I saw this book I thought the cover art was amazing and I have new read anything about samurais but I wanted to give it a shot. My first disappointment was that this graphic novel was not in colour. I think that would have bumped it's start rating up a bit. It was hard to tell the differences between characters because they all looked very similar. The story is good. I like that it's based on a real person. I'm not sure if I would recommend this novel or not, I think it would depend if the reader was looking specifically for this genre.
When I saw this book I thought the cover art was amazing and I have new read anything about samurais but I wanted to give it a shot. My first disappointment was that this graphic novel was not in colour. I think that would have bumped it's start rating up a bit. It was hard to tell the differences between characters because they all looked very similar. The story is good. I like that it's based on a real person. I'm not sure if I would recommend this novel or not, I think it would depend if the reader was looking specifically for this genre.
January 26, 2016
Your standard solid manga art, my only complaint about it is that all of Nichiren's disciples looked just like him and I couldn't tell them apart. The story read like a history text and was somewhat static. At times, it felt like I was reading the Buddhist version of a Bible tract.
Given an advance copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Given an advance copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2016
I enjoyed the book, it was interesting to read it. My wish was that the story was a longer and it explained more. I felt it was missing huge chunks. I would have loved to know more about kuma-o and taki. .
July 6, 2015
2.5 stars
February 15, 2016
Very well drawn and a super quick read. A great book for anyone who wants to learn about Nichiren Daishonin
March 22, 2016
La storia di Nichiren Daishonin a fumetti. Un bel passatempo.
April 8, 2016
A little strong on the fervor, but a solid action/adventure.
December 27, 2016
I enjoy reading this so much that I finished it in one go. It's summarise quite a lot but still easy to comprehend. Great stuff!
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