Ichi-F: A Worker's Graphic Memoir of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant

いちえふ #1-3

by Kazuto Tatsuta

On March 11, 2011, Japan suffered the largest earthquake in its modern history. The 9.0-magnitude quake threw up a devastating tsunami that wiped away entire towns, and caused, in the months afterward, three nuclear meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant. Altogether, it was the costliest natural disaster in human history.

This is not the story of that disaster.

This is the story of a man who took a job. Kazuto Tatsuta was an amateur artist who signed onto the dangerous task of cleaning up the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant, which the workers came to call "Ichi-F." This is the story of that challenging work, of the trials faced by the local citizens, and of the unique camaraderie that built up between the mostly blue-collar workers who had to face the devious and invisible threat of radiation on a daily basis. After six months, Tatsuta's body had absorbed the maximum annual dose of radiation allowed by regulations, and he was forced to take a break from the work crew, giving him the time to create this unprecedented, unauthorized, award-winning view of daily life at Fukushima Daiichi.

"I drew this manga because I wanted people to see what day-to-day life at the nuclear power plant is like. Because I believe that's essential to the future of our country."
-Kazuto Tatsuta

Genres: Manga, Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Comics, History, Memoir, Japan

536 pages, Paperback

Published March 7, 2017

About the author

Kazuto Tatsuta (Japanese name: 竜田一人) is a Japanese manga artist. In 2012, he lived in Tokyo, where he found difficulties earning a living through his drawing work. He decided to go to Fukushima to work on the dismantling of the nuclear plant, that was victim of a violent explosion after a tsunami hit the Japanese coast in March 2011. From this experience, he made a drawn reportage describing in great detail the lives and working conditions of the workers, that were exposed to large doses of radioactivity.

Kazuto Tatsuta is a pen name, because the author wants to remain anonymous. Therefore, he gives no information on his previous activities. Tatsuta submitted his story to a contest held by Morning magazine. He won one million yen and the publication of his work.

Reviews

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a sensational expose. Tatsuta (a pseudonym, of course) writes about his experiences working to clean up the Fukushima plant in an even, matter-of-fact way. To me, that's rather more interesting than something a tabloid account would have been. And more credible, because he's serious about the dangers, thoroughly documents the safety measures (bizarrely absorbing to me, partly because it seemed to become so routine to the workers), and (mildly) criticizes both the structure of multiple contractors (he worked for a company six companies removed from the actual power company that owns the plant) and some of the hiring practices. And his emphasis that the workers are neither patriotic heroes nor particularly shady, just regular working folk, actually makes the whole thing more accessible. It's also, of necessity, a very brief snapshot at one portion of the still ongoing cleanup efforts. Long, but fascinating.

[Megan ☾ Lawrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a POV that you rarely get to hear from regarsing the 2011 tsunami and resulting nuclear disaster. You hear rumours, or "news" from various activist groups, from people directly affected by the disaster but I have never seen anything from someone who moved from Tokyo to work in the power plant.

This is not sensational or full of action; rather it showcases the mundane, everyday work that happens at Ichi-F, and the progress that is being made. It takes neither side of the nuclear energy debate, it just shows what the workers encounter on a day to day basis, and that is what makes it so interesting. I found this an incredibly fascinating read, and it made me wish to visit Fukushima, Miyagi and Iwate prefectures very much!

[cellomerl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish more people would write books like this, and that more people would read them. There is so much ignorance and fear about nuclear power and Fukushima. A book like this goes a long way to setting it right; the author’s experience is very well aligned with the high standard of safety practiced at nuclear sites around the world.
I am very impressed by this author’s dedication to helping the country he loves. So many would never dare to sign up to work at the stricken power plant despite the very strict safety protocols. There’s just too much superstition out there. Unfortunately, the people who most need to read this are the least likely to do so.
As a nuclear systems engineer, this one means a lot to me. I would have given it five stars except that I had to squint to read some of the very small-print text. 😂

[Maggie Gordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ichi-F is a graphic memoir about one man's experiences during his time as part of a crew cleaning up the Fukushima nuclear power plant. It's really fascinating to get a worker's view of the whole process, and Kazuto goes into incredible detail about what his job entailed. He tries to dispel some myths about how dangerous the area is, and just tell the story of an average worker in the area. It's not a manga full of thrills. There are pages and pages of safety protocol information which is certainly not the most stimulating thing to read, but it's well illustrated and tells a unique story that I appreciate having read.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book, but it is not a fast-paced, riveting, action-filled tale. It is not a dramatization, so much as a retelling of the experiences of somebody who worked several times on the decommissioning project at the power plant.

It's the kind of book you can pick up and put down, reading in small doses, as time permits. It feels like a very authentic and accurate depiction of the life of the workers there, and it gives a fair and evenhanded treatment of the subject matter.

His main goal is to convey what life was like, trying to explain things and demystify the subject so as to reduce the fear and paranoia by people unfamiliar with the situation. I think he accomplishes that extremely well.

The art is crisp, detailed, and a pleasure to pour over. There are a little arrows and labels to explain details, even if they are minor or mundane. He is trying to help you understand, and this is like having a photographic/walk-through tour, at times.

I definitely recommend the book, but don't go into it thinking that there's a plot line or a dramatic story. This is more like a documentary, but a graphic novel documentary. If you go into it with that attitude, and take your time, I think you'll come away with a good appreciation of what a masterful work it is.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it as it was interesting being that it went into specific and sometimes mundane detail of his day to day experience working as a general labor, but also some of the interesting safety measures and protocols. It was not a 50,000 foot level view point, so there was just a lot that was unknown which at times made it more interesting to be able to more closely relate to his experience, but also a little frustrating not knowing more details of operations on a larger scale. Lastly I now have a intense desire to visit bath houses in Japan.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of this material is interesting, but the presentation is very flat and boring. It took me weeks to get through this as I kept setting it aside to read pretty much anything else. I don't consider it time wasted, because I did learn a lot. Unfortunately, the creator didn't have much insight to offer along with his insider's view of the clean-up following the Fukushima disaster.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic look into the life of a Fukushima Power Plant worker during the time of the post-tsunami clean-up. The story was well told through the art and did well at creating a big picture of what was going on and what the workers experienced. I enjoyed the perspective given and also being able to witness areas and places reopening after the disaster. It really is amazing to see the restoration after a terrible event has taken place.

[Ken Yuen]

Didn't get past page 35.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

it feels weird to say that a story about decommissioning a post-explosion nuclear power plant was like, really sweet and calming? but it was. love this guy.

[Cat D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may be biased, but I also spent 3 years on Fukushima around the same time and deeply understand the author's feelings around misinformation and defensiveness regarding the stringent monitoring, strict processes, and delicate work the workers have to endure, as well as the warmth from the residents. The scenes at Odaka and Ishinomaki felt very nostalgic and seeing the names of Namie, Okuma, Tomioka, and Iwaki conjured memories of displaced students and residents and teachers being sent to schools re-opening near the zone. The story also goes into detail on the underbelly of labor practices where the layers of middlemen muddy "responsibility" at the expense of the laborer themselves. The disclaimer at the beginning is important because using the story in a chapter for political advantage would only be countered by another following it. It gives a compelling feeling of being caught in the middle and powerless, except to do your best on the job.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

slice of life stories from a worker at a nuclear power plant

[Thurston Hunger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Manga memoir. Deals with the aftermath of the Fukushima clean up, the author signed up for a couple of tours of duty, and this interesting read strives to avoid sensationalism for sensibility. To me it works best as a humanist slice of life, again in the wake of a disaster. And I should say the disaster is both natural and man-made.

I can see how some recoil at sections of this book that have above-average levels of a corporate flack. Mostly the author is more focused on the mundane and the humane actions of a "nuclear gypsy" (not the author's phrase, but one I read elsewhere). I do think there is a type of person who is drawn to the remains of a calamity for various reasons, some strictly economic, but others with a very different motivation. Page 470 addresses thyroid cancer in children, and do your own research please, but to me it does seem that more frequent and more fine testing finds higher rates. A Wired magazine article talks about cancers that are "turtles, rabbits and birds." Thyroid like say prostate cancer in men being a turtle in general.

Anyways, 10 years past the accident, there have been a few specific cases in Japan that do tie the radiation exposure to deaths, and over time we can all learn more. It is certain that the number of deaths from the natural disaster, the tsunami, either directly or indirectly is far more significant. The author also alludes to the heavy duty smoking of many of his fellow co-workers, and other aspects of life by many of the hard-living workers.

But again this story in my mind is more about being there. He does spell out middle management appropriation of funds pretty strongly at times, that may be less in support of TEPCO and against the inherent woes of bureaucracy, whether governmental or corporate. I think his max wage was 20,000 yen per day (the prize he won from Morning manga was thus worth about 50 days of work, not sure on the publication benefits). I think we have to take him at his word, in that he really wanted to be there for reasons beyond the manga and money.

Some of the most captivating tales are Tatsuta's pursuit of local foods (and the impact on those fishermen and other producers) - and his reaching out to locals but as a person and as a musician. Diving into old folk tunes from the area had a gentle beauty for me. The post-word details mention he's focused on his musical career, which seems odd having got his foot more than in the door for manga work.

When it comes to the nuclear plant clean up, his first job underscores the nature of checking for safety and millisieverts on workers returning from clean-up sites. He also has a mechanical engineer's hand when it comes to drawing details of masks, machines and sections of pipe etc. In his second job, he is part of a rotating team that gets in and out to do work, and again the effort is strongly on minimal exposure and safety. I guess this could be corporate propaganda, but it is probably very true-to-life considering this is AFTER the actual disaster.

Interesting that the author apparently still protects their identity to this day. Although the prize money and publication would seemingly be not so hard to trace. And he mentions there are people who have known/guessed who he is, including those he worked with.

In his anonymity, I think it is best to assume there is altruism. In the English translation, he might almost be described as a do-gooder; in my mind I heard his voice at times like Dudley Do-Right from old cartoons. But maybe cynicism is spread more rapidly than radiation after incidents like this, so I prefer to try and think of him as a legitimately good soul, who while relaying those mundane details did actually step up and serve when/where he was needed. There is a pride in that sort of effort, and it shines best in relating to locals and being a respectful ambassador to those locals. Those moments linger for me as a reader, and ideally will outlast the ongoing effects of what drew so many outside eyes to Fukushima.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a historical document depicting what it is like for a low level worker during the cleanup in Fukushima, Ichi-F is very detailed and will probably be of great interest to historians in the future. The artwork is good. The details are very interesting but the overarching narratives that they are couched in aren't really compelling. Tatsuta wants to give you the day to day experiences of being in Fukushima and demystify it and make it less confusing and frightening, but at times that pulls too far in the other direction towards things just being dull. A lot of his working life is just putting on and taking off various layers of protective clothing, so the book is often a lot of putting on and taking off various layers of protective clothing. I think the experience of reading it was probably different if you read it as it was serialized over three years instead of compiled into one long book - maybe it doesn't work so well in this format because it was never really meant to be in this format.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic memoir is a great document of the everyday life and work at Fukushima Dai Ichi. You get a proud worker's view and a tour of Dai Ichi, the clean-up activities at the plant and the surrounding areas. Thank you Tatsuta, whoever you are.

[Polin · Rating 5 out of 5]

jestem pełna podziwu

[Carol Chapin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is basically a graphic novel, albeit a long one (550 pages). The introduction to this states that, “for Japanese people, manga is shared way of seeing that goes beyond entertainment”. I’ve always thought of “manga” of uniquely Japanese, fantastic cartoons. I had to google “manga”. I found that it does refer to comics, cartoons, and graphic novels, but that the literary form is both very old and very popular in Japan – “Urban Dictionary” claims that 40% of all book and magazine sales in Japan are manga.

This book is about the reclamation of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, which suffered a melt down after the area was struck in 2011 by a level 9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami. The author, a Tokyo resident, sought employment as a worker there beginning in 2012. His reasons are a little unclear to me, but it was something he really wanted to do – out of adventure, curiosity, perhaps. He cites good pay and the opportunity to help those affected by the disaster as his reasons. (I wasn’t convinced.)

Finding that job proved difficult. He received bogus offers from contractors that received hiring bonuses, only to rescind the offers. The machinations of the companies working on the project were a fascinating part of the story. The work there consisted of many separate projects, each involving a hierarchy of contractors and subcontractors. (An example shows seven companies involved.) The pay received by the worker depended on how high his specific employer was in the hierarchy, as each company took a cut before delegating that work “downward”. “Good pay” was largely an illusion. Workers were paid by the hour, and when a project hadn’t yet started or was delayed after starting, the workers weren’t paid, or were paid a very small amount. Hourly pay was doubled when doing a high-exposure job, but only for the actual hours of that job. Housing was very short, and the workers were charged for room and board while waiting to start a job. Some went into debt waiting – and gave up. Most workers were from the afflicted area, many displaced by the disaster. Many were middle-aged.

Also interesting were the elaborate safety precautions, which the author describes in detail. Layers of clothing were added as one got closer to contaminated areas – and carefully removed after leaving. Each worker’s exposure was measured and recorded daily or more often. Workers were permitted only so many “mSv” per year, after which they could not work until the following April (arbitrary reset date). When in a particularly hazardous area, workers would stand in the least contaminated part of the building. The safety measures were impressive.

The author worked various jobs in 2012 until he reached his maximum annual dosage. He returned to Tokyo and began to write this manga, which was serialized in a popular magazine (common practice for this). He wrote under a pseudonym, since the subject was controversial in Japan – there was much apprehension about whether the area could ever be restored, and he was constantly scrutinized for possible effects of working there. He also wanted to return to work there – which he did, in 2014.

He writes a lot about the affected area, documenting the improvement over the years he was there. Restricted areas became clean enough to open again, businesses came back, new building was started. He talks about his favorite local delicacies and encourages tourists to visit. Although there is a potential for criticism of the companies involved, or of nuclear power in general, he avoids all that. His attitude is upbeat.

I enjoyed reading this, including all the procedures and details of the power plant complex, except for a short section toward the end where I became tired of reading about how they used robots in one situation. This translation was so well done! If the cartoon panel had Japanese wording on a sign or piece paper, a short translation appeared outside the panel. Also, the pages could be read left to right. I understand that is not traditional for manga, even when published for English readers.

[Szuwaks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zupełnym przypadkiem skończyłem czytać tą mangę akurat w rocznicę trzęsienia ziemi w Tohoku. Ten tytuł nie zajmuje się samą katastrofą, ale likwidacją jej skutków w elektrowni jądrowej Fukushima Nr 1. Mi się bardzo podobał, ale od razu mówię, nie będzie dla każdego.

Kazuto Tatsuta (pseudonim) (ur. 1965) przedstawia w formie mangi swoje wspomnienia z pracy przy likwidowaniu skutków katastrofy elektrowni jądrowej w Fukushimie. Jak sam przyznaje, po trzęsieniu ziemi i tsunami w 2011, chciał w jakiś sposób pomóc na miejscu. Od października tamtego roku szukał pracy i niemal od razu zderzył się ze skomplikowaną siecią powiązań i podwykonawców obsługujących oczyszczanie. Dopiero po prawie roku został zatrudniony w firmie będącej 6. podwykonawcą, a i tak minęło jeszcze trochę czasu nim w ogóle trafił do obsługi punktu odpoczynku (w międzyczasie firma znajdywała in różne prace dorywcze). Razem z innymi pracował za psie pieniądze (każda kolejna firma w łańcuchu potrącała sobie z wypłaty "na papierze"), a jednocześnie szukał możliwości dostania się do pracy w samej elektrowni. Udało mu się i trafił najpierw do serwisowania w budynku przetwarzania odpadów reaktora, a następnie (po ponad 1,5-rocznej przerwie) do obsługi zdalnie sterowanych robotów w samym budynku reaktora. W międzyczasie Tatsuta pokazuje również życie codzienne pracowników, ewakuowane i wciąż zniszczone okolice, a także prace nad mangą. Ta kończy się w 2015 roku.

Nawiązując do początku - dlaczego ta manga nie będzie dla każdego? Jest naprawdę szczegółowa. Tatsuta dokładnie opisuje poszczególne etapy procesu szukania pracy, zatrudnienia, czekania (tego jest zaskakująco dużo), codziennego przygotowania do pracy, obsługi punktu odpoczynku, serwisowania, obsługi robotów, a także elementów wyposażenia i sprzętu, wykorzystywanych w 1F. Również trochę miejsca poświęcone jest promieniowaniu i jego normom (jak jest mierzone, ile pracownik może przyjąć itd.). Dla niektórych/wielu osób może to być zwyczajnie nieciekawe i zbyt szczegółowe, ale jeśli kogoś interesują takie tematy (eksponat A właśnie to pisze) to znajdzie tu wiele ciekawych informacji. Również fabuła mocno odbiega tutaj od klasycznych mang. Nie ma tutaj nagłych zwrotów akcji, sensacji itd. Jak sam autor przyznaje, chciał żeby było to jak najbardziej wierne jego doświadczeniom i prawdzie, w przeciwieństwie do plotek i zwykłych bzdur rozsiewanych przez media. Niektóre rozdziały i fragmenty sprawiają zresztą wrażenie jakby komentowały różne plotki, którymi żyła japońska opinia publiczna. Obraz jaki wyłania się z tego tytułu jest daleki od nieprawdopodobnych historii i paniki rozsiewanej przez media i przeciwników energii atomowej, ale zarazem daleki od heroizmu z przekazów oficjalnych.

Jak już wspomniałem, jeśli kogoś interesuje temat elektrowni Fukushima Nr 1 i likwidowania skutków jej katastrofy, myślę, że "Reaktor 1F" będzie dobrym wyborem. Również i dla innych osób może być ciekawy, ale ponawiam ostrzeżenie: może być zbyt szczegółowo i zbyt sucho. Mi osobiście bardzo się podobał i polecam.

[Katja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ichi-F was a fascinating look at people who do the actual work at Fukushima's power plant, preparing the facility for proper decommission. There's a lot of different work at the site but in this manga we see a couple of high-risk jobs and the lower exposure work at the rec center where the workers get their gear, get checked after coming back from "field", take their breaks etc. There's also quite a bit of the time in-between, sight-seeing and how this manga got started.

Tatsuta takes a very matter-of-fact approach to the situation and I think it's a good choice. He says the main reason he wanted to tell about his time at Ichi-F is to give a counterpoint to the sensationalized image the media as given of the power plant. At some points the manga tries to underline this a bit too blatantly but it's not there on every page; mostly it's just a depiction of the daily life of the men working. The procedures they have to take in order to stay protected and monitored at the site are described many times, so you really understand that the safety is taken very seriously (although it is mentioned there was rumours of some shadier companies trying to circumvent radiation dosage limits).

Tatsuta doesn't take sides on the nuclear power itself but does give some subtle criticism to the subcontractor system that handles the hiring of the workers. He also highlights that the progress is made even though it can be slow, and that Fukushima isn't a hopeless wasteland. It's done nicely through mentioning bathhouses opening here and there again, for example.

Although the manga's structure can feel a bit jumpy, it's not a big problem. I thought there was an alright balance with actual work on the Ichi-F site and all the other stuff (looking for place to live during work, meeting locals, commuting, doing the manga...). There's also humour there! It's quite text and detail heavy but it's the meat of this kind of book. There's a lot of practical information how things are done and what kind of equipment is used. I applaud for this! Some things are told multiple times which can feel a bit repetitive when you read the whole omnibus in a short amount of time. But it's not too bad and because the chapters were originally published in manga magazine, as they do, it's understandable. And it truly gives the weight to the safety measures.

The art is fine: the characters look a bit blocky but the backgrounds, equipment and such are drawn meticulously. All the signs etc. are translated in the margins or between the panels which is appreciated. However... the pages are flipped for left-to-right direction. It didn't cause huge inconvenience but there was a few times the flow of reading was disrupted when I had to take a new look at the panels. I understand it was done to lure non-manga readers to this book too but I don't like it.

Overall Ichi-F was interesting and informative, highly recommended.

[Blue · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great insider account of the clean-up efforts in Fukushima after the earthquake/tsunami/explosion in March 2011. Author (using a pseudonym in his manga and hiding his manga-identity from the Fukushima people) chronicles working in one of the rec centers (where workers take breaks, eat lunch, rehydrate) and on one of the clean-up crews in 2012, as well as some more high-radiation-exposure work inside one of the reactors in 2014. In between these episodes, Tatsuta reveals how he managed to get on-site work, many levels of contracting companies, the bureaucracy of getting his foot in the door (by working some unrelated construction job, which sounds like a scam, but is kind of not), his experiences with Hello Work (the governments job finding service), his struggles to draw manga and sell it, and his determination to educate people about radiation exposure and what really is going on in Fukushima now.

Perhaps the most poignant parts of the collected comic serial are those where Tatsuta, a Tokyo native, connects with the locals in and around Fukushima, most of whom have been displaced by the disasters. He visits a temporary home for the elderly and plays and sings songs for them, he visits local defunct train stations, pop-up malls by displaced merchants, local hot springs and spas. He returns to some sights of utter devastation after the tsunami, chronicling the gradual change due to nature taking over as well as clean-up efforts. While the episodes inside the Fukushima jobs focus on the daily toils of the workers (lots of changing of clothes, an itchy nose that's trapped inside a mask and cannot be scratched, taking naps in between stressful and high-exposure runs to move huge lead walls to let robots in and out of a reactor, etc.), the scenes in local areas with devastated landscapes and elderly who, year after year, yearn to go back home give Ichi-F a more universal feel.

Tatsuta's art is detail-oriented and expressive. He handles the funny moments and the poignant and sad ones well. He is, in general, a positive sort of guy, so his work comes across as optimistic, which is not a bad way to be in Japan these days. Most importantly, he seems passionate about Fukushima and the region and though he plays it down, he feels responsible for what happened and wants to make a difference.

Recommended for those who like instant noodles, sports drinks, gambling, sweating, welding, and ruins.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before reading 1F, I'd seen a variety of reviews online. Thankfully I ignored several of them and read the manga anyway. It's a very detailed story of the life that workers faced (and still face) at the epicenter of an unimaginable disaster.

The value of the manga is that it doesn't attempt to diagnose or encompass the entirety of the Fukushima disaster. There are many other well-researched and compelling books that can offer readers that experience. What 1F provides is the chance to experience the daily routine that defines the perilous existence of those who have chosen to face a set of dangers that most of us would avoid at all costs.

1F can, at times, be dull. It can also be frustrating, especially when it describes the conflicted nature of most employees at the site: they're proud of their work but aren't always welcomed in the communities they're helping, they're working hard but know that the system by which jobs and wages are allocated frequently enriches middlemen at the expense of the people putting their health at serious risk, and they know that they can't do much about any of the high-level problems that make their lives more difficult.

The real difficulty lies in assigning some sort of exact valuation to this narrative. Its informational content is absolutely indispensable to anyone seriously interested in what's gone on at Fukushima. On the other hand, the artwork is rather pedestrian and you certainly won't get anything in terms of character development. I think that these latter concerns are a much bigger issue for non-Japanese readers because we're just not familiar with the utterly pervasive nature of manga in Japanese society. Manga is, of course, primarily for entertainment, but it's used for just about anything else too. Westerners may have "XYZ for Dummies" books, but in Japan manga is perfectly acceptable as a mode of communication that encompasses much more serious work.

1F may not be for everyone, but it's indispensable for anyone who wants a unique and exceptionally well-observed account of what only a few very brave individuals have endured to make Japan safer and more secure.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ichi-F tells the story of one mans personal experience working as part of the clean up crew of the Fukushima nuclear power plant after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that caused the plant to meltdown. Kazuto Tatsuta tells his own story in a slice of life style manga, which focuses on the everyday experiences of those who work to clean up Fukushima and restore normal life to the northern part of Japan.

Tatsuta’s experience as a part time manga artist combined with his experience of working at such a unique location like Ichi-F, the name the workers have given the power plant, allows Tatsuta to express his experience in a way that no other plant worker could. This unique look into the decommissioning of a plant after a nuclear meltdown makes the story compelling and focuses not on the fear, but instead on the comradery of the Japanese men working on the site. The only weaknesses of this manga come from the editor’s choice to change the manga to being read from left to right instead of the traditional right to left. This along with the combining of a work that was originally serialized leads at times to a somewhat repetitive and confusing story.

Overall, those who are interested in nuclear disasters or Japanese blue-collar working experiences could enjoy this manga, but only if they are willing to read a slice of life style manga. Those looking for a crazy expose or fast paced action will be left disappointed.

[Matthew Komatsu · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look inside the Fukushima reactor decommissioning effort that managed to make mundane work interesting. From a craft perspective, I think the issue of Tatsuta using a pseudonym is worth thinking about. Pseudonyms are problematic because of their innate opacity, which is already a major issue with Japanese bureaucracy writ large. While I understand why Tatsuta used one, you have to wonder whether not using one would have lent the narrative more credibility — a doubter could believe that this was Tepco propaganda meant to legitimize the reactor decommissioning process. Somewhat optimistically, I don’t think that’s the case given Tatsuta’s public statements that he has not been invited to return to work there, which makes it look like his identity was figured out, and there were enough concerns with the manga runs to keep him from working. Anyway, a must-read for anyone trying to understand the complexities of Fukushima, and a novel format (graphic memoir) that make it an enjoyable read.

[HououinK · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is not bad for what it is. If you like slice-of life stories with nice, detailed art and you're curious about Fukushima workers, then you'll like this one.

I just want to point what Kodansha did with their English release (too bad that no one mentioned this earlier). This is like polar opposite to their usual (good) manga releases. More like Viz style release (or even worse) than Kodansha one (I avoid Viz releases like the plague)
The reading order is completely swapped [! I though that dark ages like this are already a thing of the past] (left to right instead right to left), they cut-off many cultural things or replaced it with American, all sound effects are completely redrawn. They clearly wanted to appeal complete casuals that never read the manga before.
If I knew it before buying it, I'd rather buy the original release. The localization here is taken on whole different level.

[Avvai · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a 600 page manga about the author's time working at the Fukushima nuclear reactors after it exploded during the 2011 tsunami/earthquake. This was the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl and I remember news reports about this.
It was interesting reading about his time there. He, along with many Japanese around the country, purposefully went there to help with the decommissioning and clean up process for years after (in fact I think they're still working on it).
This manga is extremely informative and extremely detailed but often times it was boring. I wish there was a bit more about the people who work there. He kept saying they were ordinary people, and the work there was also pretty ordinary. With this manga he was definitely trying to fight off the sensationlist news coverage Fukushima was getting from Japanese media so he was trying his best to depict hard cold facts more than anything.

I'd recommend reading a few chapters but maybe not the entire book.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked reading about what happened agree the tsunami and its effects. I knew about Fukashima Daiichi through the news in the days after the earthquake and tsunami but not much more than there were problems. Then other things took over and it wasn't news.

I liked this because it presents a point of view of someone who has actually been there and was dealing with the actual reality verses what was sound bit for news. I did have to read this in chunks because it was so much but it was a lot to chew on. Reading about all they went through in getting dressed in PPE (personal protective equipment) was familiar to me from my work in industrial security so I could sympathize with the tediousness of the process.

Overall, an excellent read and a good look at what happened after the news cameras went home.

[Colvet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this one a 3/5 stars but also **DNF**

Interesting idea, great art, but very straightforward and over analytical writing. This is what the author was going for, so I cannot knock the title for this. However, I just thought that this style made it seem almost like a chore to read.

Because of this, I only made it to Chapter 7 and did not finish before having to take it back to the library to read something more exciting. It is very rare that I have to do this. I usually plow through books even if I find them boring or uninteresting if I have already read more than 25% of it. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for it or tied to Fukushima enough to care about the very detailed memoir of the events that happened there.

I will say I did learn quite a bit. Maybe I will try to pick it up again to finish...who knows.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting and insightful look at the mundane existence of a worker helping with the cleanup of the Fukushima disaster. It provides an interesting perspective that enlightens without mythologizing, while still remaining a very human and humane exploration of the subject. The only thing I wished for while reading this was a section on the disaster itself, as I had only a little knowledge of the quake and tsunami that created the problem, and very little knowledge of the exact nature of the problems at the nuclear plant itself. Kazuto manages to make all of the individuals in his autobiography both archetypal and unique - a sign of a skilled artist and storyteller.

[Lucile Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

9. Ichi-F: A Worker's Graphic Memoir of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant by Kazuto Tatsuto
This is a graphic non-fiction work by a man who went to work on the cleanup of the Fukishima Nuclear reactor. The narrator seems entirely too cheerful and at a couple of points I began to wonder if perhaps the author was writing this at the behest of TEDCO.
There was no mention of the homeless being conscripted to help with the cleanup, and I am sure that this is a very sanitized version. Most of the men that the cartoonist works with are msddle-aged single men and they find an accepting community with each other.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look behind the scenes at Ichi-F, or the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Although the accident following the earthquake and tsunami did not cause a full nuclear meltdown, the disaster left an enormous amount of cleanup to be done. This anonymous first-hand account of the cleanup by a low level worker documents the day to day grind of "decommissioning" the plant. The author clearly takes pride in his part in the cleanup, and goes out of the way to describe all the safety measures in place to protect the workers, and how much progress has been made in making the area habitable again.