Adolf 2: An Exile in Japan

アドルフに告ぐ [Adolf ni Tsugu] #2

by Osamu Tezuka

Book by Tezuka, Osamu

Genres: Manga, Comics, Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Japan, Comics Manga

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Dr. Osamu Tezuka (手塚治虫) was a Japanese manga artist, animator, producer and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion. He is often credited as the "Father of Anime", and is often considered the Japanese equivalent to Walt Disney, who served as a major inspiration during his formative years. His prolific output, pioneering techniques, and innovative redefinitions of genres earned him such titles as "the father of manga" and "the God of Manga."

Reviews

[Riddhiman · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Adolf' is another great graphic novel from the acclaimed manga artist Osamu Tezuka (liked his Buddha earlier). It is in five parts and tells the story of three people named Adolf and how their destinies are intertwined. One of them is expectedly Adolf Hitler, the other two are Adolf Kauffman, the son of a Nazi officer and Adolf Kamil, son of a Jewish baker. Both Kauffman and Kamil spend their childhoods is Japan and grow to be close friends. Their paths are separated when Kauffman is forcefully sent by his father to join Hitler youth. With time, he is groomed into a ruthless Nazi and becomes one of Hitler's trusted associates. Kamil, on the other hand is drawn into the Jewish resistance of which his father is also a part. The story also traces a mysterious document which is related to the origins of Hitler, something that can bring down the Nazi regime. There are many important characters in the plot. Among them Sohei Toge, a reporter is another main protagonist, who finally writes this whole memoir. The imagery is impactful, especially the expression of human emotions and the devastations of war (World War II).

There are a lot of things to take back from this work, the uncanny similarity with our present for one. It shows how the young were brainwashed into hating Jews from an early age, in the Hitler schools; how the persecution of Jews was normalized. It also shows how a 'larger than life' image was created for Adolf Hitler, which he himself believed in, till the end. There are a lot of such aspects, which would ring a bell for a conscious reader.

This has the traditional style of manga, which is to be read from right to left. It is not that difficult, once one gets used to it. This was my final read for 2020 or rather the last book completed. Certainly a memorable one. (less)

[Devero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grande storia di spionaggio.
Il finale di questo secondo volume, con la cataclismatica fine che porta alla morte di quasi tutti i protagonisti, lascia aperti numerosi eventi degni di nota. Il più importante è se i due Adolf, ossia il ragazzino ebreo nipponico ed il nippotedesco, si reincontreranno mai.
Molto utili anche le tavole cronologiche tra i capitoli, quelle che riassumono i principali eventi di quegli anni. Sì, perchè questa storia iniziata con le olimpiadi di Berlino del 1936 è ora giunta al 1939 inoltrato, e la WWII sta iniziando.

Quello che colpisce è la maniacale dedizione al compito che i protagonisti si sono prefissi, che è pura ossessione e rasenta la follia. Toge su tutti ne è prigioniero, ma anche i suoi torturatori, e l'ispettore che aiuta Toge, avvinto dall'ossessione per la verità.

I disegni e alcuni punti deboli della trama sono l'unico motivo per cui questo volume non merita le 5 stelle. I primi sono invecchiati un poco, mentre sui punti un poco deboli della trama, credo che fosse necessario o il ritmo si sarebbe fatto più lento.

[Alessandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secondo albo di cinque.
Toge continua a rispettare il volere del fratello e a cercare i documenti che svelano il segreto del Fuhrer.
Braccato dalla polizia militare, sarà costretto a subire umiliazioni e torture senza mai cedere.

[Kitty Red-Eye]

Wish I had gotten vol. 1 first. I have 2, 4 and 5. Hopefully the story will still make sense. Feels unfair to rate it in this situation, but probably 4 stars (3 without vol. 1).

[Francesco · Rating 3 out of 5]

Secondo capitolo della storia, in cui non succede molto tranne che Sohei Toge ingaggia una lotta senza quartiere con la polizia segreta giapponese nel tentativo di portare in salvo i documenti compromettenti sulla nascita di Adolf Hitler.
Poteva essere un po' più corto.

[Nicholas Whyte · Rating 2 out of 5]

http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2670728.html

Mistakenly, I thought that this was the first of Tezuka's Adolf series; in fact it's the second, which may explain why the plot goes around in circles without really getting anywhere. At the beginning of the book, the central character, journalist Sohei Toge has returned from the 1936 Olympics with evidence that Adolf Hitler is in fact of Jewish descent. On this not terribly substantial and somewhat offensive idea is hung a run-around plot of getting beaten up and escaping certain death while attempting to retain the precious documents. I'm not sufficiently attracted to want to get any more in the series, or indeed, anything else by Tezuka.

[Felipe Arango Betancourt · Rating 5 out of 5]

1938. Han pasado dos años desde la muerte de Isao Toge en Alemania bajo extrañas circunstancias. Japón sigue su paso bélico por la plataforma continental, mientras las voces disidentes, intelectuales liberales y marxistas son perseguidas.
Por su lado Sohei Toge encuentra los documentos que comprobarían el verdadero origen del Führer. Toda la policía secreta está encima de él, no dejándole respirar, arrinconándole hasta la miseria.

¡La historia avanza a muy buen ritmo!

[Montserrat Esteban · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libro que me ha encantado y estoy deseando que salga el siguiente. Logrará recuperar los papeles?

[João Teixeira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Continuação da história iniciada no primeiro volume. Surgem novas personagens que ajudam ao desenvolvimento da trama. Toge sai todo partido dos confrontos que tem com os maus da fita... Mas mesmo assim, continua vivo e a mexer-se como se não tivesse levado pancada. Inversosímil, mas enfim... Outra questão incompreensível é a razão pela qual Toge não arranja logo maneira de divulgar os documentos que poderiam salvar a Humanidade...! Oportunidade surgiu, quando agentes das potencias aliadas o contactaram...
História interessante, mas demasiado rocambolesca... E este ainda foi só o segundo volume. A ver vamos o que os restantes trarão.

[Joni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toge se vuelve.objeto de persecución de los gobiernos alemanes, rusos, japoneses y norteamericanos. Es casi imposible mantener a salvo los documentos.
Lo que me sorprende es el nivel del dibujo de Tezuka, lo tenía como un enorme creador de mundos e historias pero no manejando a tal punto el arte.

[Alisa]

Cheio de Sohei Toge correndo e se machucando. Gostei das partes quando as varias personagens interagiram e os caminhos cruzaram.

[Mike Wigal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I’m hooked. Book #3 is on order.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The nihilistic volume in the series. Dark times for our intrepid journalist...

[Shin Donghae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buku kedua ini mengisahkan bagaimana Touge yang luntang lantung mempertahankan informasi yang telah diperoleh adiknya.
Alur yang disampaikan oleh Tezuka sensei berjalan mulus dan intens.

[Juan José · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obra par descubrir la vida japonesa durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Algunas veces demasiado se parece demasiado a un culebrón. No para todos los paladares

[Wis_Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un excelentísimo tomo cada uno mejor que el anterior

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Adolf 2, with World War II escalating, things have become quite heated for both Adolf Kamil and Adolf Kaufman. The Nazis have invaded Poland and have begun to move towards Finland. Jews across the region were being persecuted and many have become refugees on the move to Lithuania. Adolf Kamil would have to say farewell to his father Isaac Kamil, when Isaac would leave for Shanghai en route to Lithuania to help the immigration of nearly 500 people into Japan.

Meanwhile, Adolf Kaufman is now enrolled in a Hitler Youth Academy. While there, he quickly is taught to distinguish between races and religions. He would eventually hand out stars of David to Jews in his community. His work, some of which would be physically difficult, would lead to a visit with the Führer.

Unfortunately, as young Kaufman would reach such heights, he, like Kamil and Tohge before him, would find out that Hitler may have a very heavy secret he was hiding.

[Adrian Nieto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adolf, por Osamu Tezuka, es una historia que liga a varias personas a la lucha por publicar un documento muy importante, que promete desequilibrar y hasta destruir el partido nazi, que es controlado por Hitler: Un acta de nacimiento y una serie de cartas que comprueban que Adolf tenia sangre judia (al menos un cuarto).
Osamu Tezuka mantiene un buen ritmo en la historia, manteniendote interesado en ella, mientras te informa de detalles que mucha gente no sabia acerca de el famoso lider aleman. Altamente recomendable definitivamente disfrutable, aunque no a la altura de clasicos como Phoenix o Black Jack/Astroboy.

[Mikael Kuoppala · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second volume of “Adolf” follows our two namesake characters into very different directions as WWII deepens and Germany begins to engulf Europe. Kamil loses his father for a desperate errand to help Jews escape the cursed continent while Kaufman goes through a rigorous and terrifying brain wash as a member of Hitler Jugend.

“An Exile in Japan” isn’t quite as engrossing as the opening volume, as it lags a bit in pace and seems to shy away from the reality of its coal dark subject matter just a tiny bit. The process Kaufman goes through in training is the strongest, most disturbing aspect of the series at this point.

[Razvan Zamfirescu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Din punct de vedere grafic, romanul este superb. Insa povestea lasa foarte mult de dorit. Sunt mult prea multe momente in care "destinul" si intamplarea isi fac de cap. Putin cam exagerat, totusi.
Mai sunt niscai inadvertente istorice, dar, de dragul povestii, trecem peste.
Primul volum parca a fost mai bun pentru ca a parut mult mai rezonabil in evolutie...
Desi am o pornire puternica de a renunta la acest roman grafic, totusi am sa continui datorita graficii superbe...

[Aurora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really unsatisfying. The story is still interesting, but this book stalls something awful. Once we know what the secret documents say, it's not much fun to watch the hero continue to try to keep them from authorities. And story lulls give me time to question the historical logic- like, would they really let a half-Japanese kid in the Hitler youth?

[Kobeest · Rating 4 out of 5]

graphic novel: i just finished this vol. and think the series is almost as good as buddha. tezuka has a way of capturing and framing humanities' struggles that is very accessable--plus he has a funny sense of humor that is more on the corny side than american readers of serious lit are used too...

[Ravenhats · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume is if anything even more powerful. Adolf continues to take dark turns, and to be thrilling and deeply tragic. It is amazing how well researched and accurate this manga is. This is definitely one of Tezuka's life works.

[Sarah Canavan]

have this, ready to read but need to find a copy of one first.

[Stéphanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un rythme haletant, Togué reste un personnage plutôt sympathique, et le salaud à la sale gueule de la Gestapo fait toujours aussi froid dans le dos.

[Hugo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es un thriller muy bien llevado, la historia se complica un poco y el protagonista tiene que hacer algunos sacrificios.

[Emerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Adolf series is GREAT so far! Tezuka has dynamic characters and an inter-weaving story-line that really draws the reader in.

[Aurelio Ippandoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

The serious side of tezuka,great read.

[Cambalache Majere · Rating 4 out of 5]