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Henshin
Storie di vita vissuta, dal quotidiano al surreale, tra zii rapinatori e gatti che forse non esistono, compongono questa raccolta di storie ambientate nel Giappone moderno e scritte e disegnate da Ken Niimura, il disegnatore dell’amatissimo I Kill Giants. Un volume corposo, fatto di brevi pennellate narrative sorprendenti, disegnate in modo delizioso. Vi spiacerà finirlo, quando arriverete in fondo.
296 pages, Paperback
First published July 18, 2014
1 person is currently reading
249 people want to read
About the author
J.M. Ken Niimura
51 books45 followersJ.M. Ken Niimura is a Spanish-Japanese cartoonist and illustrator. He has produced work within the Spanish, North American and Japanese comic book markets.
Niimura was born and grew up in Madrid, Spain. He graduated in Fine Arts at the Complutense University of Madrid.
Niimura started his career in the early 2000's within the Spanish self-publishing comic scene. His major professional debut however happened in the US in 2009, when he illustrated the series I Kill Giants (Image comics), written by Joe Kelly and adapted into a live-action movie in 2018.
The success of I Kill Giants led Niimura to collaborate with various magazines around the world, such as 'Black' (Italy), 'Mandala' (Japan), 'Popgun' (USA), 'C'est Bon Anthology' (Sweden), 'Spera' (USA) and 'Fluide Glamour' (France). The resulting short stories were collected in the anthology Traveling (2014).
In 2013 Niimura moved to Japan, to work in the manga industry. He serialised the semi-autobiographical diary manga Henshin (2013) in the magazine 'Monthly Ikki' from publisher Shogakukan.
His next major project was the webcomic Umami (2019), about two cooks in a fantastic world. The work won the 2019 Eisner Award for Best Digital Comic.
Niimura was born and grew up in Madrid, Spain. He graduated in Fine Arts at the Complutense University of Madrid.
Niimura started his career in the early 2000's within the Spanish self-publishing comic scene. His major professional debut however happened in the US in 2009, when he illustrated the series I Kill Giants (Image comics), written by Joe Kelly and adapted into a live-action movie in 2018.
The success of I Kill Giants led Niimura to collaborate with various magazines around the world, such as 'Black' (Italy), 'Mandala' (Japan), 'Popgun' (USA), 'C'est Bon Anthology' (Sweden), 'Spera' (USA) and 'Fluide Glamour' (France). The resulting short stories were collected in the anthology Traveling (2014).
In 2013 Niimura moved to Japan, to work in the manga industry. He serialised the semi-autobiographical diary manga Henshin (2013) in the magazine 'Monthly Ikki' from publisher Shogakukan.
His next major project was the webcomic Umami (2019), about two cooks in a fantastic world. The work won the 2019 Eisner Award for Best Digital Comic.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
November 23, 2015
Ken Niimura, the artist of Joe Kelly’s brilliant I Kill Giants, has put out his own book made up of 13 short stories called Henshin (Japanese for “transformation”) - and it’s rather good!
The stories are a mix of fiction and nonfiction with change as the theme. The fiction gets a bit dark and intense in a couple of spots but the book mostly has a lighthearted tone to it. Like the opening story where a girl goes to visit her uncle in Tokyo, thinking he’s an awkward and lame adult until she discovers he’s a contract killer and his day off has suddenly turned into a day where he needs to hit a target - and she’s his getaway driver!
Watermelon in Summer sees a family go for a picnic in the woods and encounter a kindly old man looking for a water bottle - and then suddenly suicide is on the table?! A foreigner’s outburst at being unaccepted into Japanese society despite having lived in the country for years leads to explosions and giant avatar monsters?! They’re very imaginative, enjoyable stories to read and Niimura strikes the right balance between the written word and the visuals.
There’s a family of superheroes trying to blend in to a normal neighbourhood by hiding their powers, but not all the fiction is fantastical with quite a few low key stories standing out as among the best. A salaryman misses the last train home and ponders how to spend the night, breaking up a fight where a pimp’s beating his girlfriend/prostitute, leading to an unexpected party. Things get a bit sentimental too in the story of two lifelong friends as we see them meet as kids right up through to their death beds.
Not all the fiction works. Merci is a weak entry where a Japanese man living in France has trouble communicating, not knowing the language - it was a very uninteresting tale that didn’t really go anywhere. First Snow is a silent story that totally passed me by. It was only when I was flicking through the book after I’d read it that I realised I’d completely forgotten about it! Re-reading it a second time and I could see why: kids, snow cones, sunsets, whaat?!
The best parts of the book was the nonfiction starring Niimura himself. In two of them he talks of his love of cats, particularly the one he’s never met but knows is out there because he leaves food out for it and each day the bowl’s empty. I really liked the story about his creative process, how he comes up with ideas (which mostly turn out to be memories of stories he’s read elsewhere!) and the relentless search for ideas that culminated in this book. He comes off as a very likeable man, innocent without being naive, optimistic and charming - but then he’s also writing the book so why not make himself look great too?
What’s weird is the recurring appearance of poop in the stories! In his nonfiction story about cats, he talks about tripping up on cat poop in the corridor, then later he talks about how he can’t take poops in strange bathrooms, it always has to be his home toilet. His friends talk about poop, there’s even a story where he’s making a stew, a cat wanders into the kitchen, poops into the pot, and they unknowingly eat cat poop! There’s more cat poop later on and in the superhero family story the young boy defeats the bullies with a ghost fart warrior!
That’s not to say the poop is gratuitous in any way - bizarrely, they do serve the story and always have a purpose - it’s just weird seeing it repeatedly show up!
There’s also a kind of symmetry to Henshin with the last story being an extension of the first and the second to last story being a continuation of the second story. But generally they’re all connected thematically via “change” rather than being a series of interconnected tales a la Pulp Fiction.
As you would expect from the artist of I Kill Giants, the art is fantastic and switches from pure manga to a more Western style with beautiful cinematic shots of backgrounds. There’s excellent use of space so that some pages are just a couple of panels showing the barest of objects/people, contrasting to more ambitious shots like building layouts, crowd scenes, action sequences with gunfights and car chases, etc. Niimura’s very talented with a helluva range.
Like most short story collections, Henshin isn’t 100% perfect but there’s a lot of great stuff here to recommend it. Fans of well-crafted comics who also like manga and variety will enjoy Henshin. And of course fans of poop in comics!
The stories are a mix of fiction and nonfiction with change as the theme. The fiction gets a bit dark and intense in a couple of spots but the book mostly has a lighthearted tone to it. Like the opening story where a girl goes to visit her uncle in Tokyo, thinking he’s an awkward and lame adult until she discovers he’s a contract killer and his day off has suddenly turned into a day where he needs to hit a target - and she’s his getaway driver!
Watermelon in Summer sees a family go for a picnic in the woods and encounter a kindly old man looking for a water bottle - and then suddenly suicide is on the table?! A foreigner’s outburst at being unaccepted into Japanese society despite having lived in the country for years leads to explosions and giant avatar monsters?! They’re very imaginative, enjoyable stories to read and Niimura strikes the right balance between the written word and the visuals.
There’s a family of superheroes trying to blend in to a normal neighbourhood by hiding their powers, but not all the fiction is fantastical with quite a few low key stories standing out as among the best. A salaryman misses the last train home and ponders how to spend the night, breaking up a fight where a pimp’s beating his girlfriend/prostitute, leading to an unexpected party. Things get a bit sentimental too in the story of two lifelong friends as we see them meet as kids right up through to their death beds.
Not all the fiction works. Merci is a weak entry where a Japanese man living in France has trouble communicating, not knowing the language - it was a very uninteresting tale that didn’t really go anywhere. First Snow is a silent story that totally passed me by. It was only when I was flicking through the book after I’d read it that I realised I’d completely forgotten about it! Re-reading it a second time and I could see why: kids, snow cones, sunsets, whaat?!
The best parts of the book was the nonfiction starring Niimura himself. In two of them he talks of his love of cats, particularly the one he’s never met but knows is out there because he leaves food out for it and each day the bowl’s empty. I really liked the story about his creative process, how he comes up with ideas (which mostly turn out to be memories of stories he’s read elsewhere!) and the relentless search for ideas that culminated in this book. He comes off as a very likeable man, innocent without being naive, optimistic and charming - but then he’s also writing the book so why not make himself look great too?
What’s weird is the recurring appearance of poop in the stories! In his nonfiction story about cats, he talks about tripping up on cat poop in the corridor, then later he talks about how he can’t take poops in strange bathrooms, it always has to be his home toilet. His friends talk about poop, there’s even a story where he’s making a stew, a cat wanders into the kitchen, poops into the pot, and they unknowingly eat cat poop! There’s more cat poop later on and in the superhero family story the young boy defeats the bullies with a ghost fart warrior!
That’s not to say the poop is gratuitous in any way - bizarrely, they do serve the story and always have a purpose - it’s just weird seeing it repeatedly show up!
There’s also a kind of symmetry to Henshin with the last story being an extension of the first and the second to last story being a continuation of the second story. But generally they’re all connected thematically via “change” rather than being a series of interconnected tales a la Pulp Fiction.
As you would expect from the artist of I Kill Giants, the art is fantastic and switches from pure manga to a more Western style with beautiful cinematic shots of backgrounds. There’s excellent use of space so that some pages are just a couple of panels showing the barest of objects/people, contrasting to more ambitious shots like building layouts, crowd scenes, action sequences with gunfights and car chases, etc. Niimura’s very talented with a helluva range.
Like most short story collections, Henshin isn’t 100% perfect but there’s a lot of great stuff here to recommend it. Fans of well-crafted comics who also like manga and variety will enjoy Henshin. And of course fans of poop in comics!
February 28, 2020
DNFed. Loved the idea of having a female protagonist but nothing worked out. The storyline is just too haphazard and it seems like the author cannot make up his mind on the characters as well as the plot. The artstyle is a bit underwhelming.
April 27, 2019
3.5
Recensione su Chibiistheway
Una raccolta molto variegata di storie ambientate in Giappone. Si va da racconti autobiografici e ironici a storie più ciniche e tristi. Non sono una grande amante delle raccolte ma devo dire che mi ha intrattenuta, soprattutto quando si parlava dell'autore e del suo mestiere. Bellissima anche la storia sull'essere stranieri in Giappone
Una raccolta molto variegata di storie ambientate in Giappone. Si va da racconti autobiografici e ironici a storie più ciniche e tristi. Non sono una grande amante delle raccolte ma devo dire che mi ha intrattenuta, soprattutto quando si parlava dell'autore e del suo mestiere. Bellissima anche la storia sull'essere stranieri in Giappone
January 22, 2015
It's weird and way too japanese. And I really loved Ken's cat, it's so adorable. Henshin means 'transformation' in japanese and is an anthology of 13 stories that portrays the everday life in modern Tokyo. Well, if you don't know what manga really is or have zero familiarity at all. I suggest that you shouldn't pick up this one. Why? The stories aren't that bad, in fact I liked them. There are just lots of strange stuff to take in, that beginners may find it confusing and odd. Who knows that fart could be a powerful weapon? Or a typical guy who could suddenly turn out into a monster? Or is it the mysterious cat who likes to poop a lot? But if you really want to try this out, it's okay. Just go on reading, it is confusing, I know but you'll enjoy it eventually.
The stories are set in different genres, non-fiction and fiction. Some are dark, some are funny, and some are heartwarming but all keep in a lighter atmosphere. Ken Niimura's artwork is also remarkable because the illustration is different from the usual manga art. It's quite chaotic but impressive and cute. So, here's a sneak peek:
Behind the images and stories, Henshin vividly captures the real life in a modern society in an imaginative and sly way. My favorite story is the Victory Sign, it's about the never ending friendship between Kieta and Kosuke. Though it is only a 20-page or so, the story still touches my heart. You can actually download a sample copy of it legally here. Just read the article and you'll see the download button there. Par-tay and Shut Up are also my favorite. Lastly, Ken also inlcluded himself in the manga. It's cool and something new to me. He shared his fascination for cats which is cute and funny, his life experiences, and his journey through the publication of this book. Recommended.
More manga and graphic novels reviews at TheBookishOgre
January 8, 2023
Caruccio, è una sequenza di storie buffe e/o improbabili. Stante la passione per i gatti del protagonista, e il suo amore per il gatto invisibile che gli fa danni in casa, non potevo non apprezzarlo.
June 29, 2023
13 deliciously dark, slightly disturbing, slightly unpredictable, 100% page-turning short stories providing a window into the lives of people from all walks of life in modern Japan.
The artwork alone provides enough attraction to read the comic. I especially love the cityscapes, as well as the simple character sketches that have barely enough lines but still manage to show a huge variety of emotions.
The artwork alone provides enough attraction to read the comic. I especially love the cityscapes, as well as the simple character sketches that have barely enough lines but still manage to show a huge variety of emotions.
January 24, 2019
I bought this book for like 5 bucks at the comic shop because I liked the art and the back cover sounded interesting - a series of vignettes set in modern Japan.
Yeah... So about the only part of this I enjoyed was the ending bit about cats? And even the cat story was so full of poop that I was just like...why...
The art was nice but this is such a Gross Man(tm) book. Like it's not edgy to make a bunch of poop jokes. Nothing in this really made sense, either.
Of course, it's entirely possible that I'm missing some massive cultural context here, considering this is a translation from a Japanese author. I have no idea.
Yeah... So about the only part of this I enjoyed was the ending bit about cats? And even the cat story was so full of poop that I was just like...why...
The art was nice but this is such a Gross Man(tm) book. Like it's not edgy to make a bunch of poop jokes. Nothing in this really made sense, either.
Of course, it's entirely possible that I'm missing some massive cultural context here, considering this is a translation from a Japanese author. I have no idea.
July 22, 2016
A great collection of short stories. Some of them funny, some sweet, some sad, some outright bizarre, but all very enjoyable.
October 12, 2018
The best of Niimura’s short manga stories are like haikus - short but deep, inviting you to think. The worst are just shocking, with nothing but the visceral emotion to hang on to. Still, the best stories really linger. I really liked this one.
(warning: some descriptions might feel spoiler-y)
No Good packs quite a punch due to the explosive finale whose seeds are carefully planted in the calm, introspective beginning. A bullied teenage girl from the boondocks arrives to Tokyo to live with her uncle until she finds a new school and a new home. The uncle has a secret. The girl, too.
Kitty And Me - funny semiautobiographical story about his love of cats and of... toilets, linked by a cat that takes a poo every night outside of his apartment “like a secret language from an old friend”.
The Last Train - a chance meeting, a last train missed, a night of beer and watching a girl dance to the silent music of her headphones, and the minor rebellion of a salaryman.
Bully Bros -funny story about a superhero family that works hard at keeping their powers secret.
Salieri - sarcastic title for a gag story on expired ideas that’s made better by Niimura’s musings on creativity and the artistic process.
Watermelon In Summer - a family picnic that’s not what it seems gets disturbed by a noisy old timer. And yet, nobody eats the watermelon. Best story in the book.
Merci - Someone who can’t speak french is trying to buy a hammer while in Paris. Why? You’ll see.
Lying Is Bad - words make us go Boom! in this satirical detective story.
Par-tay - beauty (and a great dinner) can appear from the weirdest ingredients.
The Victory Sign - an ode to friendship. Also, any story can have a happy ending, it just depends on where you end it.
First Snow - no words needed for this delicately drawn story of a first love.
Cat On Guard - another one of the semiautobiographical funny / poignant stories, I find this one the most endearing, although it’s quite unoriginal. Not sure why. I just do.
Shut Up - the bullied teenager from the first story graduates and returns home, not before gifting her uncle a rabbit. I have no idea what that means, but I’d love to know. Please comment if you have any idea. Thanks.
(warning: some descriptions might feel spoiler-y)
No Good packs quite a punch due to the explosive finale whose seeds are carefully planted in the calm, introspective beginning. A bullied teenage girl from the boondocks arrives to Tokyo to live with her uncle until she finds a new school and a new home. The uncle has a secret. The girl, too.
Kitty And Me - funny semiautobiographical story about his love of cats and of... toilets, linked by a cat that takes a poo every night outside of his apartment “like a secret language from an old friend”.
The Last Train - a chance meeting, a last train missed, a night of beer and watching a girl dance to the silent music of her headphones, and the minor rebellion of a salaryman.
Bully Bros -funny story about a superhero family that works hard at keeping their powers secret.
Salieri - sarcastic title for a gag story on expired ideas that’s made better by Niimura’s musings on creativity and the artistic process.
Watermelon In Summer - a family picnic that’s not what it seems gets disturbed by a noisy old timer. And yet, nobody eats the watermelon. Best story in the book.
Merci - Someone who can’t speak french is trying to buy a hammer while in Paris. Why? You’ll see.
Lying Is Bad - words make us go Boom! in this satirical detective story.
Par-tay - beauty (and a great dinner) can appear from the weirdest ingredients.
The Victory Sign - an ode to friendship. Also, any story can have a happy ending, it just depends on where you end it.
First Snow - no words needed for this delicately drawn story of a first love.
Cat On Guard - another one of the semiautobiographical funny / poignant stories, I find this one the most endearing, although it’s quite unoriginal. Not sure why. I just do.
Shut Up - the bullied teenager from the first story graduates and returns home, not before gifting her uncle a rabbit. I have no idea what that means, but I’d love to know. Please comment if you have any idea. Thanks.
May 10, 2020
This collection of shorts was entirely underwhelming, the only stories I liked were autobiographical ones. The mangaka likes cats and he attempts to befriend a stray cat.
The rest of the stories felt pointless.
The art was alright, it’s not my favorite type but I can see the beauty in dynamic simplistic art.
The rest of the stories felt pointless.
The art was alright, it’s not my favorite type but I can see the beauty in dynamic simplistic art.
January 9, 2021
A cool anthology, with some very good stories, but also some averages.
A nice mixture of slice-of-life with a pinch of fantasy
A nice mixture of slice-of-life with a pinch of fantasy
September 17, 2014
Reseña de Sergi Viciana · Nota: 8 · Reseña en Fantífica
Hace unos años Ken Niimura vino al Saló del Còmic de Barcelona y firmó en el stand de Norma Comics a la vez que alguien de mucho peso. No recuerdo si era Mignola, o Victoria Francés, o quién, pero era alguien de esos que tienen colas kilométricas. Lo que sí recuerdo es que yo fui a que me firmara Otras jaulas y un ejemplar de la revista Galaxia en el que había una ilustración suya. Él flipó al ver ese material, entre otras cosas por lo difícil de conseguir a esas alturas, pero yo recuerdo sentirme como el que consiguiera una dedicatoria de Spiegelman en los setenta. Ese tío podía llegar muy lejos.
Mientras leía este fin de semana Henshin he recordado esa sensación, y también el placer al leer Otras jaulas. Quizás sea porque, a diferencia de Soy un matagigantes, su anterior cómic, aquí vuelve a lo cotidiano y lo íntimo. Son historias cortas, autoconclusivas, todas estructuradas con un giro final, que son una demostración de su versatilidad.
Henshin se podría traducir como «transformación», aunque normalmente va asociado a superhéroes o mutaciones de distinto tipo. En este caso, las transformaciones son las que se producen, o se pueden producir, por lo nimio y cotidiano de nuestra vida. Pequeñas circunstancias que nos cambian la vida, hechos intrascendentes que resultan tener una enorme trascendencia para nosotros. Para reforzar esa idea, Henshin incluye algunas historias protagonizadas por el propio Niimura, combinadas con otras de todo tipo. Es difícil decir nada sobre ellas sin caer en el spoiler debido a la estructura que decía antes con giro final inesperado, así que lo mejor será que lo leáis vosotros mismos.
Quizás lo más destacable sea su aspecto gráfico, de una riqueza sorprendente y que contrasta con su aparente simplicidad de trazo. Frente a los fondos planos típicos del manga, Niimura sabe llenar las escenas de detalles que las vuelven ricas, pero, sobre todo, sabe hacerlo sólo cuando merece la pena, huyendo del barroquismo.
La composición es otro de los rasgos a destacar. Desde páginas diríamos «convencionales» hasta combinaciones de viñetas no perpendiculares, de diferentes tamaños y formas, con y sin margen... Si hacéis el experimento de releer alguna de las historias fijándoos en el diseño os lo vais a pasar en grande, sobre todo si comparáis dos historias bien diferentes, tipo Not good y La primera nevada.
A la espera de que Norma edite Travelling (está anunciado para agosto), Henshin es un cómic que no podéis dejar pasar.
Hace unos años Ken Niimura vino al Saló del Còmic de Barcelona y firmó en el stand de Norma Comics a la vez que alguien de mucho peso. No recuerdo si era Mignola, o Victoria Francés, o quién, pero era alguien de esos que tienen colas kilométricas. Lo que sí recuerdo es que yo fui a que me firmara Otras jaulas y un ejemplar de la revista Galaxia en el que había una ilustración suya. Él flipó al ver ese material, entre otras cosas por lo difícil de conseguir a esas alturas, pero yo recuerdo sentirme como el que consiguiera una dedicatoria de Spiegelman en los setenta. Ese tío podía llegar muy lejos.
Mientras leía este fin de semana Henshin he recordado esa sensación, y también el placer al leer Otras jaulas. Quizás sea porque, a diferencia de Soy un matagigantes, su anterior cómic, aquí vuelve a lo cotidiano y lo íntimo. Son historias cortas, autoconclusivas, todas estructuradas con un giro final, que son una demostración de su versatilidad.
Henshin se podría traducir como «transformación», aunque normalmente va asociado a superhéroes o mutaciones de distinto tipo. En este caso, las transformaciones son las que se producen, o se pueden producir, por lo nimio y cotidiano de nuestra vida. Pequeñas circunstancias que nos cambian la vida, hechos intrascendentes que resultan tener una enorme trascendencia para nosotros. Para reforzar esa idea, Henshin incluye algunas historias protagonizadas por el propio Niimura, combinadas con otras de todo tipo. Es difícil decir nada sobre ellas sin caer en el spoiler debido a la estructura que decía antes con giro final inesperado, así que lo mejor será que lo leáis vosotros mismos.
Quizás lo más destacable sea su aspecto gráfico, de una riqueza sorprendente y que contrasta con su aparente simplicidad de trazo. Frente a los fondos planos típicos del manga, Niimura sabe llenar las escenas de detalles que las vuelven ricas, pero, sobre todo, sabe hacerlo sólo cuando merece la pena, huyendo del barroquismo.
La composición es otro de los rasgos a destacar. Desde páginas diríamos «convencionales» hasta combinaciones de viñetas no perpendiculares, de diferentes tamaños y formas, con y sin margen... Si hacéis el experimento de releer alguna de las historias fijándoos en el diseño os lo vais a pasar en grande, sobre todo si comparáis dos historias bien diferentes, tipo Not good y La primera nevada.
A la espera de que Norma edite Travelling (está anunciado para agosto), Henshin es un cómic que no podéis dejar pasar.
August 6, 2016
Well, that was... um... interesting. Yeah, let's go with interesting.
Some of the stories were better than others. I liked the ones based on Niimura's own life best of the batch. The rest just felt... either unfinished or like Niimura had an idea too big for one short story.
So the short and sweet is: a collection of vignettes, some could've been better.
Some of the stories were better than others. I liked the ones based on Niimura's own life best of the batch. The rest just felt... either unfinished or like Niimura had an idea too big for one short story.
So the short and sweet is: a collection of vignettes, some could've been better.
July 4, 2019
Oggi in treno ho letto tre quarti di questo manga che è molto scorrevole ma anche divertente e bello nella semplicità dei disegni e delle storie. Insomma ho finito il resto non appena tornata a casa e mi ê moto piaciuto. Devo dire che Bao in questa collana Aiken dedicata ai manga non sta sbagliando un colpo...
Henshin inizia con una comune ragazza un po’ ribelle che viene mandata dallo zio in città. Peccato che la vita di tale zio non sia proprio così tranquilla e senza guai. Ma non abbiamo solo le avventure di questa ragazza. Abbiamo una famiglia con dei poteri particolari che per una volta (una nella vita!) vuole sembrare normale agli occhi degli altri. E che dire poi del fatto di essere stranieri in un altro paese? Le gioie e i dolori di affrontare una nuova cultura e una nuova lingua sono uguali in tutto il mondo, dal Giappone alla Francia.
Ma Henshin intervalla questi diversi episodi con momenti della vita dell’autore stesso. Abbiamo un misterioso gatto che si aggira per casa sua, le difficoltà di creare storie e di disegnarle, ma anche momenti di ritrovo e disavventure con i propri amici. Momenti all’apparenza comuni ma che hanno quel qualcosa che rende tutto più assurdo e divertente. Ed un momento quotidiano diventa qualcosa di particolare, da raccontare e condividere.
In tal senso questa raccolta è davvero semplice ma assolutamente divertente ed emozionante. Il tratto di disegno di Niimura, semplice e a volte grezzo, enfatizza le stranezze dei personaggi e delle situazioni che vivono sopratutto quando si auto-rappresenta. Le parti autobiografiche sono i momenti più belli proprio perché si avverte la realtà della situazione raccontata. Ma anche gli altri episodi partono sempre da una situazione reale, forse comune anche a molti di noi, per poi evolversi in maniera strana e imprevedibile. Situazioni che spesso fanno ridere proprio per la loro assurdità, ma in alcuni momenti emozionano facendo pure riflettere.
Il volume risulta davvero molto scorrevole. L’ho letto in poco più di due ore totali perché si viene spinti a girare continuamente la pagina per leggere cosa accadrà nella prossima e quali altre storie ci aspettano. Quindi per una lettura semplice (estiva oserei direi) dove si mostra il lato più irreale della vita e quegli aspetti inaspettati ma spesso (ahimè!) veri, Henshin è il manga che fa per voi.
La recensione completa del manga è stata scritta per Nerd Pool e la trovate al seguente link: https://www.nerdpool.it/2019/07/03/he...
Henshin inizia con una comune ragazza un po’ ribelle che viene mandata dallo zio in città. Peccato che la vita di tale zio non sia proprio così tranquilla e senza guai. Ma non abbiamo solo le avventure di questa ragazza. Abbiamo una famiglia con dei poteri particolari che per una volta (una nella vita!) vuole sembrare normale agli occhi degli altri. E che dire poi del fatto di essere stranieri in un altro paese? Le gioie e i dolori di affrontare una nuova cultura e una nuova lingua sono uguali in tutto il mondo, dal Giappone alla Francia.
Ma Henshin intervalla questi diversi episodi con momenti della vita dell’autore stesso. Abbiamo un misterioso gatto che si aggira per casa sua, le difficoltà di creare storie e di disegnarle, ma anche momenti di ritrovo e disavventure con i propri amici. Momenti all’apparenza comuni ma che hanno quel qualcosa che rende tutto più assurdo e divertente. Ed un momento quotidiano diventa qualcosa di particolare, da raccontare e condividere.
In tal senso questa raccolta è davvero semplice ma assolutamente divertente ed emozionante. Il tratto di disegno di Niimura, semplice e a volte grezzo, enfatizza le stranezze dei personaggi e delle situazioni che vivono sopratutto quando si auto-rappresenta. Le parti autobiografiche sono i momenti più belli proprio perché si avverte la realtà della situazione raccontata. Ma anche gli altri episodi partono sempre da una situazione reale, forse comune anche a molti di noi, per poi evolversi in maniera strana e imprevedibile. Situazioni che spesso fanno ridere proprio per la loro assurdità, ma in alcuni momenti emozionano facendo pure riflettere.
Il volume risulta davvero molto scorrevole. L’ho letto in poco più di due ore totali perché si viene spinti a girare continuamente la pagina per leggere cosa accadrà nella prossima e quali altre storie ci aspettano. Quindi per una lettura semplice (estiva oserei direi) dove si mostra il lato più irreale della vita e quegli aspetti inaspettati ma spesso (ahimè!) veri, Henshin è il manga che fa per voi.
La recensione completa del manga è stata scritta per Nerd Pool e la trovate al seguente link: https://www.nerdpool.it/2019/07/03/he...
May 8, 2023
Non lo so. Siamo davanti ad una raccolta di racconti in cui effettivamente un filo rosso che tutti li ci tiene c’è. Ken Niimura ha un tratto favoloso, ti porta dentro la storia con tre pennellate e butta qua e là delle botte notevoli, e tendenzialmente in punta di piedi. Che te ne accorgi dopo, pensando: ok, che ho letto? Però poi ci sono cose che sinceramente non ho capito/apprezzato.
Forse gli darò un’altra possibilità e lo risfoglierò nuovamente (qui abbiamo amato alla follia I kill giants), I forse me lo dimenticherò in un angolo della libreria.
Forse gli darò un’altra possibilità e lo risfoglierò nuovamente (qui abbiamo amato alla follia I kill giants), I forse me lo dimenticherò in un angolo della libreria.
January 7, 2018
A wonderful collection of short story comics.
January 29, 2019
Simpática colección de relatos marcadamente humanos. Ken demuestra su talento como dibujante y narrador en cada una de las historias pero para mi gusto falla en ofrecer alguna historia más memorable. Aún así una gran adición a la biblioteca.
May 28, 2019
3.5 🌟
February 16, 2016
Henshin is a compilation of smaller stories of which some are linked to one another and some not so much. In a way I kind of wished for a theme, since otherwise the stories are are bound to feel abrupt and scattered. Most of the stories revolve around this guy, who wants to own a cat and feeds one that he hasn't yet seen. We also have people with superpowers and whatnot. I failed to see the applauded Tokyo imagery. Some stories like the guy and the cat were very Japanese, but all the others again not so much. The best story was definitely the people having picnic in order to kill themselves after it. There was a weird melancholy to it and at the same time it was horrible and funny. I do understand that a compilation hardly ever is perfectly formed, but I just didn't get anything out of this.
Niimura's art is very wonderful as it's smudgy and raw. It's not manga-like although it reminds me of Taiyo Matsumoto. I like the view angles that are distorted and Niimura knows how to move the story without words, which is awesome. The odd feeling that pushes through his style is noteworthy and at the same time it's very Western. Henshin is a good comic, the stories are interesting, but nothing amazing or original. There aren't so many compilation comics out there, so for that reason this is fine and worth the read.
Niimura's art is very wonderful as it's smudgy and raw. It's not manga-like although it reminds me of Taiyo Matsumoto. I like the view angles that are distorted and Niimura knows how to move the story without words, which is awesome. The odd feeling that pushes through his style is noteworthy and at the same time it's very Western. Henshin is a good comic, the stories are interesting, but nothing amazing or original. There aren't so many compilation comics out there, so for that reason this is fine and worth the read.
February 15, 2015
'Henshin' is the Japanese word for transformation, and Ken Nimura gives us 13 stories of various kinds of transformations. Some are more subtle than others, and quite a few are interwoven.
We meet a man who wants a mysterious cat that lives near him in spite of the stinky "gifts" the cat leaves behind. We meet a young quiet girl living with her uncle, and a salaryman who gets stranded when he misses the last train, and a couple young boys with strange powers. There are bullies, and aspiring writers prone to only creating existing ideas, and a group of strangers having a picnic in the woods while a watermelon cools in a stream nearby.
The stories are a bit weird to my Western sensibilities, but I still liked most of them. There is a bit too much focus on cat poop for my taste. The art feels a bit loose and sketchy, but I liked it quite a bit. I especially loved the cats with their sleek, fluid movements as they slink around. It's a nice collection of strange stories, and I like how they somewhat interconnect. Recommended if you're looking for something different.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, Image Comics, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
We meet a man who wants a mysterious cat that lives near him in spite of the stinky "gifts" the cat leaves behind. We meet a young quiet girl living with her uncle, and a salaryman who gets stranded when he misses the last train, and a couple young boys with strange powers. There are bullies, and aspiring writers prone to only creating existing ideas, and a group of strangers having a picnic in the woods while a watermelon cools in a stream nearby.
The stories are a bit weird to my Western sensibilities, but I still liked most of them. There is a bit too much focus on cat poop for my taste. The art feels a bit loose and sketchy, but I liked it quite a bit. I especially loved the cats with their sleek, fluid movements as they slink around. It's a nice collection of strange stories, and I like how they somewhat interconnect. Recommended if you're looking for something different.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, Image Comics, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
March 17, 2015
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
Henshin is a collection of short mangas, and also one of the weirdest things I've ever read.
They are all very short, I guess about 30 pages each and real random. Some (quite a lot actually) have a somewhat macabre twist at the end. Others are completely dedicated to cats.
It's really hard for me to make my mind up about it. It was definitely something different and I'm glad I read it. But I did feel like I should have known more before starting because it didn't make a lot of sense to me. It's because of that I don't know who to recommend this to, but if you're looking for something completely different, try this one.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Henshin is a collection of short mangas, and also one of the weirdest things I've ever read.
They are all very short, I guess about 30 pages each and real random. Some (quite a lot actually) have a somewhat macabre twist at the end. Others are completely dedicated to cats.
It's really hard for me to make my mind up about it. It was definitely something different and I'm glad I read it. But I did feel like I should have known more before starting because it didn't make a lot of sense to me. It's because of that I don't know who to recommend this to, but if you're looking for something completely different, try this one.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
March 2, 2015
Henshin is a collection of 13 stories, but only one of them is really good, imo.
I think that's it, manga is not for me.
*ARC provided by Diamond Book Distributors via NetGalley.*
I think that's it, manga is not for me.
*ARC provided by Diamond Book Distributors via NetGalley.*
March 6, 2017
I really loved this - more than I thought I would actually. The stories were cute, funny, poignant, and a few surprised me with their adult themes. I read it in one sitting and enjoyed the time I spent reading it.
February 7, 2017
Maravillosos relatos dibujados de forma magistral, casi todos ellos hechos con gran sensibillidad y sorprendiendo con sus giros finales.
August 23, 2017
I've told the story to several people of the time I recommended I Kill Giants to one of my exes because he enjoyed manga, completely forgetting that the emotional core of that book (no spoilers here) tied deeply into his own childhood in a way that would lead to an emotional breakdown.
The thing is, I've recommended that book to at least hundreds of people. And as someone whose relationship with Joe Kelly's writing is split evenly between This Is Pretty Good (Four Eyes, Vol. 1: Forged in Flames and Space Ghost), and Fuck This Guy (Bad Dog, Vol. 1: In The Land Of Milk And Money and Bang! Tango), I credited Ken Niimura's art for being the most important part of why I love I Kill Giants.
Henshin isn't supposed to be anything like I Kill Giants. It's a series of short stories about transformations in ordinary life. Or so it claims. The opening story about a girl escaping bullying by visiting her uncle in Tokyo (who might possibly be Yakuza...we aren't given time to tell) is not an ordinary life story. There are other stories about cats, stories about...fart ghosts? and stories about how missing a train can derail your life, but I didn't connect with a single character in this collection. For me, this was a series of shrugs, some drawn beautifully, some just competently.
I don't know who I'd recommend this to. There's much better manga out there for off-kilter nearly normal stories, and I don't think anyone who doesn't already enjoy manga would enjoy reading this.
The thing is, I've recommended that book to at least hundreds of people. And as someone whose relationship with Joe Kelly's writing is split evenly between This Is Pretty Good (Four Eyes, Vol. 1: Forged in Flames and Space Ghost), and Fuck This Guy (Bad Dog, Vol. 1: In The Land Of Milk And Money and Bang! Tango), I credited Ken Niimura's art for being the most important part of why I love I Kill Giants.
Henshin isn't supposed to be anything like I Kill Giants. It's a series of short stories about transformations in ordinary life. Or so it claims. The opening story about a girl escaping bullying by visiting her uncle in Tokyo (who might possibly be Yakuza...we aren't given time to tell) is not an ordinary life story. There are other stories about cats, stories about...fart ghosts? and stories about how missing a train can derail your life, but I didn't connect with a single character in this collection. For me, this was a series of shrugs, some drawn beautifully, some just competently.
I don't know who I'd recommend this to. There's much better manga out there for off-kilter nearly normal stories, and I don't think anyone who doesn't already enjoy manga would enjoy reading this.
January 23, 2019
The drawings are charming and simple, with punctuated panels in places where they're needed most.
But the book overall was okay.
There is an amalgamation of somber and silly stories, and the only one that seemed to grab my attention definitively was "Watermelon in Summer."
The ongoing theme with these stories is transformation. It's executed well with different interpretations of the meaning "to transform," but when it comes to entertainment value, I wasn't feeling it too much with this one.
It's a good collection of short stories, and the art is cute, but it didn't fit my tastes.
PS- the punchline to "Par-Tay" was gross.
But the book overall was okay.
There is an amalgamation of somber and silly stories, and the only one that seemed to grab my attention definitively was "Watermelon in Summer."
The ongoing theme with these stories is transformation. It's executed well with different interpretations of the meaning "to transform," but when it comes to entertainment value, I wasn't feeling it too much with this one.
It's a good collection of short stories, and the art is cute, but it didn't fit my tastes.
PS- the punchline to "Par-Tay" was gross.
January 28, 2020
sapete quando dite “l’ho divorato questo libro”? ecco per questo manga è proprio il caso di dirlo!
non ho mai parlato di manga qui sul mio profilo, non perché non mi piacciano, non li abbia letti o altro, ma perché è da tanti anni che non ne trovo uno che mi intrighi o mi piaccia.
è una raccolta di tredici racconti, storie di vite particolari, bizzarre, di eventi straordinari nella moderna Tokyo. mescolata a storie di persone poco ordinarie, c’è la storia dell’autore, che ci racconta un po’ della sua vita attraverso le disavventure con gli amici, un gatto che non si fa mai vedere ma gli lascia dei ricordini e un editore esigente.
i racconti sono un po’ nonsense e qua e là c’è un pizzico di humor nero (e sapete bene quanto quest’ultimo mi piaccia 😂). i disegni mi sono piaciuti tantissimo, variano da storia a storia, a seconda delle emozioni che vogliono evocare e ci riescono benissimo! nelle storie vi faccio vedere qualche pagina per darvi un’idea e convincervi a leggerlo!
non ho mai parlato di manga qui sul mio profilo, non perché non mi piacciano, non li abbia letti o altro, ma perché è da tanti anni che non ne trovo uno che mi intrighi o mi piaccia.
è una raccolta di tredici racconti, storie di vite particolari, bizzarre, di eventi straordinari nella moderna Tokyo. mescolata a storie di persone poco ordinarie, c’è la storia dell’autore, che ci racconta un po’ della sua vita attraverso le disavventure con gli amici, un gatto che non si fa mai vedere ma gli lascia dei ricordini e un editore esigente.
i racconti sono un po’ nonsense e qua e là c’è un pizzico di humor nero (e sapete bene quanto quest’ultimo mi piaccia 😂). i disegni mi sono piaciuti tantissimo, variano da storia a storia, a seconda delle emozioni che vogliono evocare e ci riescono benissimo! nelle storie vi faccio vedere qualche pagina per darvi un’idea e convincervi a leggerlo!
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