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Seraphim 266613336WINGS
Two of the most acclaimed anime directors of all time, Ghost in the Shell’s Mamoru Oshii and Perfect Blue’s Satoshi Kon, came together to create a manga: Seraphim: 266613336 Wings. Seraphim is the story of a future earth devastated by the “Angel Plague,” a pandemic that induces apocalyptic visions in the afflicted, even as it ossifies their bodies into dead, seraphic forms.
Seraphim is from Animage, the magazine that originally serialized Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaä manga.
Seraphim is from Animage, the magazine that originally serialized Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaä manga.
236 pages, Hardcover
First published December 13, 2010
10 people are currently reading
859 people want to read
About the author
Satoshi Kon
28 books214 followersSatoshi Kon was a Japanese film director, screenwriter, animator and cartoonist.
Kon started his career as a manga artist in the middle of the 80's, when still in university. He served as an assistant to famous manga author Katsuhiro Otomo, who will also play a role in steering Kon's career towards animation.
Besides a few short stories, Kon's only finished graphic novel is Tropic of the Sea (1990). His unfinished manga series include Seraphim 266613336Wings (1994), in collaboration with anime filmmaker Mamoru Oshii, and Opus (1996).
In 1991 Kon started a prominent career in the Japanese animation industry, eventually becoming one of the most influential filmmakers of his generation. Kon's movies often explore the boundaries between dreams, reality and cinematic fiction. His directorial debut came with the critically acclaimed thriller Perfect Blue (1997), followed by Millennium Actress (2001), Tokyo Godfathers (2003) and Paprika (2006).
Satoshi Kon died of pancreatic cancer at age 46.
Kon started his career as a manga artist in the middle of the 80's, when still in university. He served as an assistant to famous manga author Katsuhiro Otomo, who will also play a role in steering Kon's career towards animation.
Besides a few short stories, Kon's only finished graphic novel is Tropic of the Sea (1990). His unfinished manga series include Seraphim 266613336Wings (1994), in collaboration with anime filmmaker Mamoru Oshii, and Opus (1996).
In 1991 Kon started a prominent career in the Japanese animation industry, eventually becoming one of the most influential filmmakers of his generation. Kon's movies often explore the boundaries between dreams, reality and cinematic fiction. His directorial debut came with the critically acclaimed thriller Perfect Blue (1997), followed by Millennium Actress (2001), Tokyo Godfathers (2003) and Paprika (2006).
Satoshi Kon died of pancreatic cancer at age 46.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
May 31, 2022
8'5/10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Obra inconclusa de "Mamoru Oshii" y "Satoshi Kon". Sí, no tiene final. Una lástima ya que el mundo apocalíptico que deja la epidemia provocada por la "enfermedad angelical" sirve como escenario para una interesantísima historia. Tres personajes de la OMS (Organización Mundial de la Salud) que se harán llamar Baltasar, Melchor y Gaspar, acompañarán a una misteriosa niña que parece tener algo muy especial. Harán de guardaespaldas protagonizando escenas de acción, en las que Gaspar, pondrá el toque gore con algún desmembramiento. Aclarar que el personaje Gaspar es un perro de la raza Basset Hound (sabueso).
Los síntomas de la enfermedad y detalles que aportan los autores a esta obra tienen referencias bíblicas. Creando así cierto misterio y despertando curiosidad por los motivos de la epidemia y su evolución.
Lo dicho, una pena que posibles discrepancias entre los autores dejaran a medias esta obra. Pero... ¿y si Leonardo Da Vinci hubiese dejado a medias La Mona Lisa? ¿Sería una obra de arte? Yo creo que sí, por eso las cinco estrellas.
Obra inconclusa de "Mamoru Oshii" y "Satoshi Kon". Sí, no tiene final. Una lástima ya que el mundo apocalíptico que deja la epidemia provocada por la "enfermedad angelical" sirve como escenario para una interesantísima historia. Tres personajes de la OMS (Organización Mundial de la Salud) que se harán llamar Baltasar, Melchor y Gaspar, acompañarán a una misteriosa niña que parece tener algo muy especial. Harán de guardaespaldas protagonizando escenas de acción, en las que Gaspar, pondrá el toque gore con algún desmembramiento. Aclarar que el personaje Gaspar es un perro de la raza Basset Hound (sabueso).
Los síntomas de la enfermedad y detalles que aportan los autores a esta obra tienen referencias bíblicas. Creando así cierto misterio y despertando curiosidad por los motivos de la epidemia y su evolución.
Lo dicho, una pena que posibles discrepancias entre los autores dejaran a medias esta obra. Pero... ¿y si Leonardo Da Vinci hubiese dejado a medias La Mona Lisa? ¿Sería una obra de arte? Yo creo que sí, por eso las cinco estrellas.
July 1, 2015
This is amazing, but it's also an unfinished serial, so be warned!
I wish I had known that before starting so I wouldn't have to deal with this massive disappointment! I think it could have been as good as Eden! It's an Endless World by Hiroki Endo. Super interesting concepts and worldbuilding going on, and it does feel like things were really ramping up by the time the serial stopped.
So, yeah, it's super awesome, but it's like reading the first quarter of what might be your favorite novel only to discover that no one will ever finish it.
I wish I had known that before starting so I wouldn't have to deal with this massive disappointment! I think it could have been as good as Eden! It's an Endless World by Hiroki Endo. Super interesting concepts and worldbuilding going on, and it does feel like things were really ramping up by the time the serial stopped.
So, yeah, it's super awesome, but it's like reading the first quarter of what might be your favorite novel only to discover that no one will ever finish it.
April 20, 2022
The creators of Ghost in the Shell and Perfect Blue collaborated to create an obscure cyberpunk nightmare about an apocalyptic earth where a strange plague is transforming the last survivors of humanity into angel corpses and giving people prophetic visions of the future. All this occurs while political tyrants wage war and the leftover populace of poor strugglers are left to suffer and die.
This manga has the makings of a dark masterpiece, but it falls short for quite a few reasons. The first and biggest one is that it was cancelled mid-production and is left forever unfinished with tons of unanswered questions and unresolved plot lines. The majority of the story that's actually there is mainly just vague foreshadowing and exposition which means the story never even got the chance to really get rolling in the first place. Unfortunately, it's left feeling like an aimless jumble of philosophical ramblings that lead to nowhere.
The art and character designs are magnificent as expected of these two artistic legends, and I really think this series could've been a masterpiece if they were given more time and budget to fully flesh it out and complete it. Sadly that will never be the case, as the legend Satoshi Kon has left us.
This manga has the makings of a dark masterpiece, but it falls short for quite a few reasons. The first and biggest one is that it was cancelled mid-production and is left forever unfinished with tons of unanswered questions and unresolved plot lines. The majority of the story that's actually there is mainly just vague foreshadowing and exposition which means the story never even got the chance to really get rolling in the first place. Unfortunately, it's left feeling like an aimless jumble of philosophical ramblings that lead to nowhere.
The art and character designs are magnificent as expected of these two artistic legends, and I really think this series could've been a masterpiece if they were given more time and budget to fully flesh it out and complete it. Sadly that will never be the case, as the legend Satoshi Kon has left us.
August 15, 2018
το μονο αρνητικό ότι δεν είναι ολοκληρωμένο.
Στα σαν έξτρα θετικό το πολύ κατατοπιστικό κείμενο του Carl Gustav Horn που βρίσκεται στο τέλος.
Στα σαν έξτρα θετικό το πολύ κατατοπιστικό κείμενο του Carl Gustav Horn που βρίσκεται στο τέλος.
December 11, 2015
The riveting action and trippy inversion of modern dogma is precisely what one would expect from an Oshii-Kon manga partnership. That's the good news. The bad news is that it takes about sixty pages to get to there (more than one-fourth of the manga). SERAPHIM 266613336 WINGS is a clever literary manga, incomplete though it is. But it's greatest fault lies not in its incompleteness; rather, the comic's largest detriment rests in its too-patient storytelling.
Readers must be patient to get the most out of this manga. The first six or seven chapters amount to standard political theater, and are therefore terribly uneventful and verge on insufferably boring. The crew of magi assigned to journey into the heart of Asia (which is torn apart by warlords and other malignant factions), include a malcontent soldier-scientist (Melchior), a former government worker who resigned in protest (Balthazar), a dog (Casper), and a girl seemingly incapable of speech (Sera). In SERAPHIM, Oshii's resplendent mashing of national politics and individual ambition work both in concert and in contrast with Kon's more deliberate psychological subterfuge. It's quite a ride, but only if one is patient enough.
This is a high-concept book, no doubt about it. The story focuses on a rare, untraceable (and incurable) disease that has wreaked havoc across greater Asia and the rest of the world. Most die within a year of contracting the deadly seraphim virus; victims meet their fate through bone petrification, often in the shape of angel's wings. Whole nations are wiped out: both by the disease as well as by those charged with containing the contagion (indeed, Melchior's prior moniker is: "Yakob, the country killer"). Food and water are rationed. Refugees are fenced in (or out). Military services go to the highest bidder. The world is ending. There is no hope.
But there is Sera, a little girl native to Central Asia. Sera has the seraphim disease. Sera, however, is the "time-stopped girl" -- and has not visibly aged for ten years. Few know of Sera, and those who do will do anything and everything to unearth her secret.
SERAPHIM posits a number of beautiful and terrifying options for a humanity lost to itself. Nationalism succumbs to the weight of obligation, and pledges of rightness and purity and faith drown out practical measures of social justice meant to protect the innocent. There's a lot to take in here: disease, genocide, organized crime, the religious inquisition. Mamoru Oshii and the late Satoshi Kon gave birth to a fascinating world where all of humankind's social and moral constructs meant to save it from its own ills have suddenly become the source of its defeat in the face of god-like punishment.
Again, this is high-concept book. Sadly, as a partnership between two very strong-willed creators, the book was bound to have its rough patches. The first half of the book is Oshii-driven: zooming mise-en-scene, stilted panel arrangement, less action and more political dialogue in focus. The second half of the book is more of a combination of Oshii and Kon's influence: dynamic action sequences, more engaging character banter, and page-turning art the story demands. SERAPHIM isn't particularly interesting until the core cast ventures into unknown territory, are duped by separatist religious fanatics, and must survive a bevy of violence not to reach their destination, but merely to get the gang back together so they can try to reach their destination.
Oshii, as a writer and director, isn't known for placing obstacles in front of his characters. He challenges them, definitely, but only in principle and only from the outset. He prefers a direct, bare-bones approach and doesn't fancy dramatic irony at all. Kon was different, and it's clear SERAPHIM benefitted from his unique preferences. Kon favored piling up a protagonist's frustrations and competitive failings until success was the only possible option.
A conflict of creative energies ultimately sunk this manga. But understanding its remarkable narrative concept and the aesthetical means through which it may have been accomplished may hopefully bring in readers curious for more literature like it.
SERAPHIM is a book only a die-hard Oshii/Kon fan would enjoy with purpose. It's a good learning tool. And although Carl Gustav Horn's rambling essay in the back will surely put readers to sleep in an instant, his paper reinforces the creative and cultural contexts in which the book was molded (and fell apart).
Readers must be patient to get the most out of this manga. The first six or seven chapters amount to standard political theater, and are therefore terribly uneventful and verge on insufferably boring. The crew of magi assigned to journey into the heart of Asia (which is torn apart by warlords and other malignant factions), include a malcontent soldier-scientist (Melchior), a former government worker who resigned in protest (Balthazar), a dog (Casper), and a girl seemingly incapable of speech (Sera). In SERAPHIM, Oshii's resplendent mashing of national politics and individual ambition work both in concert and in contrast with Kon's more deliberate psychological subterfuge. It's quite a ride, but only if one is patient enough.
This is a high-concept book, no doubt about it. The story focuses on a rare, untraceable (and incurable) disease that has wreaked havoc across greater Asia and the rest of the world. Most die within a year of contracting the deadly seraphim virus; victims meet their fate through bone petrification, often in the shape of angel's wings. Whole nations are wiped out: both by the disease as well as by those charged with containing the contagion (indeed, Melchior's prior moniker is: "Yakob, the country killer"). Food and water are rationed. Refugees are fenced in (or out). Military services go to the highest bidder. The world is ending. There is no hope.
But there is Sera, a little girl native to Central Asia. Sera has the seraphim disease. Sera, however, is the "time-stopped girl" -- and has not visibly aged for ten years. Few know of Sera, and those who do will do anything and everything to unearth her secret.
SERAPHIM posits a number of beautiful and terrifying options for a humanity lost to itself. Nationalism succumbs to the weight of obligation, and pledges of rightness and purity and faith drown out practical measures of social justice meant to protect the innocent. There's a lot to take in here: disease, genocide, organized crime, the religious inquisition. Mamoru Oshii and the late Satoshi Kon gave birth to a fascinating world where all of humankind's social and moral constructs meant to save it from its own ills have suddenly become the source of its defeat in the face of god-like punishment.
Again, this is high-concept book. Sadly, as a partnership between two very strong-willed creators, the book was bound to have its rough patches. The first half of the book is Oshii-driven: zooming mise-en-scene, stilted panel arrangement, less action and more political dialogue in focus. The second half of the book is more of a combination of Oshii and Kon's influence: dynamic action sequences, more engaging character banter, and page-turning art the story demands. SERAPHIM isn't particularly interesting until the core cast ventures into unknown territory, are duped by separatist religious fanatics, and must survive a bevy of violence not to reach their destination, but merely to get the gang back together so they can try to reach their destination.
Oshii, as a writer and director, isn't known for placing obstacles in front of his characters. He challenges them, definitely, but only in principle and only from the outset. He prefers a direct, bare-bones approach and doesn't fancy dramatic irony at all. Kon was different, and it's clear SERAPHIM benefitted from his unique preferences. Kon favored piling up a protagonist's frustrations and competitive failings until success was the only possible option.
A conflict of creative energies ultimately sunk this manga. But understanding its remarkable narrative concept and the aesthetical means through which it may have been accomplished may hopefully bring in readers curious for more literature like it.
SERAPHIM is a book only a die-hard Oshii/Kon fan would enjoy with purpose. It's a good learning tool. And although Carl Gustav Horn's rambling essay in the back will surely put readers to sleep in an instant, his paper reinforces the creative and cultural contexts in which the book was molded (and fell apart).
March 23, 2025
I really enjoyed this story it is a great political sci-fi thriller mixed with international political scandal and warfare. I could see this going down as an iconic manga BUT it feels like a sketch- some major ideas but they never got to finish it, a shame. You should read this if you’ve read his other work and movies, really cool ideas throughout and beautiful art. The seraphim disease is such a creative and grotesque visual.
RIP SATOSHI KON, truly one of the greatest creatives of the last generation. Such a shame he died so early before he could create even more classics, might watch perfect blue again. I’m getting my wisdom teeth soon and will do a good Kon binge on that good nitrous, gonna be a vibe.
RIP SATOSHI KON, truly one of the greatest creatives of the last generation. Such a shame he died so early before he could create even more classics, might watch perfect blue again. I’m getting my wisdom teeth soon and will do a good Kon binge on that good nitrous, gonna be a vibe.
April 10, 2022
devastating that this unfinished work ends on such an intriguing cliffhanger. the universe and lore is complex, mysterious, and deeply layered. the art is nothing short of incredible and breathtaking. wow.
i do have a small critique for the otherwise brilliant afterword. it mentions that director Darren Aronofsky optioned the rights to Satoshi Kon-sensei’s Perfect Blue, but in truth, according to Kon-sensei’s own words in a blog post archived on his own website, he states that Aronofsky attempted to purchase rights to Perfect Blue but the deal fell through because of specific verbiage Aronofsky pushed for to be included in the contract that Kon-sensei’s camp disagreed with and did not approve. Kon-sensei also states in the same blog how he felt embarrassed watching a screening of Requiem for a Dream and seeing a scene in it that looked familiar to a scene in his own film, Perfect Blue, so he confronted Aronofsky about it at a dinner in Japan for a magazine and Aronofsky laughed and said to him, “Oh, that? That was an homage to you!” Yeah, he didn’t have the rights when he did that, nor did he when he made Black Swan. let’s please at least get this piece of history right and put some respect on Kon-sensei’s name please and thank you! (link to the blog post by Satoshi Kon-sensei “VSダーレン” aka “VS Darren” here: http://konstone.s-kon.net/modules/not...)
wish we could have gotten more from this fascinating world and learned more about Seraphim and Sera and the rest of the crew.
i do have a small critique for the otherwise brilliant afterword. it mentions that director Darren Aronofsky optioned the rights to Satoshi Kon-sensei’s Perfect Blue, but in truth, according to Kon-sensei’s own words in a blog post archived on his own website, he states that Aronofsky attempted to purchase rights to Perfect Blue but the deal fell through because of specific verbiage Aronofsky pushed for to be included in the contract that Kon-sensei’s camp disagreed with and did not approve. Kon-sensei also states in the same blog how he felt embarrassed watching a screening of Requiem for a Dream and seeing a scene in it that looked familiar to a scene in his own film, Perfect Blue, so he confronted Aronofsky about it at a dinner in Japan for a magazine and Aronofsky laughed and said to him, “Oh, that? That was an homage to you!” Yeah, he didn’t have the rights when he did that, nor did he when he made Black Swan. let’s please at least get this piece of history right and put some respect on Kon-sensei’s name please and thank you! (link to the blog post by Satoshi Kon-sensei “VSダーレン” aka “VS Darren” here: http://konstone.s-kon.net/modules/not...)
wish we could have gotten more from this fascinating world and learned more about Seraphim and Sera and the rest of the crew.
March 15, 2015
Three stars for the comic itself, plus a bonus star for the well-written afterword. Given the caliber of the names attached to this, I was expecting a bit more from the story, even if unfinished. It certainly fell quite short of Kon's "Opus", which was also unfinished but extremely satisfying regardless. This reminded me mostly of "Eden" by Hiroki Endo in both content and visual style, which isn't a bad thing, but having read a couple volumes of Eden prior to this, it diminished the impact of the work, I'm sure. Interesting nevertheless, and the closing essay is certainly worth a read.
October 14, 2022
I like both of these artists, but I find here both of them are too meticulous to really enjoy. There's A LOT of political babble that I need a history book to really understand, but it manages to squeeze out a good deal of scenes that feel alive and kicking.
August 22, 2024
قبل از اینکه بخونم به خودم گفتم راه نداره دو نفر به این خوبی، با این کارنامه پر از انیمههای شاهکار مانگاشون بد باشه، حتی متوسط هم باشه. ولی بود! جدا وقتمو تلف کردم. حتی دوست دارم بگم پیچیده بود و من نفهمیدم، ولی نه... خیلی خوب فهمیدم، فقط به نظرم سطحی ترین ایده و اجرا رو داشت.
August 15, 2024
Percebe-se facilmente as influências de Nausicaä nesta série, bem como dos interesses religiosos de Oshii. O foco na China como cenário para a história foi inesperado e apreciado, e deu espaço a bastante worldbuilding interessante sobre um país que não costumo visitar em literatura. Com sorte o mesmo se iria suceder quando as personagens chegassem mais à Rússia? Se é que iriam mesmo para a Rússia tendo em conta o estado em que a série parou.
O longo rant do editor inglês no final do livro, sobre manga, anime, China, e os outros trabalhos dos autores foi inesperado. São tipo 20 páginas? E tens frases lindas tipo "that most moe of cities, Oakland" e "the ultimate in cute and charming anime, Cardcaptor Sakura". Bastante otaku em certos lugares, um bocado demasiado até tendo em conta a seriedade da história de Seraphim 266613336 Wings. Por outro lado fiquei a conhecer mais sobre a história política da China nas últimas décadas.
Podia fazer aqui um longo e genérico comentário a comparar com o Covid, mas não há necessidade porque o editor otaku fez isso por mim. Ah espera, ele compara com a gripe das aves... pois este livro saiu em 2015.
O longo rant do editor inglês no final do livro, sobre manga, anime, China, e os outros trabalhos dos autores foi inesperado. São tipo 20 páginas? E tens frases lindas tipo "that most moe of cities, Oakland" e "the ultimate in cute and charming anime, Cardcaptor Sakura". Bastante otaku em certos lugares, um bocado demasiado até tendo em conta a seriedade da história de Seraphim 266613336 Wings. Por outro lado fiquei a conhecer mais sobre a história política da China nas últimas décadas.
Podia fazer aqui um longo e genérico comentário a comparar com o Covid, mas não há necessidade porque o editor otaku fez isso por mim. Ah espera, ele compara com a gripe das aves... pois este livro saiu em 2015.
July 29, 2019
This brilliant collection is, out of all the Kon manga I have read thus far, the most coherent and the most thrilling. Rife with allusions and symbolism, it's an organic hybrid of Oshii's more concrete political/sci-fi leanings and Kon's more abstract - yet precise - imaginings. The manga (unfinished, as stated in the blurb) is supported by an afterword and a lengthy essay that details some of its possible influences, and tactfully hints at the reason behind its abandonment. I got strong Nausicaa vibes and sure enough, the back matter reveals that this was a direct inspiration for the story. Art is sharp, dialogue too.
I once read a writer - can't find the source - who said that a good story should give you enough information that, if the last page of the book were ripped out, you could figure out how it ended anyway. And that is pretty much the case here. The point is not the ending but the space to explore the concepts and possibilities that this world throws up. So you're not missing out on a plot development so much as you are missing out on more time spent with these characters and in this world. Which is a shame, but not a dealbreaker.
I once read a writer - can't find the source - who said that a good story should give you enough information that, if the last page of the book were ripped out, you could figure out how it ended anyway. And that is pretty much the case here. The point is not the ending but the space to explore the concepts and possibilities that this world throws up. So you're not missing out on a plot development so much as you are missing out on more time spent with these characters and in this world. Which is a shame, but not a dealbreaker.
January 5, 2022
It pains me a little bit to give this a low rating, because this is definitely one of the highest quality manga I've read. The art is phenomenal, and the writing is engaging and interesting. There are some really interesting ideas in here and I feel like there is definitely a lot of depth to this, but the problem is that it's unfinished. You get about 240 pages, and then the story just breaks off and was never touched again, which is frustrating. What is here is fantastic, and honestly, if we got an outline or something for how the series would continue, I would be happy, but we don't even get that. I think that my frustration stems from the fact that there appears to be a real depth to the work, but you don't know for sure because the mysteries are introduced but never fully expounded upon, so perhaps it's nothing at all. I don't know. This is definitely a unique read though, so it gets points for that.
May 11, 2017
For the book itself, 4 stars, for the rather lengthy afterword that goes into Oshii and Satoshi Kon's relationship, the manga magazine that Seraphim was originally published in, all of the political, symbolic and thematic elements in Seraphim that permeates most of Oshii's work and some of Kon's, easily 5. Highly recommend to anyone who grew up watching more mature manga in the 90's and loves Oshii, Kon, and the group of animators, directors and writers that came from the same generation to create very influential manga and films. Fair warning, this book was intended to be a longer series and so the manga ends somewhat abruptly. It's also a pretty dense read.
May 4, 2020
This magnificent glimpse into a world spoiled by disease, only to be cut short by creative differences, is quite a tragic one. More political, science, and espionage based than your typical science fiction setting with good and evil roles to fill, this surely would have been a wonderful addition to the manga world. However, loosely touched upon topics, a plethora of unfinished business, and an enigmatic world still shrouded in an unfinished mystery, as if it was suspended indefinitely in time, makes it quite difficult to fully appreciate the monster that Seraphim could have been.
RIP Satoshi Kon
RIP Satoshi Kon
October 31, 2020
It is a good demonstration that most of the time genius x genius does not make "genius square". Yet, it had the marks of what made Oshii and Kon great from the girth and the complexity of the story and the pure beauty of the environment and character depth. In the pandemic world we live in, it has a bit more punch and as an alternative/future history buff I loved the future created. It is a shame that it was not finished, but if you have even a meager interest in animes/mangas it is a must-read for historical reasons.
July 24, 2018
This is sadly unfinished. This is also amazing. I loved it. And though there is no ending, it doesn't take away from the story.
September 26, 2018
Obviously unfinished but I'm still so pleased to have gotten another intriguing story where the late great satoshi kon was involved.
April 15, 2023
Mit Verwunderung stelle ich fest, dass der Manga bei Goodreads nur Oshii zugeordnet ist. Dabei ist doch einer der Gründe dafür, dass er nie fertig gestellt wurde, dass es angeblich kreative Differenzen zwischen den beiden Schöpfern gab: Mamoru Oshii und Satoshi Kon. Ihres Zeichens beide v.A. Anime-Regisseure. Umso erstaunlicher ist es, dass sie sich an einen Manga wagten.
"Seraphim..." ist fantastisch und ich kann kaum sagen in welche Schublade ich es genretechnisch stecken würde. Was für ein Jammer, dass es nie beendet wurde. Die Story handelt von einer Pandemie, die Menschen optisch in Engel verwandelt, aber auch willenlos und kaum lebensfähig zurücklässt. Zeitgleich gibt es eine Art Vogel-Manie, in der sich Riesenschwärme bilden. Die Menschen panicken, es kommt zu Verbrechen gegen die Menschheit, um die Krankheit einzudämmen. Naaa? Das spielt doch noch ansatzweise in die Worst-Case-Szenarien, die wir zu beginn der kürzlichen Corona-Pandemie hatten.
Das Artwork ist unfassbar gut, detailliert, atmosphärisch, filmreif. Was sonst erwartet man von Anime-Regisseuren? Aber es ist auch schmerzhaft unbeendet. Gerade an einem Abschnitt der Geschichte, wo man der Auflösung der Geheimnisse näher gekommen wäre. Tja. Da sind wir nun.
Ich hatte mir von den beiden(!) Nachworten ein paar Hinweise erhofft, wo das ganze noch hingegangen wäre. Die bekam ich leider nicht. Das Nachwort des englischen Editors war zwar clever , witzig und gut recherchiert, aber auch extrem ausufernd. Musste ich die Geschichte Chinas so im Detail wissen, um dem Manga folgen zu können? Nein.
So verbleiben wir mit einem großen Mysterium. Ob Oshii das Schweigen über die Zusammenarbeit und den Ausgang des Manga nochmal bricht? Ich glaube nicht dran, aber ich verbleibe in Bewunderung für beide. Rest in peace, Satoshi Kon.
"Seraphim..." ist fantastisch und ich kann kaum sagen in welche Schublade ich es genretechnisch stecken würde. Was für ein Jammer, dass es nie beendet wurde. Die Story handelt von einer Pandemie, die Menschen optisch in Engel verwandelt, aber auch willenlos und kaum lebensfähig zurücklässt. Zeitgleich gibt es eine Art Vogel-Manie, in der sich Riesenschwärme bilden. Die Menschen panicken, es kommt zu Verbrechen gegen die Menschheit, um die Krankheit einzudämmen. Naaa? Das spielt doch noch ansatzweise in die Worst-Case-Szenarien, die wir zu beginn der kürzlichen Corona-Pandemie hatten.
Das Artwork ist unfassbar gut, detailliert, atmosphärisch, filmreif. Was sonst erwartet man von Anime-Regisseuren? Aber es ist auch schmerzhaft unbeendet. Gerade an einem Abschnitt der Geschichte, wo man der Auflösung der Geheimnisse näher gekommen wäre. Tja. Da sind wir nun.
Ich hatte mir von den beiden(!) Nachworten ein paar Hinweise erhofft, wo das ganze noch hingegangen wäre. Die bekam ich leider nicht. Das Nachwort des englischen Editors war zwar clever , witzig und gut recherchiert, aber auch extrem ausufernd. Musste ich die Geschichte Chinas so im Detail wissen, um dem Manga folgen zu können? Nein.
So verbleiben wir mit einem großen Mysterium. Ob Oshii das Schweigen über die Zusammenarbeit und den Ausgang des Manga nochmal bricht? Ich glaube nicht dran, aber ich verbleibe in Bewunderung für beide. Rest in peace, Satoshi Kon.
August 15, 2023
Nascuda de la voluntat dels editors de la revista Animage de substituir la recentment concluida “Nausicaä de la vall dels vents” de Hayao Miyazaki amb una obra de ciència ficció de magnitut igualment èpica, “Seraphim” va ser concebuda per Mamoru Oshii i dibuixada per Satoshi Kon el 1994.
Oshii crea un món postapocalíptic on una malaltia anomenada “Seraphim” ha esberlat la societat en nombrosos grups paramilitars. Amb aquest rerefons, uns inspectors han d’acompanyar una nena a un lloc misteriós de l’Oest de la Xina amb l’esperança de conseguir informació que els ajudi a trobar una cura per la malaltia. Malauradament, i en una pràctica que plaga també altres obres de Oshii com Patlabor, una història terriblement simple es veu entrabancada cada 5 pàgines amb escenes d’exposició que narren amb tot tipus de detall els diferents grups involucrats (o no) en conflictes que no deixen de ser tangencials a la trama principal.
Tot això es veu exhacerbat pel fet que la història es va deixar inacabada degut a desavinenses entre Oshii i Kon, deixant una història que no passa de ser un pretext per explorar un món post-apocalíptic que, tot i tenir algunes espurnes d’originalitat, sembla explorar els mateixos temes (l’egoísme dels privilegiats, la pèrdua de valors de l’home en situacions extremes) que ja s’han explorat, i millor, en altres històries semblants.
Per últim cal destacar el dibuix de Kon. Si més no, llegir aquesta història ens permet copsar un Kon sense experiència com a director, amb uns disenys de personatges i expresions facials molt més semblants a l’estàndard de la època i on els seus trets distintius encara no havien surtit a la llum, donant més valor a la seva evolució com a dibuixant de personatges en el futur.
Oshii crea un món postapocalíptic on una malaltia anomenada “Seraphim” ha esberlat la societat en nombrosos grups paramilitars. Amb aquest rerefons, uns inspectors han d’acompanyar una nena a un lloc misteriós de l’Oest de la Xina amb l’esperança de conseguir informació que els ajudi a trobar una cura per la malaltia. Malauradament, i en una pràctica que plaga també altres obres de Oshii com Patlabor, una història terriblement simple es veu entrabancada cada 5 pàgines amb escenes d’exposició que narren amb tot tipus de detall els diferents grups involucrats (o no) en conflictes que no deixen de ser tangencials a la trama principal.
Tot això es veu exhacerbat pel fet que la història es va deixar inacabada degut a desavinenses entre Oshii i Kon, deixant una història que no passa de ser un pretext per explorar un món post-apocalíptic que, tot i tenir algunes espurnes d’originalitat, sembla explorar els mateixos temes (l’egoísme dels privilegiats, la pèrdua de valors de l’home en situacions extremes) que ja s’han explorat, i millor, en altres històries semblants.
Per últim cal destacar el dibuix de Kon. Si més no, llegir aquesta història ens permet copsar un Kon sense experiència com a director, amb uns disenys de personatges i expresions facials molt més semblants a l’estàndard de la època i on els seus trets distintius encara no havien surtit a la llum, donant més valor a la seva evolució com a dibuixant de personatges en el futur.
November 4, 2024
Mainly just vibes, but cool
3 stars is harsh but idk doesn't feel like 4. If it was able to develop further likely would've pushed it up--the art and themes are compelling enough that more room to explore the world would be enough. Like, there's something to be said for the mystique of such a symbolically rich unfinished epic born of collaboration between two of The Guys Ever but still don't think there was enough to Really chew on
Despite being a little obnoxious at times (I would've trailed off and called it done if I wasn't a completist), the translator's essay was a nice companion to sort of pick up the pieces. I found the threads it commented on sort of mirrored things I noticed as a reader, but the work itself didn't get to send them somewhere.
Idk it was really awesome but didn't leave me with much to say. More or less like sketches from masters. The apocalyptic religious imagery is always an absolute banger. The pandemic situation is obviously a little uncanny now. I'm not doing it justice... but ... cool
3 stars is harsh but idk doesn't feel like 4. If it was able to develop further likely would've pushed it up--the art and themes are compelling enough that more room to explore the world would be enough. Like, there's something to be said for the mystique of such a symbolically rich unfinished epic born of collaboration between two of The Guys Ever but still don't think there was enough to Really chew on
Despite being a little obnoxious at times (I would've trailed off and called it done if I wasn't a completist), the translator's essay was a nice companion to sort of pick up the pieces. I found the threads it commented on sort of mirrored things I noticed as a reader, but the work itself didn't get to send them somewhere.
Idk it was really awesome but didn't leave me with much to say. More or less like sketches from masters. The apocalyptic religious imagery is always an absolute banger. The pandemic situation is obviously a little uncanny now. I'm not doing it justice... but ... cool
Read
July 12, 2024I really wanted to like this. It fits my sensibilities to some degree and have some beautiful art, but this book is very dense. It does not hold your hand and I was getting the gist of the story OK but I felt lost as I read further on
Read
January 31, 2024ngl the most interesting part of this might have been the critical essay at the end
April 16, 2022
*I did not read the afterword because the formatting was really weird.
I want more!!
I want more!!
December 1, 2021
(Reseña para más adelante.)
December 28, 2021
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. - Ephesians 6:12
Just as a warning this is an unfinished work from master mangaka duo Mamoru Oshii and Satoshi Kon and although it does not end on a bad cliffhanger it is unfortunately doomed to being incomplete with the death of Satoshi Kon but that did not stop the team over at Dark Horse Manga from compiling and bringing us what was published to an English speaking audience curious about it. In fact coming in at 228 pages you get a lot of story but from 229 to 265 you also get not only insight into the mind set of the translating team but also lessons on Chinese geography, how the manga industry works, the process of both mangaka working together, as well as other interesting (to some) bits of information lovingly displayed as best they can thanks to the research they did upon these subjects.
A deadly disease has been claiming many lives which not only causes hallucinations for its victims but begins a horrifying transformation where wings spread from the shoulders and upper back of the victim and their bodies began to calcify ultimately creating disturbing angel like statues for those that live long enough. Like many new and dangerous diseases this one can and does change the world as medicine and religion become a power over the people as certain world powers lose their holds on the world as chaos spreads. This is the story of a small group of people who are on a mission to save the world from the Seraphim epidemic against all odds regardless of how different each member comes off to be. Sadly unless the project continues without Satoshi Kon the end of the story will have to come from he fans who can continue the tale in fanfiction but somehow with Satoshi Kon becoming a central part of the manga creation I doubt any official continuation would have the same heart as the original book regardless of Mamoru Oshii's skills.
Just as a warning this is an unfinished work from master mangaka duo Mamoru Oshii and Satoshi Kon and although it does not end on a bad cliffhanger it is unfortunately doomed to being incomplete with the death of Satoshi Kon but that did not stop the team over at Dark Horse Manga from compiling and bringing us what was published to an English speaking audience curious about it. In fact coming in at 228 pages you get a lot of story but from 229 to 265 you also get not only insight into the mind set of the translating team but also lessons on Chinese geography, how the manga industry works, the process of both mangaka working together, as well as other interesting (to some) bits of information lovingly displayed as best they can thanks to the research they did upon these subjects.
A deadly disease has been claiming many lives which not only causes hallucinations for its victims but begins a horrifying transformation where wings spread from the shoulders and upper back of the victim and their bodies began to calcify ultimately creating disturbing angel like statues for those that live long enough. Like many new and dangerous diseases this one can and does change the world as medicine and religion become a power over the people as certain world powers lose their holds on the world as chaos spreads. This is the story of a small group of people who are on a mission to save the world from the Seraphim epidemic against all odds regardless of how different each member comes off to be. Sadly unless the project continues without Satoshi Kon the end of the story will have to come from he fans who can continue the tale in fanfiction but somehow with Satoshi Kon becoming a central part of the manga creation I doubt any official continuation would have the same heart as the original book regardless of Mamoru Oshii's skills.
November 16, 2016
3.5
Philosophical.
Political.
Pretentious.
These are the three "P"'s we've come to expect from anything Oshi-spawned – and this book doesn't disappoint. It's a complex piece of science fiction layered with religious symbolism and a convoluted plot. All the things that tend to drive me nuts. However, it was very enjoyable. Though, frankly, it's only in the last third that it really starts to get going, which is a shame since the story doesn't actually conclude. This is a majorly posthumus work - I mean, this thing is way less than even half finished. Originally, I assumed that the project didn't go forward because of Satoshi's death, but it turns out this was written way back in the 90s! And all this time the project has remained unfinished due to creative differences and conflict over ownership.
(sigh) Why can't we all just get along? (sigh)
And it's a real shame, because it's only in that last bit you really start to see Satoshi's influence come through in the writing (weird dream sequences).
The concept is really interesting, but the story doesn't really get going until the end of the book. Part of the reason it also takes a while to gain traction is the characters. Visually, you can differentiate between them, but in terms of what they say there's really very little to provide them with any real development. I'm confident though that this could have been a real corker had it been finished.
Well worth the read if you're a fan of either Oshi or Kon, but don't expect to be blown away. The story ends abruptly and without any form of conclusion (unlike Opus), there is however a nice little article/mini-analysis at the back.
Story – 3
Art – 4
Article/Analysis – 3.5
Philosophical.
Political.
Pretentious.
These are the three "P"'s we've come to expect from anything Oshi-spawned – and this book doesn't disappoint. It's a complex piece of science fiction layered with religious symbolism and a convoluted plot. All the things that tend to drive me nuts. However, it was very enjoyable. Though, frankly, it's only in the last third that it really starts to get going, which is a shame since the story doesn't actually conclude. This is a majorly posthumus work - I mean, this thing is way less than even half finished. Originally, I assumed that the project didn't go forward because of Satoshi's death, but it turns out this was written way back in the 90s! And all this time the project has remained unfinished due to creative differences and conflict over ownership.
(sigh) Why can't we all just get along? (sigh)
And it's a real shame, because it's only in that last bit you really start to see Satoshi's influence come through in the writing (weird dream sequences).
The concept is really interesting, but the story doesn't really get going until the end of the book. Part of the reason it also takes a while to gain traction is the characters. Visually, you can differentiate between them, but in terms of what they say there's really very little to provide them with any real development. I'm confident though that this could have been a real corker had it been finished.
Well worth the read if you're a fan of either Oshi or Kon, but don't expect to be blown away. The story ends abruptly and without any form of conclusion (unlike Opus), there is however a nice little article/mini-analysis at the back.
Story – 3
Art – 4
Article/Analysis – 3.5
April 10, 2015
The plot is stereotypical; the world is having tons of problems, in this case a disease that , and the only people who have a chance of saving everyone is a very unlikely group that consists of an old man, a stubby dog, a little girl, and a middle-aged looking guy with quite the temper. Even with that sort of plot, it was executed nicely.
There are of course a few flaws here and there about the plot but I feel like that those flaws were only temporarily there and that character development would come in and save the day. A particular example is
I was quite happy with the end as it seemed it was leading on to some intense plot line but sadly it ends right when things get interesting. Because of this I'm giving it three stars but it's still pretty good; I recommend it.
There are of course a few flaws here and there about the plot but I feel like that those flaws were only temporarily there and that character development would come in and save the day. A particular example is
I was quite happy with the end as it seemed it was leading on to some intense plot line but sadly it ends right when things get interesting. Because of this I'm giving it three stars but it's still pretty good; I recommend it.
July 30, 2021
1.5 I guess
Best thing about this was Caspar the dog.
The whole idea of a virus that turns people into angel corpses was really interesting. But it was just boring. There was, in my opinion, too much focus on military and the politics involved. But whatever, some people will be into that, I personally just wanted to learn more about Sera, about the virus..
It also made me uncomfortable the way the little girl, Sera, was portrayed.
(minor spoilers below)
She's basically this sweet looking young girl who doesn't speak. Which is fine. But then there is this weird panel in the story where she is lying completely nude on a table, being checked over. In a really weird angle. And then later in the story it is revealed that she is actually very old. Maybe I'm putting too much into this, but imagining these two grown ass men creating that panel made me ~uncomfy~. It doesn't add anything to the story, and paired with the later stated fact that she is NOT a very young girl, she just looks like one,... well it just felt sketch to me.
Best thing about this was Caspar the dog.
The whole idea of a virus that turns people into angel corpses was really interesting. But it was just boring. There was, in my opinion, too much focus on military and the politics involved. But whatever, some people will be into that, I personally just wanted to learn more about Sera, about the virus..
It also made me uncomfortable the way the little girl, Sera, was portrayed.
(minor spoilers below)
She's basically this sweet looking young girl who doesn't speak. Which is fine. But then there is this weird panel in the story where she is lying completely nude on a table, being checked over. In a really weird angle. And then later in the story it is revealed that she is actually very old. Maybe I'm putting too much into this, but imagining these two grown ass men creating that panel made me ~uncomfy~. It doesn't add anything to the story, and paired with the later stated fact that she is NOT a very young girl, she just looks like one,... well it just felt sketch to me.
May 7, 2015
I really enjoyed the movies of Satoshi Kon so I decided to give his Manga a try (once I discovered he wrote Manga early in his career that is) and after one book I am very glad I did. I really enjoyed the imaginative story telling and the art work.
The only small disappointment for me was that is was left unfinished, like, middle of the story unfinished, and I was really starting to enjoy where the story was going. It wasn't so much that the story was left unfinished but that I was unprepared for its abrupt sudden arrival.
Reading the book in the Manga style took some getting used to and although I am open to trying more Manga stories I am reluctant to immerse myself deeply in the genre. There is just way too much stuff out there, it would take a second lifetime to read it all..
The only small disappointment for me was that is was left unfinished, like, middle of the story unfinished, and I was really starting to enjoy where the story was going. It wasn't so much that the story was left unfinished but that I was unprepared for its abrupt sudden arrival.
Reading the book in the Manga style took some getting used to and although I am open to trying more Manga stories I am reluctant to immerse myself deeply in the genre. There is just way too much stuff out there, it would take a second lifetime to read it all..
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