Showa 1939-1944: A History of Japan

昭和史 / Shōwa-shi: 4 volumes #2

by Shigeru Mizuki, Zack Davisson (Translator)

An Internationally-renowned cartoonist and reluctant war vet details Japan's involvement in World War II

Showa 1939-1944: A History of Japan continues Eisner award-winning author Shigeru Mizuki's historical and autobiographical account of Japanese life in the twentieth century. This volume covers the devastation of the Sino-Japanese War and the first few years of the Pacific War–a chilling reminder of just how harsh life in Japan was during this hostile era. Pivotal events like the attack on Pearl Harbor are reframed as part of a larger context detailing the country's brutal military expansion into Southeast Asia and elsewhere. Its effects on the otherwise unseen Japanese populace similarly come to the fore.

On a personal level, these years mark a dramatic transformation in Mizuki's life too. His idyllic youth in the countryside comes to an abrupt halt when he is conscripted into the Imperial Japanese Army against his will. On the tiny island of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea, a constant struggle for survival ensues. Not only must he fend off attacks from Allied forces, but from the harsh discipline of his own commanding officers too. It is here that Mizuki comes to understand the misery and beauty of the island itself, a place that will permanently mark and haunt him for the rest of his life.

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

536 pages, Paperback

First published March 3, 2015

About the author

Shigeru Mizuki (水木しげる) was a Japanese manga cartoonist, most known for his horror manga GeGeGe no Kitaro. He was a specialist in stories of yōkai and was considered a master of the genre. Mizuki was a member of The Japanese Society of Cultural Anthropology, and had travelled to over 60 countries in the world to engage in fieldwork of the yōkai and spirits of different cultures. He has been published in Japan, South Korea, France, Spain, Taiwan, the United States and Italy. He is also known for his World War II memoirs and his work as a biographer.

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second volume of this series continues to amaze me...truly in the same category as Maus. Reminded me very much of Fires on the Plains by Shohei Ooka. I can't figure out why the general public doesn't read more first hand accounts of war; action films bring in big dollars - but we really don't want to know the true cost of organized violence. Highest recommendation.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second volume of Mizuki's epic history of Japan, this one focused on the WWII years, which of course is one of the central tragic events of Japanese (and world) contemporary history. A comics history of Japan? Will it simply be dumbed down? Esteemed historian Frederik Schodt writes a great introduction to tell you why you should read this: Mizuki, who is best known for Kitaro, and his study of Japanese Yokai (the supernatural) and his sense of humor, takes a personal and fresh approach to the material, without ignoring the events.

And Mizuki was a soldier, as he tells us in his sharply and sadly ascerbic Onward to Our Noble Deaths, a perspective that gets folded into this uniquely intimate and entertaining and sometimes brutally angry pacifist account of these years. In this volume, he documents the terrible Second Sino-Japanese War, the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the first half of the Pacific War. Some of it is truncated, even in this 500 page book; The Bataan Death March gets only two frames attention. And the "Comfort Women" sexual slavery gets one reference, on one page. But on the whole it is great, educational, and an amazing account of these years from one man's perspective. On to volume three!

[Patrick Sherriff · Rating 5 out of 5]

My eldest is going through junior high school in Japan and I was happy to hear she was studying aspects of the Second World War. As far as I can tell from her textbook (and I could well be missing something) those aspects are the Nazis and the Holocaust, and that's about it.

To be fair, there was no room on the double page spread covering the war to refer to any part Japan had to play in it, I suppose talking about genocide in Germany is distressing enough for 12-year-olds without bringing up Japan's less than auspicious past in Nanking or its own mini-genocide inflicted on the Chinese by Unit 731. Much easier to start with the Nazis and Anne Frank and all that. The trouble is, I doubt it will develop into much more introspection, which would be fascinating, if not to my daughter, then at least to her old man.

So I don't look to Japan's schools to learn much about the war. That's what comic books are for.

I enjoyed the English translation of the first instalment of Shigeru Mizuki's Showa manga covering 1926-1939, so I just had to get the second (covering 1939-1944). You might quibble that a manga can only skirt the surface of such a momentous time, and yeah, it does at times feel like a school history textbook, jam-packed with just enough facts to tell the story of The Key Events of the war. The Bataan Death March receives little more than two frames (and an aside from Mizuki that as horrific as it was, the death toll was as much to do with the heat and general Japanese unpreparedness to deal with POWs as anything particularly evil. And "Comfort Women" sexual slavery receives just a fleeting reference, on one page.

But don't get me wrong, Mizuki is no revisionist. He's relaying the war through his experiences. He has undisguised contempt for the architects of war and has no time for jingoism. He's just trying to explain what happened, point to where it all went wrong, and get the hell out of the firing line.

Pulp the textbooks and replace them with Mizuki's manga. We might all learn something then.

Download my starter library for free here - http://eepurl.com/bFkt0X

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume 2 of 4 of Mizuki's graphic history/memoir. This volume largely concerns the Pacific battles of World War II, and his time in the Army. Impeccable art and great storytelling. This series is outstanding.

[Sud666 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the Second Book in the excellent "Showa: A History of Japan". This volume covers the years 1939-1944. As with the previous volume, I once again do not think a comic is the best medium to learn about history, but this one does a very creditable job.

Part history and part biography, this is Shigeru Mizuki's story. Mizuki is something of a tool. A poor student, a lazy worker, greedy, and just a sheer incompetent. He does not make for a sympathetic figure. Mizuki gets drafted and then proceeds to become an awful soldier. The fact that this man survived the Imperial Japanese military is a wonder. In fact, he is such a fool, that his command seeing his sheer incompetence assigns him to the Bugle Corps. He doesn't like it and decides to transfer out. To an infantry unit. Promptly ending up in the Pacific War. Great job you ass.

Still through his eyes the war and how it was spun for the Japanese people and how the war went for the ordinary soldiers, this is an excellent work. Sometimes it delves into highly complex issues and gives them short coverage but that's due to the style of this story. Still, there are plenty of notes for people who will want more detail. As a basic overview of the events, this is very good.

Good art, historical accuracy, and an interesting tale-make for one of the finest historical mangas I've ever run across. Highly recommended.

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is just all sorts of good. If we didn't know there were further volumes in the series, we'd be tempted to call the ending of this book a "cliffhanger." It's a little-known fact that Mizuki actually perished in WWII, but came back as a zombie, which explains the longevity of his career, and his predilection for tales of yokai and other ghoulish subjects ... All kidding aside, I find this Japanese view of the war fascinating. On to volume 3!

[Drew Canole · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! I can't believe there's two more towering volumes left in this series. I was correct in my assumption that I'd enjoy this one more than the first volume because it goes more into the part of Mizuki's life that I'm less familiar with. It was fascinating to see his family's reaction to him entering the army and eventually being sent to the front.

Mizuki makes himself out to have been quite an idiot. I'm not sure how accurate that is but it was interesting to see Mizuki being bullied by his peers. At first he's hit for being a goof, but it slowly dissolves from discipline, to bullying, to just outright cruelty.

I got very lost trying to follow the overarching plot of the war between Japan and the USA, as well as the other battles Japan was fighting in the Asian countries. I would have enjoyed the book better if I was a bit more familiar with the ins and outs of the various battles. Besides for Pearl Harbor and the nuclear bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki (that incident won't be covered until the next volume), I'll admit I have a very limited knowledge of that part of WWII.

The plane and ship battles are truly shocking in the book. It's such a surprise for the historical part to go from talking heads to depicting real warfare. It made those parts of the book even more intense than they would otherwise be in a book focused solely on action.

The book ends on quite the cliffhanger. Mizuki is in serious danger, of course we know he comes out alive - but I believe he also loses his arm at some point. It'll be interesting to see how Mizuki's personal war story is resolved.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can’t help rating this in comparison to the first book, which I thought much better. I suppose it couldn’t be helped as Japan entered into all-out war, but I’m not a huge fan of battle histories in any case and this was way too much of interchangeable bam-bam-bam for me, interspersed with accounts of how Mizuki was constantly beaten by his superiors. It didn’t have the wide range of personalities nor the nuanced exploration of the intersection of politics, economy and culture of the first book. Again, down to the subject matter, but it was less compelling for me.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love these titles from both a literary perspective, and for their historical account. The combination of memoir, history and humor make it a very enjoyable read. This installment focuses heavily on World War 2 and the actual warfare. For anyone who is interested in Japanese history, this is absolutely a must read.

[Derek Royal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost the entirety of this volume is consumed with Japan's military history...which is understandable, given the temporal frame. Lots and LOTS of highly detailed battle scenes.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A phenomenal Manga series on the history of the Japanese Showa Period from both a big picture overview and a personal one. This covers most of WW2. And as it's from a Japanese perspective it is framed very differently from how most American history books are. A very unique look.

Highly recommended.

[Humberto Ballesteros · Rating 5 out of 5]

I warmed up very slowly to the first volume of this historical manga, but after a few pages of this second one, I was hooked. The combination of a cartoony style in the most personal sections and hyperrealistic black-and-white reproductions for the historical passages works wonders once the war starts. The author's sarcastic, no-nonsense approach to the idiocy of war reminded me of classics like Tardi's "Putain de guerre!" and Remarque's "All is Quiet on the Western Front." I'll be buying the next part of the series immediately.

[Marsha Altman · Rating 4 out of 5]

2 of 3 in this manga history of Japan's Showa area. This section covers what the West thinks of as WWII, and spends a lot of time in the Pacific theater, where the author was stationed. There's a lot of drawings of naval battles that I didn't find very interesting, but this is still an important history and an interesting way to tell it.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book down for 24 in 48!

I enjoyed Mizuki’s first volume in the Showa series immensely, so I was happy to have an excuse (Read Harder task plus 24in48 Readathon) to pick up the next one. I really like how he juxtaposes his personal experience with a more distanced overview of events. This volume covers the WWII years up to 1944, which ends on an almost literal cliff-hanger.

[Leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy F*@king Sh!t - The best graphic novel I have ever read. Might be the best thing period. It balances personal story, History of WWII (Pacific) and art into a beautiful, thoughtful book. Totally different from anything else I have read. Cannot say enough good things about this book.

[Saturnq · Rating 5 out of 5]

WWII history normally holds no interest to me, but this series is impossible to put down. Can't wait for the next installment to be published in the states. 10/10 would recommend to almost any reader.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second volume of Mizuki's extraordinary autobiographical and historical account of Showa-era Japan, covering the final moments of the lead-up to World War II and the first few years of the Pacific War.

[Evan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as good as the first one, with this volume showing some ups, downs, and general unraveling of the Japanese offensive in WWII. Great read. I particularly looked forward to the parts where Mizuki's characterization of himself was featured.

[Kenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

A towering epic.
Must read for all interested in the Pacific War from the viewpoint of the artist as well as the macro picture.

[Grump · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stuff just like the first one. I like the mix of straight historical timeline and art with the more personal pseudo-autobiographical story of the author's own.

[David Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

One might well subtitle the second volume of Shigeru Mizuki’s history and autobiography (with a tip of the hat to Art Spiegelman) “And Here All My Troubles Began.” Like its predecessor, SHOWA 02 divides its attention between larger historical events, in this case the principal engagements of the Pacific War, and the author’s own life experiences, in this case as a footsoldier in Japan’s war of conquest. Mizuki’s depiction of the naval war is a glorious one, a general’s-eye view of sophisticated war machines slugging it out in great fiery battles like Midway and Guadalcanal. His personal story is at once grimmer and more comical. The author recalls long voyages in sweltering transports, occasional moments of terror during the fighting on New Britain, and having the snot knocked out of him by officers and NCOs. I’d heard of the casual brutality officers displayed toward enlisted men in the Japanese Army, but before reading SHOWA I hadn’t realized it was so extreme. I don’t know what disciplinary purpose was served by beating recruits with boards and wooden shoes until they collapsed - except perhaps to destroy their desire to live, so that they would prefer instead to die for the fatherland.

[Dasja]

Gelezen voor een schoolopdracht. Vrij droog en veel informatie over militaire geschiedenis, niet helemaal mijn ding

[Jeff Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s giving original trilogy vibes

[BookishStitcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books are a great way to learn more about Japan in the 1900's and the graphic novel format is quick and entertaining.

[scarlettraces · Rating 4 out of 5]

At some point I'll have to stop reading about war and atrocity on account of getting too teary. It's been a downwards progression from childhood where I callously seized on disaster and gore (Herculaneum was a favourite, also the various great plagues and the bits in the Bible where people are eaten by dogs) but as I get older I'm increasingly unable to fathom why people are prepared to commit large-scale violence on each other.

Anyways, Mizuki does a nice job of setting out events (and please go read Onwards if you haven't already, which brilliantly sets out the grunt's POV) without going much into rights and wrongs - though he doesn't mention the Japanese treatment of POWs except for one slightly cryptic reference to his brother's trial as a war criminal and a fleeting one to the Bataan Death March. There were reasons, I'm sure, just as there were for the suicide charges [I can't remember where it was, maybe Onwards or the Thin Red Line or something else entirely, but I remember seeing/reading a brilliant evocation of the Australians' 'are you shitting me' faces on encountering screaming, terrified Japanese soldiers running towards them waving sticks for firearms, shrugging, and gunning them down] but it's one poisonous aspect of the war in the Pacific that's never been forgotten in this part of the world. *Pause to don provincial hat* And it would be nice, if you're going to the trouble of listing the Allied forces in the Pacific war, to include us... we were there too, good little colonials that we were.

There's an intact Zero that was recovered from Bougainville in 1945 on display at the Auckland Museum which I always say hello to when I'm there. It was painted in RNZAF colours until 1999, that's got to be irony or something. OK I'm done now.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book continues where the first volume left off, dealing almost exclusively with the Pacific War and (later in the book) with Mizuki's army experience. I find it fascinating to see how Mizuki sees the Allies, and also how Japanese people suffered under their government and were told lies about Japanese defeats (for example, they weren't told that they lost the Battle of Midway until after the war).

The excitement and emotional impact of war makes this an even more incredible read than the first book, as Mizuki takes us into battles between the U.S. and Japan, while remembering to highlight the plight of Japanese soldiers and citizenry, not just important historical figures. For example, he describes the deplorable conditions of Japanese troops cut off from their rations and expected to "die with honor" as part of a suicide squad, and shows how much abuse privates received from their superiors. On the home front, he details the rationing that went on, and in a somewhat comic sequence, shows Prime Minister Tojo going through people's garbage to see that they aren't being wasteful.

As with the first book, there's a glossary, but no chronology. No matter. Dates are given in both Western and Showa reckoning, which makes it easy to figure out when things are happening (and Mizuki mentions when battles are happening simultaneously). The translation makes it sound as if it were written in English, though the variety of sound effects used in this volume made one or two of the choices suspect (KAPOW!, for one).

But I'm nitpicking. This is a must-read.

[Chuck Mccaghy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mizuki is the most famous manga illustrator in Japan. He has undertaken the enormous task of producing a graphic history of Japan beginning in 1926. The first work covers 1926-1939. The graphics section alone for that is over 514 pages long. Add to that footnotes and explanatory sections by others and himself. The Showa work for 1939-1944 describes World War II in the Pacific. The graphics here are 538 pages plus footnotes and explanatory sections.
These works are not simply descriptions of battles (although there is plenty of those) but divided between topics of the politics of Japan and of the author's personal life during the perios--with his warts and all.
These works will appeal to anyone interested in manga and in Japan's history.
The books are in English with a Japanese twist: They are to be read from "back" to "front"--and the pages themselves from right to left. It took some adjusting for me, but I got it eventually and it became second nature as I progressed.
Both books and recommended without qualification.
There are more to come.

[Sasha Boersma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second book in a series of four. This one maps out the events led by Japan to cause The Pacific War, which is also known as part of WWII. This is first time I've read anything in detail about what caused the Pacific War, and the role of fascism in the Asia-Pacific. While in North America, because this part of history is glazed over, it's been summarized that Japan and Germany were allies. But in reality, not really. Both had similar causes, but acted on their own. If these two sides won, I'm pretty sure WWII would have simply continued over Asia battling for the Soviet Union and China. But I digress...

On the personal biography element side of the series, the first half of the book covers how and why Shiguru joined the army. Then his experiences fall silent as the second half focuses on the war itself. I'm assuming because he has an earlier book "Onwards Towards Our Noble Death" that details his experience in the war, that he and his publisher didn't see much of a need to incorporate as much as they have in other chapters within the set.

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know next to nothing about the Manga tradition, but after going through some of Oishinbo manga on Japanese food and most of these Showa volumes, I'm becoming a believer.
This series is distinguished on several levels. First of all Shigeru's life story is compelling. A weird kid and all around young slacker, Shigeru is drafted into the army, where he remains a misfit and non-conformist. His wartime stories are almost too strange not to be fiction. Are they fiction or exaggeration or the truth, truth, truth? I really have no idea and I don't really care.
Because the reasoning of Mizuki's analysis of the positions that bring the wartime culture to Japan via China is thoughtfully laid out, when he takes a viewpoint on right and wrong it seems support by fact.
The other point--and perhaps most importantly--are his incredible drawings. Continuing the great Japanese tradition of illustration, Mizuki's drawing are mezmerizing.
I've read the first three volumes of Showa: A History of Japan and am awaiting the fourth. They are amazing works of art.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

So impressed. I picked this up at the library, not having realized there was a Volume I covering 1926-1939, but I will most certainly be reading that soon, too. This manga blends a macro view of the Pacific theater of WWII with the author's own personal experience being drafted in Japan. I rue the fact that this whole part of the war (aside from the atomic bombs) is so often overlooked in primary/secondary school here - and as macro as this book was, it still definitely helped to fill in some gaps in my own very basic knowledge.