On 03/14/2017 06:26 PM, Kenneth M. Lin wrote:
"Bobbie Sellers" wrote in message news:o8o7th$g4c$[email protected]...
Hi Readers and Typers,
I got this at the San Francisco Public Library-Main from
the biographical section.
I had read disparaging reviews and I have to say this does
not come up to the standard I expected from Mizuki. But this is
a much less cartoon-like version of the humans involved. It lacks
some of the venom associated with the Western biographies of the
subject which I have read. Doubtless because Mizuki did not
really have any contact with the NAZI side of the Axis during
WW II nor did the Japanese ever conceive of the Jewish populace
as a danger to the state. Similarly while he shows the tortured
bodies of the death camp in end papers he does not explore the
Holocaust in any detail.
bliss
but Kenneth M. Lin wrote:
I have a copy of manga biography Mizuki did about a Japanese scientist/scholar Minakata Kumagusu:
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8D%97%E6%96%B9%E7%86%8A%E6%A5%A0
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minakata_Kumagusu
A great story of an auto-didact who traveled widely
before it was at all common. I wish I could read it in Japanese.
What's interesting is that he told the story from Minakata's pet cat's point of view. No ideas whether he really owned a cat at all but very interesting approach.
Mizuki served during WWII and lost his left arm but he was stationed in South Pacific and
appears to have missed major combat or witnessed atrocities committed
by Japanese army.
Mizuki was fortunate in the regard that he did not deal with the atrocities but learned of them postwar. His own older brother
did following orders, from a superior officer, murder an American pilot
which lead to several years in prison for the War Crime after the
war.
But I would not agree with the "missing major combat" as
his various bases or camps came under heavy attack by the Allied
forces. In addition he was subjected to the brutal discipline of
the JIA where the rule was that the soldier was beaten by all
superior petty officers and lower officers, but recieved benefits
at the behest of the Commander of the forces in question.
He escaped involvement in suicide attacks by reason of
a few intelligent superiors and performed a feat of endurance
in his escape from a doomed action. Needless to say his feat
of survival, worthy of a modern ranger or seal, was not
appreciated in a military culture that expected all to die
for the Emperor.
He wrote a manga about that too, "Onwards to Our
Noble Deaths".
As well as commemorating to Post-Showa Japanese
the true extent and folly of the Chinese War, the Axis
alliance, and of course the Pacific War in Showa History
of Japan. Remember that the Militarily controlled cabinets
were advised by Hitler that the USA would not fight.
As opposed to U.S., where we are involved in world politics and sending troops everywhere,
One of our great mistakes.
Japanese are still very insulated and they often don't quite get
what's going on outside of their immediate circle.
Lots of Americans aided by the inward turning of the media
are in the same position and have no idea where the involved troops
are going.
One of FujikoFujio drew a biography of Chairman Mao in 1970s
essentially praising him even though Japan was in complete
fear of being taken over by communist at that time.
That seems to be the essence of Japanese-ness at times very like the Otaku who think the next episode of their favorite pastime
is the most important thing in the world. Also the government
seems to promote this sort of non-involvement as does the historical
culture.
bliss
--
bliss dash SF 4 ever at dslextreme dot com
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