I picked up Robot 1 this week, not sure if it was worth the hefty price tag.

I'm still not positive it's a good deal, but there were individual stories and illustrations in there that gave me at least my money's worth. The beautiful production value of this manga anthology is undeniable. It's a hefty size for a comic and most of the stories are in full color. With its focus on high quality graphics, the actual stories are often hit-and-miss... I'd say about a third of the stories in this volume are worth reading. That said, all of it is worth looking through - and some of the contributions are so gorgeous, so lovingly illustrated, it's impossible to find fault with a lack of story.

For example, editor Range Murata's contribution are four full-page illustrations about a girl, a boy, and a motorcyle. The girl is also on the cover, apparently wearing nothing but gloves and boots.That cover actually helped convince me to get this volume, as pervy as it is, it's also a beautiful illustration I'd gladly hang on my wall. Similarly, Ugetsu Hakua's "Primary Color Book" features four full-page illustrations of intriguing anime-style heroines - though in the contributor's notes, he promises that these illos will lead to something next issue...

Which leads to the most puzzling aspect of Robot. Several of the creators are writing multi-part stories... but the second volume of Robot (according to the insert) is slated for 2006.

The best story in this volume is Hanaharu Naruco's "Picnic" - the art style is conventional manga, but enriched to almost anime quality beauty. The story itself is simple enough, as two girls go on a picnic in what was once Tokyo. While I was sure I was missing a great many references (though I did at least know about the statue devoted to the dog), the sense of futuristic nostalgia was played out wonderfully and given a chance to develop naturally. It's a wisp of a story, but has a grace and sense of wonder accentuated by the solid chraracerization and narrative rhythm.

The second best story is a cute four-page erotic piece by Okama, "Oputon," about a girl who dreams about... um... sleeping. There's others also worth mentioning: while the gimmicky turn of Kei Sanbe's "Moonlight" isn't entirely satisfying, it's another wonderfully poetic piece of graphic storytelling. Makoto Kobayashi's "Dragon's Heaven" is noteworthy for the obvious influence of 1970s Moebius; it's like exploring another neighborhood of Arzach's world. Mami Itou's "Carogna" is noteworthy for its creepy surrealistic combination of cannibalism, butcher work, and seduction. Two stories use black-and-white to excellent effect: Sho-U Tajima's "Angels at the Planetarium" is a moody piece about a young man who harvests angel wings, while Suzuhito Yasuda's "Ebony & Ivory" uses colors selectively to tell a charming story with a nice payoff.

There's something positively bracing about the "problem" of Robot - the emphasis on art at the expense of story - since it runs counter to how manga is presented in America today. With the black-and-white tonkabon (digest-sized trade paperbacks) now the format of choice and publishers such as Tokyopop and Dark Horse marketing different genres to expand their audience, manga is the best bet for comics reaching a wider audience in America. (An irony which sickens many in American comics, I'm sure.) It does so by emphasizing stories, providing better shopping value with cheap production values and high page-counts. The notion of "art" manga isn't completely alien, but it comes at a higher price tag - and with more elliptical, compact stories - which are anatheme to the success manga's enjoying in America.

Looking at Robot, one becomes afraid that the standard manga's production values are being taken for granted, that black-and-white on newsprint will be enough. Many times, it is - pop culture is meant to be disposable, after all. But sometimes it's worth aiming higher. You might not always hit the target, but a thing of beauty is a thing of beauty, and should be taken on its own terms. The Beans hardcover minicomics from last year are an example of beautiful little manga, and Robot is an example of a beautiful large manga. As with any creative work with higher ambitions than the norm, these art manga have to work harder to find their audience - but an audience is out there and they're grateful when something distinctive comes along.

So here's to Robot delivering a second volume, and many more volumes after that (maybe on a quarterly basis? would that be too much to ask?).

At July 22, 2005 6:26 AM, Mishima commented...

"...manga is the best bet for comics reaching a wider audience in America. (An irony which sickens many in American comics, I'm sure.)"

Funny you should say that. You might be interested in this essay, part of which touches on the American comic industry being in denial with regards to the manga "invasion": She's Got Her Own Thing Now.

 

At July 24, 2005 12:08 PM, Ray Mescallado commented...

This is so hilarious. I used to write for The Comics Journal and was making the same claim six, seven years ago in its pages.

 

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