NonNonBa

A beautiful graphic memoir about Mizuki's childhood and his relationship with yōkai.

Shigeru Mizuki is a one of Japan’s golden age Manga artists known for popularizing the Yokai genre (ghost stories) with his tales of Kitaro. His works have inspired artists like Junji Ito and Scott McCloud. In his autobiographical fable Nonnonba we learn about the early childhood experiences that led Mizuki to become a manga artist. His first exposure to the world of the supernatural were the stories told by a grandmotherly figure whom is parents called Nonnonba. The story blends personal stories with light supernatural encounters where the reader is left to determine how much is real. All of the characters (human or yokai) are brought to life with deft caricature. It’s a testament that an artist can communicate heavy emotions with a light cartoony style. Deeply personal and yet wildly imaginative, Nonnonba, redefined what autobio comics can be.

I absolutely loved this memoir: a mix of real life memories (some sad, some amusing, some oh-so-relatable) and tales of fantastic creatures told by a dear Grandmother figure. We follow a very imaginative little boy’s interactions with his parents, his siblings, his friends — boys and girls — his neighbors. I just loved the family dynamics, the emotions of young Shigeru, who comes off as a very endearing and lively little boy. The parents are sometimes bumbling, sometimes wise. The friends vary from bullies, to dumb followers, to real buddies. The art is beautiful and also very funny with facial and body expressions that had me chuckling all along. I will go now and re-read this gem of a graphic memoir.

Nononba is the second work by master Manga-ka Mizuki I've read. Nononba is a glimpse into the life of author Mizuki's childhood during post-War Japan. Nononba incorporates history, tragedy, humor, slice of life, childhood and the supernatural. The stories could almost stand alone, yet are tied in seamlessly through each chapter. I relate to many aspects of the book, having grown up in a rural town in which we often used our imagination to fuel our adventures. The main character Mizuki also striving to become an artist, which was also my childhood dream. I particularly loved the different depictions of Yokai (spirits) which brought me deeper insight into ancient Japanese culture. My only gripe is the fact that the Yokai Glossary (at the back) is difficult to navigate, and could have used a more succinct system.

Ah dear Shigeru, how he managed to tell stories from his past, adding some fantasy to it without disturbing the integrity of his memories. I was like I was a little Japanese boy, a friend of Shigeru right at the time of his childhood, riding along with him through his childish adventures...

NonNonBa is a book about the seen and unseen. It is about growing up and learning to deal with real-life issues. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

A must read for fans of paranormal folklore. Nice presentation!

required text. sell was fine

me lo compré en inglés sin querer, pero no me arrepiento!

If you're just discovering Shigeru Mizuki, I'd recommend this book above all his others. It's frankly more interesting and moving than his famous Kitaro series, but gives just a look at his childhood and interest in yokai (as opposed to his fantastic Showa series which covers WWII and most of his life).

Masterpiece of Japanese manga. Very sad at the end. I found that Kindle is fit for enjoying manga too. One word more.

One of Mizuki’s greatest works. A charming story of life in Japan during an impossibly difficult time. Mizuki captures the wonder of childhood and the world of imagination we all used to love living in. A time before the internet, with spirits Ns stories made up by his beloved childhood mentor. Charming. This is a brilliant Manga, writing, art and translation all come together well. Sadly a little expensive because it is out of print. But if you are just discovering Japanese Manga you must read this.

Shigeru Mizuki é uma das principais inspirações de Inio Asano por inovar usando paisagens realistas e detalhadas em contraste a personagens cartunescos (Punpun, é você?). Mesmo sendo um mangá longo e com muito texto, ele é extremamente prazeroso de ler, com muito humor, bucolismo, folclore japonês e alguns momentos de mais emoção, além de lições de vida. O protagonista é um eu lírico do autor, e isso deixa a obra mais única ainda, havendo misturas de realismo com fantasia a todo instante. Outro ponto alto é a relação do jovem Shigeru com Nonnonba. O fim da edição tem ainda um texto de 8 páginas excelente sobre a trajetória de vida do autor. Esses textos que vem nas edições do selo Tsuru são outro grande diferencial que eu valorizo muito na compra do mangá, pois eles enriquecem demais a leitura. Havia visto reclamações sobre o papel da edição, porém comparei e pude atestar que é o exato papel de O Homem que Passeia (Munken com a mesma gramatura). Ele possui uma certa transparência, porém não incomoda durante a leitura e é o papel com o melhor toque que eu já li em mangás brasileiros. Existem erros de revisão, porém o mangá tem 423 páginas e muito texto. Pude encontrar 8 erros de ortografia nesse calhamaço inteiro, o que pra mim não chegou a incomodar durante a leitura também, visto que o restante me parece muito bem traduzido. Um exemplo de mangá que os erros me incomodaram foi Helter Skelter (Editora NewPOP), que tem 300 páginas, muitos erros de português e uma diagramação quase amadora. Em Nonnonba isso não aconteceu. Sobre o acabamento da edição em geral, é a mesma coisa que O Homem que Passeia, e acho isso excelente: pra mim, o formato do selo Tsuru é o meu preferido em mangás no Brasil, o papel é bem maleável e super macio (apesar da pequena transparência), as capas e sobrecapas são lindas e o miolo parece bem firme. Sim, vale muito a pena comprar Nonnonba. É um mangá essencial na estante de quem quer uma obra de um autor de suma importância na história dos mangás.