‘Mandala, princess of darkness’, by Hino Hideshi
Published in 1982 and now recovered by La Cúpula, this manga stars Sayoko, a devilish girl with a quartz eye, the spirit of a vigilante angel, a mane as eloquent as the wigs of Las Virtues and a diet in which a reptile or an amphibian are the same. In his school, hierarchical abuses are the order of the day.
Perhaps because Hino lived a post-war childhood and had to move when Manchuria ceased to be Japanese, he especially hones in on issues such as resisting bullies and fighting for justice. We have already seen in his other works how both things usually go hand in hand.
Mixing horror, humor, sweetness, disgust, innocence and social criticism, Hino explores acceptance and reflection on convergence with those who are different. There is no shortage of sudden narrative turns, agile and dynamic scenes, or situations that open the mind to new perspectives. A master of terror who, with the simplicity of a simple and emotional line, hides a universe that is not as repulsive as it may seem. 7.8.
‘Labyrinths’ Omnibus Edition, by Charles Burns
Reservoir Book brings together in this edition the three installments of ‘Labyrinths’, another trilogy to Burns’ credit that joins the previous one made up of ‘Toxic’, ‘The Hive’ and ‘Sugar Skull’. His career, underpinned by ‘Black Hole’, is as relevant as that of David Hockney in painting, or Yorgos Lanthimos in cinema.
Burns once again demonstrates his talent thanks to the intensity of certain sequences, the brilliance of the color palette and an impeccable style that uses the inner monologue of each character as a tool to metaphorically explore the essence of human nature.
‘Labyrinths’ presents the story of Brian Milner, a reserved and shameful teenager, with a gift for drawing and a passion for horror films that he shares, at different levels, with his friend Jimmy. With him he begins to shoot a film starring Laurie, a redhead whose hair becomes a key element to create dreamlike landscapes, which navigate between romance and psychological suspense. 8.
‘Human Animals’, by Okada Takuya
Few anecdotes can be revealed about this first installment of ‘Human Animals’, a manga of uncertain continuity, although in Japan it already has a second volume. The same thing happens with the career of its author: it is a mystery, the same one that usually surrounds a considerable number of mangakas.
What we can contribute is that in previous collaborations or works, the animal kingdom and anthropomorphic beings are usually a recurring option.
Tayuka enters the manga without much juggling: in black and white, without color pages, without extras and in this case even with a modest edition from Planeta Cómics. It is the story that turns us around: a father and his daughter, who after a traffic accident, are rescued by an extensive fauna of animals. Beneath that veneer of hospitality lies a twisted tale, in which father and daughter discover a farm where humans are raised like cattle. An unexpected twist will lead to terrifying cruelty, which will delight horror and gore lovers. 7.
