Ayako

My experience with this manga was definitely not one I expected. My initial impression of it was that it was going to be one of those books that kind of dragged on, but it was completely the opposite. As soon as I started reading I could not put it down! It was as though it had some sort of spell on me. I ended up reading it completely in one sitting. As far as the story itself goes, I was surprised at how dark and realistic it was. Prior to reading it, I did not know that much about Ozamu Tezuka other than him being the creator of Astro Boy and an influential person in the industry. So, you can imagine my surprise when comparing his earlier work to this one.

Ayako is a crude story that presents the dysfunctionality of one family and how they live their lives altered by a post war Japan. Their individual choices intertwine with each other’s lives, and ultimately the one member of the family whose life is the most affected is Ayako’s. Interestingly enough, towards the end of the book we see that it was not Ayako who was suffering the most, but instead the family members themselves. Perhaps karma had a hand in them getting a taste of their own medicine. Most of the characters were not likeable in nature, but I believe that was part of the charm, as they ended up being very complex characters. They truly felt like real people. I also enjoyed the fact that the story was told in chronological order of events and through the point of view of many different family members. It really made me feel more immersed in the scenes as though I was also part of the family, watching as everything unfolds. Overall, it’s kind of a sad story, but it left me feeling satisfied in the end so I’m glad to have read it.