By Mitsukazu Mihara (Tokyopop)
ISBN: 1-59816-646-8
In Japan the sociology of death is different. Preservation and beautification of corpses is considered unclean and tasteless. Shinjyurou Mamiya is a dark enigmatic young man with a dangerous calling. He is an embalmer, convinced that he can assuage the pain of loss by his loving care of the dead. One corpse at a time he brings peace and fulfilment to the bereaved in a hostile society that does not understand him.
This truly modern gothic character has friends and a fully realised ‘normal’ life, but also a dedication to his craft that is absolutely enthralling. As with all very the best manga tales ‘The Embalmer’ captures the subtle differences in cultures with powerful effect. Superbly illustrated, these episodes of a unique character in a unique situation are powerful, moving and addictive.
By making the stories all about the transitional characters, Mitsukazu Mihara has created a truly memorable Protagonist and a story with appeal far beyond the usual fan-base. This series is one of the very best of its kind and one I can happily recommend even to people who don’t like the Japanese style of comic strip. Try it, it’s worth it.
This book is printed in the ‘read-from-back-to-front’ manga format.
© 2003 Mitsukazu Mihara. English script © 2006 TokyoPop Inc.