Ayako

Osamu Tezuka

Osamu Tezuka is arguably one of the greatest manga authors of all time and in this book, first serialized in the 1970s, he gives us his take on post World war II Japanese society.

The story revolves around the Tenge family, the remnants of the aristocratic landowners of feudal Japan, and their desperate attempt to hold onto the power and prestige of earlier days. When four 4 old Ayako witnesses a crime which could bring the family name into disrepute they decide to fake her death and lock her in a storage shed. Here she will remain for 23 years.

Tezuka's naturalistic story telling style fits this grim graphic novel perfectly. He portrays a rotten family in a world changing too fast for comfort. As well as the personal story of Ayako Tezuka draws on several true scandals from the late 1940s and the effect is not flattering for the Japanese government of the day and America's involvement with it. A worthwhile read for anyone who isn't offended easily and has an interest in this often forgotten era of Japanese history.