Areyo Hoshikuzu

What a shame that this manga is not popular on this website.

Areyo Hoshikuzu take us to Japan, 1945, after the defeat of the japanese army to the americans. We are following the story of two soldiers, the soldier that looks like a bear called Kadomatsu and the alcoholic chief Kawashima. Both of them are trying to survive, to eat, to enjoy in this post-war Japan, even they are nothing left inside them. From stealing american products to sell on the black market to protecting prostitutes, every jobs is good to take.

The story take also a lot of time to explain the relationship between the soldiers who only know fighting in war and the depressed chiefs who wanted a glorious death to the battlefield (reminds me a lot of Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump)

Talking about prostitution, the story also tell the days of japanese women who try as much as they can to have a somewhat of good life by selling their bodies to both japanese and american soldiers. As if the author wanted to remind us that women are also victims of war : Rape, mutilation, losing their loved one, etc ...

Everything is being told in a dramatic and comedic way. And something to point, this is a non-revisionist work, which is very refreshing.

There is nothing much to say about the art. It is simple, but very efficient. The character are very expressive and you can really understand what is happening in their minds.

Thank for reading this review