Panorama of Hell

I really liked this manga because of how, although it was rather strange, alot of it was possible and I could really see it happening. To be honest, the art wasn't all that great, but the story and the characters were really awesome. If gore offends you at all, this really isn't for you. It was really hard to find. Something about this story just entranced me, which is really the only reason I read it to the end, because it started off kinda boring and slow. Really I have found all of the Hino Hideshi manga I've read to be entrancing to some point, and most of them have very...strange? art, not really typical manga style at all. Anyway, if you like gore, I would say you should give this manga a chance, although it's definitely not for everyone.

This is one of those works that I'm having a lot of difficulties comprehending. I don't exactly know if I can respond to this work with my usual format. I'll give it a try, though.

Story:
There isn't so much a story as it is a conversation. It's a dialogue started by a painter who paints horrific images that are absolutely petrifying. I felt like this was a mix between Dante's Inferno and Eraserhead, where everything is symbolic and cruel. Does it make for a good story? Not necessarily, since there isn't a shred of hope, but there is a lesson, that lesson being that the world is cruel. I don't really agree with that, considering one person's life can suck and another's can be great, but even so, there are people with sucky lives who enjoy life nonetheless. So, just in that, I can't exactly connect with the mangaka's intentions.

However, one theme that is consistent is death and how indifferent it is. This I can sympathize with. Death is the great equalizer, the final occupation. The ending definitely reinforces the fact that regardless of what path is taken in life, death will arrive at your doorstep when you least expect it.


Art:
I really loved the classic, cartoony look of the art. It looked disgusting and horrid but it didn't look realistic. In that sense, this is where I feel the most 'Eraserhead' from the narrative. Everything was as if it were symbolic to the one telling the story, the painter. Everything he talked about was a painting he worked on, so every image was how he saw events as they unfolded. To this end, I found the artwork breathtaking.


Character:
There isn't much character but there's representations throughout. There isn't much else to discuss here. Again, it's all a conversation, a dialogue the reader is having with the painter. I suppose you learn a lot about the painter and it's all well and good but because of the format, we're introduced to other characters who are just disgusting human beings who have no purpose other than to make you feel disgusting.

The real focus here, as mentioned, is the painter. His character is quite strong, but some of the content is too archaic to be understood on the first read (at least for me). Does this make it bad? Not necessarily, but considering the whole work is likely a metaphor, there needs to be some grounding. If not in the setting, if not in the narrative, then at least the characters, right? Well, not so much.


Enjoyment:
I don't exactly enjoy watching people suffer. I don't think any sane individual would. However, the narrative starts out with black humor and then devolves into a dialogue of symbolism, so the suffering that takes place is... well, it's brutal, but it's bearable in the sense that there's a purpose. Is the purpose worthwhile in the end? I'm not so sure.


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This comic is probably one of my favorites from Hino Hideshi, he keeps the creepy and shocking vibe throughout the whole thing which is why he's one of my favorite mangakas. The story is clear in the first chapter, an artist describes his hellish works that consist of grotesque imagery using his favorite color, the color of blood. Throughout the chapters, we see his point of view of gory things, along with his family who commit atrocious acts. The characters are really good when it comes to them telling the story from their perspective. The art is great, as seen in other Hideshi mangas it's sort of cartoony and unique compared to other horror mangas.

Overall, I enjoyed this manga a lot and if you are a fan of Hino Hideshi or horror then give this one a read!