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113th out of 131 books
—
319 voters
Ichiro
by
Ryan Inzana
ICHIRO IS A BOY ADRIFT IN THIS WORLD.
Raised by his Japanese mother in New York City, his American father taken by war before Ichiro ever knew him, Ichiro finds it difficult to figure out where he fits in.
A trip to Japan leaves Ichiro with his grandfather, a stranger to him in a country he does not know.
And then one night Ichi gets dragged down a hole by a monster. When he...more
Raised by his Japanese mother in New York City, his American father taken by war before Ichiro ever knew him, Ichiro finds it difficult to figure out where he fits in.
A trip to Japan leaves Ichiro with his grandfather, a stranger to him in a country he does not know.
And then one night Ichi gets dragged down a hole by a monster. When he...more
Hardcover, 288 pages
Published
March 20th 2012
by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
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One of the more recurrent themes of young adult literature is disorientation. A young protagonist one day wakes in an unfamiliar place and—through a variety of struggles and trials—eventually overcomes the cultural hindrances that hold him back. Or a young protagonist's home is destroyed and she, alone and unprepared, must discover and come to control the wildness of the greater, wider world around her. Or a young protagonist arrives at a new school (perhaps even mid-term) and must learn to swim...more
NOte: Word balloons in pale yellow-green are in Japanese. In white are English.
This one is hard to rate. Do I rate it for the illustrations and style, which would easily get 5 stars, or do I rate for the story, which sits at about a mediocre 3? I'll go halfsies and give it 4.
I picked this up at the library, and was about 10 pages in before I could put it down. It starts with an old story of a monk and a mystical tea pot. I'm all for old magical Japanese myths, so I was really excited about this one. Besides, the graphics and colors are gorgeous.
Then I got to the meat of th...more
I picked this up at the library, and was about 10 pages in before I could put it down. It starts with an old story of a monk and a mystical tea pot. I'm all for old magical Japanese myths, so I was really excited about this one. Besides, the graphics and colors are gorgeous.
Then I got to the meat of th...more
Woo!!! Japanese monsters!!!
So yeah, I thought this book would be a cheesy war fantasy for boys when in fact it was about a half Japanese kid who gets stuck in the Shinto spirit world and learns all about the rift between heaven and earth from the war god! I have recently been lucky enough to have conversations with my fellow bookstore employees about the monsters of Japanese folklore. And they are really one of my favorite things to find in manga -- they are so weird and spooky and sideways and...more
So yeah, I thought this book would be a cheesy war fantasy for boys when in fact it was about a half Japanese kid who gets stuck in the Shinto spirit world and learns all about the rift between heaven and earth from the war god! I have recently been lucky enough to have conversations with my fellow bookstore employees about the monsters of Japanese folklore. And they are really one of my favorite things to find in manga -- they are so weird and spooky and sideways and...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Mythology is retold in Ichiro's fantastical journey into Yomi, the mythological Japanese Underworld. Inzana utilizes events from WWII, stories from Japanese mythology, and the base storyline of being a stranger in another country to illustrate the constant cycle of peace and war in the life of all humans. Ichiro features a shape-shifter (Tanuki), a full cast of ancient Japanese gods/demigods (Izanami, Izanagi, Amaterasu, Susano-Wo, Hachiman, Yoritomo, +), and lessons we can take away from both m...more
Immediate reaction to this book *gasp* samurais! But it's not that at all. It's actually more profound than that. Ichiro is a half American half Japanese. He idealizes his father who fought in Iraq. He carries around a solider book that once belonged to him and generally thinks he knows it all. His perspective about war changes when he goes from his home in New York to Japan as a result of his mother gaining a job opportunity. He is to live with his grandfather who shows him what war really is a...more
Ichiro is a graphic novel about a young boy who has a Japanese mother and an American father (presumably white, but never seen) who lives in New York City. The father is dead and the mother is looking for work and a place in the world. They live in Brooklyn where the boy is teased about being Asian and seems to live a tough life. The mother hopes to look for a job in Japan and have the boy stay with his Japanese grandfather while she looks for work there. They fly to Japan where Ichiro stays wit...more
Readers may initially mistake this for a book about baseball if they only look at the title rather than examining the actual cover art and reading the inside flap for more information. It is the story of Ichiro, a bi-racial Japanese-American boy. He is being raised in New York by his mother; he has never known his soldier father who died before Ichiro was born. Now Ichiro is being taken to stay in Japan with his grandfather for a while. One night he is dragged into the Underworld by a monster. I...more
Ichiro opens with an old Japanese legend about a tanuki, a raccoon that can shapeshift and often takes the form of a teapot. The tanuki forms the frame story for Ichiro, and it is also amusing and magical.
What Ichiro is really about is Ichiro, a young boy who idolizes his father. He wears his dads old sunglasses and constantly reads an old military book of his dad's that he found. Because he misses his dad, who he barely remembers, he romanticizes war and is bored by most everything else. He get...more
What Ichiro is really about is Ichiro, a young boy who idolizes his father. He wears his dads old sunglasses and constantly reads an old military book of his dad's that he found. Because he misses his dad, who he barely remembers, he romanticizes war and is bored by most everything else. He get...more
An interesting story about a young Japanese-American boy whose father died in the war (Iraq, if I recall), when he was very young. His grandfather, on his father's side, teaches him to idolize soldiers and warfare, but when Ichiro's Japanese-American mother takes him to live with his grandfather in Japan, he begins to see things very differently.
Combining reality with a rich fantasy world, somewhat akin to the films of Miyazaki, in which Japanese gods and demons war with one another and a teapot...more
Combining reality with a rich fantasy world, somewhat akin to the films of Miyazaki, in which Japanese gods and demons war with one another and a teapot...more
I hovered between 3 and 4 stars on this one. It's good, very good, but some story elements take too long to come together. The opening of Ichiro's worldview is great; his grandfather explaining WWII from the Japanese point of view is very well done. But bits dragged. The art, while beautiful, sometimes hinders rather than advances the story. (If I'm studying a panel because it's amazing and the layers of importance are deep, I'm impressed. If I'm studying a panel because I can't figure out what'...more
Whilst seeking through the library, I happened to stumble across the cover of this book. I decided to pick it up because it came under the category: "A book that teaches you about a culture other than your own."
I found that category very interesting as because of it, I learnt some information about Japanese mythology which I hadn't known. And I don't want to seem rude, but boy are some of the characters in Japanese mythology weird! I mean one more than three eyes!
My favorite quote from this book...more
I found that category very interesting as because of it, I learnt some information about Japanese mythology which I hadn't known. And I don't want to seem rude, but boy are some of the characters in Japanese mythology weird! I mean one more than three eyes!
My favorite quote from this book...more
After Ichiro's father is killed in a recent war, his mother decides to leave New York and return to Japan. The plan is for Ichiro to stay with her father, his Grandpa Sato, while she works. Ichiro gets to learn about his maternal grandfather as well as the history and mythology of Japan.
The story moves easily from legend, history, and mythology to a contemporary setting. Before his visit, Ichiro is obsessively pro-war. After a thought provoking discussion with his grandfather at Hiroshima Castl...more
The story moves easily from legend, history, and mythology to a contemporary setting. Before his visit, Ichiro is obsessively pro-war. After a thought provoking discussion with his grandfather at Hiroshima Castl...more
The first half of this book was quite touching, as it explored the relationship between a bicultural teen and his grandfather. I loved the interleaving of the Japanese myths with this narrative. [spoiler alert] I lost interest when the story moved into the spirit world. While I feel this can be an effective device in certain stories, I felt it took away from the more powerful themes at work in the real world. Still, Inzana is super talented and I am excited to see what he creates next.
Ichiro is a half Japanese boy who lives with his mother in New York City. He likes soldiers, rock music, survivalism, and other overtly masculine things. Then, on a trip to Japan, he encounters the supernatural. From Hachiman, the Shinto god of war, he learns that aggression isn't always the best choice. Both an excellent argument for gods that merely exaggerate human foibles and a very well written story, I highly recommend this novel for young adults or people who like YA fiction.
Fascinating, full of heart and realistic depiction of how a Japanese American teen understands the nature of war and connects with his family and his heart. Fascinating Japanese mythology and fantasy, combined with amazing art kept me focused. Not sure I understood everything that happened--sometimes the art was a little unfocused (did Ichiro, the protagonist, fall into a fire? and what did the note say at the end?)but definitely worth reading & pondering.
Ichiro stays with his grandfather while his mother teaches at the university. His grandfather takes him to various temples and discusses legends, family and history with him. Then Ichiro gets to meet one of the Shinto gods for himself.
I absolutely loved this. Ichiro was a wonderful character and I loved the relationship he and his grandfather had with each other. I thought the illustrations of the myths were lovely as well and I loved the simple colors.
I absolutely loved this. Ichiro was a wonderful character and I loved the relationship he and his grandfather had with each other. I thought the illustrations of the myths were lovely as well and I loved the simple colors.
book 73 of 1000
Ichiro, an American born half-Japanese boy, feels as though he has no place in this world. Traveling to Japan with his mother to spend time with his grandfather, Ichiro struggles to find a place in this new land. One night, he catches a monster who drags him to a different realm. Combining Japanese folklore and mythology with a journey of self-discovery, Inzana weaves an interesting tale of finding your place in the world.
Ichiro, an American born half-Japanese boy, feels as though he has no place in this world. Traveling to Japan with his mother to spend time with his grandfather, Ichiro struggles to find a place in this new land. One night, he catches a monster who drags him to a different realm. Combining Japanese folklore and mythology with a journey of self-discovery, Inzana weaves an interesting tale of finding your place in the world.
There's just something about Japanese (or in this case, Japanese-American) manga that I just don't get. The art is so kinetic and abstract at times, I get lost. This is a large/long form story in full color, about a Japanese-American boy who travels to Japan with his mother. While she travels to Tokyo on business, he spends time with his grandfather, who takes him to Hiroshima and tells him folk stories. Then things start to get weird....
This was a great story about a Japanese American boy trying to discover his identity and exploring his roots. Ichiro is a humorous and endearing young man who is the result of a combination of two worlds and must learn how that can help him overcome obstacles. I loved the inclusion of Japanese mythology and religion, it was interesting to learn something new. I also enjoyed the excellent art and the simple color scheme, which made everything bold and stand out more.
This graphic novel wasn't what I thought it would be. It was actually a whole lot better.
There was a certain balance to it even though it used a spirit/ghost adventure to help the young Ichiro come to terms with where he was in his life, but the characterizations from Ichiro to his mother to his grandfather to the spirits is so very well done.
And I loved the artwork. Sketchy yet strong. Evocative of Japanese woodblock but not ape-ing it either.
There was a certain balance to it even though it used a spirit/ghost adventure to help the young Ichiro come to terms with where he was in his life, but the characterizations from Ichiro to his mother to his grandfather to the spirits is so very well done.
And I loved the artwork. Sketchy yet strong. Evocative of Japanese woodblock but not ape-ing it either.
Ichiro never really knew his American father, but he doesn't really identify with his Japanese mom either, so he's not thrilled to spend the summer in Japan with his grandfather. But his world--and his connection to his heritage will never be the same. Love the Tanuki spirit and the Shinto mythology in this one!
Ichiro is a graphic novel that at once feels familiar and fresh. Ryan Inzana is definitely influenced by traditional Japanese art and lore and he blends both of these with Ichiro's very modern and relevant story of a boy dealing with his father's death during wartime, and dealing with war in general. I felt that this was a bit to short, if anything. In crafting this as a graphic novel, I felt that the story was rushed to completion. The part of the story where Ichiro travels to the world of the...more
I did like this gn about an American boy who goes to Japan with his mother & spends time with his Japanese grandfather, learning about Japanese culture & folklore, & even falls into a dream/adventure with characters from the mythology. A good read!
I loved the art in this, but the story wasn't very satisfying. Maybe I would have liked it better if I'd sat down and read the entire thing at once, rather than in pieces. I just didn't feel terribly involved with what was going on.
Wonderful blend of mythology with touches of history. All of it was written in English, but anything that was "spoken: in Japanese was colored with a yellow background to distinguish the languages used by the characters. I don't know anything about Japanese mythology but the main pieces were introduced gently as a grandfather telling his grandson. Highly recommended.
Beautifully drawn but I was thrown off by the first part of the book being totally realistic and the second half completely switched out of nowhere (for me)to become fantasy. Worth checking out if you know that's coming...
Good story that is part fantasy with a Japanese-American boy who returns to Japan with his mother and gets involved with mythical beings. Has good comments on the futility of war and remembering Hiroshima also.
A very interesting exploration of the nature of war and of man. I enjoyed the ideas expressed and the art style. There is plenty of food for thought here. Definitely one for the thoughtful reader.
I wanted to love it. I almost actually liked it. But in the end, I found this graphic novel a mediocre read. For more:
http://satiasreviews.blogspot.com/201...
http://satiasreviews.blogspot.com/201...
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Nov 04, 2012 12:52pm