Rashomon: A Commissioner Heigo Kobayashi Case

Los casos del comisario Heigo Kobayashi #1

by Víctor Santos, Brian K. Vaughan (Illustrator), Jason Shawn Alexander (Illustrator)

Victor Santos (Polar, Violent Love) writes and illustrates a crime and mystery story inspired by Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s tales featuring the heroic commissioner Heigo Kobayashi

When the body of a skilled samurai is found along the road to Yamashina in feudal Japan, the search begins for his killer. Detective Heigo Kobayashi takes the case but finds only dead-end clues and no firsthand witnesses.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Detective, Crime

160 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Historietista español. Obtuvo el Premio Autor Revelación del Saló del Còmic de Barcelona 2002.

Reviews

[Chad]

Two separate classic Japanese stories Santos has adapted to turn into "crime noir". They are still set in feudal Japan but now there is a detective investigating the crimes. I wasn't familiar with the first, but the second is the story of the 47 Ronin. Both stories were incredibly boring. The whole book consists of the detective interviewing the suspects and they tell their stories. It's all very static. Nothing is resolved in either case. No one is apprehended. They are both pretty pointless. I do like Santos's art though. It's a cross between Mike Mignola and Frank Miller.

Received an advance copy from Dark Horse and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

[David Dalton]

Becoming a big Victor Santos fan.

I have read a couple of the Polar books and own a few more. Great artist and storyteller. Loved the setting for Rashomon. Any more Heigo Kobayashi stories out there?

[Jane]

Art is very beautiful, but the story is lacking and didn't draw me in.

[Rod Brown]

Here's a disappointing attempt to merge some old Japanese tales with the same sort of freakishly noir storytelling and art that Frank Miller used in his Sin City books.

First up is the story that inspired the movie Rashomon, wherein several people give conflicting testimony about a murder to our hero, Commissioner Heigo Kobayahsi. The Commish and some of the same characters then roll into the second chapter, a retelling of the famous 47 Ronin incident where some loyal warriors avenge the death of their lord. Bending timelines, the creator also mixes in famous figures like samurai/ninja Hattori Hanzo and swordsman/philosopher Miyamoto Musashi.

I like the source material, the ambition of the conceit and even the art, but I found the book a chore to read. The dialogue is leaden, the tone is flat and aloof despite all the action and machinations, and the characters lack charisma and dimension.

[ion]

As a detective story set in feudal Japan, it doesn’t quite work for me. For example, in part 1, the case leads are literally various confessions. The detective in the story isn’t given many clues to work out the cases either. However, the artwork is gorgeous, especially the use of color.

[James]

This makes the 3rd adaptation that I've read or seen of Rashomon. There's two movies, the recent Korean version was good as well as the Japanese classic which colors my image of what things should look like.

This book has two parts, Rashomon and the 47 Ronin, which is an odd combination with a strange link. The artwork of this graphic novel was decent, it was neither manga or American superhero style and was appropriate for the subject matter, its strongly influenced by film noir. The insertion of an inspector was OK but he was a bit too much like a western detective. An interesting take on the classic short story.

[bailey]

This was a quick read that I was able to finish in one sitting. I’ve been a fan of Victor Santos art and story telling for a few years and I thought this was a captivating story. I’m not familiar with the original stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa so I’m not sure how this adaptation holds up but it’s a fun read nonetheless and I plan on checking out the base material!

[Highland G]

This book should have a trigger warning!
Artistically trying way too hard to be dark noir that it becomes hard to make out what’s going at times.

No real focus put on having consequences or outcomes to any of the cases and way too much time put into showing MANY full page spreads of the rape scene.

[Z-squared]

Gorgeous artwork. Confusing, dissatisfying stories.

[Sonic]

Dear Victor Santos,

Please make more Samurai books!


Sincerely,

Sonic elf


+++

[Eli Poteet]

tw: sexual assault withour redemption.

thr main boon i witnessed here is how the art style reminded me of hellboy but still it was showcased without being established in greater world constructs.

i think this graphic novel mashup missed the mark. all the artistic ability and noir motiffs were present BUT it lacked the wet landing of a
knock out story. it didnt posess the delicious dollop of revenges redemption that noir stories strive to cultivate.

[Online Eccentric Librarian]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

Originally published in two parts (Rashomon and Seppuku) in black and white and Spanish, Dark Horse gives an American treatment of this merging of Japanese Cinema and American Noir. Despite the disparate themes, Santos does an excellent job of melding the two; he doesn't stick religiously to either yet his breadth of knowledge and clear affinity of the subjects is obvious. This feels very much like a labor of love.

First story: A samurai has been murdered in 1700s Japan. Detective Kobayashi investigates but is frustrated to find different and contradicting versions from the witnesses of what happened. The wife and bandit who raped her have one story while the dead man is raised by a medium and has an entirely different story.

Second story: A nobleman has died - forced to commit suicide (seppuku). His loyal retainers resent the means of his disgrace and flout the Shogun's orders by seeking revenge. Kobayashi is surprised to find that the wife from the first story is now the deceased noble's wife in this second story.

Fans of Japanese cinema will immediately recognize the two plots above: Akira Kurosawa's seminal movie Rashomon and the tale of the 47 Ronin. These two stories were merged with the atmosphere of film and novel noir, particularly the work of Dashiel Hammet and the movie Yojimbo. What this means is that we have an historical Japanese base but with very American aspects such as a femme fatale, light through the blinds aesthetics, characters with strong moral codes, and an obsession with weapons (guns in America and Swords in Japan). At times, it does feel more Western than Japanese despite a very well researched depiction of Shogunate Japan. Of note, as with the movie Rashoman, although the setting is from novelist Ryunosuke Akutagawa's short story "Rashomon", the plot itself is from one of his other short stories, "In The Grove."

There are other homages as well - I especially appreciated the subtle references to other bakufu (police) of the era: the specific blue and reversed triangles of the Shinsengumi. Santos has even woven in a bit of the shinobi ninja and (dare I guess) a nameless ronin likely to be Miyamato Mushashi to round out the cast.

Stylistically, the cover is very representative of what will be found within. Inspirations from Eisner (the Shadow), Frank Miller (who was heavily influenced by Eisner), and Mike Mignola become very obvious. From very heavy 'Japanese ink' type of drawings that were then later colored in for the American audience in bold color blocks (very Sin City - red lips, red blood, and a very sparse set of colors so as not to distract from the story). But the square jawed, blocky art style should be familiar for those who especially read Mignola or Miller.

If the above makes it sound like Rashoman is derivative, don't worry. What Santos brings is a seamless merging of two cultures in a way that pays respect to both. If anything, I feel he learned most from Japanese dark classics such as The Bad Sleep Well - that the ending doesn't have to have a happy ever after and, in true Kurusawa form, it's about exploring the various realities and how people even deceive themselves - rather than finding a singular 'truth.' Our detective does find some truth and, like the source movie Rashomon, there is a bit of restoration in the faith of humanity at the end. But it fortunately isn't cut and dried, which is respectable in a medium that too often has to compromise for its audience (as Santos had to do with being required to color the comic for American/Western audiences rather than leaving it monochromatic).

The story is not dialogue heavy but there is a lot to take in; certainly, this rewards those who like to reread their graphic novels later. The source material - Rashoman and 48 Ronin - aren't really needed to understand or enjoy this book but they do give an appreciation of what Santos has done here. Certainly, I appreciate a European who has been able to craft an engaging story from both Japanese and American cultures - and make it look like he was born to both. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[Aaron]

Rashomon is perhaps the most perfect narrative for retelling, no matter the medium. It is, to wit, an impossible story that possesses deep within its folds an impossible spread of curiosity, emotion, and uncertainty. That Victor Santos has provided his own approach to the tale of deception in feudal Japan is less an intrigue unto the fable itself than it is an inquiry into what creative vision the artist devotes to it. How can the graphic novel serve as a vehicle for this fable? RASHOMON is a story of exposure. To what degree do the characters, the reader, or even the artist/author acknowledge or comprehend the lengths to which one will go to master the nuances of visible corruption?

Visible, of course, is the word of import. As Heigo Kobayashi rummages through secrets, statements, and non-disclosures it becomes increasingly obvious that the death of a certain samurai of good standing was neither accidental nor the result of compromising circumstances. Somebody wanted the man dead. As to whether it was due to suicide, a local thief, or the pretentious widow is up in the air. True to the spirit of its source material, RASHOMON provides contradicting accounts. Interestingly, while Kobayashi is smart enough to know that nobody should be trusted outright, he neglects to verify whether he can trust himself to do the right thing once the time comes.

The art of Victor Santos, here as elsewhere, draws mightily from the skilled compositions and dynamic inking of 1960s and 1070s action comics, vis-à-vis Jack Kirby, thus defining a generation. Santos composes complex scenes in tight spaces, relying heavily on high-contrast silhouettes, impressive keyhole artwork, sparse but functional dialogue, and spirited violence. To name all the compositional strides Santos took toward assembling this graphic novel would be an insurmountable task . . . but one thing is clear, RASHOMON is a feast best consumed slowly and with precision.

When a samurai recounts his attempt at seppuku, readers are cursed with a trance of sorts: an exacting page, set in deep-red and black, offset by a yellow-purple horizon but inset with frenetic clips of the man scrambling for a dagger on the forest floor, also framed with yellow and purple. The wildly different colors and the frenzy of a man on the brink of an emotional breakdown elevates and seizes one's heartrate as the samurai's hand stays the dagger: "It was my own sobbing," he says of the noise that shatters the quiet of the forest. Does the man blame himself for his own robbery? Does he blame himself for the rape of his wife? Does he blame himself for the shame, disrespect, and greed that now tarnish his family's name? Will he kill himself? A few pages later, the anguish is resolved: "I didn't feel any pain."

When detective Kobayashi is summoned to investigate the death of a magistrate, readers must parse the man's anxiety through pipe smoke, shadowy expressions, and the garish contradiction of the lead suspect appearing as innocent as a lamb. And yet, when Kobayashi goes to question the wife (visualized as a white silhouette), the detective is framed as a blue-black monolith set against the open doorway of a quiet residence, observing and inquiring from afar (perhaps, too far) as the woman dips her delicate shoulder, washes her hair, and plumps her pink lips: "Heigo Kobayashi. It's been a while."

This imbalance is tactical and it is applied whenever the wife and the detective are alone, and it's rather jarring. It's hard to know whether the relationship between the wife and the detective is more than a mere business trapping. RASHOMON has plenty of drama, sword violence, and sexual violence. But the quiet intensity of these two characters' interactions, blocking the page with aggressive and angular shadows, imposes a worrying truth on the narrative that nothing is as it seems.

[Norgri]

In the interest of full disclosure I have to admit I didn't read the Spanish version of this graphic novel. They don't have the English version on their website, but I wanted to do a quick review.

I like Japanese samurai movies and this graphic novel was a real treat in that it combined two of the best: Rashomon and the 47 Ronin. I didn't realize that when I checked it out of the library, and in fact I was wondering what Mr. Santos was going to do when the Rashomon story ended around the middle of the book. I have to say it was a very pleasant surprise to see how he linked the two stories together.

I'm not going to give the magic away by telling you how he did it, but I am going to recommend that you get your hands on a version (in either language) and find out for yourselves.

[Courtney]

Thought this was a great concept and loved how it sometimes showed the difference between the interviewees’ actions and words. However It was a bit confusing for me and if felt disjointed.

Might try to watch the Kurosawa movie from the 1950’s which I know is different, but I believe it also combines different Japanese stories.

[Yoshiro]

POPKULTUROWY KOCIOŁEK: Album Rashomon podzielony jest na dwie kryminalne historie rozgrywające się w feudalnej Japonii. Pierwsza z nich koncentruje się wokół komisarza Heigo Kobayashiego, zmęczonego i cynicznego detektywa, którego zadaniem jest zbadanie morderstwa pewnego znanego i utalentowanego samuraja. Podobnie jak w filmie Kurosawy, narracja rozwija się poprzez liczne, sprzeczne zeznania świadków. Każda relacja maluje drastycznie inny obraz wydarzeń, pozostawiając Kobayashiego i czytelnika zmagającego się z niemożnością dostrzeżenia obiektywnej prawdy. W dalszej części albumu zdolny śledczy musi wyjaśnić sprawę morderstwa wysoko postawionego urzędnika. Sprawa ta jest wielce tajemnicza i ma ona jakieś nieodkryte powiązania z wcześniejszym morderstwem.

Tym, co na pewno bardzo mocno wyróżnia album i sprawia, że warto po niego sięgnąć, jest jego oprawa graficzna. Victor Santos sięga tu do charakterystycznego stylu Franka Millera z „Sin City”, okraszając go świetnie dopasowanymi kontrastującymi kolorami (w wersji podstawowej, wersja limitowana jest cała w czerni i bieli). Dużo jest tu widowiskowych rozkładówek (bez tekstu), tak aby to właśnie rysunki opowiadały historię.

Twórca za pomocą swoich prac tworzy tu klaustrofobiczną i przytłaczającą atmosferę, która doskonale odzwierciedla zarówno klimat orientu, jak i dopasowuje do tego elementy mrocznego noir. Jego prace są zarówno dynamiczne (z odpowiednią dozą brutalności) i szczegółowe. Intensywne użycie ostrych linii podkreśla fragmentaryczną naturę pamięci i emocje postaci. Zeznania każdego świadka są wizualnie odrębne, wykorzystując różne układy paneli, projekty postaci, a nawet poziomy szczegółowości. Wszystko to jeszcze mocniej przykuwa uwagę odbiorcy, zachęcając go do dalszego przewracania stron.

Niestety świetna wizualna strona komiksu nie idzie tu w parze z odpowiednio dopasowanym do tego scenariuszem. Santos próbował w swoim dziele naśladować mistrza (Kurosawa), wyszło mu to jednak dość przeciętnie.

Pierwsza z historii (zabójstwo samuraja) jest jeszcze całkiem poprawna. Opowieść jest co prawda trochę przewidywalna i niektóre wątki są tu mocno skrótowe, ale potrafi ona zaciekawić. Druga część komiksu powoduje jednak niestety u czytelnika poważne zagubienie. Wątki są tu urywane, a fabuła jest pełna nieścisłości i luk. Trzeba naprawdę mocno się skupić, albo często powracać do wcześniej przeczytanych stron (nawet wcześniejszego rozdziału), aby zrozumieć niektóre następstwa fabularne....

https://popkulturowykociolek.pl/morde...

[Matt Graupman]

There are certain things that, when you first hear of them being paired up, you’re like, “those can’t possible work together.” I remember when everyone freaked out because Heath Ledger was going to play The Joker in “The Dark Knight Rises,” a role that obviously was beyond the talents of the teenybopper lightweight; of course, he was absolutely incredible as the Crown Prince Of Crime. My sister-in-law, whenever we have pot roast for Sunday dinner, insists on garnishing it with ranch dressing; I haven’t been brave enough to try it but she swears that it’s delicious. What about feudal Japan and crime noir? Those couldn’t possibly compliment one another, right? Well, Victor Santos’ graphic novel, “Rashomon,” happens to prove otherwise. Moody, gritty, and sexy, it’s a unique take on two well worn genres.

The art is what initially drew me to “Rashomon.” Santos has a style that combines the starkness of Frank Miller’s work, with the gothic beauty of Mike Mignola, and adds a dash of Paul Grist’s rubbery, heroic pencils. In a lot of ways, it reminds me of the old “Batman: The Animated Series” cartoon: graphically simple but disguising a much more sophisticated type of storytelling. Unfortunately, Santos’ writing isn’t as exciting as his art. “Rashomon” is pretty boilerplate noir, with its grizzled detective lead, teasing femme fatale, and loads of bloody - often convoluted and confusing - betrayals; the feudal Japan setting gives the story a certain freshness but, overall, the plot is too heavy on exposition and too light on actual thrills. Still, at a brisk 88 pages, it’s worth reading just for the dazzling art.

Inventive but tame, “Rashomon” doesn’t take full advantage of its inspirations but it certainly hints at the surprising compatibility of Japanese folklore and American film noir. As with most things, it’s always good to keep an open mind and I hope Santos returns to this experiment with a story that better serves his artistic talent.

[Ross]

"I too am a slave to protocol."

The truth can be as intangible as pipe smoke, or as irrefutably cold as a cadaver in the grass. The cruelest irony of detective work is finding that it's often both at once, that a life spent uncovering answers inevitably ends by being confronted with how little you know. Victor Santos' pair of mysteries (compiled into one book) is part Frank Miller noir, part Akira Kurosawa samurai thriller, all eye-popping style. My main take on Santos is that his art far outpaces his writing, an expressionistic visual style that plays with colour and its absence to present the bloody mayhem in striking, vivid fashion. The cases themselves are less impressive, mostly because I spent the bulk of both mysteries struggling to figure out the man solving them. Commissioner Kobayashi is a frustratingly anonymous character, especially as Seppuku mires him in a deepening personal and political conflict that badly lacks a strong enough handle on what makes him tick to really make work. Santos weaves a brutal narrative about patriarchal violence and social codes, and while the roster of suspects both living and supernatural make a strong impression, the book finds a strange absence when it reflects back to the man weighing it all up. By the game's end, all the right pieces are on the board, but all of them sit in the wrong place.

5/10

[Willow Redd]

Using the "In A Grove" story from Rashomon and the 47 Ronin incident, Victor Santos creates a Japanese noir tale featuring Commissioner Heigo Kobayashi.

In part one, Kobayashi is tasked with discovering the truth behind the death of a respected samurai in a grove near the Rashomon gate. Each party involved has their own version of events, and nobody seems to know the absolute truth. It's a frustrating case, and even Kobayashi's friend Hattori Hanzo is at a loss.

Part two sees Kobayashi investigating the revenge killing of a powerful official, who happens to have benefited from the unsure outcome of part one, marrying the widow of the slain samurai. Now, it is three years later, and he himself ends up dead, retaliation for his part in the forced seppuku of a samurai clan master. Now, the clan, 47 ronin, have taken their revenge and caused great political upheaval in the region. It is up to Kobayashi to find the best solution, but certain parties have their own ideas.

An interesting book, and one that I found at my local library. Being a huge fan of the "In a Grove" story and the Rashomon Effect as a whole, I knew I had to give this one a read. The story gets a little muddled with the more stylized art pieces, making the action hard to follow, it is still a fascinating pair of tales worth checking out.

[Dakota Morgan]

Being only passingly familiar with the original Rashomon, I can't say whether Victor Santos' take holds up in comparison. But as a standalone graphic novel, it's simply excellent. The story is well told, twisty and dark, with a fascinating dose of Japanese nobility and honor mixed in.

In the first half of the story, detective Heigo Kobayashi tries to determine who killed a samurai in the woods. Three come forward (including the dead man) to express their guilt over the crime. Kobayashi struggles to determine who is telling the truth and why the others would bother to lie about being guilty. The second half features a broader mystery surrounding honor-based killings between Japanese clans. I found this portion to be a heartier mystery experience, but the first half will be more recognizable to actual Rashomon fans.

The art is consistently great, reminding me mostly of Hellboy and Sin City. Lots of black/white/red palates. Some interesting panel work leads the eye to clues, but Santos is unfortunately also fond of slipping in double-page, expressionist fight scenes which only serve as confusing outliers to a generally easy-to-follow story.

[Václav]

I like feudal Japan lore and I'm always open to anything related. So I looked forward to this comics book. I did not saw Rashomon yet (for which I'm terribly sorry), so I can judge only comics presentation of this story. The book is focused on commissioner Kobayashi, his involvement in Rashomon story and on 47 Rónin story (Seppuku, 2nd prat of book) and all between that. The first part is magnificent, but I loved so much the second part. I advise to read 47 Rónin before reading this story (I highly recommend to pick 47 Rónin by Mike Richardson and Stan Sakai (art)) to fully appreciate the work on (final part of) story from different angle. Anyway, story is good and art is even better. It's simple, thick lined and surfaced ink with simple colours, but presented perfectly and it fits theme beautifully. It brings the story and the lore alive, especially the mood. It's something between Mike Mignola's and Frank Miller's art (and feeling/mood too). Thanks to all that I can forgive that the story is not superb, as I hoped and the person of "femme fatale", which bonds both stories and feel unnecessary to me. But still, I highly appreciate whole comics book.

[Nikki in Niagara]

This is two separate mystery/crime cases which end up being tied together. The book is described as "crime noir" which drew me to read it. However, I didn't find that description fit at all except for the presence of a femme fatale. The book is set in feudal Japan and each case is immersed in the cultural history of that time and place. The first story was okay but the seconded depended so much on the history that I didn't really understand it. If you love shoguns, samurai and ronin this book will be right up your alley. The art is outstanding though. It's stylized with sharp angles and uses either black and white or limited colour palettes. The use of illustrations done in either warm or cool tones helps keep the mood of the storyline.

[Kyle Wright]

Great art, unfortunately, can't save the jumbled mess of a storyline, haphazard layouts, and mediocre dialog. I bought this book because I liked the unique art style and am a fan of Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon. This book does the story a great disservice, only superficially touching on the unique, many-points-of-view aspect that defines the movie.

I wasn't expecting to get a 47 Ronin adaptation thrown in as well, though it too suffers from lack of exploring the narrative behind the incident. So this book instead becomes about the detective solving these crimes rather than the crimes them themselves, but the detective is so boring that I didn't really care about him and his sleuthing didn't seem to show any sort of interesting deductive prowness on his part.

[Greatkithain]

Víctor Santos siempre se ha declarado fan del genero samurai y mezclarlo con la novela negra que es su otro fuerte, da como resultado un gran cómic. Ojo, está inspirado en el relato Rashomon pero los puristas no encontraran la misma historia.

Como siempre, agradezco que las adaptaciones de un medio a otro (sea cómic, libro, serie de tv, película o videojuego) espero que la historia no sea la misma sino que se cambien cosas, que lo que funciona en un medio no tiene que funcionar en otro.

Visualmente, es una pasada. Santos coge el estilo de Frank Miller y le da otra vuelta haciéndolo más espectacular en la composición de la página.

[Ani Martinez]

2 separate Japanese classics: the first story is a retelling of Rashomon & the second story is over the 47 Ronin.

I liked the art style and some of the page layouts for this comic - they work well together in giving these classics a new twist by adapting them as a noir-style narrative.

Overall: Despite the noir concept bein an interesting adaptation - I would highly recommend to watch the og films instead to get a better understanding of the inspiration behind this comic & to grasp the narrative's foundation for the stories mentioned. So the rating is: a ⭐️ for experimentin with this adaptation & another ⭐️ for the art style.

[Paul Hasbrouck]

A brilliant graphic novel, were artist/writer Victor Santos uses two classic tales of Japan, Rashomon and the 47 Ronin, to build a noir mystery. The first part kicks off with a case of rape/murder and then leads to case of revenge/murder that deals with a corruption of power. At the heart of each case is a woman and the honorable detective Heigo Kobayashi, each trying to destroy the other.
Santos artwork is fantastic, the story flows and when the action explores it is great.
Had a great time reading this and others will too.

[Sharon]

Wanted to love this but had a hard time with the stories. The art is beautiful but occasionally confusing. (There is a fight scene toward the end of the book that is simply amazing.) But the stories don't resolve as much as just stop. I understand that was by design but I wanted more.

I would pick up another one of Santos's Heigo Kobayashi Cases though; there was enough to make me wonder if earlier volumes were more lustrous.

[Indecisive79]

I read the English translation, not the original Spanish language edition listed here. An interesting idea, taking a pair of Japanese folk tales and giving them a noir setting. The art work is good, and is especially fitting for a noir aesthetic. The stories themselves drag a little bit with the noir frame; the second one, "Seppuku", was hard to follow the narrative due to the large number of names of people and clans that aren't very well established.

[Andy Grabia]

Fantastic artwork very reminiscent of Miller’s Sin City, plus a compelling noir narrative that combines Rashomon (more specifically, In the Groves) with the Chūshingura (the 47 Ronin), then tosses in a pipe-smoking detective as the cherry on top. This was so in my wheelhouse, and I enjoyed every second of it.

[Helen]

Loved the art work. There is quite a lot of picture within a picture drawing so that characters are seen from the point of view of other characters viewing them. it is very effective. I did get a little confused in the middle and I wonder about that wife. Not sure what Kobayashi's opinion of her was, either. Great read.