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漫畫藝術的極致。
大人的童話，人類文明的反省之歌…
失去了憎恨、忌妒、慾望、貪念，
這樣的人類還算是人類嗎？
在神環繞保護著的世界，這樣的世界和平，
真的是人類追求的至高理想嗎？
世界末日後，一個男孩和一個女孩，
將在這個美麗的新世界裡，譜下最令人哀傷的戀曲。
皮皮是如此深愛著凱依，從他們小時候第一次相見開始，
他們兩個就形影不離。
可是凱依這個特別的男孩子，總是把眼神放在天際線上。
在天空之上巡航著巨大的女神「瑪莉」，
她是這個世界上形形色色人類的信仰中心。
可是凱依對著這天空上的機械人型，懷抱著異常的熱情。
單純的皮皮想著，如果她也能像瑪莉一樣，在天空上翱翔，
也許…也許凱依就會像愛上瑪莉一樣，愛上自己…
在文明發展到極致之後，自我毀滅的人類，
現在像小嬰兒一樣，被神照顧著、呵護著，
人和人之間不再有忌妒和貪慾，
但是神每五十年會選上一個孩子，那個孩子將在短短的生命裡，
為人類的將來，做出一個選擇…
漫畫家古屋兔丸用心刻劃的寓言式成人童話，
整篇故事不看到最後，不會看清整個真相。
如此脫俗的表現，與其說是漫畫，這部書更接近藝術的境界。
大人的童話，人類文明的反省之歌…
失去了憎恨、忌妒、慾望、貪念，
這樣的人類還算是人類嗎？
在神環繞保護著的世界，這樣的世界和平，
真的是人類追求的至高理想嗎？
世界末日後，一個男孩和一個女孩，
將在這個美麗的新世界裡，譜下最令人哀傷的戀曲。
皮皮是如此深愛著凱依，從他們小時候第一次相見開始，
他們兩個就形影不離。
可是凱依這個特別的男孩子，總是把眼神放在天際線上。
在天空之上巡航著巨大的女神「瑪莉」，
她是這個世界上形形色色人類的信仰中心。
可是凱依對著這天空上的機械人型，懷抱著異常的熱情。
單純的皮皮想著，如果她也能像瑪莉一樣，在天空上翱翔，
也許…也許凱依就會像愛上瑪莉一樣，愛上自己…
在文明發展到極致之後，自我毀滅的人類，
現在像小嬰兒一樣，被神照顧著、呵護著，
人和人之間不再有忌妒和貪慾，
但是神每五十年會選上一個孩子，那個孩子將在短短的生命裡，
為人類的將來，做出一個選擇…
漫畫家古屋兔丸用心刻劃的寓言式成人童話，
整篇故事不看到最後，不會看清整個真相。
如此脫俗的表現，與其說是漫畫，這部書更接近藝術的境界。
248 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2001
3 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Usamaru Furuya
98 books176 followersUsamaru Furuya (古屋兎丸) is a Japanese manga creator from Tokyo. His production covers a variety of art styles and genres, such as horror, humour, slice-of-life, erotica, sci-fi, always with a personal surrealistic touch. Society oppression and the human condition are common themes in his body of work.
Furuya showed an interest in comics making since elementary school. He graduated from Tama Art University, where he had studied sculpture and oil painting.
His manga career started in the alternative magazine 'Garo', in which he published a series of one-page comics called Palepoli (1994-1995). He then worked on Short Cuts (1996-1999), a gag manga serialised in the mainstream magazine 'Weekly Young Sunday'. Other short stories from the same period were collected in the books Garden (2000) and Plastic Girl (2000).
Over the years Furuya has created work for a number of manga magazines, underground and mainstream. Among his series available in one or more Western languages are: the dystopian The Music of Marie (2000-2001); the surreal horror Lychee Light Club (2005-2006), loosely based on a play by Norimizu Ameya; the post-apocalyptic 51 Ways to Save Her (2006-2007); Genkaku Picasso (2008-2010); No Longer Human (2009-2011), adaptation of a novel by Osamu Dazai; Amane Gymnasium (2017-2020).
Furuya showed an interest in comics making since elementary school. He graduated from Tama Art University, where he had studied sculpture and oil painting.
His manga career started in the alternative magazine 'Garo', in which he published a series of one-page comics called Palepoli (1994-1995). He then worked on Short Cuts (1996-1999), a gag manga serialised in the mainstream magazine 'Weekly Young Sunday'. Other short stories from the same period were collected in the books Garden (2000) and Plastic Girl (2000).
Over the years Furuya has created work for a number of manga magazines, underground and mainstream. Among his series available in one or more Western languages are: the dystopian The Music of Marie (2000-2001); the surreal horror Lychee Light Club (2005-2006), loosely based on a play by Norimizu Ameya; the post-apocalyptic 51 Ways to Save Her (2006-2007); Genkaku Picasso (2008-2010); No Longer Human (2009-2011), adaptation of a novel by Osamu Dazai; Amane Gymnasium (2017-2020).
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 20, 2017
Just when I thought Manga couldn't get serious...Double Twists
This Volume blew my mind... it was such a page turner I couldn't stop reading until I finished the whole book.
WOW
The author explores the concept of 'God' in such a simple yet fairly complex way (you'd have to read to understand) - that you can't help but go back to the Volume again and again to look over the proposed ideas. He explores the concept of religion and the assignment of belief to a 'higher power' BUT doesn't just stop there - and in fact - takes it a step further and explores this assignment in correlation with human "happiness and satisfaction" that we are looking to achieve from life - which is where I absolutely went 'head over heels' bonkers with excitement.
I've never before seen the topic explored in such a simple form and yet with such controlled depth. It forces the "Achilles Decision" in a way (In the movie Troy, Achilles had to make a call to as to go and fight the Trojan War or abstain - both of which have their own pros and cons) - and has the protagonist decide - which to me was rather fascinating - because 'he' could see both possibilities and finally makes a call..
Now - just to take it a step further - the second twist kicks in - which throws the whole book into question - because you now sit back and wonder - which part was real - and which was just a philosophical conundrum. I am personally still stuck on this and this to me is what makes this manga that much more amazing..
The artwork + color pages show Usamaru Furuya 's professed love for oil paintings come to life and I have to say - in this Volume - the artwork really took a turn for the better - much more intricate long shots and depth added with multi-page spreads make this Volume a true masterpiece.
Highly recommended !!!
This Volume blew my mind... it was such a page turner I couldn't stop reading until I finished the whole book.
WOW
The author explores the concept of 'God' in such a simple yet fairly complex way (you'd have to read to understand) - that you can't help but go back to the Volume again and again to look over the proposed ideas. He explores the concept of religion and the assignment of belief to a 'higher power' BUT doesn't just stop there - and in fact - takes it a step further and explores this assignment in correlation with human "happiness and satisfaction" that we are looking to achieve from life - which is where I absolutely went 'head over heels' bonkers with excitement.
I've never before seen the topic explored in such a simple form and yet with such controlled depth. It forces the "Achilles Decision" in a way (In the movie Troy, Achilles had to make a call to as to go and fight the Trojan War or abstain - both of which have their own pros and cons) - and has the protagonist decide - which to me was rather fascinating - because 'he' could see both possibilities and finally makes a call..
Now - just to take it a step further - the second twist kicks in - which throws the whole book into question - because you now sit back and wonder - which part was real - and which was just a philosophical conundrum. I am personally still stuck on this and this to me is what makes this manga that much more amazing..
The artwork + color pages show Usamaru Furuya 's professed love for oil paintings come to life and I have to say - in this Volume - the artwork really took a turn for the better - much more intricate long shots and depth added with multi-page spreads make this Volume a true masterpiece.
Highly recommended !!!
January 5, 2018
The world Kai and Pipi inhabit is a peaceful world where everyone lives and works in harmony. It is a near utopia watched over by the loving goddess Marie. Ever since Kai went missing for fifteen days when he was ten, he's felt a special connection to Marie, a deep love that turns obsessive and even sexual as he grows older. Then when he is eighteen, he finds out the secret of Marie, that she was created by their ancestors in order to supress anger, hatred, etc. through her music. However, the tradeoff is that technology can never surpass a certain level. As Marie's musicbox winds down and people begin to quarrel, Kai must choose whether or not to wind it again.
The art is beautiful and this would be an interesting story on its own, but what makes it really excellent is the twist, which I so did not see coming. I really, really, really recommend reading this without spoilers, but omg. The twist is so awesome.
The art is beautiful and this would be an interesting story on its own, but what makes it really excellent is the twist, which I so did not see coming. I really, really, really recommend reading this without spoilers, but omg. The twist is so awesome.
February 2, 2025
Haunting. The overflow of the exposition from the first volume carries into an absurd and abstract volume that ends on a melancholy and sad note, that stays with you.
January 19, 2016
It's perplexing and mind-boggling. Makes you think about it days after you finished reading.
I admit that the whole concept defies my whole belief system - which, unsurprisingly, made it distasteful for me. But I still applaud the author for producing such intriguing and twisted tale.
I admit that the whole concept defies my whole belief system - which, unsurprisingly, made it distasteful for me. But I still applaud the author for producing such intriguing and twisted tale.
August 12, 2024
that was actually so good damn, everything that didn’t make sense in the first volume, makes sense now. such a good story with such good plot twists and actually a deep meaning behind it regarding the broken world as it is nowadays, lowkey chills.
February 28, 2015
Very beautiful. If it was moral, it would get five stars.
August 30, 2017
HOLY COW
THIS WAS AWESOME
Honestly think this is the best manga I have read
truly a page-turner and plot-twisting
love it
THIS WAS AWESOME
Honestly think this is the best manga I have read
truly a page-turner and plot-twisting
love it
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews