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Jan 7, 2019
The god of manga, Osamu Tezuka, is rightfully considered the greatest mangaka to ever live. The likes of Hirohiko Araki, Naoki Urasawa, Kentarou Miura, and Yoshihiro Togashi would presumably never have ascended to the status they engross without his venerable craft. Indeed, the notion of anime and manga themselves have been drastically altered due to his illustrious presence within the industry. Tezuka is not solely a man who revolutionized two of the three predominant mediums of Japanese storytelling, but also a bastion of morale, who imbued his crumbling nation with a newfound zeal following the second world war. Out of the myriad manga he created,
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several have been more influential, but none more prestigious and expertly written than his bonafide masterpiece Pheonix.
Phoenix is not a traditional narrative transpiring in a singular temporal realm; rather, Pheonix follows the rise and fall of nations, great paragons, reincarnations of said paragons, and ideals throughout the past in the present, all revolving around the pursuit of a great phoenix, in possession of the oracular knowledge sleeping behind the illusory veneer of the human condition. It follows several key actors as, transcending time and space much akin to the Phoenix itself, they attempt to achieve eternal life and satisfy the human longing for the divine. Its a story of religious customs eradicated and rationalization's reification. Its a story about the decline of the human heart set to the backdrop of precocious technological innovation. Its story is not just poignant; it's timeless. It bespeaks itself of a particular quality that solely a storytelling savant could weave.
Many are understandably apprehensive about reading this work, due to Tezuka-san's unfortunate demise leaving the narrative "unfinished". However, I fervently, and perhaps presumptuously, posit that this state of eternal incompletion is what indeed completes the narrative. The purpose of Pheonix is not to delineate the crusade of humanity's perfervid champions, who, after transcending the notions of space and time, captured the Pheonix and pillaged its arcane secrets. The purpose of Pheonix bespeaks why the Pheonix will forever elude humanity. The Pheonix is a metaphor for Aletheia, always fleeting, always spurious. The Pheonix does not exist, has never existed, and never will exist. The Pheonix is humanity's cultivator, destroyer. The Pheonix is nothing but an abstraction of an ideal of pertaining to the sustainment and comprehension of the human condition. In order to make sense of the world, humans break each other's hearts. In order to satisfy our longing for immortalize ourselves, we kill each other. And that is why we are exiled from paradise. That is why Aletheia eludes us. That is why the Pheonix will no longer share its wisdom.
Simply, the Pheonix remarks upon a paradox; humanity's eradicating of itself in pursuit of eternal life. A complete "Pheonix" would simply be nothing more than an incomplete "Pheonix".
Pheonix does not possess the greatest storytelling you will ever see. Nor does it possess the greatest characters. Other comics - JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Berserk, Watchmen, Monster, to name but a few - have achieved much higher dramatic heights. However, the Dostoyevskian and Homerian prowess of Tezuka's ability to glance at the heart of the human condition and construct such a bittersweet eulogy to times long past, to epochs never known, to human longing, in the parturition of a machine doctrine of thought and life, is unrivaled by all to ever contemplate engaging in the art of comic. A frenetic, laconic magnum opus crafted by one of the greatest literary minds in history, Pheonix is perhaps one of the greatest literary works to emerge from Japan.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Nov 21, 2017
Since the classic second installment of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Battle Tendency, JoJo has always been a great manga. Each individual part features a plethora of great characters, compelling plot points, amusing comedic scenes, and heartbreaking tragedy. As the final panel of Part 6 comes into full view, no one can deny that JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is one of the greatest manga of all time.
Yet I'm not writing this review to tell you why JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is great; I'm here to tell you why it's a masterpiece and my second favorite series of all time. And to understand why JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is
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a masterpiece, one must first analyze the almost undisputed greatest story arc: Steel Ball Run. With this seventh story arc of the JJBA franchise, Araki joins the likes of Miura and Urasawa in the highest echelon of the manga industry.
Story: 10
Steel Ball Run is a narrative that follows the adventures of two protagonists, Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zepelli, as they both strive to obtain first place in the Steel Ball Run Race; a voyage across the United States of America on horseback for the chance to win $50,000,000.
Ever since Part 4, Araki has utilized the narrative concept of an epiphany masterfully. Within the first three parts, the goals of the respective JoJos ultimately remained stagnant and undynamic. Each protagonist, more or less, understands the gravity of their conflict from the opening acts until the very end. However, since the mystery surrounding Yoshikage Kira and the murder of young Morioh women in Diamond is Unbreakable, Araki has ensured that each individual interprets the world around them differently and comes to multiple realizations throughout the course of the plot. Not everything is as it seems.
Within Steel Ball Run, Johnny and Gyro's epiphany fuels the story forward, as they begin to ascertain that the significance of this race holds worldwide implications. Whereas originally the reader is of the notion that Steel Ball Run is all about its namesake race, we soon discern that this is not the case.
The narrative of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 7: Steel Ball Run is beautifully woven. Each arc feels as if it belongs and holds merit. A sense of progression pervades each action taken by the characters. The story is full of complex thematics, psychological battles, and cleverly written dialogue. By far, Steel Ball Run is the most expertly written segment of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
JJBA is famous for its battles, so It wouldn't be just to refrain from mentioning them. Steel Ball Run has the greatest battles within JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Each Stand is unique and interesting, and each action has a psychological element to it. The final two conflicts are extraordinary, both serving to wrap up the two significant plots of the story; attempting to become the victor of the Steel Ball Run race, and preventing the actualization of the purpose the race was constructed for.
Similar to the part before it, Steel Ball Run has potentially the greatest ending I've ever witnessed within fiction. It is seriously perfect, yet I wouldn't dare spoil its riches.
At its heart, much like A Tale of Two Cities, Steel Ball Run is a story of revival.
Art: 10
Steel Ball Run possesses the second best artwork Araki has ever drawn, only being beaten out by its successor JoJolion. Every single character is aesthetically pleasing, and their appearance reveals a multitude of information about their personality. Araki has definitely had some issues in the past attempting to draw feminine faces, yet he really nailed the character of Lucy Steel, who is one of the most beautifully designed female characters in all of manga.
Character: 10
Steel Ball Run possesses one of the best cast of characters I've ever seen.
There are five major characters within the narrative: Johnny Joestar, Gyro Zepelli, Diego Brando, Funny Valentine, and Lucy Steel. Every single one of them are contenders for the greatest fictional characters ever conceived. Every single one of them possesses their own heartbreaking backstory and distinct motives/ideologies. Because it would take a century to analyze them all, I'll take a closer look at the most compelling and complex character of the manga: Johnny Joestar.
Johnny Joestar is the primary protagonist of Steel Ball Run, as well as the seventh JoJo. Previously, he was a world renown jockey, enjoying opulent environments and luxurious living. However, this caused Johnny to spiral down a dark path. He was conceited and extremely brash, treating those around him like garbage, believing everyone to be a waste of space. Until one day, when cutting in front of the line to watch a play, Johnny was shot in the spinal cord by the enraged person that he wronged.
While in rehabilitation, the world forgot about Johnny Joestar. Although humbled, he became a shell of his former self, suffering constant abuse at the hands of his caretakers. He becomes a paraplegic, even finding himself unable to mount his horse again. After years of looking down upon those who couldn't achieve fame like he did, Johnny Joestar is diminished to a state where he's less than those he ridiculed. He joins the Steel Ball Run race to build himself back upwards to "zero", or the basic point of humanity devoid of any disability or privilege, detestation or praise, isolation or fame. In other words, Johnny Joestar wants to start again.
Each of the main characters is filled with as much depth as Johnny Joestar. That's how profoundly masterful this vibrant cast of characters is. As we follow Johnny throughout his adventures, we are tormented with philosophical questions, such as whether or not the hero of this narrative is actually the villain.
Enjoyment: 10
I love consuming fictional stories. From any sort of medium. Yet there's only a certain sort of story that can light a spark inside my very soul. A story that attributes me with a certain fluttering feeling within the stomach, as I carnivorously crave for more content. The first time I experienced this feeling was after watching the first four seasons of Game of Thrones. The second time I experienced this feeling was when reading the Golden Age arc of Berserk. The third, and final, time I experienced this feeling was when reading the masterpiece that is Steel Ball Run.
What more can I say? I absolutely love it. In fact, it is the only story I've ever read that I wouldn't change a thing about.
Overall: 10
Steel Ball Run is a masterpiece, and the greatest story ever told from beginning to end. It is hard to put into words how this manga makes me feel. I recommend it with all my heart, and could give no series higher praise than JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
"This story is the tale of me starting to walk. Not in the physical sense...but in an adolescence to adulthood sort of way."
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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