A Drunken Dream and Other Stories
Encyclopedia
A Drunken Dream and Other Stories is a Japanese manga
anthology written and illustrated by Moto Hagio
, collecting a variety of her short stories originally from 1970-2007.
to be an introduction to Hagio for English speakers, with the input of a mixi
fan club for Hagio. The anthology also contains an interview with the author, and an article about the Year 24 Group
, which Hagio belongs to. Both supporting articles were excerpted from articles originally published in The Comics Journal
#269. To launch the book, Hagio attended Comic-Con
2010. The front cover of the book is on the right, and the manga is presented in unflipped format, and the article about the Year 24 Group and the interview with Moto Hagio are presented as appendices in the left of the book, reading from left to right.
and Mitsukazu Mihara
. Wildsmith praised the details in Hagio's art, and felt that the art dated well. Publishers Weekly
felt Hagio's works were more restrained and subtle than modern shōjo manga, saying that this reflects Hagio's wisdom and "creative strength". Lissa Pattillo describes the anthology as "a mature collection of stories that aims to provoke thought and feeling and succeeds endearingly". Thomas Zoth describes the presentation of the book as "part textbook, and part holy book". His only complaint about the presentation of the book is that he found the font choice reminiscent of The Simpsons
. Joe McCulloch feels that the title story is "more interested in evoking sensations of exquisite heartache and romantic frustration than delineating psychological realism or building suspense". Nicole Rudick feels that "The theme of spiritual crisis runs throughout Hagio’s stories—from the mundane (“Angel”) to the surreal (“Hanshin: Half-God”) to the phantasmagoric (“A Drunken Dream”)". David Welsh found it easy to sympathise with Hagio's heroes. Noah Berlatsky disliked the first four stories, suggesting that Hagio's characterisations are poor, and that a fantasy or science fiction setting can help to distract from this.
The volume has been nominated for an Eisner Award
.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
anthology written and illustrated by Moto Hagio
Moto Hagio
is a manga artist born on May 12, 1949 in Ōmuta, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, though she currently lives in Saitama Prefecture. She is considered a "founding mother" of modern shōjo manga, especially shōnen-ai. She is also a member of the Year 24 Group...
, collecting a variety of her short stories originally from 1970-2007.
Publication
The stories were selected by translator Matt ThornMatt Thorn
Matt Thorn is a cultural anthropologist and an Associate Professor in the Department of Manga Production at Kyoto Seika University's Faculty of Manga in Japan. He is most well known in North America for his work dealing with shōjo manga. He has appeared at multiple anime conventions, including...
to be an introduction to Hagio for English speakers, with the input of a mixi
Mixi
mixi, Inc. is one of several social networking websites in Japan, founded in 2004. As of May 2008, mixi had over 21.6 million users and an 80% share of the social networking market in Japan...
fan club for Hagio. The anthology also contains an interview with the author, and an article about the Year 24 Group
Year 24 group
refers to one of two female manga artist groups which are considered to have revolutionized shōjo manga . Their works often examine "radical and philosophical issues", including sexuality and gender issues, and many of their works are now considered "classics" of shōjo manga...
, which Hagio belongs to. Both supporting articles were excerpted from articles originally published in The Comics Journal
The Comics Journal
The Comics Journal, often abbreviated TCJ, is an American magazine of news and criticism pertaining to comic books, comic strips and graphic novels...
#269. To launch the book, Hagio attended Comic-Con
Comic-Con
Comic-Con, Comic Con or ComiCon may refer to any of the following Comic book conventions, none of them affiliated to any other:*San Diego Comic-Con International, annual fan convention in San Diego held since 1970, also known as Comic-Con or San Diego Comic-Con*Dallas Comic Con, annual fan...
2010. The front cover of the book is on the right, and the manga is presented in unflipped format, and the article about the Year 24 Group and the interview with Moto Hagio are presented as appendices in the left of the book, reading from left to right.
Volume list
Original place of publication:| Title | # of pages | Original publication |
Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Shōjo Friend Shojo Friend was a shōjo manga magazine formerly published by Kodansha, beginning in 1962. Kodansha used the knowledge gained from publishing magazines aimed at young girls, including Nakayoshi and Shōjo Club, as well as the experience from publishing Weekly Shonen Magazine. Shōjo Friend is considered the... , Special Issue #5 |
1970 | |
| 12 | COM COM (manga magazine) was a manga magazine started in January 1967 by Osamu Tezuka. It was started in response to the success of Garo , and as a way for Tezuka and other artists to showcase more avant-garde and experimental works in manga... |
January 1971 | |
| 24 | Bessatsu Shōjo Comic | October 1971 | |
| 16 | Big Comic Original Big Comic Original is a Japanese seinen manga magazine published by Shogakukan, aimed at an older adult and mostly male audience. It is a sister magazine to Big Comic, the biggest difference being that it goes on sale twice a month in the weeks Big Comic doesn't. Cover artwork usually features a dog or cat, and a haiku... |
March 20, 1977 | |
| 21 | newly drawn for Kingin Suna Kishi (artbook) | 1980 | |
| 16 | Petit Flower Petit Flower was a Japanese manga magazine published by Shogakukan. Founded in 1980 as a quarterly magazine, in 1981 it changed to bimonthly, then monthly from 1984 to 1988, when it again became bimonthly. The magazine became defunct in May 2002, and was relaunched as Flowers in April 2004... |
January 1984 | |
| 50 | Petit Flower | ||
| 50 | Petit Flower | May 1991 | |
| 24 | Child - Igyou Collection #7 | 1998 | |
| 20 | flowers Flowers (magazine) Flowers is a Japanese monthly josei manga magazine published by Shogakukan. It is issued on the 28th of every month.- Currently running manga-series:*Barbara Ikai*Fushigi Yūgi Genbu Kaiden*Iguana Girl-External links:*... |
May 2007 |
Reception
Katherine Dacey describes "Bianca" as a "lovely, unabashedly Romantic story" and a "a meditation on artistic inspiration". Dacey notes that other stories in the book "explore the complexity of familial relationships". Dacey praised Hagio's ability to "make the ineffable speak through pictures". Snow Wildsmith praised the flow of the anthology and felt the anthology's theme was that of connections between people, recommending it to fans of Fumi YoshinagaFumi Yoshinaga
is a Japanese manga artist known for her shōjo and shōnen-ai works.-Personal:Fumi Yoshinaga was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1971. She attended the prestigious Keio University in Tokyo....
and Mitsukazu Mihara
Mitsukazu Mihara
is an influential Japanese illustrator who helped to influence the Gothic Lolita look through her illustrations, particularly as the cover illustrator for the first eight volumes of the Gothic & Lolita Bible...
. Wildsmith praised the details in Hagio's art, and felt that the art dated well. Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
felt Hagio's works were more restrained and subtle than modern shōjo manga, saying that this reflects Hagio's wisdom and "creative strength". Lissa Pattillo describes the anthology as "a mature collection of stories that aims to provoke thought and feeling and succeeds endearingly". Thomas Zoth describes the presentation of the book as "part textbook, and part holy book". His only complaint about the presentation of the book is that he found the font choice reminiscent of The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
. Joe McCulloch feels that the title story is "more interested in evoking sensations of exquisite heartache and romantic frustration than delineating psychological realism or building suspense". Nicole Rudick feels that "The theme of spiritual crisis runs throughout Hagio’s stories—from the mundane (“Angel”) to the surreal (“Hanshin: Half-God”) to the phantasmagoric (“A Drunken Dream”)". David Welsh found it easy to sympathise with Hagio's heroes. Noah Berlatsky disliked the first four stories, suggesting that Hagio's characterisations are poor, and that a fantasy or science fiction setting can help to distract from this.
The volume has been nominated for an Eisner Award
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
.