While scouring the internet for the Urasawa Bob Dylan comic, I stumbled on a few other things that I thought Urasawa fans might appreciate:
⇒ For Urasawa fans who can read Japanese, here is a summary of an episode of an NHK series called "Professional" that featured Urasawa from back in January. I remember watching this and becoming an even bigger fan because some of the things he said about being a real "professional" stuck with me.
(I may be convinced to translate some of this when I can find the time, and if people want it. But, again, I'll need a little coaxing
)
⇒ Urasawa doesn't just write and draw people singing, he lives his work!
Here are some pics of his live debut at "20th CENTURY'S ROCK SHOW" this past June 27th;
He sang again the next day at "BOB DYLAN SUMMIT 2008"; both of which were part of a two day concert by Urasawa and Koji Wakui.
I saw it mentioned a few times on different blogs that he looked a lot like singer Tamio Okuda. I agree;
Apparently Urasawa finished off his set by singing "Bob Lennon", which fans know as a Kenji song from 20th Century Boys.
Urasawa may not have inspired a generation to fight the power with a song like Kenji, but he does have a CD release under his belt!
⇒ But here's the real gem, and a book I definitely intended to buy!
This is a collection of Urasawa's early shorts and one-shots, including his debut Beta!! gag one shot.
Well, that just about does it for the run down of extra Urasawa stuff I collected while tracking down the Dylan comic.
Next, it's off to the bookstore (and maybe the record store, too) this weekend to get a look at this stuff!!
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2 comments
Btw: What do you think of the 21stCB ending?
I heard so much theories from people. Some of them were so convinced of them selfs with theories they made up.
Like this one:
[Spoiler deleted] being Friend and that the other boy was his "other prsonality" which I did not agree with.
(You can erase this sentence if its too spoilerish, You can send a mail back if you have something too say that could spoil people.)
As for the ending of 21st, I do not agree with the "other personality" thing either.
Also, as you can see, I left what you wrote but just deleted the name of "friend" just in case.
I'd hate to be the one who ruins it for someone else.
I do have a sort of theory, which I'll mail to you in the next little while, but I really think that 20th Century Boys got a little lost near the end (when Urasawa took all that time off it) and it became a struggle to bring it back on track and finish it up. I actually think the whole thing is a lot simpler than it may appear, but the grandiose nature the story ran away with Urasawa a little.
I can’t remember which volume it is off the top of my head, but there is a point in the story (it’s one of the big jumps forward to the “friend” future) where it’s obviously gone a little off the rails. Maybe “off the rails” is the wrong things to say and a little too subjective, but it did change and I had trouble trying to figure out how it got there and where the hell it was going.
The ending of 21st Century Boys was – I hate to say it – quite predictable in the whole scheme of things. Hindsight is 20-20, but there are a lot of deliberate tip-offs as to what's going on as well, for example the masks the kids wear. I won't write the name here, but one of the masks is of an old cartoon character whose name is an alternate reading of one of kids names, which is important early in the story. That is only one subtlety that will definitely get lost in translation. That point becomes obvious on purpose, but it also shows you other things, like the fact that there was always more than one person behind the whole "friend" thing.
Near the end, some of it felt forced - almost as if Urasawa just wanted to be finally done with it. I hated the use of the virtual machine in 21st Century Boys. But, I'll stop now before I give away too much...
Having said that, though, I still think it's awesome and I am in the process of reading it again.
I bet it will be better in some ways (maybe worse in others?) the second time around.
Btw, I think the scene at the Docomo Tower in Shinjuku where "friend" and Fukube go over the edge is brilliant! Perfect place, perfect time, brilliantly executed. Pure genious!
(Again, I'll shut up before I give anything away - haha)
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