Groovy… just groovy.
It doesn’t take more than a page or two of Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys Volume 08 to recognize that, as a reader, you are in the hands of a master at his craft. If this volume is your initial entry into the series, that is also how long it will take you to realize that you are in way over your head. The story spans multiple eras, from the 1960s well into the 21st century, and includes a large roster of dramatis personae, many of whom have different versions for different eras to keep track of. Additionally, the Orwellian plot is hip-deep, following the evolution of a world-changing event from its inception amongst a group of childhood friends in the 60s, to its execution at the turn of the millennium, to its aftermath in the second decade of the next century. It’s intimidating, yet it all works because Urasawa-san’s beautiful presentation makes you want to see it through. Question is: in the final analysis, is it worth it?
Much of the story in Volume 08 centers around Koizumi Kyoko, a high school student during the 2014 era of the story investigating the events of Bloody New Year’s Eve — the sobriquet of a terrorist attack on the eve of the Millennium that changed the world — for a high school history research paper. Her efforts attract the attention of the Friends, the de facto authoritarian government that rose to power in the wake of Bloody New Year’s Eve. She is ordered to attend Friend Land, an educational retreat for those expressing an interest in the facts surrounding the Millennium Eve attack, but which in fact is a re-education center dedicated to brainwashing the curiosity out of the curious. The narrative gives off a 1984vibe the way Terry Gilliam’s Brazil does: with tongue planted firmly in cheek while menacing the audience with fascistic tropes. The plot is incredibly dense, further complicated by Urasawa-san’s penchant for jumping back and forth between the three main timelines that, if you haven’t followed the series from the start, can have you shrugging your shoulders. However, if you dig in and invest in the process, the dividend is an engrossing mystery that will hook you.
If the complex story is blunting your enthusiasm for 20th Century Boys, then perhaps Urasawa-san’s superlative artistry will win you over. Make no mistake — the man’s kung fu with pen and ink is master-class. The illustrations are stunning, steeped in old school manga traditions that would make Tezuka proud. The panel layouts aren’t sexy, but they are straight-forward and functional, and never frittered away on superfluous information. The world is lovingly rendered: environments are lavishly designed and detailed, and character designs are distinct enough to identify actors at a glance. The one challenge here is presented by the multi-generational aspect of the story that complicates continuity, forcing you to keep track of up to three different versions of the same character. The problem is so acute that the publisher wisely supplies a character profile sheet at the beginning of every volume that provides you with an at-a-glance reference to help you keep it all straight. Even then it takes some doing to figure out who is who. As one would expect from a manga title of this level of competence, the screen-and-tone work is exceptional. Some may argue a lack of innovation on Urasawa-san’s part, but I say don’t fix what ain’t broke.
If the fundamental equation for a good book is a good story well told, then 20th Century Boys is a winner. Certainly there are some barriers to overcome. The dense plot and large ensemble cast are huge and immediate hurdles unless you’ve followed the series from the first volume, and even then you’ll find yourself hitting up the crib notes here and there. However, it says a great deal about Urasawa-san’s craftsmanship that, despite all that, the complex machinery that drives 20th Century Boys forward is so ably integrated that nary a crack really shows. He does a million little things right that add up to a potent work of fiction, worthy of the investment in time and brain power it takes to appreciate it. Some may balk at the orthodoxy of Urasawa-san’s technique or the convoluted plot but, love it or hate it, empirically speaking this is an expertly rendered manga and deserving of any aficionado’s attention.
ComicsOnline gives 20th Century Boys Volume 08 4 Friends out of 5.
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