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Reviewed by Dan Polley A man walks and his steps are light and airy. That’s what the main character in Jiro Taniguchi’s “The Walking Man” does, and that’s exactly what Taniguchi does, too. Both his writing and art style lead to a feathery feeling as the eyes move across the page. The panels alternately open and close, allowing the reader to experience varying emotions according to Taniguchi’s style. Taniguchi’s delicate strokes lead the eyes smoothly over the art. He covers the main character’s experiences in 18 masterfully crafted vignettes – stories that could stand on their own for a brief respite from the busy hubbub of everyday life, but create a greater woven fabric when pieced together. The detail is stunning, to the point at which the reader can make out individual leaves on a tree set in the background. The main character, who Taniguchi never names, has a natural curiosity that takes him on many walks, including one during which he stops and lies down in a small field of cherry blossoms. During his other walks, the man sees a white wagtail fly by, finds a horseshoe, climbs a tree to free a child’s toy, walks in the rain dressed in a business suit, and stops to enjoy the little beauties of life. The man clearly does not know where his walks will take him, nor does it matter to him. He is at peace when he is walking, when he finds his peace and lives with it. It is this inner peace and comfort that allows Taniguchi’s art to thrive by commingling and producing a deeper, heartier emotion. In the first vignette, the man returns from a walk only to find that the place where he lives with his romantic interest had been a shelter for a dog who neighbors said had been left behind by previous owners. “I’d love to keep him,” the woman says. “I guess we keep him then,” says the man, who then goes on several walks with the dog. In the end, the man shows us our lack of belonging to that world. In the busy disconnectedness of everyday affairs, we take for granted the beauty of the life around us, and the beauty of the simple things. The man reminds us of that, and tells us that we’ll find what we’re looking for, as long as we go for a walk. Interested in writing for MangaLife? We're always looking for talented reviewers and columnists, so drop us a line! Charles Webb Editor-in-Chief, MangaLife.com |
3 January 2011
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