Do you know “Momotaro”?
There are many fairy tales for children in Japan, and this is a very famous story along with “Kintaro” and “Urashima Taro”.
There has been manga about Momotaro in the past, but I would like to talk about what is innovative about the manga “Tougen-Anki” that I would like to introduce here.
The main character of this manga is “Shiki Ichinose”, a boy who likes guns. One day after he is expelled from school for fighting with other students, his house is attacked by a mysterious man belonging to an organization called “Momotaro Agency”. On his way to escape with his father, who is not related to him by blood, “Shiki” is told that his pursuer has the blood of Momotaro, who appears in fairy tales, and that he has a secret about himself, and his fate begins to change dramatically. The story, titled “A New Generation of Dark Hero Demon Tale”, is sure to be one to watch out for.
What is innovative about it?
It is because it depicts “Momotaro”, who has been an unquestionably righteous being, as the enemy and sets the demon, who has been depicted in fairy tales as an evil to be exterminated, as the hero. This can be cited as a counterpart to “Demon Slayer”, which was also a huge hit around the world.
I think that this is the best time for this “Tougen-Anki” to be released to the world as a work of art. It is well known that it is no longer easy to talk about good and evil in a dualistic way, what is right and what is wrong, as the world recognizes it. And I think it is significant that “Demon Slayer” told the story from the demon’s point of view: “Demons have their own reasons for becoming demons, and demons are suffering in their own way”.
Please read this manga!