Vertical Inc. News

The twentieth century saw a number of internationally-recognized and noteworthy Japanese prose authors; Oe, Mishima and Murakami come to mind. Meanwhile, quietly, Osamu Dazai’s first-person tales of pessimism and distrust continue to resonate with Japan decades after the author’s tragic death.

Few comickers have captured the respect and curiousity of a nation in the twenty-first century like Usamaru Furuya. His rich visuals overflow with emotion and narrative allowing him to render any genre from comedy to psycho-horror effortlessly, making Furuya a magician with pen and paper.

In Vertical’s most recent release these two talents come together to take on one of Japanese literature’s most beloved works, No Longer Human. Furuya tackles this classic “I novel” by resetting it in modern-day Tokyo, a vice-fueled megalopolis where it is almost impossble to avoid today’s opiates. By taking Dazai’s place as the narrator, Furuya, known as something of a comedian in his own right, reveals a new side as a story-teller as he guides readers through the life of a young clown named Yozo Oba. Drawn vividly by Furuya, everyday life becomes a fascinating nightmare full of self-loathing, alcohol abuse, and suicidal tendencies. And with every new twist, we believe that readers, like the narrator, will be drawn in deeper towards the dark side of Vertical’s seinen comic revolution.

Tags: dazai, furuya, graphic novel, human, longer, manga, no, no longer human, osamu, osamu dazai, usamaru, usamaru furuya