The manga Ningyo is a one-shot by Éditions Glénat, written by Mr Tan and illustrated by Mato, a duo who had already proposed the rewriting of the Buddhist tale Juzo.The plot of Ningyo, focuses on the adventures of Kai, a young man deciding to go to the forest of Aokigahara where his brother committed suicide in order to understand this drama.
An intriguing synopsis
If the story of the manga Ningyo itself opens with Kai's interest in the suicide of his older brother, it is in fact only a pretext to explore the urban legend of the forest. The latter is indeed infamous for the number of Japanese who have killed themselves. As he sinks into this captivating but sinister place, Kai discovers that a mermaid is hiding there. A Ningyo, to be exact. It is a species of sea creature similar to the mermaid of northern European folklore. The latter tells the story of its existence, which can easily be seen as a metaphor for today's society. The topics covered in the manga Ningyo are hard; Waves of suicides, the extinction of an ethnic group, pollution, capitalism… Will the meeting of Kai and the mermaid influence the future of the world?
An original feather
The story itself is poignant, bewitching. Our attention is taken by the voice of the siren in the same way as Kai. We always want to know more, which leads us to read the one-shot in one go. The drawings are fine and pleasing to the eye and the words, simple to understand. What is also interesting is the subtlety of the words. The story of the manga Ningyo is open to interpretation. At the end of the reading, each reader can wonder about the evolution of society and the crises that upset it. Some see it as a warning about the ecological crisis, others as a criticism of capitalism… All without ever giving up this glimmer of hope for the possibility of a better world. Finally, in the same way as Juzo, this new one-shot teaches us more about Japanese culture; the myth of the ningyos, that of the Aokigahara forest, the evolution of Japanese society… Something to have fun while learning! Ningyo by Mr Tan and Mato, it's available since May 18th at Glénat, so don't wait any longer!
