Seraphim 266613336Wings
Seraphim 266613336Wings | |
セラフィム 2億6661万3336の翼 (Seraphim: 2-oku 6661-man 3336 no Tsubasa) | |
---|---|
Manga | |
Written by | |
Illustrated by | Satoshi Kon |
Published by | Tokuma Shoten |
English publisher | Dark Horse Comics |
Magazine | Animage |
Demographic | Seinen |
Original run | March 1994 – November 1995 |
Volumes | 1 |
Seraphim 266613336Wings (Japanese: セラフィム 2億6661万3336の翼, Hepburn: Seraphim: 2-oku 6661-man 3336 no Tsubasa) is an unfinished Japanese manga series by Mamoru Oshii and Satoshi Kon. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic world bent by a disease called "angel disease" that is decimating the population, and centers on the journey of two men and a dog, called "Magi", and a girl they escort, Sera, sent by the World Health Organization (WHO) to an area of Central Asia where the outbreak is believed to be located. Enemies and conspiracies await them along the way.[1]
Commissioned in 1994 by Animage to replicate the success of the serialization of Hayao Miyazaki's Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, the work was serialized from March 1994 to November 1995, when it was discontinued due to both authors abandoning the project.[2][3]
Plot
Like all other omens, this one manifested itself without anyone noticing. By the time people noticed it, it was too late. The disease first showed itself in the early 21st century in a desolate place on the Eurasian continent. Suddenly it spread everywhere coming to affect the human race in its entirety. It was an incurable disease. It drove people to death, afflicting them with fierce delusions and deforming their diseased bodies. Entire countries disappeared without anyone being able to do anything about it. The more developed ones blocked access to refugees coming from the contaminated places. [...] The so-called "bird disease" took humankind where no one could have imagined.
— From the introductory poster of the Italian edition[4]
In a world in which the "angel disease" (天使病, Tenshi-byō), or "Seraphim" (セラフィム, Serafimu), has brought entire nations to ruin and is exterminating most of the population, the
Having landed in Shanghai, which has been reduced to rubble and subjugated to a handful of fanatical inquisitors operating outside the WHO guidelines, they are betrayed by Zhou and Balthazar is captured.[16] Melchior, on the other hand, manages to escape the inquisitors' thugs and, aided by a woman who heads a rebel group, hatches a plan to rescue his comrades.[17] During the ceremony in which Sera is tied to a crucifix to be burned at the stake, he contacts Captain Huang, who fires surface-to-air missiles at the inquisitors' building, killing them.[18] In the ensuing turmoil, the Magi and the child are reunited and, escorted by the woman, go to Nanjing.[19] There Melchior suffers the first symptoms of "angel sickness", and although he realizes that the little girl can mysteriously cure him, he still wants to hurry to reach the Taklamakan desert via an airship, abandoned but functioning. With the departure of the group, the manga comes to a halt.[20]
Production
By March 1994, the serialization of
Regarding this new serialization with Oshii, I want to take our time, and work slowly and carefully.
— Satoshi Kon
They met almost daily to discuss the illustrations, choosing and planning every detail and frame.[22] Over time, this process involved the actual story and Kon also began to express himself on narrative junctures.[2] His suggestions were integrated by Oshii into the script, resulting in a "unique, fascinating and detailed world with no obvious distinction between the work of the two men".[2] However, this modus operandi probably led to arguments that later drove the writers apart, leading to a hiatus of the series after sixteen chapters, in November 1995.[22] In this regard, none of the two explained what really triggered the breakup. Oshii stated, "I don't want to talk about it too much [...] I stopped fighting with the illustrator, and that's it".[23] Kon, on the other hand, said via his website that "with a story that did not progress and a scenario that had only explanations, I tried to incite the original author on the path of [more] entertainment, but Mr. [Oshii] ran away".[24] Furthermore, within his Opus, published between 1995 and 1996, he referred to the manga by saying:
Seraphim has also been suspended. But that manga is like a child who does not look like his parents.
Although the artists had reconnected in the following years, going so far as to work in 2007 with other directors (including
Distribution
Animage released chapters of Seraphim 266613336Wings from May 1994 (publishing the Prologue) to November 1995.[4] During this time frame, the credits changed as Kon's involvement in the project increased: up to the twelfth episode it read "drawings by Satoshi Kon, story by Mamoru Oshii", while from the thirteenth to the sixteenth it read "by Satoshi Kon – Original Story: Mamoru Oshii".[22] The chapters were unnamed, except for the first, which bore the subtitle "Inquisitors – Magi", and the last three, in which the caption "Second Series" was inserted.[22]
In mid-October 2010,
Reception
Seraphim 266613336Wings was received overall positively by the critics who reviewed it. Hans Rollmann of the
Critical analysis
Symbology
According to Carl Gustav Horn (in the afterword "Animage, Mamoru Oshii, and Satoshi Kon"[1]), the manga has some references to an earlier work by Oshii, Angel's Egg (天使のたまご, Tenshi no Tamago), a 1985 original video animation made in collaboration with the illustrator Yoshitaka Amano:[42][43] for example, the image of the phylogenetic tree (also exploited for 1995's Ghost in the Shell), depicted behind a statue of Charles Darwin in the museum (recalling the Natural History Museum in London) where Dr. Erasmus works and which in the anime was carved inside the Ark where the little girl protagonist lives;[44][45] Sera herself seems to be based on the latter, "with her heavy upward gaze," as are the bird hunters in the tulou, compared with the fishermen in the feature film.[46]
Additionally, the two works also resemble each other in terms of the religious references they contain: the name of the disease, Seraphim, is the plural of the word seraph, the heavenly spirit at the head of the hierarchy of angels;[47][48] moreover, the male protagonists are named after the Magi,[49] and the WHO envoys "Inquisitors".[b] Dr. Erasmus then quotes the gospels several times (such as those of Luke[51] and Matthew[52]), and Sera is compared to Mazu, representing a Messiah for the Hakka people, whose history "is a continuous search for a place in the world, much like that of the people of Israel".[53][50] Andrew Tran asserted:[39]
Does it look like anything Satoshi Kon or Mamoru Oshii have done before? Surprisingly, I'd say no, not at all – the apocalyptic, semi-mystical feel has much more in common with Neon Genesis Evangelion and Akira, the former for its use of mythologized Christian terms and themes, and the latter for its depressingly believable vision of the future.
— Andrew Tran
The number 266613336 that appears in the title is an
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Neon Genesis Evangelion
Horn argues that the manga "might indeed be very reminiscent of Nausicaa, an extraordinary young woman, seen as a savior prophesied by some, of travels in a post-apocalyptic world still torn down by sectarian conflict, accompanied by older men as her protectors".[56] Nonetheless, it differs from it in several respects: Miyazaki's work is set in the distant future and reflects on politics but without being realistic, while Oshii and Kon's, in addition to taking place in a near-contemporary historical moment, consists of meticulous references to existing social elements, such as the Triads of the Hakka people or the presence of the WHO.[57]
The contrast lies as much in the art as in the story. Nausicaa's unruled panel borders, its sepia ink, the soft line of its character drawings, the rounded and organic look even of its machines, give a suggestion of handcraft and folklore befitting Miyazaki's aesthetics. Kon's art in Seraphim took inspiration from Katsuhiro Otomo's oddly radical character realism [...] Nausicaa [is] a work of fiction—but if Miyazaki shaped his narrative by molding a fantasy, Oshii defined his by choosing to cut a certain shape out of a larger reality.
— Carl Gustav Horn[57]
Another parallel is drawn with the
Notes
- ^ Literally, "The worship of the three sages".
- webzine Stay Nerd, wrote in his article "'The Siren's Lineage' and Kon Satoshi's major works":
In Seraphim the topos of the unscrupulous adult is covered by the Inquisitors [...]. They are supposed to guarantee peace, but end up exterminating entire populations on the basis of unfounded suspicions in order to maintain power. Kon certainly took inspiration from the dark ages of witch hunts and heresies.[50]
References
- ^ a b c "SERAPHIM: 266613336 WINGS TPB". Dark Horse. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f Watanabe (2015, p. 229)
- ^ a b c Federica Lippi (May 19, 2014). "Mamoru Oshii, regista e fumettista, da 'Kerberos' a 'Meiji'". Fumettologica. Archived from the original on February 16, 2021. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
- ^ a b Oshii & Kon (2013, Introductory poster)
- ^ a b Oshii & Kon (2013, p. 46)
- ^ a b Luca Rosati (December 17, 2010). "SATOSHI KON: RISTAMPATI I MANGA SERAPHIM ED OPUS". Everyeye.it. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, p. 24)
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, pp. 44–45)
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, pp. 46–56)
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, pp. 74–78)
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, pp. 87–88)
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, p. 80)
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, pp. 103–105)
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, pp. 110–115)
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, p. 119)
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, pp. 159–161)
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, pp. 173–178)
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, pp. 178–184)
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, p. 190)
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, pp. 220–224)
- ^ Miyazaki (1982, p. 181)
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Pederzini (2013, p. 225)
- ^ "『セラフィム 2億6661万3336の翼』単行本について". kyo-kan.net (in Japanese). December 6, 2010. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ a b "未完の『セラフィム 2億6661万3336の翼』単行本 12月に発売". kyo-kan.net (in Japanese). October 28, 2010. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ Kon (2013, p. 168)
- ^ a b c Horn (2015, p. 248)
- ^ "今敏氏死去、46歳 アニメ映画監督" (in Japanese). Tokyo Shimbun. August 25, 2010. Archived from the original on August 27, 2010. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ Horn (2015, p. 237)
- ^ Jason Gray (November 7, 2012). "Mamoru Oshii readies international co-production". screendaily.com. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
- ^ "BLOOD THE LAST VAMPIRE Team Oshii 06" (in Japanese). アニプレックス. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ Roberto Addari (January 20, 2011). "Mamoru Oshii: nuovo romanzo per Patlabor e Seraphim". MangaForever. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ Horn (2015, p. 263)
- ^ a b Roberto Addari (December 8, 2010). "Satoshi Kon: raccolti i manga Seraphim e Opus". MangaForever. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ "初回限定版 セラフィム". e-hon.ne.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ "セラフィム2億6661万3336の翼". e-hon.ne.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 16, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ "Seraphim-Opus". Libri.co italia. Archived from the original on February 16, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ "Carl Gustav HORN". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
- ^ Hans Rollmann (March 30, 2015). "'Seraphim 266613336 Wings' Will Set Your Imagination Afire". PopMatters. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
- ^ a b Andrew Tran (February 23, 2015). "Seraphim: 266613336 Wings Review – The Unfinished Manga Epic". OverMental. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
- ^ Nic SMith (March 30, 2015). "REVIEW: 'SERAPHIM: 266613336 WINGS' TP (MANGA)". ICv2. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
- ^ Horn (2015, p. 250)
- ^ Ruh (2004, p. 46)
- ^ Horn (2015, pp. 243–244)
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, pp. 6–10)
- ^ Horn (2015, p. 244)
- ^ Horn (2015, p. 243)
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, p. 1)
- ^ Mettinger (1999, p. 743)
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, p. 13)
- ^ a b Marco Broggini (June 13, 2019). "'La Stirpe della sirena' e le opere più importanti di Kon Satoshi". Stay Nerd. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, p. 10)
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, p. 15)
- ^ Oshii & Kon (2013, p. 103)
- ^ Horn (2015, p. 258)
- ^ Davidson (1994, p. 111)
- ^ Horn (2015, p. 246)
- ^ a b Horn (2015, p. 247)
- ^ Claudio Gatta. "LA CABALA IN NEON GENESIS EVANGELION". Libero. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
- ^ Ruh (2004, p. 59)
- ^ Roberto Addari (December 6, 2014). "Gainax: il film Uru in Blue nel 2018 in tutto il mondo". MangaForever. Archived from the original on April 20, 2019. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
- ^ Horn (2015, pp. 248–250)
Bibliography
- Davidson, Gustav (1994). A Dictionary of Angels: Including the Fallen Angels. Free Press. p. 111.
- Horn, Carl Gustav (2015). "Afterword to the english-language edition". Seraphim 266613336Wings. Dark Horse Comics. pp. 236–266. ISBN 9781616556082.
- Kon, Satoshi (2013). Opus 2. Panini Comics. p. 168.
- Mettinger, T. N. D. (1999). "Seraphim". Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible. Brill Publishers. p. 743.
- Miyazaki, Hayao (October 10, 1982). "読者みなさんへ" [A tutti i lettori]. Animage (in Japanese) (53). Tokuma Shoten.
- Oshii, Mamoru; Kon, Satoshi (2013). Seraphim 266613336 Wings. Panini Comics.
- Pederzini, Paolo (2013). "Riguardo a Seraphim 266.613.336 Ali". Seraphim 266613336Wings. Panini Comics.
- Ruh, Brian (2004). Stray Dog of Anime: The Films of Mamoru Oshii. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Watanabe, Takashi (2015). "About Seraphim 266613336 Wings". Seraphim 266613336Wings. Dark Horse Comics. ISBN 9781616556082.
External links
- Seraphim 266613336Wings (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia